Talamasca: The Secret Order: Upping the Stakes

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If you’re watching Talamasca: The Secret Order, or are familiar with spy stories in general, you quickly realize Guy Anatole can’t trust anyone. That’s a core element of the genre – the understanding that a spy can only rely on themself. Everyone around them – targets, other spies, even those giving the orders – could be trying to use or eliminate them. Being a spy on TV demands a strong moral compass, but also a constant need for self-preservation and a healthy dose of skepticism.

Guy’s fast-track Talamasca training clearly didn’t cover basic trust issues, because he’s incredibly naive when it comes to suspicious people. Last week, he kept following Kevis, even after spotting a strange, large book in her backpack. This week, after finding a hidden message while loudly and inappropriately flirting at work, he’s shocked and feels betrayed by information that was either obvious or should have already been known to him.

It turns out the woman Guy met at the club – the one who kissed Kevis and then warned Guy about him – is actually Olive, Kevis’s handler. And even more surprisingly, Kevis was a witch! Guy is shocked – despite already knowing witches exist – and Helen explains that Kevis specialized in using seduction to get information. Guy feels incredibly betrayed, a fact emphasized both by his repeated declarations and Nicholas Denton’s intense, labored breathing in the scene.

The most significant discovery is that the large book Kevis was carrying might be the ‘752’ – a copy of the Talamasca’s main library, which was destroyed. As the show indicates, this book will be central to the rest of the season. If it falls into the wrong hands, it could have global consequences. Archie was pursuing it, which led him to Kevis, and ultimately to both of their deaths. It’s a powerful and dangerous object.

The 752 feels like a weak central conflict, mainly because its supposed importance doesn’t quite land. While Helen’s intentionally vague warnings about its potential misuse are understandable, given how little we know about the show’s overall world and its characters’ motivations, they ultimately don’t tell us much. We know vampires and witches exist, but not what they’re aiming for, or why the Talamasca observes them. So, claiming access to the Talamasca’s information could “change everything” doesn’t actually explain how the world would concretely be different if someone else got hold of the 752.

What bothers me most is that high-stakes situations like this are difficult to execute well even under ideal circumstances. They’re even less effective if the characters don’t have strong personal reasons to care. And frankly, the storyline about Guy trying to find his mother doesn’t feel like a compelling enough reason to worry. Hopefully, future episodes will better establish what’s at risk if the 752 falls into the wrong hands. Right now, it just feels like a very simple and uninspired plot device.

Regarding the book, number 752, it doesn’t seem to be the one Kevis actually had with her. At least, that’s what her coven – a group of women who live on a houseboat and wear colorful, secondhand clothes – claims. When Guy attends their candlelit memorial for Kevis, the witches are initially wary of him. However, one of them, Doris, identifies him as a Talamasca agent and takes him aside. She reveals that Kevis was working as their spy and that the leather book was simply a personal scrapbook, not a magical object. Guy appears quite willing to believe this, especially after Doris finally tells him what happened to Soledad.

Furious, Guy follows Helen to a country house near London. There, she’s lost in thought, remembering a difficult childhood spent as a subject in the Talamasca’s experiments – and the possibility that she was part of a twin pair. When Guy confronts her, Helen deflects by sharing her painful past, but he remains focused on getting answers about Soledad. She eventually reveals that the Talamasca’s London headquarters has been infiltrated by a vampire named Jasper, and, after some questioning, that Guy’s mother is a former Talamasca member with a mysterious connection to the number 752. Surprisingly, Nicholas Denton doesn’t react strongly to this news. Instead, he has a dramatic outburst – yelling “JESUS CHRIST!” and slamming his fists – when Helen admits that “Helen” isn’t her real name. With a sense of weary acceptance, I’m now monitoring both Helen and her potential twin sister for any connection to Guy’s mother, and keeping Guy under observation for an emotional breakdown.

Jasper, meanwhile, is thoroughly enjoying himself at his secluded place. When Owen, the London leader of the Talamasca, arrives with the news of Archie’s murder, Jasper is blasting loud music and responds to Owen’s warning about his meddling with laughter and a boast about his own power. He then drinks some of his own blood, confirms the 752 is in London, and later brutally attacks a vocal opponent, turning them into either a vampire or whatever kind of creature they always were. In short, he’s having the time of his life.

Basically, I think Guy could really benefit from learning how Jasper deals with unpredictable situations. Even though Jasper might be a bit of a villain, he’s secure enough in who he is to enjoy his life as a Halloween monster spy without relying on others, which is something Guy constantly struggles with. And while we’re at it, Nicholas Denton could probably take a lesson from William Fichtner’s over-the-top acting in this, but that’s a separate point.

Okay, so Guy really surprised me this week! He actually took my advice (or at least, seemed to!), going straight to the Talamasca headquarters and causing a scene. He confronted Owen, Jasper froze time, and then Guy laid out this incredibly raw, emotional plea, basically telling Jasper he’s not a Talamasca pawn. He even offered to work with Jasper to find the 752 as payback! It’s pretty clear he’s playing both sides, pretending to switch allegiances, though I’m reserving judgment on that – I might be wrong next week! But honestly, this was the most genuinely exciting, clever spy work we’ve seen Guy pull off yet. I’m still a little hazy on how he learned everything he did – and how a week of training prepared him to tail Helen earlier – but I’m much more willing to overlook his flaws when he’s actually being smart and proactive.

Jasper and I both found Guy’s performance really enjoyable. He seemed completely captivated while Guy was speaking, even playing along. But as soon as Guy finished, Jasper’s demeanor changed – he wouldn’t let him leave, and had a slightly unsettling smile. It’s moments like these that remind us Jasper has a playful side, which is a welcome contrast to the show’s often heavy tone.

Observations of the Order

Helen’s explanation of the 752 – that it sounds far-fetched, but forty years ago no one could have imagined the Internet – is simply incorrect. The Internet existed in 1985, though it was in its early stages. There are a few ways to interpret this line: either Helen isn’t as knowledgeable as she seems, she’s underestimating Guy’s understanding, or the writers are stuck in a time warp where the 1960s always feel like forty years ago.

I’ve noticed this is the second time I’ve included a clip from I Think You Should Leave in these recaps! That’s because the character Guy feels a lot like someone straight out of that show – he’s constantly getting upset or frustrated by the results of his own silly mistakes, all within a spy storyline. AMC has replaced actors in their other shows before, and if they want to make Talamasca a big hit, I think Tim Robinson’s team would be very interested in hearing from them.

When Guy asks if the neighbors are bothered by the witches’ gatherings, Doris casually mentions they are Romani, with a tone that suggests the line was only superficially edited to remove a slur without addressing the underlying prejudice.

I skipped over the part where Olive pretends to be an MI5 agent to see Archie’s autopsy photos (turns out a vampire drained a lot of his blood) because it wasn’t very interesting. But I have to mention my favorite moment from that scene: the security guard’s reaction. After Olive leaves, he gives this completely deadpan look and mutters, “MI5? More like MI10!” It’s hilarious – he looks like he just wants it all to end!

This week’s award for the most typical CW Network-style dialogue goes to Owen, who always follows Jasper’s orders! Congratulations, Owen. He won with the line: “You wanted to know when Archie was arriving? We just found out… he’s not coming. [long pause] Ever.”

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2025-11-03 06:59