But Lifetime supernatural drama Witches of East End seemed to have a stronger case going for it than against it, which makes its November 4th cancellation all the more perplexing and, frankly, frustrating. Though the show ended its second season without a renewal decision, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that it would return for a third season, given that fellow Lifetime veteran Devious Maids also suffered a sharp ratings drop in a move to another time of year. Granted, Maids was always the higher rated of the two, but the fact that it took several months for the Marc Cherry soap to get renewed seemed to point toward a similar fight (and similar result) for Witches. Yet Lifetime ended up cancelling Witches of East End after two seasons, something that could come back to bite them.

As evidenced by their recent series pickups, Lifetime is looking to expand the definition of what it means to be a scripted show on their network. Coming up in the near future are Un-Real, a behind the scenes look at a reality dating series that focuses on a staff member tasked with manipulating relationships; The Clan of the Cave Bear, which takes place 25,000 years ago; and Damien, a sequel series to iconic film series The Omen which would concentrate on an adult Damien Thorn. Though it might be understandable that the network wants to change its perception, Witches of East End walked the line between the two Lifetimes that have developed thanks to these series orders – it’s very much a genre show, so it doesn’t necessarily fall in line with the network’s history of soaps, but it’s a genre show that’s overwhelmingly female, a tweak on the old “Television for Women” adage that throws a group of strong women into an unusual situation. Keeping Witches around would not only keep the network from reinventing itself too quickly, thus risking alienating those who’ve remained loyal over the years, it would allow that network a piece of flexible genre entertainment that explores issues (femininity, female empowerment, female sexuality) that might not be addressed in their other projects. For as much as Lifetime needs to keep up with the Joneses and all these new networks throwing their hat into the scripted ring, they’re risking losing what makes them distinct by cancelling Witches of East End and thereby diluting their brand as a network built for stories about women embracing their power and making their way in a sometimes unkind world.

What’s most interesting about the Witches of East End cancellation was that it left Lifetime with a whopping one veteran series in 2015. Part of the reason that I was as assured as I was that Witches would be returning was that it seemed impossible that a network would order as many new shows as Lifetime did and then ask them all to self-start. Placing two new shows together on a schedule, even if you’re a cable network, is pretty suicidal, in that one almost always dies – it’s too much to ask a new show to launch something wholly on its back, while the lead-out never receives the same amount of sampling and is often at the mercy of its DVR performance. Even if Witches of East End was down over the course of its second season, having it around to help bolster the new shows and give Lifetime a steadier utility player (once it got its sea legs this summer, Witches ended up being pretty consistent) to fill out its schedule sounds better than asking the 2015 premieres to go it alone. Lifetime might be as confident as ever in Un-Real and Damien, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not going to need help or that confidence is going to translate into a strong launch. With Army Wives concluded, The Client List cancelled, and Drop Dead Diva dead for a second time, Lifetime lost several power players over the last couple of years; however, that doesn’t mean that wiping the slate clean is the answer, not when Witches of East End was still putting up renewable numbers in a worse situation than it had in season one. Renewing the show for a third season would’ve allowed it to act as a bridge between Lifetime identities, keeping the network’s female-focused feet in the past while being compatible enough with the new projects to act as a lead-in without feeling out of place.

Most pressingly, the cancellation of Witches of East End is a sign that shows about women are an endangered species. Lifetime is the latest network to back away from focusing on female audiences, as we TV dropped “Women’s Entertainment” from its name, Style was rebranded as male-focused Esquire, and The CW doing away with soaps in favor of comic-based and science-fiction programming. There are networks still invested in telling female stories, with Bravo and E! entering the scripted fold with Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce and The Royals, respectively, but for the most part, female audiences are being ignored in favor of male audiences, the most elusive demographic in all of television. Not only is it harder to get men to watch live television, meaning that advertisers will pay more for those who do tune in, male-centric programming tends to generate more critical and social media buzz, which can often be as valuable as advertising dollars to a network looking to make a splash. In trying to broaden its demographic, Lifetime has put itself in the unenviable position of having to reverse a reputation built through years of catering to female audiences; it’s going to take quite a bit of groundwork for men to even find the network and if this latest wave of scripted series doesn’t pan out, there’s a distinct chance that their core audience might not be as quick to return as they might have thought. Lifetime might not be the scripted powerhouse that it seems to want to be, but there are worse positions to be in than having one hit show and one moderately-rated show with a vocal, passionate online presence.

Thus, the cancellation of Witches of East End was short-sighted: it’s too much change too quickly for Lifetime, something that could turn off a sizeable segment of its fan base; it leaves Devious Maids as the only returning show in 2015 and puts even more pressure on the new shows to perform, given that they don’t have a lead-in; and it inadvertently continued the marginalization of female-focused programming that Lifetime, formerly known as “Television for Women,” should be one of the leaders in fighting against.

You can purchase the first two seasons of Witches of East End on iTunes here and here. The first season is available on DVD here, with the second season only available through Amazon Instant Video. Additionally, a petition to bring the show back, which currently has 62,000 signatures, can be found here.

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On the second season finale of Witches of East End, Killian lingers between the world of the living and the world of the dead, a lonely area of existence where he finds Freya, who tells him that she’s alive and that when he wakes up, he is to contact Ingrid. Now that he knows that Freya is alive, Killian must find a way to counteract the poison so that he and his lover can try to make things work in this lifetime rather than waiting for the next. Not only will Ingrid be the best bet for assisting him in reversing the effects of the poison, given that she’s arguably the strongest witch in the Beauchamp family bar Joanna, reaching out to her based on a visit from Freya could clue her in on the dangers facing her sister, her mother, and her aunt. As a result, Ingrid might end up having to save Freya, Wendy, and Joanna from the dangers of the past while protecting the futures of Killian and Killian’s relationship with Freya. But what happens if there’s nothing she can do to reverse the poison Killian ingested?

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Tarkoff tracks down Joanna in the past and tries to prevent her from leaving, while Frederick becomes suspicious of Ingrid’s sincerity in wanting to go to Asgard and Dash’s dark secret begins coming to light.

The two-hour second season finale of Witches of East End airs Sunday at 9:00 on Lifetime. You can check out an additional preview of the finale here.

Which member of the Beauchamp family do you think is in most danger? Will Ingrid be able to find a way to reverse the spell that Killian enacted by drinking the poison? How will Dash protect himself once word of his wrongdoing becomes public knowledge?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuVT2W0BS3k

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On the season finale of Witches of East End, Joanna tries to find a way to escape the past, though she gets delayed when she runs into Tarkoff. Not only does he have the weapon that she needs to defeat the king, there’s a high likelihood that he’ll attempt to keep her in Baltimore for as long as possible so that she goes past the allotted 12 hours she can stay in the past. By keeping the weapon away from her, Tarkoff is running out the clock on the Beauchamp matriarch and hoping to get her out of the way so the king can focus on bringing Ingrid, Freya, and Frederick back to Asgard unimpeded. However, with Ingrid knowingly deceiving the king with talk of her allegiance, Tarkoff might not be able to deliver the grandchildren even if he does manage to take out Joanna, especially if Freya is forced to simultaneously grieve the loss of her mother and her lover.

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Frederick becomes suspicious of Ingrid’s intentions in returning to Asgard, while Ingrid receives shocking news from King Nikolaus, Dash’s dark secret gets closer to the light, and Killian’s rash decision has major reverberations.

The two-hour second season finale of Witches of East End airs Sunday at 9:00 on Lifetime.

Do you think Joanna, Wendy, and Freya will be able to escape the past before the 12 hours pass? What could Ingrid learn from the king that would be so shocking? How will Dash handle his dark secret being exposed to the East End populace?

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On the next episode of Witches of East End, Killian learns of a spell that could halt the patterns that keep he and Freya crashing into one another and leaving the other utterly destroyed. The only catch? According to the witch doctor, he’ll have to give up his own life in order to ensure that the next lifetime he shares with Freya is one without a curse lingering over their heads. Killian isn’t exactly in the right state of mind to hear something like this and it could all be for naught if he goes through with it, as Freya’s grandfather has already brought her back from the brink of the underworld; should Killian agree to the spell and give up his life in hopes of seeing Freya again, he will only be continuing the patterns that have kept the two apart for so long and furthering the curse that has negatively impacted each of his former lifetimes. Will Killian give himself time to think about going through with the spell, time where he could learn that Freya’s alive? Or is his grief for Freya so strong that he’ll want to do the spell then and there, thereby shifting the heartache he’s been suffering from to the one he wanted to protect?

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Ingrid begins considering returning to Asgard after bonding with her grandfather, while Joanna explores one of her past lives with Freya and Wendy and Dash learns the true identity of the woman he slept with.

Witches of East End airs Sundays at 9:00 on Lifetime. You can check out a preview of the next episode here.

Do you think Killian will be able to break the cycle of heartbreak he and Freya are trapped in? Should Ingrid return to Asgard with her grandfather? What could Joanna be looking for in her past life?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7JZBVUPnPk

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On the next episode of Witches of East End, Ingrid bonds with her grandfather while Joanna, Wendy, and Freya are away – perhaps too much, as she makes it known that she wants to accompany him back to Asgard. Part of that might be from her gratitude toward her grandfather for saving herself and Freya, but Ingrid of the past would have never suggested such a thing, not without consulting her mother and giving herself time to consider all options. But even with the possibility that her grandfather had an ulterior motive in saving herself and her sister lurking around, Ingrid opts for the more dangerous approach, something that could very well get her hurt if she’s not careful enough. As much as Ingrid might’ve come to resent being the Beauchamp “anchor,” she might need to tap into that cautiousness if she wants to ensure that her grandfather is only in this realm out of concern and need to heal old familial wounds.

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Freya, Wendy, and Joanna explore one of their past lives while looking for something, while Dash learns the true identity of the woman he had a one night stand with.

Witches of East End airs Sundays at 9:00 on Lifetime.

Do you think that Ingrid will return to Asgard with her grandfather? What could Joanna be so concerned about that she had to go through the time door to retrieve? How will Dash handle the knowledge that the woman he had a fling with is investigating the recent string of murders in East End?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d6TzDT5Ru4

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On the next episode of Witches of East End, Joanna resorts to drastic measures in order to bring Freya and Ingrid back after they met their end at Tarkoff’s hands. Her power is unmatched by anyone in Asgard, with her reputation for being ruthless with her gift preceding her, but Joanna has never had something this important cross her path before. After her daughters have made it this long, with Freya entering into her 30s for the first time since the curse was enacted, she doesn’t want them to have that happiness, sense of accomplishment, and self-knowledge unfairly stripped away, so now more than ever, she needs to tap into her power and find some way, any way, to keep her daughters from being reborn yet again. If Joanna does manage to bring Freya and Ingrid back, there’s the possibility that the curse could be lifted, seeing as how they were resurrected vs. reborn, but what will she have to do in order for that to be a possibility?

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Joanna and Wendy reconnect with their father through Tommy, while Dash deals with the reemergence of Kyle’s body and the possibility that he could be tied to the murder.

Witches of East End airs Sundays at 9:00 on Lifetime.

Do you think that Joanna will find a spell to bring Ingrid and Freya back to life? Will she be forced into making a deal with her father in order to get her girls back? Is Dash going to be able to keep himself from being tied to Kyle’s murder?

The post Witches of East End 2.10 Preview: Can Joanna Save the Girls? appeared first on TVHackr.

That’s because she realizes that Tarkoff isn’t the kind, loving soul that she remembers him as. His attempts at getting closer with her have less to do with his concern over Victor’s death and more about weakening her enough as a witch to kidnap Freya and Ingrid. While Joanna’s power might strike fear into the hearts of those who know only of her destruction, they also paint a gigantic target on her back; those in her realm believe that if they can take her out, the entire Beauchamp line will fall like a house of cards, but no one has been able to get close enough to her to test this theory. Having cloaked East End for the past century, Joanna has done everything she can in order to protect her family – everything, that is, except remind those who might’ve forgotten the extent of her power just how determined she is to remain in East End.

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Tarkoff exacts revenge upon Frederick, while Freya confronts Killian about the bomb he dropped on her, Ingrid gives Dash an ultimatum concerning his role in two deaths, and Wendy’s relationship with Tommy puts them both in jeopardy.

Witches of East End airs Sundays at 9:00 on Lifetime.

Will Joanna be able to protect her family from Tarkoff? Should Dash turn himself in for the murders of Kyle and William Hutton? Is Wendy’s relationship with Tommy worth keeping up when it only puts the two in danger?

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On the next episode of Witches of East End, Tarkoff puts more pressure on Frederick to produce the results he promised were possible. Although Freddie secured himself some time by reminding Tarkoff that no one else could handle the king’s spirit, he still has to find a way to string his guardian along while still protecting his mother. In order to keep his family safe, Frederick has to figure out a way to dispatch Tarkoff without drawing attention from the king, yet the king being that close to him and that knowledgeable about his actions in East End makes that exceedingly difficult to do. But how should Frederick proceed now that he has someone like Tarkoff watching over him and expecting results from the king’s plan sooner rather than later? Is there a way he can please all parties involved while keeping Joanna safe?

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Frederick and Freya celebrate a milestone birthday, while Ingrid grows closer to Dash, Tommy gets a surprise from Wendy, and Joanna faces one of her greatest fears.

Witches of East End airs Sundays at 9:00 on Lifetime. You can check out spoilers for the next three episodes here.

Do you think Frederick will go through with weakening his mother’s powers in order to please Tarkoff? Will Ingrid growing closer with Dash push her further away from Freya? Could the surprise Wendy gives Tommy have anything to do with her recent brush with mortality?

The post Witches of East End 2.08 Preview: Tarkoff Puts Pressure on Frederick appeared first on TVHackr.

Listed below are the dates, titles, and descriptions of the next three episodes of Witches of East End.

Sunday, September 7th – “Sex, Lies, & Birthday Cake”
Freya and Frederick celebrate a milestone birthday; Tarkoff puts pressure on Frederick to get things done; Ingrid and Dash grow closer; Tommy gets a surprise from Wendy; Joanna faces one of her worst fears.

Sunday, September 14th – “Smells Like King Spirit”
Tarkoff takes revenge against Frederick; Freya confronts Killian; Ingrid gives Dash an ultimatum; Wendy and Tommy’s relationship proves dangerous; Joanna takes action to protect her family.

Sunday, September 21st – “The Fall of the House of Beauchamp”
Joanna takes drastic measures after being devastated by Tarkoff’s actions; Dash’s secrets begin to spill out; Wendy and Joanna reconnect with their father.

Witches of East End airs Sundays at 9:00 on Lifetime.

How do you think Freya and Frederick will celebrate their birthday? Will Wendy continue her relationship with Tommy even though she only has one life remaining? Should Wendy and Joanna reconnect with the king or are they letting him too close considering their history together?

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On the next episode of Witches of East End, Killian begins doubting the validity of his feelings for Eva. He thought that she was his salvation, the one person he could lean on after a lifetime of being a lone wolf, yet she shoved the fertility potion at him on several occasions and used it to get herself pregnant with the baby that he doesn’t even know about. If she can be that deceitful to him and not even give him a choice in whether they have children, let alone her as-yet-unknown motivations for getting pregnant in the first place, perhaps Killian’s strong, passionate feelings for her are magically induced and have no basis in true emotion. And if that’s the case, maybe he’d be better off in getting rid of Eva once and for all, pregnancy or no pregnancy.

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, an old friend of Joanna’s emerges after some time away, while Wendy encounters someone from her past at an art gala.

Witches of East End airs Sundays at 9:00 on Lifetime.

Why do you think Eva so desperately wants a baby with Killian? Does Joanna’s old friend arriving in East End have to do with Victor’s recent death? Will Wendy welcome the visitor from her past or is this person someone she would rather forget?

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