TV Show Review

TV Review: SALEM: Season 1, Episode 13: All Fall Down [WGN]

Shane West Janet Montgomery Salem All Fall Down

WGN America‘s Salem All Fall Down TV Show Review. Salem: Season 1, Episode 13: All Fall Down is a very well written and performed finale episode that ends a creatively spotty first season. A standing O to all of the actors. Wonderful!

We start the top of this finale episode where we left off last week, with John Alden (Shane West) and Mary Sibley (Janet Montgomery) back in the wood. Mary finally revealed her true self to John, that she is a witch. They talk of their love for one another and make a pact to meet back in the wood to run off together. John was able to convince Mary to vacate Salem, leave the coven behind and come away with him.

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In the crag, Mercy Lewis (Elise Eberle) threw body parts at Mary and accused her of lying. [I saw this war coming with her former mistress.]

At the home of Magistrate Hale (Xander Berkeley), Anne Hale (Tamzin Merchant) and her father, cast a spell with a pheasant and a secret doorway that lead to a safe room in their house appeared, a witch shelter in anticipation of the Grand Rite’s plague.

Mary met with the ancient elders and informed them of her plans to leave Salem. They instructed her to get Tituba (Ashley Madekwe). [Apparently Tituba is “The” witch to get.]

Cotton Mather (Seth Gabel) and Reverend Mather (Stephen Lang) discovered that Alden was missing. Increase revealed to Cotton his suspicions of Mary and that he knew Alden was not a witch, but would die anyway. The rag soaked with Increase’s blood was planted on Alden, and Increase had sent a posse with dogs (trained to hate the Reverend) after him…and that would surely kill him.

Mary was packing when Tituba showed up. Tituba divulged to Mary that her son was alive, and that if she didn’t perform the Grand Rite, the boy would die. Mary angrily agreed to complete the Rite so she could ultimately leave Salem and be with John. Mary had Isaac plant the Malum’s apple, warning him to run after he had done it…and also gave him a letter to give to Cotton.

Mary teleported to the Reverend’s house…and the showdown began. Mary exhibited her full power and the lengths she would go to break the righteous witch hunter. [Janet Montgomery has been fully committed to Mary Sibley, and kicks ass this episode.]

Isaac Walton (Iddo Goldberg) gave the letter to Cotton and took the Malum to the old tree in the burial crag. It seeped blood and he decided to bury the wooden apple. The apple opened, a plague was released on Isaac as the moon turned red.

The most dramatic scene of the evening took place in the House of Pain. Mary and Increase continued their fight. The letter Mary gave to Isaac was to tell Cotton that Increase was torturing her. She put herself in the Reverend’s torture chair when Cotton arrived. Increase and Cotton had a verbal showdown as Mary plead for her life from the chair. Increase went to kill Mary, but Cotton ran a sword through him. Thereby killing his father and tormentor, saving Mary, and making the 13th sacrifice for the Grand Rite. Mary then convinced Cotton to leave Salem then teleported out of the town with Increase’s dying body. [Historically Reverend Mather died much later.]

Meanwhile, Hale revealed Mary’s secret to Anne…and she freaked. The strength of her power unleashed. She declared she was not a witch and went ballistic. Anne killed her parents in a gruesome scene that ended with her planting a stake in her father’s third-eye chakra.

In the end, the mob went to hang John. But just as they strung him up…the Indians came to save him. [Hmmmm…] The resulting battle left Alden with a round of shots to his shoulder.

The closing montage gave us a glimpse at the current state of the lives of each of the remaining main characters. Mary left Increase to be devoured by rabid dogs. Mercy gave a speech to her army of outcasts, swearing revenge on Mary. The Indians carried John away. Anne was covered in blood. Isaac had the plague. Cotton rode away. And Tituba brought Mary to the elders…to meet her son.

My main criticism throughout this premiere season was the writing. The creators may want to bring in a new writing team to be sure of consistency for season two for the series to continue. Salem returns April of 2015…and I’m curious enough to tune in.

Leave your thoughts on this review and this episode of Salem below in the comments section. For more Salem reviews, photos, videos, and information, visit our Salem Page, subscribe to us by Email, “follow” us on Twitter, Tumblr, or “like” us on Facebook.

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