After the catastrophic events of 2A’s winter finale, many are anticipating the show’s return. 2B’s premiere is a quality hour of television that continues the show’s upward trajectory. It’s a casual weaving of the right moves and an essential time-out following the insane pace of recent events – a breather episode that allows a closer look at its players and the relationships they have while serving as a wind-up for what comes next.
Shadowhunters picks up not long after the events of “By the Light of Dawn,” where both the residents of the New York Institute and the city’s Downworlders are trying to deal with the aftermath of Valentine’s deadly attack. Valentine himself is being held for interrogation in the Institute’s basement level, and with Aldertree being reprimanded back in Idris for his leadership failures, Alec has absorbed the responsibility of overseeing the Institute’s day-to-day activities. Everyone is dealing with the joys and fallouts of their own personal lives, but time isn’t on their side when they discover a greater demon is making its way through the city.
“Mea Maxima Culpa” is an episode that finally showcases the full influence of its new showrunners. Where the season’s premiere was, for all intents and purposes, an impressive tonal reboot of its first 13 episodes, 2×11 makes 2A seem like a transition period. Looking back on it now, the first half of the season appears to have played it safe in its makeover, a quick fix-all while they tested what they really wanted to do with the show. If this episode is indeed the Shadowhunters they intend to make from here on out, then we’re in for a real treat.
The characters and their relationships are even more settled now, and that has a lot to do with the cast. Each performer appears more certain of their own footsteps, and their portrayals feel snuggly with greater authenticity. It makes all the difference between watching actors act and seeing the characters we’ve come to love alive and breathing on our screens.
Jace and Clary (John Medland/Freeform)
Katherine McNamara’s Clary is surefooted and determined in this Shadowhunter role she’s been thrown into, believably confident and blissfully optimistic of her path in life, and especially love. Simon is much the same, his sunny disposition a reflection of his new sun-tolerance. Alberto Rosende has an ease and flow in the way he moves, a charming middle ground between finesse and clumsiness that gives his scenes heart. A failed, one-sided attempt at hugging Jace, his new savior, will have fans laughing. Dom Sherwood’s Jace, on the other hand, is struggling deeply beneath the surface, riddled with guilt for the part he played in the massacre of the New York Institute. He absolutely shines this hour, nailing every single one of Jace’s nuances in a way only Jace Wayland himself could. One particular scene opposite Matthew Daddario will greatly satisfy Parabatai fans – another, also opposite Matthew, will hit you where it hurts.
Matt Daddario’s Alec is a gigantic softie and a pillar of strength who is trying to hold together the pieces of those he loves most. His chemistry with Dominic and Emeraude is off the charts, portraying best friend, confidante, and big brother as one seamless entity. Isabelle is in bad shape, stuck firmly between fight or flight, unable to reconcile what she needs with what she wants. Emeraude Toubia locks in her best performance of the series in a way that is un-glamorous, undignified and yet, still founded on Isabelle’s beautiful vulnerability. On the receiving end of her questionable behavior, David Castro’s Raphael displays a sincerity and care that now appears to come from a real place and the way he makes amends works, in some small part, to redeem his recent poor choices.
Magnus Bane is still the best-dressed character on the show – his black rhinestone coat, in particular, deserves its own runway. Harry Shum Jr. makes a rather restricted appearance, but it doesn’t make his part any less enjoyable and it certainly isn’t for naught. This hour sets some big plays in motion, particularly for Magnus in ways you can’t even imagine. The Malec relationship is also there, and while they are certainly not the focal point, the episode firmly establishes them as a couple, a team. It’s now comfy and familiar, casually intimate in a way that has been lacking.
Isaiah Mustafa’s portrayal of Luke is steady as always, though we get to see some much-needed smiles after all he’s been through. Maia proves to be a surprising source of strength for him when the chips are down, and the makings of a couple of storylines are also on the horizon, involving both his path as Alpha and his new partner-in-training, Ollie. We don’t know much about her yet, but rest assured, she’s not a replacement for Jocelyn (Ollie contributes to the LGBTQ spectrum of the show).
Besides Ollie, there are a couple of new faces we meet this outing, namely the hotly anticipated introduction of mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. He is everything I expected: affable, sympathetic, a hint of a dark past – the lovable, super-hot, bad-boy cousin. Will Tudor fits seamlessly into the story and plays him with an understated charisma that is dangerously disarming (it’s not just the swoon-worthy British accent), and the way he infiltrates our Shadowhunters squad and develops with the ongoing plot will surely be a thing of intrigue.
Alan Van Sprang’s latest turn as Valentine is impressive and fascinating to watch. He delights in manipulation as always, and his untouchable facade is still very much in place, but Alan allows us to see Valentine’s mind ticking away behind it as he tries to find openings and exploits in those around him. He’s a little less controlled, which makes him even more unpredictable – though the new villain in town makes him look like an abandoned puppy. Azazel, a greater demon and Prince of Hell, is topside and making waves. Brett Donahue is a welcome guest to an already stellar cast, wallowing deliciously in Azazel’s bored, elitist swagger. His voice is commanding, powerful, and spine-tingling, unnerving in the way it will both raise the little hairs on your neck and melt you into a puddle of goo.
The episode’s weakest point was its first handful of dialogue. Writing exposition can be difficult, especially when you’re trying to establish to an audience what has and hasn’t happened since they last tuned in. But what followed was a Parabatai scene I’ve been personally hanging out for all series long – books included – and it was a fitting way to kickstart the second half of the season if the slack-jaw grin on my face was anything to measure by. One particular stunt later in the episode didn’t look any better on second viewing, but I chose to ignore it in favor of the brilliant, diabolical twist that unravels over the episode’s final minutes. It’s going to give fans a great deal of anxiety, but if you’re a sucker for emotional stakes like me, there will be much satisfaction when the plot pays off.
Michael Reisz turns in a script that ticks a lot of boxes. It’s a little heavy-handed on the exposition in places, but that is easily overshadowed by the plot-building and myriad of fantastic character moments. Book fans are possibly going to throw fits at some of the new bends in the mythology, but as someone who is against a plot-for-plot adaption, I am thoroughly living for it.
Simon and Maia (John Medland/Freeform)
Matt Hastings is clearly experimenting and playing with the Shadow World in ways he hasn’t previously. The camerawork has gotten more creative, complementing situations and characters like a beating pulse. The hardware itself seems different with its sharper, cleaner film quality. There is a whole spectrum of color in almost every single shot. The show’s lighting seems to have found a happy middle ground. Everything somehow gets grittier without sacrificing anything. Visually, it’s the most stunning episode of Shadowhunters yet.
Besides the aesthetic, the performances are some of the strongest. The emotions conveyed are honest, raw. The characters are finally real. It feels like the ‘click’ we’ve all been waiting for, and that’s pretty damn satisfying.
Shadowhunters is proving itself one of Freeform’s greatest assets, and if you’ve been keeping up with the slew of new shows announced at this year’s Upfronts, it is also a show that has paved the way for wider demographics. 2B looks to be paving a thrilling new path in its storytelling – both visual and written – and the results are good. Really good.
We may be 23 chapters into the story, but if “Mea Maxima Culpa” is anything to go by, Shadowhunters is only just getting started.
Shadowhunters returns Monday, June 5th 8/7c on Freeform and Tuesday, June 6th internationally on Netflix.
