Home > Salem > Season 1 « TV Series Page Salem: Season 1 (2014) SEASON: Season 1 Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Want to see Episode List Season 1 Salem Critics Consensus While the horror scenes are well-executed, Salem lacks enough substance to sustain even a guilty-pleasure interest. 48% TOMATOMETER Critic Ratings: 31 78% Audience Score User Ratings: 266 See score details Other TV Shows Rate And Review Submit review Want to see Edit Submit review Super Reviewer Verified Super Reviewer Verified Edit Super Reviewer Rate this season Oof, that was Rotten. Meh, it passed the time. It’s good – I’d recommend it. Awesome! So Fresh: Absolute Must See! What did you think of this tv season? (optional) Submit Continue Super Reviewer Step 2 of 2 How did you buy your ticket? Let's get your review verified. Submit By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket. Super Reviewer Rate this season Oof, that was Rotten. Meh, it passed the time. It’s good – I’d recommend it. Awesome! So Fresh: Absolute Must See! What did you think of this tv season? (optional) Submit How did you buy your ticket? Submit By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. Episodes 1. The Vow Air date: Apr 20, 2014 John Alden returns from war to discover that the woman he left behind is now married to another man and that his hometown of Salem, Mass., is in the midst of a witch panic in the premiere of this supernatural drama. View Details 2. The Stone Child Air date: Apr 27, 2014 John investigates what's really going on in Salem as the fear over witches rises; and Mary prepares to execute a plan. View Details 3. In Vain Air date: May 4, 2014 Mary decides on a course of action after discovering who witnessed the witches' ceremony. View Details 4. Survivors Air date: May 11, 2014 Alden worries when an old nemesis arrives in Salem with secrets that could destroy him; and Mary loses her grip on Mercy. View Details 5. Lies Air date: May 18, 2014 Mary and her coven are at odds; Alden and Cotton come across a dangerous witches' relic. View Details 6. The Red Rose and the Briar Air date: May 25, 2014 Alden and Cotton come face-to-face with a real witch; Mary comes up with a solution to the discord within the coven. View Details 7. Our Own Private America Air date: Jun 1, 2014 Romantic feelings between Mary and Alden intensify; Cotton deals with a unique accusation in the trials; and a powerful witch hunter makes his way towards Salem. View Details 8. Departures Air date: Jun 8, 2014 The arrival of Cotton's father rocks the town of Salem; at the same time, Mary's power over George is compromised. View Details 9. Children, Be Afraid Air date: Jun 15, 2014 Mary finds it difficult to get George back under her control; at the same time, Mercy's power is growing and she isn't afraid to use it. View Details 10. The House of Pain Air date: Jun 22, 2014 Increase gets closer to understanding who really runs things in Salem; at the same time, Anne finds herself in danger, and in need of Alden's help, while investigating a mystery. View Details Show More Episodes Salem: Season 1 Photos View All Photos (45) Tv Season Info The world of the Salem witch trials is explored in this supernatural drama set in 17th-century Massachusetts. Season 1 opens in 1685 with Capt. John Alden (Shane West) returning from war to discover that his Puritan community has become gripped with mass hysteria and that his former lover Mary (Janet Montgomery) is now married to the wealthy village elder George Sibley (Michael Mulheren). What he doesn't know is that when he left seven years ago, Mary, pregnant with his child, turned to Tituba (Ashley Madekwe), a skilled practitioner of the magical arts, to rid her of the unborn baby. In the time that followed, Mary has become the most powerful witch in Salem and is using panic and paranoia to her advantage, while fending off threats of being deposed by Magistrate Hale (Xander Berkeley). But her lingering feelings for John put them both at risk as he enters into an alliance with Rev. Cotton Mather (Seth Gabel), who, when he isn't engaging in activities of ill repute, has been defending the people of town against witchcraft. Also starring Tamzin Merchant, Elise Eberle and Stephen Lang. Genre: Drama Network: WGNA Premiere Date: Apr 20, 2014 Creators: Brannon Braga, Adam Simon Exec. Producers: Adam Simon, Brannon Braga, Josh Barry, Jeffrey Kwatinetz Cast & Crew Xander Berkeley Magistrate Hale Seth Gabel Cotton Mather Lindsey Roberts Chicken Plucker Janet Montgomery Mary Sibley Justin Lebrun Militia/Zombie Elise Eberle Mercy Lewis Shane West John Alden Ashley Madekwe Tituba Iddo Goldberg Isaac Walton Tamzin Merchant Anne Hale Jeremy Summers Night Watchman Gregory Nye Selectman Michael P Gardner Boston Militia Lara Grice Mrs. Hale Bruce Roberts Selectman Michael Mulheren Morgana Shaw Mab Stephen Lang Increase Mather Azure Parsons Gloriana Benjamin Mouton Lamb Josh S. Barry Jeff Kwatinetz Brannon Braga Adam Simon Show all Cast & Crew News & Interviews for Salem: Season 1 Video: TV Premieres Countdown for April 15, 2016 View All Salem: Season 1 News Episodes 1. The Vow Air date: Apr 20, 2014 John Alden returns from war to discover that the woman he left behind is now married to another man and that his hometown of Salem, Mass., is in the midst of a witch panic in the premiere of this supernatural drama. View Details 2. The Stone Child Air date: Apr 27, 2014 John investigates what's really going on in Salem as the fear over witches rises; and Mary prepares to execute a plan. View Details 3. In Vain Air date: May 4, 2014 Mary decides on a course of action after discovering who witnessed the witches' ceremony. View Details 4. Survivors Air date: May 11, 2014 Alden worries when an old nemesis arrives in Salem with secrets that could destroy him; and Mary loses her grip on Mercy. View Details 5. Lies Air date: May 18, 2014 Mary and her coven are at odds; Alden and Cotton come across a dangerous witches' relic. View Details 6. The Red Rose and the Briar Air date: May 25, 2014 Alden and Cotton come face-to-face with a real witch; Mary comes up with a solution to the discord within the coven. View Details 7. Our Own Private America Air date: Jun 1, 2014 Romantic feelings between Mary and Alden intensify; Cotton deals with a unique accusation in the trials; and a powerful witch hunter makes his way towards Salem. View Details 8. Departures Air date: Jun 8, 2014 The arrival of Cotton's father rocks the town of Salem; at the same time, Mary's power over George is compromised. View Details 9. Children, Be Afraid Air date: Jun 15, 2014 Mary finds it difficult to get George back under her control; at the same time, Mercy's power is growing and she isn't afraid to use it. View Details 10. The House of Pain Air date: Jun 22, 2014 Increase gets closer to understanding who really runs things in Salem; at the same time, Anne finds herself in danger, and in need of Alden's help, while investigating a mystery. View Details Show More Episodes Critic Reviews for Salem Season 1 All Critics (31) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (15) | Rotten (16) For the most part, it works. Dec 28, 2018 | Rating: B- | Full Review… Ben Travers indieWire Top Critic Salem is replete with scenes that make little sense. It's mostly a jumble of decent enough special effects, less-than-decent acting, a script that also should be lashed with "10 hard ones" and lots of blood-curdling screaming. Apr 18, 2014 | Rating: C- | Full Review… Ed Bark Uncle Barky Top Critic West and the rest of the cast perform solidly as well, and once we know the lineup, presumably we'll dive deeper into the game. Apr 18, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review… David Hinckley New York Daily News Top Critic At the end of the episode, we get an idea where the series is headed. But by then, Salem has failed to cast a spell. Apr 17, 2014 | Full Review… Tom Conroy Media Life Top Critic Consider this initial effort a whiffed ball. Apr 22, 2014 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review… Neal Justin Minneapolis Star Tribune Top Critic What Salem is, though, is a surprisingly smart, well-executed and extremely scary new spin on a familiar trope. Enjoy it if you dare. Apr 22, 2014 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review… Gail Pennington St. Louis Post-Dispatch Top Critic The attractive cast (led by Once and Again's Shane West) do a fine job with the material provided, but Salem is ultimately less than bewitching. Dec 28, 2018 | Full Review… Patrick Gomez People Magazine Salem sets the witches loose in a lurid and often ludicrous free-for-all of graphic sexuality and violent retribution. Apr 18, 2014 | Full Review… Matt Roush TV Guide Salem gets off to a dark, creepy and occasionally melodramatic start. Apr 18, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review… Kelly West CinemaBlend In time and with a greater effort to be over the top, Salem could evolve into a guilty pleasure. But its first impression offers little magic. Apr 17, 2014 | Full Review… Rob Owen Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ...an unholy hybrid of THE CRUCIBLE and THE SCARLET LETTER, lacking the sophistication of either, but with just enough dramatic interest to hold attention. Jun 9, 2014 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review… Steve Biodrowski Cinefantastique Sex, violence, and witchcraft make for tantalizing drama. Apr 29, 2014 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review… Emily Ashby Common Sense Media View All Critic Reviews (31) Audience Reviews for Salem: Season 1 Mar 26, 2020 It's bonkers, but I love it. Some delightfully gruesome scenes that make you scream and laughter at the same time. Nick W Sep 17, 2019 I thought it was pretty good. First couple episodes were slow, but it picked up dramatically Rani M May 27, 2019 Just finished the first series on Netflix. Pretty muted watched all the episodes back to back. Great horror series, gripping story line, lots of super acting looking forward to watching the next series. Philip b Dec 14, 2018 Deconstruct and analyse it all you want. I just think it's absolute shite. Tim W Sep 10, 2017 Really enjoying this show about the witches of Salem. Jat S Aug 25, 2017 We love this series! We didn't like John Alden. Gage B Jul 13, 2017 Literally the best series I've came across, constant suspense and leaving me with my mouth dropped to the floor! Jul 11, 2016 A violent interesting twist on the Salem Witch Trials. Jeremy B Jun 25, 2016 The show is good. I like it. Some of the scenes are weird. The acting is a little poor in some scenes but other scenes are intense. It's violent and not good for kids. But I like this show a lot. I wish the lead female witch would be a little more dynamic. She's a strong character and I think if she was more animated and more dynamic the show would be much better. Robin B Apr 22, 2016 Starts off muddled, little slow, and predictable. However after the 5th episode I became a huge fan. Bravo to the actors.. 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