Talamasca: The Secret Order Debuts With Underwhelming Rotten Tomatoes Score

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The world created by Anne Rice lives on. Following the popular series Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches, the narrative now focuses on a central group from her books: the Talamasca.

This series isn’t based on a specific book, but draws from a larger fictional world. It centers on an organization that monitors and manages supernatural creatures like vampires, and connects to existing stories and characters within the ‘Immortal Universe’. Despite premiering on AMC on October 26th, initial reviews on Rotten Tomatoes were lukewarm, with a score of 62%.

This rating is based on 13 reviews, with 5 being negative. Because the show hasn’t started airing, there isn’t a rating from general viewers yet.

Daniel Kurland from Bloody Disgusting believes that Talamasca: The Secret Order could be a key component of AMC’s Immortal Universe if developed well, and its success is important for the future of the franchise. He notes that the show’s focus on expanding the larger universe is both its most engaging and frustrating quality. However, he ultimately finds plenty to enjoy in the series, appreciating its unique genre approach and seeing it as more than just a marketing tie-in for AMC’s vampire properties.

Sarah Moran acknowledges that the new Anne Rice series, a supernatural spy thriller, is enjoyable, but heavily relies on William Fichtner’s performance to succeed. She describes it as a fun, engaging story that blends espionage with vampires, witches, and other supernatural elements, and believes that expanding the world will be key to the future of the franchise.

Carly Lane at Talamasca: The Secret Order really stands out in the crowded world of supernatural shows. It’s thanks to strong performances from the actors, a spy-thriller style plot, and clever connections to the larger Immortal Universe that leave fans wanting more.

Critics haven’t been impressed with Talamasca. Angie Han of SlashFilm notes the series has a promising plot but lacks compelling characters, ultimately failing to create a memorable experience. Michael Cook from Geek Vibes Nation agrees, stating that Talamasca: The Secret Order doesn’t live up to the potential of its concept or the quality of the original series it’s based on.

How Does Talamasca: The Secret Order Compare to Other Immortal Universe Shows?

A 62% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is decent enough to earn a “fresh” label, but it’s not particularly outstanding. It falls somewhere in the middle for shows within the Immortal Universe franchise. The first show in the series, which began in 2022, has been highly praised by critics, earning a 99% rating across its first two seasons. The first season was “Certified Fresh” with a 98% score, and the second season received a perfect 100% rating. Viewers gave the first and second seasons 71% and 83% ratings respectively on the Popcornmeter, resulting in an average audience score of 77%.

While Mayfair Witches hasn’t been as popular as other shows in the franchise, it has seen improvement. Overall, the first two seasons have a critic score of 59% and an audience score of 54%, making it the lowest-rated series so far. The first season received a combined 47% rating from critics and audiences, but the second season was better received, earning a 71% critic score and a 60% audience score.

Although the initial focus is on stories within Anne Rice’s established Immortal Universe, executive producer Mark Johnson hinted that they have plans to expand the franchise further. He confirmed they have a list of potential ideas, praising Rice as a remarkably forward-thinking and talented writer, especially considering the era in which she was creating her work.

As a huge fan of the potential here, I was really excited to hear they’re already thinking about adapting more of Anne Rice’s work. They’ve got three or four other stories they’re interested in turning into films, which is fantastic! I actually joke with the folks at AMC – I’m in there every few months asking if they’re ready to greenlight another project. I’m just eager to see more of these stories come to life on the big screen!

Talamasca: The Secret Order premieres on AMC on Oct. 26 at 9 pm ET/ PT.

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2025-10-25 20:06