Mayfair Witches Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Second Line
Rowan gets a first-hand taste of the power Lasher possesses on Mayfair Witches Season 1 Episode 3, “Second Line.”
“Second Line” picks up right where we left off, with Rowan holding her dead mothers’ body in her arms, with no clue of who she is. Amidst her state of shock, Carlotta intervenes and reveals herself to be family and that Deirdre is, in fact, Rowan’s mother.
Understandably, Rowan dodges Carlotta’s advances and instead makes her way toward Ciprien, who is waiting outside. From there, she’s taken on a journey that involves the supernatural in ways she could’ve never imagined.
“Second Line” takes time to peel back the layers of the story, making it feel a bit slow at times. Nonetheless, the intricate time spent between Ciprien and Rowan exploring her lineage, and spending respective times with each character alone, classifies the episode as a success.
We’re genuinely transported into the realm of Lasher and given another small taste of the evil that lies within the entity. Rowan finds her way onto the streets of New Orleans after Lasher starts a fire at Ciprien’s apartment, forcing Rowan out of the safety of the interior.
She finds herself watching the crowd of a wake, standing next to another grieving woman. Unaware of the deception via Lasher, Rowan follows the guise of the older woman, taking a beverage from someone on the street.
The moments following the ingestion of the drink are all a daydream reality that Lasher transports Rowan to. Thankfully, she realizes that there’s a darkness behind the reality she’s experiencing.
After all, she just held her dead mothers’ body in her hands, so there’s no way she could honestly speak with her in New Orleans’s streets. Nevertheless, Rowan is fooled up until the point Lasher tries to persuade Rowan to him under the guise of her mother.
It’s a poorly timed execution on Lasher’s part and one that allows Rowan to be wiser about his mischievous ways.
Moreover, my thoughts about Carlotta are glorified and confirmed by her actions toward those around her.
Delphine’s only crime was loving and caring for Deirdre for over thirty years, but Carlotta deems Deirdre’s death an outcome of her inability to do her job. So, instead of firing the poor woman like any sane and rational person, she forsakes her to a life of misery.
The witch element and aspects are at large on “Second Line,” and we get yet another look at the dark side of it. Whether it be Lasher’s control or Delphine’s hope to rid the demon of her, her death is unjust, especially in this manner.
Carlotta’s trickery and forcing Delphine into a premature death is downright vile and showcases the darkness within her. No matter the circumstance, trapping Delphine was not the correct choice.
And while Millie grieves the death of Deirdre, Carlotta sees it more as an inconvenience. Instead of feeling a grain of sadness for Deirdre, she’s more worried about failing the family now that Lasher is free again.
With that said, Millie can only partially be given a clean slate. She agrees with Carlotta’s actions towards Delphine, encouraging it to prevent Lasher from wreaking havoc. Additionally, Cortland hosting secret meetings with Lasher and helping him latch on to Rowan only confirms his snake tendencies.
Nobody in the Mayfair family truly cares for Rowan, but in different ways. Cortland is actively working to help free Lasher, while Carlotta and Millie are working to keep him locked away. It’s a typical family rivalry with Rowan the center of the crossfire.
Ciprien and the lore of the Talamasca are some of my favorite parts of the episode. Even with the main allure being Rowan’s dilemma, I gravitate more and more to Ciprien.
He’s so confident in his abilities, and witnessing him hit a block only makes me want to learn more about how he’ll settle the issue. We can only hope that one episode this season will be entirely geared toward the Talamasca and their lore.
“Second Line” has many emotionally mesmerizing moments, with an added darkness that takes the cake. I’m enjoying the series’ pacing, but I hope it picks up a bit at some point before the end.
Stray Thoughts:
- As a non-book reader, this slow build-up makes me want to find time to read the book to see what’s in store for us. The way Cortland mentions Rowan as the thirteenth witch and its importance in his voice intrigues me to know more.
- It’s quite frightening how Lasher can morph into whatever he needs to seduce his prey. Part of me hopes to see him go completely mad, but another hopes we never see that side of him.
- The beginning of the Mayfair lineage is so fascinating! I wish we spent more time with that story rather than the first few moments of each episode.
- Cortland still seems like the likely suspect in Deirdre’s murder.
What did you think of this episode of Mayfair Witches? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Mayfair Witches airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.
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Cade Taylor
Cade Taylor is a television and film critic living in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV. His love for television developed at a young age, with a concentration on queer stories, sitcoms, teen dramas, and science fiction thrillers. In addition, he works full-time as a news producer, telling the stories of Missourians and helming "Produced in the Bi-State," a segment spotlighting actors, musicians, and entertainers from the St. Louis area. He can be reached by email at cade@telltaletv.com.