So I've only been able to watch one episode (because it was free) but I think I've seen enough to have some thoughts. The Mayfair Witches is my favorite series of Rice's so I had hopes even while knowing some things would be different. However I didn't foresee a complete absence of the main male lead! Interesting choice! I really don't know how they're planning to pull it off without Michael, but ok...
Rowan was better than I originally expected- she's got the stare down and just enough presence to pull off such a strong character.
Carlotta was perfect- just as I always imagined her.
The First Street House was also beautifully done.
Ellie was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. I have no problem with changing her ethnicity.
Much of the rest was either absent or somewhat disappointing. I wish they had used more of Rice's dialogue as it was one of her biggest strengths as a writer and the show writer's efforts to modernize the dialogue only seemed to dumb it down to near absurdity.
The acting was somewhat heavy handed which I'm going to blame on direction rather than the skill of the actors. The whole mood of the story was just... too much- too overdone. One of the spookiest things about the Mayfair family was their matter of fact manner about all the weirdness and spookiness surrounding their lives. They didn't sidle around giving people meaningful and menacing stares every time something strange happened which is part of what was terrifying about them. Uncle Cortland came closest to capturing this casual creepy decadence though even he was over the top.
Lasher was also not quite right from what little I saw of him. He's supposed to be lithe and menacing but elegant- the actor seemed to be more smoldering and overtly sexual which seemed a bit too much.
All in all I didn't hate it, but I do feel there were a lot of missed opportunities. I also feel like the assumption that the audience has to be beat over the head with what's happening was a mistake. Some nuance would have been welcome. Stop assuming we're too dumb to get it if it's not blatantly obvious. It's supposed to be a mystery.
If they'd done a better job I would have paid for the streaming service, but it wasn't quite captivating enough for me to pay for another service to watch it.
Carlotta was perfect- just as I always imagined her.
The First Street House was also beautifully done.
Ellie was a surprise, but not an unwelcome one. I have no problem with changing her ethnicity.
Much of the rest was either absent or somewhat disappointing. I wish they had used more of Rice's dialogue as it was one of her biggest strengths as a writer and the show writer's efforts to modernize the dialogue only seemed to dumb it down to near absurdity.
The acting was somewhat heavy handed which I'm going to blame on direction rather than the skill of the actors. The whole mood of the story was just... too much- too overdone. One of the spookiest things about the Mayfair family was their matter of fact manner about all the weirdness and spookiness surrounding their lives. They didn't sidle around giving people meaningful and menacing stares every time something strange happened which is part of what was terrifying about them. Uncle Cortland came closest to capturing this casual creepy decadence though even he was over the top.
Lasher was also not quite right from what little I saw of him. He's supposed to be lithe and menacing but elegant- the actor seemed to be more smoldering and overtly sexual which seemed a bit too much.
All in all I didn't hate it, but I do feel there were a lot of missed opportunities. I also feel like the assumption that the audience has to be beat over the head with what's happening was a mistake. Some nuance would have been welcome. Stop assuming we're too dumb to get it if it's not blatantly obvious. It's supposed to be a mystery.
If they'd done a better job I would have paid for the streaming service, but it wasn't quite captivating enough for me to pay for another service to watch it.