Mastodon Mastodon Mastodon Mastodon Mastodon Salem - Blood Kiss - Review: "Kentucky Fried Mercy"


    Enable Dark Mode!

  • What's HOT
  • Premiere Calendar
  • Ratings News
  • Movies
  • YouTube Channel
  • Submit Scoop
  • Contact Us
  • Search
  • Privacy Policy
Support SpoilerTV
SpoilerTV.com is now available ad-free to for all premium subscribers. Thank you for considering becoming a SpoilerTV premium member!

SpoilerTV - TV Spoilers

Salem - Blood Kiss - Review: "Kentucky Fried Mercy"

Apr 13, 2015

Share on Reddit

2.02 - "BLOOD KISS"
Directed by Allan Arkush
Written by Brannon Braga and Adam Simon
Reviewed by Gavin Hetherington


THE CHARACTERS





SEASON GUIDE

Click on a title to be taken to the review for that episode. Need a catch-up of season one before starting season two? Be sure to read the ultimate catch-up review of season one.



'BLOOD KISS' REVIEW

"Witches! Not one to survive and torment us more. Kill them! KILL THEM ALL!"

"Mercy! You are SO fired!"
That opening was incredible! What a way to open an episode. I'm so relieved to see Mary fight back against Mercy straight away instead of letting things rest. It shows the ferocity of the situation and that Mary is still the Queen of the Night! The entire scene was so well-executed. To have Mary gather the men to throw flammable liquid all over Mercy and her followers while they slept was ruthless but genius, and her line to "kill them all!" with Mary's pointing and look of anger was chilling. Gunshots and screaming. There is definitely no love between Mercy and Mary now, even if there was a tiny sliver of it before, it's completely vanished now. Anyway, the best opening of an episode of the series so far. "You wanted war, now taste war." That's right Mary, you show Mercy how it's done!

The Oscar for Best Witch Goes to Mary Sibley!
Mary continues to reign supreme in Salem - a role I very much like her in. She has conquered Salem and is working wonderfully to complete her wicked goals. I love the relationship she has with Tituba - they have the same goal but Mary still likes to insult her, calling her a harpy and whatnot, but she offers to put aside their grievances for the greater task at hand. These two work well together and are perfect frenemies. Tituba wants Mary to deal with Isaac who is the only flaw in Mary's otherwise perfect plan. What I love about Mary is that she is conflicted with this and even though she was about to do it, she ended up saving Isaac. Granted, he's in this whole mess because of her and he deserves way better, Mary is still, kind of, being true to her word of protecting him. I just hope she heals Isaac with some kind of spell or potion. It is quite tiring to see Isaac being used while he suffers the consequences of being TV's biggest pushover.

"Why can't you just be normal and play Monopoly?"
Mary's son is a demonic little shit. I was cringing and writhing when he puts that needle in George Sibley's toenail. Salem is so good at making me squirm that with every passing episode, something just has to happen to gross me out. Can't top the crow-crotch but still. The doctor is also increasingly getting sketchier, especially his moment with Mary at John Alden's old home when he asks her about the pain she felt, perhaps in that very room. It seemed very odd and even Mary thought so too before she legged it. He does seem to have Salem's best interest at heart but I don't know. I am very easily deceived as I have been before in the past but after some comments from people on my last review, maybe all is not right with this doctor?

"It's a dangerous world for an orphan girl."

"Witches gotta stick together."
Anne Hale is getting more interesting. The internal struggle is quite evident through her quiet aura of mystery around her now. She has been less vocal than she was in the first season but when she's pressed, especially by Hawthorne, she can still hold her ground. It was pretty cool to see his nose bleed and Anne try to refrain from going full on psycho by blowing his brain out so her control is improving. It's important to note too that Anne tries to leave but cannot, and that Anne is still very much against Mary. Even though we saw Anne falter to Mary's words in the premiere, Anne is still holding strong to her virtues. At the most opportune moment, Magistrate Hale's mask reappears and transports Anne to Boston where Cotton Mather resides. Anne is successful in persuading Cotton to return to Salem which is such a relief to know as he hasn't had the best of material in Boston, though I'm sure if he was given more time to explore, he might have had a better story there. However, the main highlight of Boston is the Countess.

"I thought I smelt a witch in Boston."

"This isn't my first lesbian rodeo. Have you seen Xena?"
The honest-to-God highlights of Salem these days are a lot of things but Countess Marburg has to be a pretty big one right now. I loved her introduction to Anne with her mouth moving saying one thing but Anne hearing another - it's so clever. Then to have Anne find "within" herself a.k.a. a tub in the middle of a forest. Her interactions with the Countess are such a revelation - we find out the Countess has gone by many names, including Hecate. She is the last of the true witches and her words just cut through me like glass. She is so wise, so full of information. She will be able to teach Anne a thing or two about witchcraft and even though Anne is struggling, it's clear the Countess knows she is only heading down one path - a dark one. Regardless of what Anne wants to be, even good, it seems like that isn't an option for her. It's also great to have Sebastian's first appearance, the Countess' son. Every new character this season has had quite the entrance and Sebastian is no different - kissing his mother! Talk about MILF. The Countess knows that Mary Sibley started the Grand Rite and knows nothing about her but she's intrigued.

"We are all going to be such friends. I just know it."

"Care for a rhubarb and custard?"
John is definitely different. His mannerisms seem quite scary when he moves his head and body. I always felt John was the one pure guy in the show (apart from Isaac but she's so gullable) but now I really am starting to fear him a little. When he killed that harmless malitia man who has been in the show for a long time. I didn't really care much for him but I liked having him there, poor buggar. John has become a ruthless killing machine - witches or not. The poor man on the docks too didn't deserve to have his neck snapped just for some clothes. John should have just knocked him out and taken them, he didn't need to die! He has returned to Salem though which is exciting and I look forward to seeing what he does there. It won't be pretty, that's for sure.

Yeesh!
Again, the ending was incredible. Mercy, seemingly dispatched of in the opening moments by Mary, rises from the ground with a complete makeover - she's now burnt to a crisp! Poor Mercy, she's never able to look beautiful (but the actress is very beautiful). She goes to her father with this awesome ending line - "Father. Your baby's home." Chime of the bells while Mercy holds a knife. After the Countess said about "we all have to kill our fathers", I'm wondering if that's a power thing for witches? We also have another creeptastic moment with Mary's son when Mary bathes him and he kisses her on the lips - just like the Countess and her son. Is that some witch-thing? Every son goes to first base with their mothers?



- Why didn't Mercy get up once she saw what was happening? She had plenty of time to get everyone out or at least start to make a run for it before they all went up in flames.
- I've said it before and I'm saying it again - Mary's son is a demonic little shit.
- Am I the only one thinking that Hawthorne is really weird?
- Travel permits in Salem? Worse than getting a bus from my area - every 10 minutes my ass!
- That transporting mask is amazing. What a nifty little object.
- Anne and Cotton both killed their fathers and here they are together. Must be some sweet poetic irony in that?
- Countess Marburg really likes her baths.
- So will Magistrate Hale (Xander Berkeley) return in some form for Anne to communicate with him? That would be so cool, I am actually missing his presence on the show.
- Lucy Lawless also likes to kiss her women. It's one way to leave an impression.
- The Countess and her son have been to Salem before and they must have left such a mark that if anyone recognised them, it would be "bloody". That is interesting.
- What kind of present is a tied up living woman in a cupboard? I'm worried about what they're going to do to her.
- What in the world is happening to the dead bodies of those who have succumbed to the plague?
- Would you like your Mercy rare, medium, or well-done?


EPISODE VERDICT

Season two is on a roll. Granted, it's only been two episodes but seriously, season one was jam-packed with intense episodes as the season went on, really picking up the pace at the midway point with the introduction of Increase Mather, but right out the gate season 2 has kept that intensity level to a high level.

As I mentioned in the review, this had to be the best opening of an episode yet with Mary burning Mercy and her followers. I'm wondering if that means all of Mercy's followers are dead or if she has more that were in other places that survived, like Dollie. Will Mercy have to start from scratch in order to gain followers and get herself sorted. I'm pretty sure she won't remain in her crispy-state for long. I'm guessing she's going to do some kind of magic by killing her father and regaining her natural look. 

Lucy Lawless had more in this episode which was wonderful as she killed every scene she was in! I really hope we get a flashback episode of Increase Mather and Countess Marburg when they "danced their jig". Both have had the most intense history together and the marks left on both of them, including Increase, have been referenced to in the first season so it's all connecting and in a glorious way. Her relationship with her son is going to be interesting to watch unfold, as well as her influence over other witches and how that will come into effect. Might be a couple more episodes before she arrives in Salem though - she does have to be careful and wise about her moves.

Anne is definitely the most interesting character at the minute as we are unsure how much her powers will explode and what will happen with her journey to self-discovery. It's very Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. with Skye at the minute, but Anne is on a wicked path and there's seeminly no option but to pick the dark side, no matter how badly she wants to cling to the good. Cotton is going back to Salem too which is awesome and I'm hoping for more development there. John has done a complete 180 on his character and I now fear him - he's a ruthless killer and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to feel for him.

All in all, fantastic follow-up to that fantastic season two premiere. When season one was two episodes in, the show was finding its feet. Season two has found its footing and it's here to stay. All I can say is, if this season keeps it up, this will become one of the best witch shows of all-time.

What did you think of 'Blood Kiss'? Let me know your thoughts on the episode in the comments and be sure to watch the next new episode on April 19 on WGN America at 10PM!

About the Author - Gavin Hetherington
Award-winning author of 'Abyssal Sanctuary: Remnants of the Damned'. Gavin joined SpoilerTV on August 9, 2014 and will be reviewing 2 Broke Girls, Mistresses, Orange is the New Black, Pretty Little Liars, Salem and Sleepy Hollow in the 2014-15 season. Gavin's favourite shows include Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Desperate Housewives, The Walking Dead, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Scandal and much more. You can contact him at gavin@spoilertv.com.
Recent Reviews (All Reviews)

13 comments:

  1. Chills. Salem continues to defy that sophomore slump with a killer second outing. Keep it coming Salem writers, cannot wait for more. Hope you guys enjoyed the episode as much as I did!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great review. The scene with Devil Child and George Sibley was one of the few times I had to look away, I have a thing about needles, especially when they come near nails or eyes. What is up with Witch incest? Is it just between mothers and son, or should Anne count her blessings her dad raised her in a more normal fashion? Lucy is killing it as the Countess and I can't wait to see what she and her son are up to.


    Mercy just won't die, huh? As fun as it is to watch her ruin Mary's plans, I'd be completely ok if she dies. Unfortunately, same goes to Isaac, I just find no entertainment value in watching someone be continuously victimized and he's just so trusting and frankly, pathetic that it makes it even worse, because I want to shake him and tell him to grow some brains. But who knows, maybe he'll eventually realize the truth or maybe curing him would stop the witches' plans and he'd serve a purpose.


    Still not sure how I feel about the suave doctor who has no problems flirting with a married woman upon meeting her, but also knows all the right feminist things to say. Maybe he is a really good guy, or maybe he's shady, I have no idea.


    I have no idea how to feel about John and his story line. What exactly was done to him? How did it change him, besides making him a ruthless killer (not sure the guy at the dock deserved it, poor guy) did it change him in another way? He has a lot of talismans, is there anything supernatural about him or just the objects he has? I liked John last season, so I'm not sure how I feel about this new John. I hope we have scenes of him with Cotton, so I can see how someone that knew him reacts to how he is now/so I can see if there's any of the old John left in him.


    Anne is the character I'm most interested in this season. I like that she still has her morals and isn't here for Mary's plan and I like her dynamic with Cotton. I hope her being evil isn't a foregone conclusion, I'd love to see her straddling the line between good and evil, instead of just succumbing to her bad side.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for reading and sharing your incredible thoughts on the episode! That needle scene was definitely excrutiating and I have the same affliction as you - I just can't bare them! I was going "no no no no no" throughout! Damn, this show really makes us squirm now haha.

    As for Mercy, I think if Salem is renewed for a third season, either Mercy or Mary are coming out of this season alive. Mercy is a big threat and adversary to Mary now that she has to be dealt with by the end of season 2 as it would be hard to carry over that "big bad" without being too repetitive with Mercy. When a show keeps a villain for too long, they do get old fast. Right now I'm loving Mercy being the way she is and the crux to Mary's plot but I do hope there's an endgame there. Same with Isaac.

    The doctor sure is amazing with his words, isn't he? The pro-feminist views he has are amazing and makes me really like him but there is something beneath his smile. And totally agree about John. Really want to see how he interacts with characters he knows - Cotton, or Anne, to see how different he is, or if he's still the same old John we love underneath. I think Anne's struggle with the dark side might end up with her beating the odds and keeping her virtues. She can be the first good witch and use her powers for good, right? All witches can't be evil, I mean Mary flirts with that line sometimes too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm guessing the writers will have many casualties in season 2 and the frontrunners do look like Mercy and Isaac by season's end. And I agree with you, Mercy will have had a great run by then and Isaac, unless he gets something new to do, has not been as interesting as he could have been.

    You raise some very good questions, especially about John. Magic seems to be very tricky on the show because you're either born with it - Anne. Or you sold your soul to the devil and look like a hideous creature in the mirror. I guess it depends on how they use their gifts. I'm guessing Mary, Tituba etc. won't have much say in the matter as they have to serve the devil since they signed their souls over to him/her (could be a female devil, never know) so I hope we get more in depth knowledge of magic. Episode 4 is called Book of Shadows so I'm guessing that may hold some insight to witchcraft.

    What I love about Salem is that there are so many possibilities of where to go. They have set up some incredible stories and the big story of releasing the devil, much like beginning the Grand Rite last season, will be exciting to see happen and I kind of hope they do, just to see what the devil will be like on Earth. However, the rate they're going with the intensity as well means that possibly by season 2 they will either succeed or fail in releasing the devil, which then leads to Season 3 and where do they go there? I'm not a writer on the show (I wish) so I really don't know but I have a lot of faith in them at this point because they've done an amazing job so far so I'm just excited to see where this all leads :D We really shouldn't be looking too far ahead but it's hard not to haha.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kentucky Fried Mercy lol

    great heading

    ReplyDelete
  6. Haha thanks, I felt like I could play around on this one :P

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't mind casualties, as long as it's not characters I'm attached to, LOL. I definitely think Mercy and Isaac are not long for this world, but we'll see, I thought Mercy would die last season already and they proved me wrong.


    According to some interview I read, John doesn't even interact with most of the cast by episode 8 (what they were filming at the time) so I don't know if we'll even get him with Cotton or Anne, or if he'll spend the whole season skulking in shadows, taking the witches out one by one.


    I'm definitely interested in this cradle witch vs. deal-with-the-devil witch and what it means about their magic or their free will. I agree about the show having a lot of possibilities, which is the exciting part of it for me as a viewer, is not knowing what they'll do or if the witches succeed or not. I've always loved the many different incarnations of the Devil, so I'm in favor of the witches succeeding, but would that be giving them too many victories? And would the Devil just wipe out all of mankind in one fell swoop or would it just be another stepping stone in the grand plan of evil? I also sometimes wonder where they'll go in future seasons, with how fast they're moving things along right now, but hopefully the writers have it all mapped out and won't disappoint me and it'll be a helluva ride.

    ReplyDelete
  8. "Kentucky fried Mercy"

    http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Lindsay-Lohan-Spits-Out-Drink.gif
    This episode was mindblowing. The opening scene was so intense. Anne and Hecate and HECATE FREAKING HECATE! Hades mother in law herself. I wanna see what that character brings and if the one Mary wants to bring end up being Hades, king of the underworld and God of death.

    John Alden, i dont know how to feel with his storyline, he is now ona path of revenge, I wanna see when the consequences of his actions like the indian told him.
    Merc, that girl is powerfull.
    And Hecate said the kids always end up killing their parents so is little devil gonna kill Mary?

    ReplyDelete
  9. I loved this episode. What an amazing opening, I completely agree there! I was so happy to see Mary retaliate, as I've said I haven't been the biggest fan of Mercy and I think she needed taking down a peg or two and this definitely did that, though maybe it took her down a few hundred pegs!

    I'm definitely feeling very mixed about John Alden. I can see why he's doing what he's doing but again, I feel like the whole point of this show is for us to root for the witches (maybe it's not, but it's what I take from it) so I really don't want him to succeed in killing any of the ones I like haha but I did love how ruthless he was with slitting that guy's throat.

    Mary and Tituba's dynamic is great, I was really worried when the season started that Mary would try and kill Tituba for what she's done (perhaps that's coming later in the season?) but for now I like that Mary kind of needs Tituba because she doesn't have many on her side that can actually fight the witches on Mercy's side like Tituba will be able to do. And I'm with you on John, he is one creepy little shit, the toe nail scene was...ugh, I can't, I just can't.

    I am loving Anne's story, she's definitely having a great start this season and I love how she's trying to cling onto her morals and good nature but she's gonna have to let that go and embrace her powers otherwise she'll end up accidentally revealing them to the wrong person and I for one and looking forward to seeing what she's capable of. Her scene with the Countess was so intense and I really hope that the Countess actually helps her embrace who she is. Am I the only one thinking that the point in the Countess having a son around Anne's age is somehow going to end up with him seducing Anne? I don't know why but I just thought that immediately after I read about Sebastian. Plus the line after he kissed his mother (after she kissed Anne) and saying Anne tasted like honey....yeah, I definitely think something will happen between them.

    Also, what is with everyone locking lips with their mother's on this show? That kiss between John and Mary was creepy as hell and it definitely shocked Mary, she didn't expect that from little Damien (lets face it, he's Damien through and through).

    Season 2 is hitting all the right notes for me, so keep bringing it Salem!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Couldn't agree more Ron! And RIGHT? HECATE!! I never expected her to be THAT! So many amazing possibilities in the direction they can take her. And I am now wondering that myself, maybe Mary thought that herself when he gave her the kiss, as it is in the title - Blood Kiss. Was that an omen maybe?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Adam, love your essays :D Haha yes I think Mercy has been knocked down a lot from that but it will only make Mercy retaliate too and I have no idea what she will do or how far she is going to go. Maybe she'll try and kill her son to really hit home but she discovers just how much of a demon her son is?

    Totally Team Mituba. Hmm I never thought about the Countess's son, Sebastian, being there to possibly seduce Anne. That could totally happen and it would be wicked of the Countess to do because no doubt it will unleash Anne's power for her advantage. Poor Anne, who can she trust really? Well, Cotton, but still.

    Haha he is totally Damien through and through, what an evil little *beeeeep*. With the Countess telling Anne that the children of witches always end up killing their parents, I'm guessing that's the kind of omen that kiss represented when he kissed Mary, as the title suggests - Blood Kiss. Question is, what is Mary going to do about that?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Drown the little shit hopefully (too far?), if it comes down to it, I hope she doesn't let him kill her. There was definitely a couple of references in there to the "Blood Kiss" title, I noticed Anne's lip bleeding following her encounter with the Countess too.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Haha not too far at all! Oh yes, there was blood on Anne's lip, so it could definitely refer to that too. Maybe the title holds many connotations.

    ReplyDelete

NOTE: Name-calling, personal attacks, spamming, excessive self-promotion, condescending pomposity, general assiness, racism, sexism, any-other-ism, homophobia, acrophobia, and destructive (versus constructive) criticism will get you BANNED from the party.