The Secret Circle. Season 1

Dear, dear Chance Harbor witches...

We're sort of back to square one. The Secret Circle ain't bound anymore, and solo powers are restored. It took you a whole season to start being interesting. I can literally tick off a handful (or maybe half) of the episodes that just confused the only storyline that mattered. Nick, the demons, and the witch hunters are vital to your ultimate plot, but the rest, really, you could do away with easily.

What The Secret Circle could have been given more spotlight: good and evil (fighting bad guys or their own internal demons), some romance and a little bit of sex (I stand by my statement that this show really lacked the hot guy for girls to fantasize; I'd settle for Jake but he's not that cute), and a lot of mystery (one too many surrounding voodoo, though), and great cool chanting spells (which we only sort of heard in the latter part of the season). Plus, I've always said the costume design needed an upgrade because it reminded me of Dawson's Creek, which was a show way too long ago.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm a little bit sad that we will no longer find out what happens next. The montage at the end of "Family" looks to shatter all that we know and love of the characters, and that can only be good to shake things up. Let me take you to the best of what's never going to come:

I like that they didn't end up together. They're more fun that way.

The moral merit badges aren't worth anything.

Cassie's Balcoin blood mark! Diana has one, too.

Listen to Grandpa Royce this time.

Yes, more Balcoin witches and warlocks.

The would-be next season's dynamics would have been interesting: Cassie with her dark witch identity, Diana in denial and reluctant of her dark magic, Adam and his corrupted quest for more power, Jake now the only one with the parental figure who makes sense, Faye and Melissa's fun, fearless femme ways, Dawn with her selfishness and borrowed magic, Charles with all the demons in him─these all could have been a great starting point. But in a way, I'm also thankful that they're not making another season, just so they couldn't jumble and screw it up again like Season 1. 

Quick, someone write a part for Phoebe Tonkin in The Vampire Diaries!

The Secret Circle gets a five out of ten, for being a confused show trying to copy another, and figuring out its own groove so late in the season. 

*photos from The CW and by VLC