Having watched both the first and second seasons without having read the book, I went into this series expecting a certain tone—something frightening or at least steeped in darkness, given its focus on witches. There are many TV programs about witches out there, but *Salem* stands out as exceptionally well-executed and genuinely dark. This show, however, doesn't manage to capture either of those qualities. I’m still …

This feels like a familiar disappointment, reminiscent of what happened with *The Interview*. It has this peculiar, heavy-handed approach to progressive themes. Similar to how *The Interview*'s adaptation disregarded the nuance and narrative depth that defined the original novels by omitting the relationship between the two gay characters when trying to appeal to contemporary audiences, Mayfair does something comp…