I watched Mayfair Witches season 2 and the new episodes are pure magic

After setting up a strong foundation in the first season, Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches season 2 is sultry, sexy and scary as hell. While season 1 reveled in all its Southern Gothic glory, season 2 basks in its darkness as a true horror story. Reviewers were given the first seven episodes of the season to review and I can tell you without hesitation that season 2 is bewitchingly brilliant.

Season 2 picks up shortly after season 1. Mayfair designee Rowan (Alexandra Daddario) has given birth to Lasher but the child is no ordinary creature; the milk-guzzling demon is growing by leaps and bounds by the hour in his new human form. Rowan is concerned, but when she sees the youngster shedding his baby teeth with a bloody grin she knows that she’s in trouble. What’s keeping her from seeking help, however, is the fact that her powers are growing exponentially with her son (and former lover) nearby and she’s not exactly willing to part with them. But when an older Lasher (Jack Huston) starts getting into deeper trouble, Rowan is forced to act.

Meanwhile, Sip (Tongayi Chirisa) is trying to navigate the complexities of the Talamasca knowing that they, too, have interests in Lasher. Cortland Mayfair (Harry Hamlin) was turned to stone by Rowan after his web of lies started to untangle; though he’s a statue hidden in her basement, however, Cortland is on a horrifying journey of his own.

New to the cast this season are Alyssa Jirrels as Moira Mayfair, Ben Feldman as Lark and Ted Levine as Julien Mayfair. Moira arrives in New Orleans after her sister Tessa’s death in the first season. The young mind reader wants answers and she knows Rowan is the one who knows the truth. She’s smart and witty, and it didn’t take long for her to become one of my favorite Mayfairs.

Lark and Rowan go way back; she turns to him in the present day for help and given how close they once were. Lark provides some much-needed levity to break up some of the more tense moments in the series; as the outsider, he watches the Mayfair affairs like a spectator sport. While he’s a fish out of water, he doesn’t hesitate to offer assistance as Rowan and her allies hunt for Lasher.

Daddario has found her footing as Rowan, skillfully portraying her as off-balanced and uncertain as she navigates her strange motherhood journey, her new powers and her role as the Mayfair designee. Huston’s Lasher is a child in a man’s body. He can’t control his urges, which puts the Mayfairs in danger. It’s fun watching Huston shift from charming to childlike and back again, making it easy to forget that Lasher is still, in fact, a demon in sheep’s clothing.

I find that Mayfair Witches’ true strength as a series comes from the supporting characters. Hamlin and Chirisa could (and should!) absolutely front their own spinoff series, while Jirrels, Feldman and Levine are very welcome additions to the fold (and could have their own spinoffs, too!). Hamlin masterfully portrays the razor-thin line between Cortland’s trademark shrewdness and his newfound sense of vulnerability while Chirisa brings out Sip’s humanity as a man torn between shattered truths and an uncertain future. And we have to give credit to Charlayne Woodard as Dolly Jean Mayfair and Jen Richards as Jojo Mayfair, who elevate every scene they’re in.

While I can’t say much about Levine’s Julien yet, I will say this as a non-spoilery preview: if you appreciated Ben Daniels’ stellar turn as Santiago in Interview with the Vampire season 2, you’re going to love watching Levine’s portrayal of Julien. Let me put it this way: if Sam Reid’s Lestat and Levine’s Julien were competing in a Brat Prince contest, it would probably be a tie. That should tell you everything.

Showrunner Esta Spalding has course-corrected from the often sluggish first season to give season 2 a much quicker pace and a darker, horror-laden feel. Mayfair Witches season 2 sheds the heavy narratives that bogged down the first season, seizing the strong foundation that was built to elevate the story. With only eight episodes, though, there are moments when you wish there was more time to explore certain stories and characters. All in all, after watching the first seven episodes I’m genuinely excited to see what’s ahead for Mayfair Witches in the future.

Anne Rice fans will appreciate the Easter eggs sprinkled throughout the new season, which not only provides a few links to Interview with the Vampire but also to the new Talamasca series as well. In fact, it’s fair to say that Mayfair Witches season 2 is the glue between AMC’s Anne Rice Immortal Universe, not only building its own future with a strong story but also providing a nod to what’s ahead in the shared universe as well.

Mayfair Witches season 2 premieres Sunday, January 5, at 9 pm ET/PT on AMC and will be available to stream same day on AMC Plus.