Talamasca: The Secret Order, by John Lee Hancock, is so much more than just a bridge between the two frenetic worlds of Anne Rice's complicated supernatural creatures. Judging by the pilot episode, the series starring Elizabeth McGovern follows the style of your favorite spy thrillers, which by no means suggests that it isn't intensely original. Talamasca: The Secret Order offers an insightful look into aspects of The Vampire Chronicles and The Lives of the Mayfair Witches that the series based on these two parts of Anne Rice's Immortal Universe haven't yet explored. Daniel Molloy was an unexpected surprise. And we haven't even identified the witches yet.
It's the Immortal Universe, a place where witches, vampires, people with special gifts and curses hide among mere mortals, some of whom pose an even greater threat to the woman who walks the back alleys of East London to get to a place. The place she enters looks very much like what I can only assume is the Talamasca headquarters. Hi, I'm officially obsessed with everything related to the Immortal Universe. And if you're new here and don't even know what Talamasca is, you've come to the right place.
Stars: Nicholas Denton, William Fichtner, Will Brown
You see, Anne Rice's literary universe has been adapted into film and television time and time again because her world-building is simply unparalleled. And the characters, well, let's just say they speak for themselves. In Interview with the Vampire, we have our fanged friends and foes who make life difficult for both mortals and rodents. And in The Mayfair Witches, we have an ancient lineage endowed with unimaginable powers, a whole new species of powerful beings, and everything in between. Now, Talamasca is your supernatural alternative to the CIA. So you know the organization has to be, at best, morally and ethically ambiguous, right? The extremely influential, and often supernaturally gifted, people who run this non-profit organization closely monitor the kinds of things people don't believe in unless they experience them firsthand—basically, everything supernatural.
They've been maintaining the balance between the very delicate and often violent groups of beings that make up what we call society. So yes, I'd say the work this woman, Soledad, is doing in that creepy place with old files and Talamasca computers is very important. She's compiled information about something to do with a chrysalis. But before she can deliver the package to the designated recipient, she's been chased onto some grimy train tracks by beings I don't think are human. They've been after her from the beginning. She's even seen one following her. That's how important the information inside the envelope must be.
It's important enough for Soledad to give her life for it. Since she'd rather die run over by a train than be torn apart by the creatures that are apparently controlled by this old man who's arrived on the scene—I think they're his hunting dogs. I haven't read the books, but they look like the walking dead to me. Are they Anne Rice's version of zombies? The scene is quite different at Talamasca headquarters in New York. At least until Helen opens the beautiful box that's arrived from London. As the leader of Talamasca, Helen isn't one to throw up at the sight of a single eye, courtesy of a man she knows as Jasper. He's the man who controlled the creatures in East London. And a quick look at his grimy lair has shown us that, even locked up, these creatures are puppets of his desires.
So there's no doubt that Jasper is powerful, just as there's no denying he's a bad guy. Helen knows the eye belongs to Soledad because of the freckle mentioned in her file. A woman has died working on an operation that Helen is keeping secret from the rest of the organization. That makes sense. If the other two series in the same universe have taught us anything, it's that Talamasca agents can be incredibly manipulative and selfish. And since Helen is one of the good guys, she only trusts people she's investigated herself or with whom she has a close personal relationship.
It's not that Helen isn't affected by Soledad's death. But the mission is always more important to them than an individual sacrifice, even at the cost of a life. So Soledad needs to be replaced, however harsh that may sound to Helen's assistant. And that's where Guy Anatole comes in. You realize that Guy is different from everyone else in the enormous lobby of the law firm the moment you see him. There's something about his body language that gives the impression he has a headache. Let's be clear. While Talamasca: The Secret Order does a very entertaining job
As the leader of Talamasca, Helen isn't one to faint at the sight of a disembodied eye, courtesy of a man she knows as Jasper. He's the man who controlled the creatures in East London. And a quick look at his gloomy lair has shown us that, even locked up, these creatures are puppets of his desires. So there's no doubt that Jasper is powerful, just as there's no denying that he's a bad guy. Helen knows the eye belongs to Soledad because of the mole mentioned in her file. A woman has died working on an operation that Helen is keeping secret from the rest of the organization. That makes sense. If the other two series in the same universe have taught us anything, it's that Talamasca agents can be incredibly manipulative and self-serving. And since Helen is one of the good guys, she only trusts people she selects herself or with whom she has a close personal relationship. It's not that Helen isn't affected by Soledad's death. But the operation is always more important to them than an individual sacrifice, even at the cost of a life. So Soledad needs to be replaced, however harsh that sounds to Helen's assistant. And that's where Guy Anatole comes in. You know Guy is different from everyone else in the enormous law firm lobby the moment you see him. There's something about his body language that seems to indicate he has a headache. Let's not beat around the bush. While Talamasca: The Secret Order does a very entertaining job of revealing Guy's gift, we know he can hear other people's thoughts. That's why he's so nervous, trying to block out the noise of the people around him. In a sense, time is running out for Guy. He's about to graduate from law school. And although he's avoided internships at big firms at all costs, now is the perfect time for him to capitalize on his excellent grades. Cavitt is one of the biggest law firms. And since Guy is completely broke and three months behind on rent, he really needs the job. But while his impressive academic background impresses the important lawyers interviewing him, even the inanimate objects in the room can sense Guy's insecurities. Unlike the other three people in the room, Guy hasn't spent his summers in the Hamptons.
In fact, he worked at the same library where he studied all summer in exchange for a full scholarship to NYU. So, you know, he's not someone these people would play golf with. And then there's the fact that Cavitt is practically annoyed that he didn't participate in their internship program. There's no way Guy would have gotten this job without using his gift. But he didn't need to hear all the negativity swirling in their minds. He only heard the good thoughts: those of that one guy, the only decent one, who was getting irritated by the other two's haughty attitude and who was rooting for the underdog. That's what gave Guy the confidence to turn things around in a way I don't think old Bennett has ever experienced in his long career.
Guy doesn't defend himself, nor does he pretend to be something he's not. He tells them the unvarnished truth about why he'll never be one of them. For starters, unlike them, his father abandoned the family and his mother was an addict who died when Guy was 9 years old. Growing up in the system didn't give Guy many opportunities to polish his elitist manners. But while he may not be the new young associate they'll invite to their cocktail parties, he has the intelligence to make them rich. However, it's not the winning speech that gets him the job. It's the fact that Guy isn't someone Bennett can walk all over that convinced Cavitt that he might be the best legal mind money can buy.
It's awkward for Guy to meet the person whose thoughts he heard, especially when he says he almost felt like Guy was reading his mind. But this whole presentation of Guy underscores the one thing he seems to struggle with. It must have been one of the hardest things in the world for Guy to grow up with his power and without any explanation for it. A glimpse into the past shows us a young Guy in a church-like setting, covering his ears tightly to block out the thoughts of others. His adoptive mother, Ruth, reminds him that it's a gift. But I don't think Guy felt it was a gift. You see, Guy has never felt special. He's always felt like an outcast. That's why he can't believe it when a strange woman hands him a card and offers him $5,000 just for listening to her proposal. The woman's name is Helen. And if she manages to get Guy to join Talamasca, he will likely replace Soledad in Helen's secret operation.
Something tells me that everything in Guy's life has led him to the moment when he has to choose whether or not to meet Helen. You'll understand in a little while. Since a job offer isn't enough to pay three months' rent in a week, Guy is between a rock and a hard place. Five thousand dollars isn't an offer you can refuse for someone in his situation. The magnificence of the building where Helen has an apartment thanks to Talamasca impresses and alarms Guy. Are they from the CIA or MI6? If they're a non-profit organization, how is it that they're so well-funded that their headquarters around the world will never run out of funds to do their work? That's what it's all about, really. The work. And since Guy doesn't think he's going to accept it, he's too polite to accept the five thousand dollars for wasting Helen's time.
Helen is understandably vague in her description of the organization that supposedly researches and archives rare texts and history. Is she kidding? It's too small a bait for a young man who has spent most of his life reading. But what does impact Guy is the other gift inside the envelope full of money. It's a letter Guy wrote to Santa Claus when he was a child. Nike sneakers and a friend. Oh my God. That must be painful for an adult Guy, who is still too lonely and broke. But the most disconcerting thing about this terrible memory from the past is the fact that Helen somehow got a letter that Guy wrote as a child. Obviously, the clue should lead Guy to the only adult who took care of him after his mother died. Ruth is happy to see Guy in Florida after what seems like a long time.
Even before Guy mentions Talamasca, the elegant woman, the money, and the letter, Ruth reveals it when she says how grateful she is to have been able to start over in Florida. She's not very subtle in suggesting that someone has paid for her move, her new house, and her new life. In fact, someone has paid for everything since Ruth took in a little boy who didn't fit in anywhere. Ruth's palpable guilt must hurt Guy. He can read minds, remember? That's how he finds out that the "elegant woman," Helen, who has represented Talamasca in his life for a long time, has "helped" him in every way possible throughout his life.
Helen was the one who set Guy up with Ruth. And even though it breaks Ruth's heart to continue upholding the confidentiality agreement she signed when Guy is suffering so much, she has to remain silent. Even when the tables are turned and Guy starts following Helen to learn more about her and the mysterious organization, Talamasca is always one step ahead. Helen has been expecting him. She understands the wildly unpredictable imposter syndrome that Guy now feels regarding all his accomplishments, but there's no denying that Helen and Talamasca have always made things easier for Guy. But their good deeds don't change the fact that they have always manipulated Guy's decisions and paths. And now that they have a job for him, Helen has to come to terms with the moral implications of it all. Talamasca did something morally questionable to achieve a good outcome, but they did it to turn Guy into a weapon at their disposal. Do you see what I mean about the series being much more ethically complex than the other two?
The iconic Dakota building in New York was far from the list of places Guy expected to visit. But once you're in Talamasca, doors open to places you'd only ever dreamed of belonging to before. It's time for Guy to get a clearer picture of what Talamasca actually does. Sure, they observe and are always there. But that's just like Big Brother. I like Helen's frankness when she takes Guy to the penthouse that will change his life. As Guy discovers, Anatole, a man with supernatural powers of his own, Talamasca observes and intervenes in events that go beyond the natural: witches, demons, vampires, ghosts—but not zombies, mind you. I also love the confidence she displays when Guy's lack of faith in the existence of such creatures prevents him from taking any of this seriously. You know what they say. You've never seen a ghost until you've seen one. But what is Helen? When she takes Guy to Burton's beautiful house—by the way, Burton is a vampire—she tells him that Guy doesn't believe in "them." So I don't know about you, but I don't think Helen is entirely normal. How else could her statement be so important to the court that they would allow a vampire to live in the attic of the Dakota? Oh, and how could I forget Yoko Ono opening the door for them? Is she also a vampire in the world of Talamasca: The Secret Order? I think so. Burton is a greedy host. He obtains what I believe is an extremely valuable ring just to initiate a newcomer into the world of enigmatic creatures, creatures that can speak without a voice.
I hope you won't be offended when I say that Molloy is now a complete pig. He knows perfectly well what he's doing when he seduces his young groupies. But that doesn't mean he isn't an incredibly intriguing addition to Guy's journey. You see, Molloy didn't write the page that mentions Guy's mother's name. He believes the Talamasca did. Needless to say, Molloy isn't exactly a fan of the Talamasca. But I think he has legitimate reasons to think they are as cunning and deceptive as they seem. Thanks to Molloy and the research he did when the Talamasca edited his book without his permission, Guy now knows something that has changed everything he thought he knew. Molloy has a picture of Anna Leamas, a very recent picture of the woman who is supposedly dead. The Talamasca is pure lies after all. But how does Helen connect to all of this?
From the fragments that paint a vague picture in the first episode of Talamasca: The Secret Order, what Helen is looking for is something her organization is hiding from them. There are rumors about a certain headquarters, house number 752, that the Talamasca is trying to conceal. Nobody knows if the house exists, but Helen is sure. We know the place is real because of Soledad's terrible end. But remember one thing. Helen didn't receive the package that Soledad left for her. So the only reason she's sure of her suspicion is because her team has detected some interesting movement. Someone named Archie, someone Helen and her friends deeply distrust, has traveled to London.
Helen believes he's only there to protect Jasper's interests. Something bad is brewing in London. But I think Helen has other things to worry about now. The picture of two twin girls that she looks at so wistfully seems to be very important to her. Are they Helen and Anna? Are they sisters? Guy noticed Big Ben in the picture of his biological mother that Daniel Molloy gave him. Anna is in London. And Guy is at Helen's door demanding answers. He'll do the job if he gets the truth. For a man like him, a purpose is more vital than anything else.
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