Reeling from her mother’s horrific death, Rowan finds herself at a very odd wake. Carlotta take steps. Lasher takes action.

One of my favourite things is the moment a show gets its feet under it. In the past, that would normally be around episode six. In this era of shortened season and razor-sharp cancellation orders it has to come much sooner. This is that episode for Mayfair Witches.

Daddario’s work excels once again as we see Rowan pushed far past breaking point and finding something like solace there. The end sequence here, where she dances along to a New Orleans funeral as the spiked drink she’s been given takes hold, is the exact sort of gentle entry into the supernatural it’s so hard to pull off. The heightened reality is just heightened enough and by the time you see the dead dancing along the funeral, it’s reassuring. You smile, she smiles and that’s when the show plays its darkest card so far. Danny Huston’s Lasher has been a mysterious, possibly benevolent presence. That’s no longer the case. We know now Lasher is bound to Rowan’s family and we find out in a brief, vengeful visit with Uncle Cortland that Rowan is the 13th in line. Where it gets interesting, and very dark, is in the measures taken to bind Lasher and what he does to be free. Aunt Carlotta locks Deidre’s maid Delphine in the basement with the necklace Lasher is bound to around her neck. That’s some classic southern gothic but Lasher’s actions tip it over into horror. As the episode cuts between Lasher as Deidre (Annabeth Gish doing great work) and the house, we see Delphine. Lasher is making her beat herself to death to be free of the necklace. It’s a horrific beat, and one that provides stark focus to Huston’s suave charmer.

It also, without the other plot here, sets the show on the deeply unpleasant path of murdering two characters of colour in three episodes. This is still not great but it’s offset by Ciprien stepping into the spotlight. Tongayi Chirisa is the perfect balance to Daddario’s reeling, numb Rowan. He’s light, funny, deeply kind and very very connected to the emotions of his friend and the needs of their world. The info dump he gives us is great but what makes it work is how much the Talamasca don’t know. That combination of competency and absence cleverly units and splits the two characters all at once. United in a cause, and in a genuinely touching moment of empathy as the episode closes. Divided as Ciprien works the Constantine-esque detective angle and Rowan finds herself in deep supernatural waters. A problem too big for one of them but for both, it’s just about possible.

Verdict: This feels like the end of the first act and it’s a doozy. Confident, emotionally aware and kind. This is  a show that’s starting to go places. 7/10

Alasdair Stuart