I like just about everything about “The Secret Circle” (8 p.m. Central Thursdays on The CW) except the fact that — I am stifling a yawn just typing this — it’s yet another show about young people with superpowers. In this case it’s witch powers rather than cat powers (“The Nine Lives of Chloe King”), vampire powers (“The Vampire Diaries”), werewolf powers (“Teen Wolf”) or random powers (“Alphas”), but that’s a minor distinction.
It’s set in Washington state, and shot in Vancouver; I’m a sucker for any show filmed in Vancouver. And the small town that Cassie (Britt Robertson) moves to (to move in with her grandma after her mom’s death) has a gorgeous, natural charm, from the brick-building-lined streets to the lush woods to the waterfront. The pilot episode wraps with an epic witch-induced storm that has everyone running for shelter on the docks. There’s a nice sense of place to “The Secret Circle.”
I resisted even trying the first episode out of respect for Robertson’s canceled-too-soon “Life Unexpected,” but that was overcome by my liking for the actress. Cassie is easy to root for as a protagonist, even if she is slightly broody and decidedly blander than Lux so far.
Also part of the coven of six teens is Thomas Dekker from “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” To me, Dekker is John Connor; even if the TV series was a step down from James Cameron’s movies, Dekker played the character much longer than anyone else, and he did a fine job. Here, he plays Adam, whom destiny says is meant to be with Cassie. But he has a girlfriend also in the coven, Diana (Shelley Hennig).
And it’s great to see Phoebe Tonkin, the cutest of the three mermaids on “H2O: Just Add Water,” get a role on a major series. I miss her Australian accent, and I’m on the fence about whether I like her as the villain, Faye. I give the show credit for casting against type, at least.
As for the mythology, it’s something about how this sextet’s parents were also in a secret circle of witches (And warlocks? Wizards? No word yet on what the male witches call themselves). Now this next generation has completed their circle with the addition of Cassie. Some of the parents seem to be on the teens’ side, and others might be out to kill them; I found it hard to care, either way.
Thematically, “The Secret Circle” explores that age-old superhero trope, best illustrated in the “X-Men” saga: If given great power, how should one use it? Already, it’s clear Faye wants to use it to her personal advantage; others — particularly the outspoken Diana — feel like they can do some good with their power, but they have to proceed with caution.
Is there some way “The Secret Circle” can transcend being yet another show about teens with superpowers? After one episode, it seems unlikely. It has a lot of good qualities, but I don’t see it adding much to an overplayed genre.
I’ll be back for episode two to give it a fair chance to move away from the cliches and establish itself as something fresh.
Main image: CW publicity photo