The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself: The Sins of the Father

There are two types of witches in the world, Fairborne and Blood.  Nathan Byrn (Jay Lycurgo) was discovered as a baby, along with his older half-sister Jessica (Isobel Jesper Jones), when their mother is found dead.  He is the son of a Fairborne mother and the most dangerous powerful Blood witch, Marcus Edge (David Gyasi).  The Fairborne council allows his grandmother to raise him under close supervision in fear that he will become a murderous Blood Witch like his father.  They would have just killed him, except there is a prophecy that insinuates that Nathan will eventually kill his father and end his reign of terror.  Each witch receives a gift of a unique power when they turn seventeen and Nathan has almost reached that age, in addition he must have the blood of a relative before he turns seventeen or he will die, and all his relatives, but his father, are dead.  Jessica has bullied Nathan his whole life and she delights in tormenting him, actually she just delights in tormenting everyone.  As things escalate between the warring clans, Nathan is locked away, but with the help of the girl he has fallen for, Annalise (Nadia Parkes) and her own gruesome power, he escapes and the two go on a journey to find safety from the Fairbornes hunting them and Nathan’s father who now knows about the prophecy.  Along their journey they meet Gabriel (Emilien Vekemans) a Blood Witch helping them to get to safety.

Adapted from the novel, Half Bad by Sally Green it may sound like high fantasy akin to Harry Potter and other “Young Adult” novels, but it really isn’t.  It has a grounded feeling making it appear a bit more real.  There is most definitely magic spells and potions, shapeshifting and possessions, but it is done in a much more matter of fact fashion, as if to say that this is just everyday life. At first glance it may appear to be just another YA television show based off of a book.  Young boy caught between two warring tribes, meets a girl, and must run away with her to find sanctuary, but this is much more.  With the introduction of the character Gabriel, who is most definitely a member of the LGBTQ family, and the sexual tension between the three leads, this show delves into a type of polyamorous relationship we have yet to see in most series aimed at this demographic, giving the story a more adult edge.

The production value is pretty high for a television show with some pretty good special effects especially when it comes to Annalise’s abilities. The music is geared towards it’s target audience, so I won’t fault it for not using more originally composed music and relying more on popular tunes.  The settings are all interesting and range from the mundane offices of the Fairborne Council to the impoverished home that Nathan grew up in, to the more exotic locals, like Paris.  The plot is interesting and there is a lot more going on than you see on the surface.  Are the Fairbornes really the good guys? Or is there a much darker plan at work? The actors all do a great job with the three leads really shining and the chemistry between them is palpable.  I was surprised how easily I got sucked into the show and how much I enjoyed it. Before I knew it, I had watched four episodes and plan on watching the rest.  The characters are a bit more complex and there is some intrigue over what the truth is about Nathan and his father.