A Preview of ‘Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It is definitely safe to say that the witch, is nothing short of a horror icon. After all, these mystical beings have been around since the earliest days of the genre and their stories continue to permeate the pop-culture landscape. Speaking volumes to their importance to horror and how well they resonate with audiences. For there is just something incredible and engaging about a person, often a woman in these stories, being able to tap into powers from a realm we know nothing of and never knew existed. But while the witch brings us a haunted joy and we line up to see what their stories look like, there is an interesting conundrum that exists with witch-themed storytelling. 
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In that, the vast majority of these tales operate in the past, where witchcraft was something, we often feared and hunted as a society. A move that does speak to our former savagery and hyper misogyny and reminds us that we’ve made some progress as a species… but it does leave us wondering why there aren’t more modern-day witch stories. The kind where magic exists in a world where science has proven magic to be nothing more than a figment of our imagination. Because not only would that create an opportunity to tell a tale that serves as a quasi-escape, but it would also give rise to something refreshing and original for this type of story. Wherein new territory could be explored regarding the witch and their powers and thankfully, that is about to come to fruition.

For Sunday will see the debut of a new series on AMC, one that updates the witch story in a dynamic new light, thanks to the network’s acquisition of Anne Rice’s magnificent work. Because not only did AMC get their hands on Interview with the Vampire, but they also grabbed hold of Lives of the Mayfair Witches, which will now be known as Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, and well… we here at NTG had the opportunity to see some of this magnificent new series in advance and thought it would be worthwhile to discuss what will make this highly anticipated show worth your time, in a spoiler-free manner of course. And the first reason this series is worth your while, is that at long last, this popular series of books is receiving a quality on screen adaptation and that’s huge. Because too often, adaptations are treated as an afterthought and given a low budget or feel rushed and that’s simply not the case here.

Because this show truly brings the world of the Mayfair Witches to life, complete with a grand and sweeping story that encompasses everything we loved in the books, and it has top-tier effects to accompany the magic, and sets and costumes that do the story justice. But while it is nice to finally see this world come to life on our television screens, where this series truly shines, is via its modern-day update. For the writers and producers of this series clearly understood there was a chance here to do something special with a cast that is made up of primarily of women in the lead roles, and that allows for topics and troubles that women face today to be addressed in this story. Grounding the story in a realistic manner, and the fact that the magic is treated with respect and is wonderfully woven into the story only adds to that realism. Making this series feel as though we’ve stumbled upon a world within our world, and that just draws us into this story further.

As does its acting, because it takes quality performances to really sell this kind of story and keep it grounded, and the cast here really does a phenomenal job of selling this world and its secrets, with Alexandra Daddario leading the way. For her performance as Rowan is a revelation, since she brings an incredible honesty and vulnerability to the role, the kind that allows for the viewer to immediately understand her and trust her and root for her every step of the way. If anything, all of these elements provide us with a phenomenal and refreshing series, one that we thankfully are days away from enjoying. For Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches will make its debut on Sunday, January 8, 2023, at 9 p.m. EST/PST on five networks no less. Since BBC America, IFC, SundanceTV, and WEtv will be carrying the series premiere along AMC and we here at NTG hope you give it a look and join us here for our weekly recaps of a series that is full of mystery, mysticism, and intrigue, and treats the longstanding legacy of the witch, with the respect it is due.   

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