LJS Books

“The Secret Circle scoop”, or how CW butchers yet another book series.

Fair disclosure: Some of my commentary may sound overly snarky. I’m not apologizing for that. I’m tired of books being turned into TV shows and movies in name only, because all the stuff I loved about the source material (neat secondary characters, “small moments”, etc.) inevitably get tossed aside for “dramatic elements”, which end up being cliche crap.

Highlights or, given the situations, LOWS:
- Doug is a football player. I don’t know about you, but I see the Hendersons (yes, PLURAL) more as the type to bomb the locker room than to hang out in it.
- Cassie is “forced to move to New Salem to live with her grandmother when her mother dies in a tragic accident”. Anyone else tired of the orphan trope?
- New Salem is now in Maine, not Massachusetts. Because apparently Massachusetts would put them over their quota for cliches.
- “Melissa”: “17 years-old and African-American, Melissa is close with Faye and a member of the coven. She is steely and disinterested… at least in the school’s hallway.” What’s that? You don’t remember a Melissa in SC? That’s because there wasn’t one. They axed four of the girls and this is their answer.

The Nick situation getting worse: “We also really liked a cute moment between Nick and Cassie where they both are in their bedrooms (they are neighbors whose bedrooms face each other) and he holds up a sign asking “R U OK?” We swooned a little bit. Yes, we’re aware it comes straight out of a Taylor Swift music video and we’re okay with that. Clearly, they are making Nick much more accessible in the series.”

From 12 to 7: “Fans of the Henderson twins, look away! In the books the coven is compromised of 12 members, which has been reduced to seven in the TV series. We expected this to happen as it would be pretty hard to introduce and fully develop 12 different characters — in the coven alone. The coven members in the book who didn’t make the cut? Chris Henderson, Deborah Armstrong, Sean Dulany, Suzan Whittier, Laurel Quincey and Melanie Glaser. It’s still unclear if these characters will show up in a different capacity on the show.”

Why do they continue to option things and then basically strip everything away but the general premise and a few character names?

The Melissa factor: “Melissa is a new coven member created for the series who we’re assuming might have some of the qualities from Deboarh [sic], Suzan, Laurel and Melanie.”