“Salem” started its second season this month with a terrifying bang and some new characters that are going to shake up this tiny Puritan community more than it already has been. The Witch War has begun; allegiances have fallen and trust has been broken. Now it’s every man, woman, child, and witch for themselves.
I was skeptical about “Salem” at first. It’s a bit soap opera-y. It’s not entirely historically accurate…not at all really (there are tiny bits here and there that call on actual historical events as we know them). And I simply didn’t think it would be any good at doing horror. I was SO super wrong. Not about those first two points. It still watches a bit like a soap opera, but a damn steamy one. And it’s not aiming for historical accuracy but who the hell cares? Go read a book.
But the horror! The horror! It does horror so damn well. It’s dark, sensual, disgusting, and terrifying. This week, BD writer Trace Thurman listed his top 5 reasons why we should all be watching “Salem.” And below are reasons 6-10… (SEASON ONE SPOILERS AHEAD)
Elise Eberle
Eberle (“Tiger Eyes”) plays Mercy, one of the very few characters from history, and one of the few characters from history that actually follows historical events fairly close. Once hunted by the witches, she is now one of the darkest and cruelest witches in Salem. But like all great and memorable characters in television history, she is deeply multi-faceted. Though evil and ruthless, she is lost and broken. Aside from Mercy’s phenomenal character trajectory, Eberle is one of the best physical actresses I have seen on television in a very, very long time. Maybe ever. Everything she does is insanely visceral.
Her entire body and every movement in it carries the weight of all the horror Mercy has been through. I had the chance to speak with Eberle at the “Salem” press junket last month and ask her how she prepares for such a daunting task put upon her body. She spoke of The Alexander Technique and releasing tension in her body (in a way, she’s releasing her own tension to fill our own bodies with tension). “Being aware of your body is such an important thing,” Eberle said, “It’s important [to understand] where your body is and how you can use it to your advantage. I love physical acting. It’s a pretty perfect role and I’m so blessed to have it.” This girl knows what she’s doing and it is the most stunning thing to watch.
The Gore
From Mercy Lewis biting off her fingertip to Tituba’s torture scene to one of the head witches bleeding out in a gruesome yet comical manner…“Salem” is full of blood and gore.
There are heartbreaking scenes during which Mercy sleeps with rotting dead bodies and equally cringe-worthy scenes in which main Bitch-Witch, Mary Sibley, shoves a toad down her husband’s throat (if you have any gag reflex at all, these scenes will terrorize you). But perhaps the best moment of horrific carnage was when Anne Hale went full “Scanners” on her mother’s head. KaBOOM. That’s what I’m referring to. As in, out of the blue, she telepathically blew up her mother’s head. Speaking with show creator Brannon Braga, he referred to Anne Hale as a “Carrie” type character—unaware of her incredible powers to do some truly horrendous shit. Anne’s powers have only just started to manifest. So we can only imagine what horrors await us in season two.
The Atmosphere
“Salem” is among the top atmospheric television shows airing right now. It’s broody, dark, and chaotic yet calm, filled with stunning costumes and beautiful people. The set is as disgusting as it is accurate, perhaps disgusting because it is accurate. There are pits filled with the rotting corpses of the town’s dead, dark woods and darker whorehouses. This little village sitting on the water should feel safe but it feels nothing like that. It gives off a sense of dread at every turn, especially when every turn is filled with men who will kill to save the town and women who will kill to own the town.
The Psychosexual Horror
If you happen to follow my writing in the slightest, you know how obsessed I am with psychosexual horror—the emotional confusion of eroticism with horror and vice versa. “Salem” utilizes psychosexual horror in such a subtle way that it works for both fans of the genre and those who are wary of it. As I mentioned above, “Salem” exudes sensuality. Literally in every fiber of its being. And when that sensuality if so often paired with the horrors of death, decay, mutilation, and murder…the recipe for psychosexual horror is perfected.
Iddo Goldberg
Goldberg (“Peaky Blinders”) plays Isaac, the town fool. But he is nothing of the sort. He is often described as the wisest man in Salem and he has an absolute heart of gold. He is loyal to a fault, a beautiful human being. His character will absolutely destroy your heart.
He is the soul of the show and the glue that binds. This character is very important on a socio-level and I had the chance to discuss this with Goldberg. “It’s a lesson to us in society…there are people who we just don’t look at who have an interesting perspective on things or who have useful thoughts to put into the mix and he [Isaac] always manages to crystalize the situation,” Goldberg said of his character on “Salem.” His character alone makes “Salem” worth the watch.
Episode three of “Salem” season two airs Sunday April 19 on WGN America. Look for more features on Bloody Disgusting from my visit to the “Salem” set and interviews with the cast and crew.