Hex - The Complete Second Season
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DVD Cover Information
DVD: Region Code 1Format: NTSC
Studio: Sony
Movie Reviews of Hex - The Complete Second Season
Movie Review: Bold as hell, but flunks out at the finish line.
Summary: 4 Stars
The second season of this great British series about a young supernaturally-endowed girl, her dead lesbian BFF, and her seduction by Evil Incarnate is naturally must-see material for fans of Hex - The Complete First Season and Supernatural-themed shows in general; and for a while it delivers. Big time. And then, as the climax appraoaches it all goes horribly wrong. But more on that later.
"Hex" was a very original creation with a lot of adult material that would not fly on stateside television. This show often makes the purported edginess of Buffy The Vampire Slayer look downright cute at times. The actresses are too sexy for this world, the character-development is outstanding, the story is killer, and the stong supernatural aspects are integrated very well but never overdone. Initially, Season Two's best aspect is the arrival of The Annointed One, a firey redhead named Ella who shocks Thelma (the impossibly charming lesbian ghost) by responding to her lewd remark when normally only the protagonist (Cassie) and the demonic Azazeal can see/hear her. Great moment. Ella's arrival signals a complete series overhaul, one so bold that it puts to shame supposedly earth-shaking events of other series. I was dumbstruck and in complete disbelief that any television show would attempt such a coup. Great, great television. I can't really get into the plot without Season One spoilers, but I'll just say that Ella's very existence is only to stop the Apocalypse from going down. Azazeal proved too cunning a foe so now she turns her attention to his son Malachi, the Antichrist who we met at the end of the first season as a wee baby. Well, he grew up fast and begins his eventual world domination by taking the campus by storm.
Azazeal, the consumate smooth bad guy, makes his exit at this point which damages this show to no end. Malachi (like most of the guys in "Hex") comes off as a tool and just isn't as threatening or charismatic as his pa. A stupendously unlikely/unbelievable romance creates strike two and throws the story into even more turmoil, leaving poor little Thelma to shoulder the burden of keeping "Hex" entertaining. And she does...until Ella pulls the single most boneheaded move in television history and essentially destroys her afterlife, making the audience forget why exactly we liked The Annointed One in the first place. Oh, right: bada$z wiccan warrior woman with sexy red hair and a talent for demon-slaying. Still, you will have no love for her by the end of the show and it's ridiculous to think a centuries-old immortal soldier could be so clueless, romantically or otherwise. An impromptu kendo match (British schools are SO cool!) against one of Malachi's handlers and a battle with a demonic pixie-nurse are among Ella's great moments, but her actions over the last several episodes put her high up on the list of most incompetent heroines ever and leave a bad taste that will never be washed away -there is no third season. Political wrangling between angels and demons was a great concept but when angels start making forceful sexual advances on the world's supposed savior then one has to rethink the definition of the word "angel" and the very concept of good and evil. The problem with that is that this was a short series -19 episodes over two seasons- and there just wasn't time to flesh these concepts out...or in this case even give them more than lip-service. That simply makes them an annoyance. Strike three. But I just can't bring myself to say that "Hex" struck out. I still love this show.
I suspect that the show's impending cancellation led to bad scripts and hasty storytelling because the first dozen or so episodes were an amazing narrative full of conflicted but charming characters, edgy humor, stylish supernatural coolness, and some amazing twists and turns. Then it all just went to hell as if on cue. Season Two should have been a no-brainer 5-star piece of pure supernatural awesomeness. Season One was a bried-but-encouraging jumping off point and the story just got better during this season until the other shoe fell.
As it stands, however, "Hex" only retains it's "awesome" status up to a point and then becomes borderline unwatchable as it nears the finish line. That is a damn shame because this was a brilliant series that really deserved better. I'm giving this a tenuous 3 1/2 stars and rounding up out of a spirit of generosity for a show that I have a soft spot for and that I feel other fans of supernaural television that pushes the envelope NEED to check out. It's still a great show, but I just wish it had been handed better; it could have been a Buffy-killer. Enjoy, but prepare for heartbreak.