"Motherland: Fort Salem" Is Freeform's Ambitious New Supernatural Drama!

Freeform’s new series "Motherland: Fort Salem" kicks off what could very well be the start of an exciting new franchise. 

Have you ever wondered what witches would be doing in the modern day if they were real? Would they be terrorizing people all over the world, or would they be the defenders of freedom? According to Freeform’s new series "Motherland: Fort Salem", those who practice the dark arts would be doing a little bit of both. In this alternate reality, the champions of witchcraft fight to defend the red, white, and blue against all who threaten our great nation, even those who also use magic. 

The show doesn’t waste any time telling viewers this is a woman-dominated world. It makes that very clear in the opening titles, where it displays a remixed version of the famous painting depicting George Washington crossing the Delaware River. In this alternate history, General Sarah Adler, played by Lyne Renee, is standing in front of the nation's first president, presumably protecting him from his enemies. Ladies and gentlemen, we aren't in Kansas anymore. 

This is one show that doesn’t have to exaggerate when claiming its unlike anything else on television because there really isn’t. The clever concept states that over 300 years ago, the still-alive General Adler made a pact in order to stop the persecution of her people. She pledged that witches would fight the country’s wars and protect it from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Now, whenever witches from the historic bloodlines come of age, they must pledge to join the ranks on Conscription Day.

This joyous occasion is hit with tragedy in the show’s first installment. The series wastes no time in showing you how powerful these witches can be. A member of a terrorist group called The Spree kills 1,600 people at a mall by making them jump to their deaths. We also learn they have some type of shapeshifting ability as well in terms of literally burning their face off to reveal another.

But the real focus here is the three cadets off to army witch academy and how these women from very different backgrounds will come together over time to become an elite magical force. Taylor Hickson’s Raelle is a healer of sorts that questions how her mother, who was a medic in the army, died as well as serving at all. 

She is the complete opposite of Ashley Nicole Williams’s Abigail Bellweather, who is a career-driven war hero in the making and whose mother also happens to be Raelle’s late mother’s commanding officer. 

Then the third wheel is Tally Craven, played by Jessica Sutton. She seems to be the only one that wants to be there for all the right reasons. She comes off a bit naive, but her heart seems to be in the right place. 

Not only will they have to learn to overcome their differences and survive basic training, but they will also be dealing with The Spree sooner than expected. From the closing moments of the thrilling first iteration, the terror group has infiltrated the West Point of witchcraft with their sights set on Raelle. This war-torn, action-packed, fantastical coming-of-age story just added a chilling conspiracy to the "Motherland: Fort Salem" agenda at the buzzer.

The way they’ve adapted the lore to suit their imaginative narrative is exemplary, and the attention to detail with military aspects aren’t bad at all. Combing magic with combat tactics really helps set this series apart from the rest of the genre. One of the better examples of this is how they handle spells and the fact that witches must always maintain their vocal cords. They become powerless if they can’t produce sound, and the way the show illustrates this power is pretty cool. The whip they use is also a nice touch to add to the action of the series. 

Utilizing the art of alternate realities opens up a lot of opportunities in terms of world-building, and what the creators of this Freeform series have done here has a lot of potential. Overall, it looks like it will offer fans of the genre something they can look forward to week after week. The visuals are very impressive, and "Motherland: Fort Salem" is definitely one to watch out for if you are a fan of military dramas, supernatural shows, or something that is a gratifying change of pace. 

"Motherland: Fort Salem" airs Wednesdays on Freeform.