The witching hour has arrived for WGN America.
The Tribune-owned network has released the first footage of Salem, the period drama exploring the town's infamous witch trials.
The drama, which marks WGN America's first original scripted series, stars Nikita's Shane West, Arrow's Seth Gabel (who narrates the teaser, above) and Janet Montgomery and explores the dark, supernatural truth hiding behind the veil of this ignominious period in American history. The witches featured are real, but they are not who or what they seem. The series, centered on an epic romance wrapped around an explosive revelation, delivers a bold new vision of Salem -- and an even bolder new vision of witches.
STORY: Brannon Braga's Salem Witch Trials Drama Ordered to Series at WGN America
West plays the male lead, John Alden. He's described as being handsome, tough, pragmatic, wry-humored, not a man to suffer fools, a hardened veteran of 10 years of war and captivity at the hands of the Indians, who returns to his native Salem to find it consumed in witch-hunt frenzy, led by Cotton Mather (Gabel).
Brannon Braga (24, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Terra Nova) created and penned the series alongside Adam Simon (The Haunting in Connecticut). The drama hails from Fox 21 (Homeland, Sons of Anarchy). Braga and Simon executive produce alongside Prospect Park's Josh Barry and Jeff Kwatinetz. Richard Shepard will direct the pilot.
A premiere date has not yet been announced for Salem. Check out the first footage and hit the comments below with your thoughts. Will you watch?
E-mail: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
