NBC’s new fantasy drama Emerald City is a reboot of the classic The Wizard of Oz. Unlike the wonderful world of Oz we all remember, this series takes a much darker approach as it features an over-the-top demonic ritual.
The first two episodes, “The Beast Forever; Prison of the Abject” aired on Friday with a more modern approach to the timeless tale of Dorothy in Oz. Our new Dorothy (Adria Arjona) lands in Oz, via police car, only to find it a cold, dark and dismal land.
Dorothy kills (or rather tricks into suicide via handgun) the Witch of the East (Florence Kasumba), causing her sisters, Glinda the Witch of the North (Joely Richardson) and the Witch of the West (Ana Ularu), to perform a ritual so they may obtain her spells. The citizens of Emerald City are invited by the Wizard (Vincent D’Onofrio) to watch.
The scene is bizarre and begins to have the feel of a horror movie. Definitely not suitable for children or anyone who is disturbed by the occult.
It’s sad they made this show so distant from the original movie. By adding in such senseless evil, it loses the appeal it had to the masses. Only time will tell if this show can live up to its predecessor.
