In this ever crowded television landscape, where there are more shows and films than one can watch in a lifetime, it takes a special show to break out of the pack. Each year, dozens of shiny new pilots are launched, hoping to be the next big thing, but most end up cancelled after a handful of episodes. So here comes Freeform’s Motherland: Fort Salem with a bold and bonkers new premise: military witches!
The synopsis for the series reads: “Set in an alternate America where witches ended their persecution over 300 years ago by cutting a deal with the government to fight for their country, Motherland: Fort Salem follows three young women from basic training in combat magic into early deployment. In this world, the traditional roles of gender and power are flipped, with the more dominant women on the front lines fighting looming terrorist threats that are familiar to our world—but with supernatural tactics and weapons.”
And according to the trailer, some of the witches are queer? Well, shut up and take my money. Freeform president Tom Ascheim said of the series, “We’re so excited to be able to tell this story rich with female empowerment, complex storytelling and an incredibly creative canon … While set in an alternative universe, Motherland: Fort Salem will continue the authentic and issues-driven storylines that our network is known for, and what our audience has come to expect.”
The series was created by Eliot Laurence, who created Claws, so you know this show will be soapy as hell. The series stars Taylor Hickson (Deadly Class), Jessica Sutton (The Kissing Booth), and Amalia Holm (Playground). This wouldn’t be the first time that Freeform has sucked me in with some young adult supernatural teen nonsense. This is the same network that brought us polyamorous killer mermaids in Sirens and hipster emo angels in Shadowhunters. They also strung some us along for nearly a decade with the psuedo-supernatural chicanery of Pretty Little Liars.
Motherland gets props for a fresh, innovative mash-up of supernatural drama and military shows. Maybe it will be like M.A.S.H. but with potions and spells. More likely it will be Charmed with uniforms. Either way, I am 100 percent on board with this show, and will be bringing you more information as the release date gets closer.
What do you think? Will you be tuning in for Motherland?
(via Variety, image: Freeform)
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