Critic Reviews
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The CW built this predictable teen supernatural romance as a companion to the similar and better "Vampire Diaries.".
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At times, the dialogue stops and unloads for exposition dumps, and a few of the young cast mates could use some more training back in the land of the Muggles.
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In the premiere at least, the story unfolds nicely--and to the tune of a good soundtrack. When the episode ended, I wanted to know more about the Circle, both its history and where it's headed.
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The Secret Circle may be over-calculated and under-inspired, but that doesn't necessarily mean The Secret Circle is bad. There's something to be said for setting reasonable goals and largely succeeding, especially when there are plenty of shows that aspire to a good deal less and still fail.
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This air of familiarity notwithstanding, the pilot is splendidly rendered; effective in the expected ways in a way that makes you forget you expected them.
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Secret Circle is competently performed and produced and liable to entertain anybody not old enough to remember Alyssa Milano and Shannen Doherty doing pretty much the same stuff in Charmed back in the 20th-century day.
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The Secret Circle isn't stunning out of the gate. It does seem to understand what it wants and needs to be.
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A not-bad formula gothic that'll rise or fall on the Dekker/Robertson chemistry; I'm betting on the former.
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The acting is flat, but the show casts a hokey spell. [19 Sep 2011, p.65]
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If this season's "True Blood" hasn't exhausted your patience with TV witches--as it has mine--Robertson's as appealing here as she was on "Life Unexpected." Maybe magic powers will help her keep this one on the air.
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There's nothing wrong with any of this except that it doesn't feel fresh or new; there's no added, bewitching spark to a familiar concept.
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Unfortunately, The Secret Circle's first episode doesn't offer much beyond all this plotty set-up. Specifically, it's missing what made other supernatural shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Supernatural successful: funny, quirky, and layered characters.
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The Secret Circle does exactly what you expect it to do, yet that efficiency ends up being refreshing rather than maddening.
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It's the entire supernatural teen-soap-opera template, but the execution is rushed and chintzy, without the languorous gloss that makes "The Vampire Diaries" worthwhile.
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To say Secret Circle isn't spellbinding is an understatement. Originality and surprise are the main ingredients missing from this tepid witches' brew.
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Secret Circle, replete with The CW's usual heavy doses of sappy pop music mood-ruiners, eventually gets around to outlining its basic plot point.
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What they get is Diaries' less attractive little sister, one that, beneath all the witchcraft, is just another CW teen-driven soap.
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As usual, it's a new kid who provides a wide-eyed introduction to the shenanigans, though nothing in the pilot conjures any genuine magic, TV-wise.
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Based on a book series from the same author who ginned up The Vampire Diaries and drawing upon every market-tested trope the witchy-poo genre has to offer.
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Anxious fans should be pleased, and curious viewers outside the usual demographic might even be surprised.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 72 out of 99
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Mixed: 16 out of 99
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Negative: 11 out of 99
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Nov 3, 2011
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May 10, 2012
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Apr 30, 2012