First Season Episode Talk: Join Us At The Bent Elbow

[joshleejosh]

I was a little disappointed with the season finale: too much time with characters who were introduced late -- one of whom ended up being a total non-entity, literally -- and not enough of Wendy Being Awesome. Also, the big witch fight was underwhelming; action is not this show's forte. Seemed like they were more interested in setting up cliffhangers for next season than in wrapping things up.

 

But giving Freya's boys powers makes them interesting for the first time, so there's that.

 

[Tara Ariano]

Good timing, I just watched this last night! I totally agree about Killian and Dash: lots more potential there than there was with the shifter.

[joshleejosh]

If Dash becomes an evil wizard, I will be much less confused by the fact that he looks like a younger, hunkier Christopher Walken.

[formerlyfreedom]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the first season of The Witches of East End. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[Grammaeryn]

The first season is on Netflix streaming and thanks to being housebound (severe sunburn/sun poisoning), I'm all caught up on season 1. 
 
What I Liked:

• The easy supportive vibe between the Beauchamp ladies
• The whole Asgard origin. I know it's really goofy but I love Vikings and the Thor movies so I'm in
• Cavalcade of genre actors - Mr. Sarah Michelle Gellar, 4400 Guy, and Dollhouse guy
• Wendy
• Ingrid - she won me over in the pilot when she asked, "Wait, did you pee on this stick?"

 

What I Didn't Like:

• Entire episodes where major stuff goes down and NO ONE talks to anyone. 
• Freya - she's the Phoebe Halliwell of the show I know but the bimbo self centered stuff is grating
• Joanna - I don't know if it's the mangled accent or the same line over and over, "I did X to protect you."
• The man candy - Mr. Fish Lips and his brother greasy aren't great prizes

 

I'm still unclear if Freya is aware of Ingrid's trip into her past life and hi that could be HUGE for season 2. They better figure out a way to give Wendy more lives darn it!

[Blue Girl]

• The man candy - Mr. Fish Lips and his brother greasy aren't great prizes

 

Now they are the ones who need to be linked so that if you kill one you kill both.  Maybe Freya can run off with them both and they can have a spinoff show of their own, The Unoriginals.

 

What I liked:

 

• The show's premise.
• Wendy
• Cat Wendy
• Ingrid, but if she ever goes back to the goat blood orgies she's off my list.

 

What I didn't like:

 

• The triangle
• Freya (I don't need poor man's Phoebe, the original Pheebs was horrifying enough.)
• THE TRIANGLE
• Julia's wonky line delivery (Am I the only one who hears the weird pauses? It drives me nuts.)

 

All I can say is I'm glad with Season 2 coming that I have a place where I can talk to you guys because I will probably have a lot to bitch and moan about, or maybe I will be pleasantly surprised?  Who knows? I'm a semi-optimist. Maybe a shark ate Killian.

[Bort]

I've been watching the Netflix release of season 1 this weekend (I had no 4th of July plans). First and foremost, I love love LOVE Wendy. I've always thought Mädchen Amick should've been a bigger star because I think she's a really good actress. She definitely breathes most of the life into this show (Ingrid brings a lot of the rest of my enjoyment) and I can see why they decided to make Wendy a regular character after the pilot. I just love her glee about being a witch, everybody else acts so burdened.

Freya reminds me a lot of Aria from Pretty Little Liars. For one, she looks a lot like her. The other similarity is that I like her fine when she's in the primary storyline but whenever she's bogged down in the one about her love life, I totally lose interest. Sadly, that's a majority percentage of her screen time.

And lastly, the establishing shots really amuse me. Their house looks eerily similar to the Charmed house. And that's definitely Luthor Manor from Smallville as the Browning Castle. Fairhaven?

Edited July 5, 2014 by kariyaki

[GaT]

And lastly, the establishing shots really amuse me. Their house looks eerily similar to the Charmed house. And that's definitely Luthor Manor from Smallville as the Browning Castle. Fairhaven?

I remember Lifetime had a commercial running during season 1 that called them something like "charming witches". I can't remember exactly what it was, but it showed the house & then the voiceover said it, so they were definitely trying for a Charmed comparison.

[Mu Shu]

I love the set design.     It borders on the Argentoesque when they're shooting in Virgina Madsen manor.

 

Please tell me Freya has just one life left to live.   I get she's supposed to be the hot chick, but the considerably older Madchen Amick eclipses her, and isn't like nails on a chalkboard.   Ingrid  annoys as well.    Julia Ormond's accent is odd, but I dig her.   Middle aged hot lady leads are fun. 

[Mabinogia]

So far Wendy is the best thing about this show. I go in and out with Ingrid and Freya. I like Freya when she's not all "soul mate, soul mate, I've loved you before time existed" more than I thought I would. I started out liking Ingrid but she got on my last nerve. Especially with the dad thing. I don't like Joanna at all. She is the worst kind of character to me, the one who's more powerful than anyone else, who knows better than anyone else, who tries to run everyone else's life because she's always right and everyone else is wrong...etc. I love witch stories, though this, probably just bad timing, IDK, but the whole Asgard thing feels like jumping on a bandwagon to me since the Norse stuff seems to be all the rage these days.

 

I do like the interactions between the four main women. They all have great chemistry together.

 

I am intrigued by the "darker" tone this coming season because season one was more cheesy/hokey than dark. I'd forgotten just how OTT bad V. Madsen's acting was in this. OMG it's the worst. And I've always liked her before so IDK why she's so terrible here. The rest of them feel like real people though, so that's good. Except bland love interest one and greasy love interest two. Both of whom have no personality at all.

 

Wait, why do I watch this? IDK, but I do, and I will.

[Bort]

Yeah, I do think Ingrid is overreacting. Like, they're all witches, maaaaybe there was a world-ending reason Victor left? But she won't let him explain anything. I do appreciate the casting. Ingrid's lighter hair didn't really fit in with Joanna, Wendy and Freya but Victor showing up illustrates where her coloring came from.

Hilariously, the Netflix description plugs the show as "Emmy-winner Julia Ormand and Oscar-nominee Virginia Madsen..." and I'm like, who nominated Madsen for an Oscar? She was TERRIBLE here. I'm glad they killed her off because I don't know if I can take another season of her. Penelope/Athena isn't being resurrected, is she?

[Grammaeryn]

On watching the reruns today, I started wondering who is Joanna and Wendy's father. They said he banished them from Asgard once he came to power.  That doesn't sound like a Thor move. Since I am a complete geek, I think their father could be Loki (sorry I don't think Tom H will be popping up anytime soon). Also, in the Marvel univierse there'a a character called The Enchantress who's a sorceress. It depends on what kind of Asgard they want to go with.

[GaT]

So far Wendy is the best thing about this show. I go in and out with Ingrid and Freya. I like Freya when she's not all "soul mate, soul mate, I've loved you before time existed" more than I thought I would. I started out liking Ingrid but she got on my last nerve. Especially with the dad thing. I don't like Joanna at all. She is the worst kind of character to me, the one who's more powerful than anyone else, who knows better than anyone else, who tries to run everyone else's life because she's always right and everyone else is wrong...etc. I love witch stories, though this, probably just bad timing, IDK, but the whole Asgard thing feels like jumping on a bandwagon to me since the Norse stuff seems to be all the rage these days.

 

I do like the interactions between the four main women. They all have great chemistry together.

 

I am intrigued by the "darker" tone this coming season because season one was more cheesy/hokey than dark. I'd forgotten just how OTT bad V. Madsen's acting was in this. OMG it's the worst. And I've always liked her before so IDK why she's so terrible here. The rest of them feel like real people though, so that's good. Except bland love interest one and greasy love interest two. Both of whom have no personality at all.

 

Wait, why do I watch this? IDK, but I do, and I will.

This show is based on a series of books, the Asgard thing is directly from the books, & is a big part of the story. In the books, 

They're also gods (yeah I know), as are the two brothers, who kind of are the whole "soul mate" to Freya.

I can't tell you how much I hated the last book in the series.

[Jordan27]

I just watched S1 on On Demand.  I liked it.  It's a good show and has promise, but not a great show and I doubt it could be.

 

Likes...

 

I like the chemistry between all the characters.

I like the feel of the show.

The storyline was good, but not great.

A lot of the magic is kind of cool, especially the fun magic.

 

Not so much...

 

The cliche of talking about a secret in an aisle of a library and someone hearing it on the next aisle.

Too many characters not talking to each other.

Too many characters not revealing info because it might hurt someone.

Freya in drama queen mode.

No clearly defined powers of witches.

The usual there is no other way, there is only one, this is last one, where there is always another way, there is more than one and it isn't the last one.

 

Been interesting to see if they can push this show into very good mode or fall back into just above average.  Perhaps, it will just stay in good mode.