Apparently, the old saying "Good things come to those who wait"
is true after all. While I greatly enjoyed the first season of Sanctuary
(starring Amanda Tapping as the sultry Helen Magnus, who, when she’s not busy traversing the world, fighting evil, she’s protecting the otherworldly residents of her safe haven), there were still a few things about the series that bugged me. A major problem for me was the character of Ashley Magnus, Helen’s grown daughter, who was essentially a Buffy The Vampire Slayer Clone. Another was the Cabal, an evil criminal organization that felt about as threatening as a bunch of pacifist gerbils. But…what do you know? Within the first three episodes of the second season, both of these annoyances are brushed aside, and the fun really begins.
Ashley is replaced by Agam Darshi, who plays Kate Freelander, a Mumbai-born
young woman who was raised on the tough streets of Chicago. As a result of this
rough and tumble upbringing, Kate’s a cynical hustler who’s loaded with street
smarts and is really handy with a gun--which is pretty much what Ashley should
have been in the first place, instead of the clichéd, super-duper monster killer.
Don’t get me wrong; my problem with Ashley wasn’t with Emilie Ullerup, the
engaging Dutch actress who played her. Ullerup is an extremely talented performer
who was unfortunately saddled with a badly thought-out character, which she still
managed to make endearing over the course of the first season. It's just that her
character stuck out like a sore thumb on a series that strived very hard to be
original in every aspect.
And now freed of the pall cast from the not-very-scary shadow of the Cabal looming
over them, the series finally gets to soar with its unique blend of horror/science
fiction storytelling. The Sanctuary gang deal with an abnormal who uses his
powers for super heroic good in Hero; while in
Sleepers, Nikola Tesla, played by
the always-great Jonathon Young, makes a welcome return appearance. Michael
Shanks, Tapping’s former co-star on Stargate: SG-1 (he played Daniel Jackson), is
very good in Penance. Series regular Christopher Heyerdahl really gets to shine
in Haunted, as John Druitt once more battles his inner demons.
Fragments is an
interesting twist on the CSI story, and Pavor Nocturnus is a dark, frightening
ride. Next Tuesday is a very well done, action-oriented episode that wins the
"bad timing" award, because it's an unfortunate reminder of real-life events (it takes place on an oil rig in the Gulf Of Mexico, airing several
months prior to the disaster that struck the Gulf in 2010).
And while the season
finale, Kali Parts 1&2, revert back to the silliness of season one, thanks
largely to Will’s ridiculous Bollywood musical dance number (that, and having
Magnus be threatened with removal as leader of her own Sanctuary Network just
rang very false for me), it’s redeemed by having Callum Blue (who appeared as
Mason in Dead Like Me) as a more refined villain. Despite the minor nitpicks,
Sanctuary is a visually stunning series that’s coming into its own. The second
season is comprised of 13 episodes, all of which have their own commentaries
(which can be hard to hear at times), as well as making of documentaries,
outtakes, and a fun look at the cast and show runners making an appearance before
rabid fans at a recent San Diego Comic Con. If the quality of Sanctuary keeps
rising like this, then Amada Tapping’s Helen Magnus might become just as popular
as a certain Air Force officer that she played on Stargate.
--SF
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