The Secret Circle (TV series)
A canceled CW series about a teen witch coven.
The Secret Circle is a supernatural fantasy teen drama from the United States that ran on the CW between September 15, 2011, and May 10, 2012. It adapts L. J. Smith's book series of the same name and was created by Andrew Miller. The story takes place in the made-up town of Chance Harbor, Washington, and follows Cassie Blake, a teenager who relocates there and learns she is a hereditary witch, becoming the sixth member of a secret coven. The CW ordered the series on May 17, 2011, and on October 12, it picked up a full 22-episode season. The network canceled the show on May 11, 2012; ratings dropped in the latter half of the season, and the high expenses for visual effects and location filming were also noted as factors.
After her mother dies in a fire, orphaned high school student Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson) moves to Chance Harbor to stay with her grandmother. She tries to settle in, but five classmates—Adam Conant (Thomas Dekker), Diana Meade (Shelley Hennig), Faye Chamberlain (Phoebe Tonkin), Melissa Glaser (Jessica Parker Kennedy), and Nick Armstrong (Louis Hunter)—identify her as a witch and ask her to join their coven, the Circle. With her included, they can access their full powers. Cassie initially denies being a witch, even after Adam helps her unlock her abilities. She starts to accept her magic only after finding an old leather spell book left by her late mother, Amelia, which contains a note explaining that Amelia hid their family history and powers to protect Cassie. The Circle soon discovers that their magic draws dangerous forces that constantly threaten them.
The main cast includes the Circle members: Britt Robertson as Cassie Blake, a newly revealed witch who moves to Chance Harbor after her mother's death. She initially resists being a witch but gradually embraces her destiny and magical lineage. Her mother's ancestry traces back to the origins of witchcraft, while her father, John Blackwell, comes from a similarly ancient line of dark witches. Through their mother, Amelia Blake, Cassie is Diana's older half-sister. Thomas Dekker plays Adam Conant, a natural-born witch and one of the two male Circle members. He and Cassie feel an immediate attraction, straining his long-term relationship with Diana. Adam helps Cassie unlock her powers and urges her to join the Circle.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Supernatural / Fantasy / Teen drama / Horror
- Based On
- The Secret Circle · L.J. Smith
- Starring
- Britt Robertson / Thomas Dekker / Gale Harold / Phoebe Tonkin / Shelley Hennig / Jessica Parker Kennedy / Ashley Crow / Louis Hunter / Natasha Henstridge / Chris Zylka
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Num Seasons
- 1
- Num Episodes
- 22
- Executive Producer
- Kevin Williamson / Andrew Miller / Richard Hatem / Leslie Morgenstein / Gina Girolamo
- Producer
- Liz Friedlander
- Location
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Runtime
- 42 minutes
- Company
- Outerbanks Entertainment / Alloy Entertainment / CBS Television Studios / Bonanza Productions / Warner Bros. Television
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series follows Cassie Blake, an orphaned high schooler who moves to Chance Harbor, Washington, after her mother's death in a fire. She discovers she is a hereditary witch and joins a secret coven of five other teens—Adam Conant, Diana Meade, Faye Chamberlain, Melissa Glaser, and Nick Armstrong—forming the Circle. With Cassie as the sixth member, the coven unlocks its full powers, but they attract dark forces that threaten them. Cassie initially rejects her powers until she finds a spell book left by her mother, Amelia, revealing a hidden family history of witchcraft.
Reader's Guide
The Secret Circle was picked up by the CW on May 17, 2011, and ordered for a full 22-episode season on October 12, 2011. Despite a dedicated fan base, the series was canceled on May 11, 2012, after ratings declined in the second half of the season. High costs of special effects and location shooting were cited as reasons for cancellation. The show explored themes of destiny, family legacy, and the struggle between light and dark magic, but its short run left many plot threads unresolved. It remains a notable example of early-2010s teen supernatural television, adapted from L. J. Smith's popular book series.
Did You Know?
- The series is based on the book series of the same name by L. J. Smith.
- The show was canceled on May 11, 2012, due to declining ratings and high production costs.
- Cassie Blake discovers she is the half-sister of Diana Meade through their father, John Blackwell.
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