"Salem" had a lot of expectations to live up from on my account, and I must admit now that I have watched 10 episodes of season 1 that the show more than does deliver.
What makes this TV series work is the intriguing storyline and how nicely it is executed and brought to life on the screen. Given the fact that I have very little knowledge of the actual events of the witch trials that took place in Salem, I can say that there is at least a very nice sense of authenticity to the show and a good feeling of realism as well - well, as real as things get when you mix witchcraft and the Devil into the picture.
The characters in the show are very, very important for the show to keep its appeal and keep it fresh and interesting. And I must admit that the various roles and characters is interesting. The townsfolk are not just fillers in the crowd, and there are lots of layers to those whose stories are shown in the show. And much of this is also of course credited to the talents portraying these characters.
Without a good cast, "Salem" wouldn't stand out as strongly as it does. They have managed to put together a great ensemble of actors and actresses to fill out the various roles and characters. Stephen Lang, once he gets into the show, really carries his role so well and he is so well cast for that particular role. Despite only having a supporting role as Tituba, then Ashley Madekwe really shines on the screen as well, and she needs to be brought more on the center stage, so to speak.
The dialogue in the movie is good, as it is not diluted with cussing and lots of inappropriate bad languages, that would most certainly not be time accurate, such as seen in other TV shows that were supposed to take place in the past.
A key essential to the show is the set and the props. And wow, they really put effort into this. It is really like being back in time, as if walking around that darkened town in those troubled times. Lots of great details in the sets, buildings, costumes and environment.
One thing that didn't really go well with me was the choice for intro music. As much as I used to enjoy Marilyn Mansons music, then his song is a poor choice for the intro. While the song, in itself is good enough, it is just misplaced for this show. And it would have worked better with a more ambient and atmospheric theme that would be more time appropriate to the period of time the TV series is set to take place in.
"Salem" is a good show that is fueled by a well written storyline and well detailed characters, and it is definitely a show that I will continue to watch. While it is no "The Walking Dead", it sure does deliver good entertainment.
