Netflix has quietly kicked off its December content drop by making a complete supernatural thriller series available for UK audiences to binge in one sitting. All six episodes of 'Talamasca: The Secret Order' are now streaming, offering a fresh entry into the expanding Anne Rice Immortal Universe.
What Is Talamasca: The Secret Order?
The series, which first aired on US channel AMC on October 26, is the latest adaptation from the best-selling author's work. It follows the fictional Talamasca, a secret society dedicated to investigating paranormal activity and supernatural beings like witches, vampires, and werewolves. The show is part of the AMC TV franchise that began with 2022's 'Interview with the Vampire' and continued with 2023's 'Mayfair Witches'.
Viewers are introduced to this shadowy world through Guy Anatole, played by Nicholas Denton. Initially a sceptic, Guy is drawn into the Talamasca by Helen, portrayed by Elizabeth McGovern. He soon discovers that the voices in his head are not his imagination but a psychic ability to read minds—a talent Helen aims to harness for the society's missions.
Production and Critical Reception
The series was filmed in Manchester in the autumn of 2024 under showrunners John Lee Hancock and Mark Lafferty. While the show promises cameos from characters across Rice's universe, it focuses on its own core narrative.
Early reactions have been mixed but passionate. Critic Tara Bennett on Rotten Tomatoes called it "an absorbing spy-esque thriller" and praised Denton's "superb" performance. One viewer online stated, "I had low expectations... but this show is amazing." However, not all feedback has been positive, with some critics finding the pace slow and the production values lacking.
A New Supernatural Staple for Netflix
By adding 'Talamasca: The Secret Order' to its catalogue, Netflix provides UK fans of Gothic horror and intricate world-building a new series to devour. Its release strategy of dropping all episodes at once caters perfectly to the binge-watching culture, allowing viewers to fully immerse themselves in the Talamasca's clandestine investigations without wait.
Whether it becomes a staple of the platform's supernatural offerings will depend on viewer uptake, but for now, it represents a significant and absorbing new chapter in the televised Anne Rice universe, ready to be explored from the comfort of your sofa.
