Salem (TV series)

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Salem
250px
Genre Supernatural fiction
Drama
Thriller
Created by Brannon Braga
Adam Simon
Starring Janet Montgomery
Shane West
Seth Gabel
Tamzin Merchant
Ashley Madekwe
Elise Eberle
Iddo Goldberg
Xander Berkeley
Joe Doyle
Oliver Bell
Theme music composer Marilyn Manson
Tyler Bates
Opening theme "Cupid Carries a Gun" by Marilyn Manson
Composer(s) Tyler Bates
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 26 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Brannon Braga
David Von Ancken
Kelly Souders
Josh S. Barry
Jeff Kwatinetz
Joe Menosky
Elizabeth Sarnoff
Tricia Small
Adam Simon
Jon Harmon Feldman
Richard Shepard
Brian Wayne Peterson
Josh S. Barry
Producer(s) Brannon Braga
Coby Greenberg
David Von Ancken
Danielle Weinstock
Production location(s) Shreveport, Louisiana
Cinematography Mark Vargo
Michael Goi
Sarah Cawley
Editor(s) Rick Tuber
Scott Boyd
Dan Liu
Carole Kravitz Aykanian
Monty DeGraff
John Duffy
Jo Francis
Nina Lucia
Misha Syeed
Running time 45 minutes
Production company(s) Beetlecod Productions
Prospect Park
Fox 21 (2014)
Fox 21 Television Studios (2015-present)
Distributor 20th Television
Release
Original network WGN America
Original release April 20, 2014 (2014-04-20) –
present
External links
Official website

Salem is an American supernatural fiction drama television series created by Brannon Braga and Adam Simon, inspired by the real Salem witch trials in the 17th century. The series stars Janet Montgomery as Mary Sibley, a powerful witch who controls the Salem witch trials by exemplifying hysteria among the puritans while executing her wicked plan of beginning the Grand Rite. Problems arise when her long lost love, John Alden (played by Shane West), returns to Salem, complicating Mary's plans. The show has elements of Horror and Gothic romance.

The series premiered on WGN America on April 20, 2014,[1] becoming the network's first original scripted series.[2] As the network's first and highest-rated series, it was renewed for a second season on May 15, 2014.[3] A third season was commissioned on July 11, 2015,[4] and will premiere around Halloween 2016.[5]

Production

Development

The series first appeared as part of WGN America's development slate in July 2012, under the title Malice.[6] On June 4, 2013, WGN America bypassed the pilot stage and placed a series order for 13 episodes, under the new title Salem.[7] On November 8, 2013, filming of the series began in Shreveport, Louisiana, on an expansive set reflecting 17th-century Massachusetts.[8]

On May 15, 2014, Salem was renewed for a 13-episode second season by WGN America.[3][9][10]

On July 11, 2015, Salem was renewed for a 13-episode third season by WGN America.[4][11] It began production on January 21, 2016.[12]

Cast and characters

Main

Actor Character Seasons
1 2 3
Janet Montgomery Mary Sibley Main
Shane West Captain John Alden Main
Seth Gabel Cotton Mather Main
Tamzin Merchant Anne Hale Main
Ashley Madekwe Tituba Main
Elise Eberle Mercy Lewis Main
Iddo Goldberg Isaac Walton Main
Xander Berkeley Magistrate Hale Main Guest
Oliver Bell John Guest Main
Joe Doyle Baron Sebastian von Marburg Main

Recurring

Actor Character Seasons
1 2 3
Michael Mulheren George Sibley Recurring
Azure Parsons Gloriana Embry Recurring
Sammi Hanratty Dollie Trask Recurring
Stephen Lang Increase Mather Recurring Guest
Lucy Lawless Countess Ingrid Palatine von Marburg Recurring
Stuart Townsend Dr. Samuel Wainwright Recurring

Series overview

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Main article: List of Salem episodes
Season Episodes Originally aired
First aired Last aired
1 13 April 20, 2014 (2014-04-20) July 13, 2014 (2014-07-13)
2 13 April 5, 2015 (2015-04-05) June 28, 2015 (2015-06-28)
3 13 October, 2016 TBA

Season 1 (2014)

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Main article: Salem (season 1)

Salem is a fictional story based on the infamous Salem witch trials in the 17th century in colonial Massachusetts, when the government was dominated by Puritan leaders.[13] John Alden (Shane West) and Mary Sibley (Janet Montgomery) find themselves in the middle of an epic romance, even as Puritan witch hunts engulf the town of Salem in hysteria, horror, and despair.[14]

Historically, Salem Village and Salem Town feuded over property, grazing rights and church rights. The government was dominated by Puritan leaders. People were scrutinized closely and this resulted in obvious discord. They were afraid of being persecuted for anything that may offend the Puritan mindset. The word "witch" seemed an easy and appropriate curse hurled at someone who behaved abnormally.[15]

Season 2 (2015)

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Main article: Salem (season 2)

Season 3 (2016)

Future seasons

Adam Simon revealed in an exclusive interview with SpoilerTV that "We have a lot more story to tell -- that’s for sure. The true Salem events are still only in their first months in our show -- the most important events haven’t even happened yet -- and they continued for nearly 2 years! And beyond that we’re excited about a whole supernatural twist on American history, even beyond the events at Salem, so fingers crossed there will be much, much more to come..."[16]

Casting

Casting announcements began in October 2013, with Ashley Madekwe first cast in the role of Tituba.[17] Seth Gabel was the next actor cast, in the regular role of Cotton Mather.[18] Janet Montgomery and Xander Berkeley were cast in the lead role of Mary Sibley and the role of Magistrate Hale, respectively.[19] Shane West later signed onto the series regular role of John Alden. Also cast was Tamzin Merchant as Anne Hale.[20] Elise Eberle was later cast in the series regular role of Mercy Lewis.[21] On the June 1, 2014 episode, Stephen Lang joined the cast in the recurring role of Increase Mather.[22]

After the first season, Lucy Lawless and Stuart Townsend have joined Salem in the recurring roles of Countess Marburg and Samuel Wainwright, respectively. Joe Doyle and Oliver Bell have also joined the second season in regular roles of Baron Sebastian Marburg and Mary's lost son, respectively.[23]

Music

Release

Home media

The first season was released on DVD in the United States on October 28, 2014 by Fox Home Entertainment.[24] The second season will be released on DVD on April 5, 2016, and will be manufactured by Amazon's CreateSpace MOD Program.[25]

Reception

Critical reception

Critical reaction to Salem has been mixed to positive, scoring 49 out of 100, based on 16 critic reviews, on Metacritic.[26] On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season scored 54%, with an average rating of 5.5 out of 10 based on 26 critic reviews, although 81% of audiences enjoyed the show.[27] Neil Genzlinger of the New York Times, upon reviewing the first season, said the show is "brash and well executed... perversely entertaining".[28] He went on to say that "when “Salem” isn’t being deliberately outrageous, it’s cultivating a dynamic that could be fruitful as things move along. Here in the 21st century, science and reason rule, but in a world of sorcery, clinging to rationality just makes you stupid." Mark Dawidziak of Plain Dealer gave the first few episodes a positive review, saying "Slowly drawing you into its heightened version of that Puritan community, "Salem" casts its spell with an opening episode that is a witch's brew of romance, fear, deceit, revenge, hysteria, evil and uncertainty."[29] Gavin Hetherington of SpoilerTV gave the first season a glowing review, admiring its more realistic depiction of witches against other witch shows like Charmed and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and went on to say "For a first season, Salem did a very good job at setting up this world, the characters, the story, etc. There was always something happening and the danger got stronger and stronger until its brutal climax in the season's finale. The Grand Rite was a great plot point to build to and gave the show urgency, something to work towards and it never disappointed in its delivery. The writing was fantastic throughout, consistently building and introducing all kinds of magic that might have been a little bonkers and horrific, but was grounded."[30]

Upon reviewing several episodes of the second season, Gavin Hetherington of SpoilerTV has called Salem the "best goddamn show on TV right now."[31][32]

Ratings

Season Timeslot (ET) Episodes Premiered Ended Average viewers
(in millions)
Date Premiere viewers
(in millions)		 Date Finale viewers
(in millions)
Season 1 Sunday 10:00 pm 13 April 20, 2014 1.52[33] July 13, 2014 0.43[34] 1.7[35]
Season 2 13 April 5, 2015 0.51[36] June 28, 2015 0.34[37] 1.1[38]

The series premiere rose to 3.4 million viewers in Live+7 ratings, and had more than 1.5 million viewers in adults 18-49.[39]

The season two premiere rose 150% in adults 18-49 in Live+7 ratings, from 0.2 to 0.5,[40] while it rose to 1.5 million viewers in Live+3.[41] The second episode rose 300% from 0.1 to 0.4.[42]

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominee(s) Result
2015 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards[43] Favorite Actress on Television Janet Montgomery Nominated
Saturn Awards[44] Best Syndicated/Cable Television Series Salem Nominated
2016 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards[45] Best TV Series Salem Nominated
Best TV Actress Janet Montgomery Nominated
Best TV Supporting Actor Seth Gabel Nominated
Best TV Supporting Actress Lucy Lawless Nominated
Best TV Make-Up/Creature FX Matthew Mungle, Clinton Wayne Nominated

References

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  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Stephen Lang Joins WGN America's 'Salem'
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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