''Hex'' is a British television programme developed by
Shine TV
Shine TV is a British media production company and part of Banijay with offices in London and Manchester.
Shine was founded in March 2001 by Elisabeth Murdoch, daughter of News Corporation CEO Rupert Murdoch. The company was 80% owned by Elis ...
and aired on
Sky One
Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non-terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989, ...
. The story is set in a remote English boarding school with a mysterious past. Series one explores the supernatural relationship between a
Fallen Angel
In the Abrahamic religions, fallen angels are angels who were expelled from heaven. The literal term "fallen angel" never appears in any Abrahamic religious texts, but is used to describe angels cast out of heaven"Mehdi Azaiez, Gabriel Said R ...
named Azazeal and a student called Cassie who is also a
witch
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually ...
. In the second series the story centres on 500-year-old anointed one Ella Dee, and Azazeal's son Malachi. Both series of the show are available on
Region 2 DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
, with the first series released on
Region 1 DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
in June 2007.
The show was cancelled in April 2006 after the end of the second series.
Synopsis
From its outset, ''Hex'' appears to be the story of Cassie Hughes, an attractive but withdrawn young woman who enrolls at the school but can't quite seem to fit into the social milieu. The second series shifts the focus from the departing Cassie Hughes (
Christina Cole
Christina Cole (born 8 May 1982) is an English actress known for portraying Cassie Hughes in the Sky One supernatural television series '' Hex''.
Early life
Born in London, Cole is the eldest of three siblings. She has a younger sister, Cassand ...
) to a new heroine, Ella Dee (
Laura Pyper
Laura Pyper is a Northern Irish actress, known for portraying Ella Dee in the second season of '' Hex'', Jane Fairfax in '' Emma'' and Lexine Murdoch in the video game '' Dead Space: Extraction''. She also played Lesley Howell in '' The Secret' ...
).
Series 1
''Hex'' is set at a remote English school, Medenham Hall, which occupies the former manor house and grounds of the McBain estate. It was the site of an 18th-century
witchcraft
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have us ...
scandal in which the female members of the line, the Medenham Witches, were tried and executed. Cassie, who raised herself in a single-parent household caring for her mentally unstable mother, has latent
telekinetic
Psychokinesis (from grc, ψυχή, , soul and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), or telekinesis (from grc, τηλε, , far off and grc, κίνησις, , movement, label=ㅤ), is a hypothetical psychic ability allowing a person ...
, pyrokinetic and
clairvoyant
Clairvoyance (; ) is the magical ability to gain information about an object, person, location, or physical event through extrasensory perception. Any person who is claimed to have such ability is said to be a clairvoyant () ("one who sees cl ...
abilities that are awakened when she touches an antique vase that had been used in
Voodoo
Voodoo may refer to:
Religions
* African or West African Vodun, practiced by Gbe-speaking ethnic groups
* African diaspora religions, a list of related religions sometimes called Vodou/Voodoo
** Candomblé Jejé, also known as Brazilian Vodu ...
rituals by the Medenham Witches. Her roommate,
Thelma
Thelma is a female given name. It was popularized by Victorian writer Marie Corelli who gave the name to the title character of her 1887 novel ''Thelma (novel), Thelma''. It may be related to a Greek word meaning "will, volition" see ''thelema''). ...
(who harbors an ill-concealed crush on Cassie), discovers that Cassie is a descendant of the Medenham Witches. Cassie has startling visions and dreams that she strives to interpret, and also struggles with controlling her growing telekinetic and pyrokinetic powers, which she is only able to summon in times of stress.
Cassie is stalked by a "dangerous looking" stranger who calls himself
Azazeal
''Azazeal'' (pronounced "ahz-azeel") is a fictional character in the British television series '' Hex'', played by Michael Fassbender.
The character is seemingly based on the similarly spelled Azazel from The Book of Enoch. However, past the nam ...
. Initially glimpsed fleetingly, he becomes increasingly bold, even entering into the student's rooms later in the series without warning or permission. Azazeal is revealed to be the leader of the biblical
Nephilim
The Nephilim (; ''Nəfīlīm'') are mysterious beings or people in the Hebrew Bible who are large and strong. The word ''Nephilim'' is loosely translated as ''giants'' in some translations of the Hebrew Bible, but left untranslated in others. ...
,
fallen angel
In the Abrahamic religions, fallen angels are angels who were expelled from heaven. The literal term "fallen angel" never appears in any Abrahamic religious texts, but is used to describe angels cast out of heaven"Mehdi Azaiez, Gabriel Said R ...
s, and he claims to be in love with Cassie. He has had previous relationships with schoolmistress Jo Watkins and Cassie's own mother, which may have contributed to her mental illness.
Frustrated by his inability to convince Cassie that his claims are sincere, Azazeal kills Thelma before Cassie's eyes as a sacrifice to increase his power and prove that he is truly who he says he is. This act has two unintentional consequences: his power over Cassie is initially weakened by the shock, and Thelma thereafter continues to share Cassie's room as a
ghost
A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to rea ...
that only Cassie, Azazeal and other ghosts can see. Thelma never forgives Azazeal for her own death, and is a strong voice against him to Cassie, who has grown to have feelings for him. Thelma is unable to touch the living, but she can touch other ghosts and presumably manipulate inanimate objects (including clothing, artifacts, books, doors, window sashes, and vending machines) and eat, which she does constantly (since ghosts cannot gain weight). Thelma works behind the scenes to spy on Azazeal and gather evidence from places where Cassie cannot enter. Cassie, while horrified by some of Azazeal's behaviour, ultimately finds herself drawn into his power. Azazeal
possesses Cassie, and while under his power, she gives herself to him and they conceive a child.
Thelma learns from Peggy, the ghost of a woman who died in the
1918 influenza pandemic
The 1918–1920 influenza pandemic, commonly known by the misnomer Spanish flu or as the Great Influenza epidemic, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus. The earliest documented case was ...
, that the
gestation
Gestation is the period of development during the carrying of an embryo, and later fetus, inside viviparous animals (the embryo develops within the parent). It is typical for mammals, but also occurs for some non-mammals. Mammals during pregna ...
of Azazeal's child is weakening the veil between worlds, allowing more ghosts to appear to the living. If the child is born, the veil will be torn, allowing the rest of the Nephilim to enter our world. If the pregnancy is terminated, the veil will heal, preventing the Nephilim from returning and leaving Azazeal the only one of his kind in our world. But there is a side effect: ghosts will also vanish from this world.
Cassie, after much convincing from Thelma decides that her
fetus
A fetus or foetus (; plural fetuses, feti, foetuses, or foeti) is the unborn offspring that develops from an animal embryo. Following embryonic development the fetal stage of development takes place. In human prenatal development, fetal deve ...
must be
aborted
Aborted is a Belgian death metal band formed in 1995 in Waregem. The group currently consists of vocalist, founder and only constant member Sven de Caluwé, guitarist Ian Jekelis, bassist Stefano Franceschini and drummer Ken Bedene. Although th ...
, although it is growing at an alarming rate. A week after
conception, the doctors believe she is nearing the end of her second trimester. Thelma assists Cassie, without telling her that success means that she may never see Cassie again. Azazeal tries to interfere and save his son, but Cassie goes through with the abortion...or so she thinks. When Thelma realizes that Cassie can still see her, Thelma knows that something has not gone right. Cassie discovers weeks later that the doctor who performed her procedure has been influenced by Azazeal, and that the baby is alive and in Azazeal's care.
Series 2
Thelma discovers that Azazeal is raising the child, who is walking already, in an abandoned nearby church. She and Cassie decide that they must somehow get the child, whom Azazeal has named "Malachi", but are clueless as to how to accomplish this. Azazeal becomes aware that they are watching him and tries to convince Cassie that he only wants her to join them so that they can be a "real family". Cassie, still partially under his spell, is obviously attracted by the prospect but retains enough of herself to know that this is something she should not want.
While Cassie and Thelma strategize, new characters are introduced at the school while old ones depart. Troy, convinced that Cassie's child is his, left the school at the end of the first series. Jo Watkins, having "really let herself go," is seldom seen at school as she has become Azazeal's live-in nurse and nanny. The school gains a new
chaplain
A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...
, Jez Heriot, who doesn't "wear the uniform" except when conducting services and also teaches
Ethics
Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns m ...
. When Jo effectively disappears, David Tyrel asks Jez to take her classes as well. The students don't initially realize that he is a
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...
, and Roxanne is quite taken with him, so much so that she can't help but seduce him even after the truth is known. A new student arrives at Medenham: Ella Dee. Her wardrobe instantly wins her points with the boys, evokes jealousy in the girls, and makes the faculty uncomfortable. Thelma is mildly attracted until she realizes that Ella can see her. There are other anomalies: Ella's tuition is paid by a corporation and her family background is unknown. She also seems to know entirely too much about Cassie... and Azazeal.
It is quickly revealed that Ella is definitely not what she seems. She is 445 years old and the daughter of
John Dee
John Dee (13 July 1527 – 1608 or 1609) was an English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, teacher, occultist, and alchemist. He was the court astronomer for, and advisor to, Elizabeth I, and spent much of his time on alchemy, divinatio ...
. Ella is also a witch and has been hunting Azazeal for centuries. So far, she has been very successful in preventing Azazeal from begetting a son by a mortal witch. This time, however, Ella was too late. Her mission: kill Malachi.
Ella instantly takes charge of both Cassie and Thelma, and formulates a plan to kidnap Malachi and sacrifice him in the school chapel. They are successful in grabbing the child, but Azazeal follows them and a series of alternately foolish and selfish decisions leads the girls inexorably to tragedy. With Azazeal present, Cassie loses her resolve and throws her body between Ella and Malachi. She dies instantly when Ella can't stop her killing blow, and Azazeal regains Malachi and retreats.
Ella tries to devise a new strategy while Thelma tries to deal with her deep sense of loss, but Ella loses her edge as she feels herself falling for Leon. Azazeal appeals to Thelma's own selfish desires and convinces her to steal and give him the Stone of
Belial
Belial ( he, , ''Bəlīyyaʿal'') is a term occurring in the Hebrew Bible/ Old Testament which later became personified as the devilSee the reference to "Beliar" in ''The Ascension of Isaiah'', at EarlyChristianWritings.com', specifically at ...
, one of Ella's objects of power, in exchange for a last meeting with Cassie. Jez is revealed to be
Ramiel
Ramiel ( arc, רַעַמְאֵל, he, רַעַמְאֵל ''Raʿamʾēl''; gr, ‘Ραμιήλ), not to be confused with the holy angel "Remiel", is a fallen Watcher (angel) while the other is an Archangel in the apocryphal Book of Enoch. Rami ...
, another of the
Nephilim
The Nephilim (; ''Nəfīlīm'') are mysterious beings or people in the Hebrew Bible who are large and strong. The word ''Nephilim'' is loosely translated as ''giants'' in some translations of the Hebrew Bible, but left untranslated in others. ...
and Azazeal's "right-hand entity". With the Stone in their possession, Azazeal and Ramiel conspire to drive Ella insane by forcing her to relive the 17th century witch trial in which she was found guilty and nearly executed. Azazeal uses the Stone of Belial on Thelma, who travels back to Ella's witch trial and rescues her from execution in the past. Ramiel's scheming and manipulation leads to Ella's commitment in an insane asylum, where a triumphant Azazeal seemingly abandons her.
Ella rapidly ages as she is stripped of her powers, but after Leon is brought in on her secret and is granted the power to see Thelma, he helps to revive her using the Volta. A friend of Leon's who helped him get Ella out of the hospital (where she was cared for by Azazeal's lover Perie the
Faerie
Fairyland (''Faerie'', Scottish ''Elfame'', c.f. Old Norse ''Álfheimr'') in English and Scottish folklore is the fabulous land or abode of fairies or ''fays''. Old French (Early Modern English ) referred to an illusion or enchantment, the land ...
) is tortured by Azazeal and the now teenaged Malachi, who kills him out of pity.
Azazeal is asked to leave by "higher powers" and enlists Malachi at Medenham Hall. He and Ella say their goodbyes; with Malachi born, Ella has no desire to kill him, and Azazeal leaves the Stone of Belial in Malachi's possession. Ella kills Jez and makes it look like
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
, precipitated by the revelation that he was having an affair with a student, which deeply affects Roxanne, who felt responsible because she had seduced him.
Ella and Malachi romance one another magically and otherwise, and their respective mentors, the
Archangel
Archangels () are the second lowest rank of angel in the hierarchy of angels. The word ''archangel'' itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of other relig ...
Raphael
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of works by Raphael, His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of ...
and the
demon
A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, ani ...
Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles (, ), also known as Mephisto, is a demon featured in German folklore. He originally appeared in literature as the demon in the Faust legend, and he has since appeared in other works as a stock character (see: Mephistopheles in t ...
, both use psychological tactics to get them to do as they wish. Ella and Malachi eventually have sex, as the evil side had wanted, and by fulfilling Ella's true desire (to be normal), she is made a slave to Malachi – his
succubus
A succubus is a demon or supernatural entity in folklore, in female form, that appears in dreams to seduce men, usually through sexual activity. According to religious tradition, a succubus needs male semen to survive; repeated sexual activity ...
.
Malachi kills a lesbian girl named Maya so that her ghost can consort with Thelma and give him leverage. Ella's enslavement to Malachi is ended by Thelma, who invaded her dreams and invoked her greatest fear:
fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products.
At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...
. Leon attempts to kill Malachi, but is betrayed by Thelma (in hopes of keeping her and Maya together in the living world) and saved by Ella after Malachi sends a fallen
Archangel
Archangels () are the second lowest rank of angel in the hierarchy of angels. The word ''archangel'' itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of other relig ...
,
Sariel
Sariel (Hebrew & Aramaic: שָׂרִיאֵל ''Śārīʾēl'', "God is my Ruler"; Greek: Σαριηλ ''Sariēl'', cop, ⲥⲟⲩⲣⲓⲏⲗ ''Souriēl''; Amharic: ሰራቁያል ''Säraquyael'', ሰረቃኤል ''Säräqael'') is an archange ...
, to attack him.
Mephistopheles
Mephistopheles (, ), also known as Mephisto, is a demon featured in German folklore. He originally appeared in literature as the demon in the Faust legend, and he has since appeared in other works as a stock character (see: Mephistopheles in t ...
betrays the cause of evil by helping Ella save Leon, who he feels did not need to die, and is subsequently punished and has his eyes removed. Raphael falls from grace by trying to
rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
Ella, who announces at this point that she no longer works for Raphael's master,
God
In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
, and is a freelance agent at last.
Ella loses all her feelings for Malachi, who quickly moves on to romancing Alex and other girls in the school. He eventually seduces the entire student body, creating an army of
succubi
A succubus is a demon or supernatural entity in folklore, in female form, that appears in dreams to seduce men, usually through sexual activity. According to religious tradition, a succubus needs male semen to survive; repeated sexual activity ...
and
incubi
An incubus is a demon in male form in folklore that seeks to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus. In medieval Europe, union with an incubus was supposed by some to result in ...
that makes him too powerful for Ella to kill. The only students who are not converted are Roxanne (who becomes a "pure soul" in her quest for forgiveness from
God
In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
for seducing Jez and causing his apparent
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
), Tom (who is secretly gay, in love with Leon, and impossible to convert because Malachi cannot make Leon love him back), Thelma (because after Ella later kills Maya, he has no hold over her), and Ella herself, who had already been freed from Malachi's spell.
Ella digs up Maya's corpse and beheads it, which destroys Maya's lingering presence on Earth. Leon tries to kill Alex but cannot go through with it, leaving him feeling inferior to Ella. Jo Watkins, Cassie's former teacher and Azazeal's former lover, returns as Malachi's new emissary from the "higher powers" and restores her position as
headmistress
A head master, head instructor, bureaucrat, headmistress, head, chancellor, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. In som ...
by framing David Tyrel for
embezzlement
Embezzlement is a crime that consists of withholding assets for the purpose of conversion of such assets, by one or more persons to whom the assets were entrusted, either to be held or to be used for specific purposes. Embezzlement is a type ...
of school funds. Malachi cannot convert Tom, so he fakes the "mark of Malachi" on his neck and ensures that Leon will see it. Fooled by the false mark, Leon kills Tom, but by doing so, he achieves his greatest desire (not being inferior to Ella) and becomes an incubus of Malachi's.
Leon almost kills Ella with knowledge gained from the Book of Orokiah, but Thelma helps to save her. He is locked in a cage and sedated, at which point Thelma saves him from Malachi by invoking his greatest fear (having his penis amputated). Returned to normal, he still ends his relationship with Ella and leaves the school. Roxanne is given the ability to see ghosts, and Thelma pretends to be an
angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
to get her to steal the Stone of Belial back from Malachi. Ella uses the Stone to travel back in time and attempts to kill Malachi while he is still a baby (at the end of Series 1), but she is attacked by Perie the Faerie and receives a mortal wound to the chest. Ella returns to Medenham Hall where she confesses her love for Leon as she lies dying under the watchful eyes of Thelma.
Rejected by
Hell
In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...
, Mephistopheles convinces Leon to return, where he saves Ella by cauterizing her wound. Malachi sacrifices the pure-of-heart Roxanne to "enrage God" by killing one of "His creatures." The school is set ablaze and Thelma, Ella, and Leon escape from it to a field somewhere. As Malachi has started the "End of Days," described by Mephistopheles as the
final battle between good and evil, the series ends with blood pouring from a rock bearing the mark of Azazeal, similar to Malachi's.
Cast
The ''Hex'' cast consists mainly of students and teachers of Medenham Hall in addition with several recurring supernatural characters.
Series 1
* Cassandra "Cassie" Hughes (
Christina Cole
Christina Cole (born 8 May 1982) is an English actress known for portraying Cassie Hughes in the Sky One supernatural television series '' Hex''.
Early life
Born in London, Cole is the eldest of three siblings. She has a younger sister, Cassand ...
) is a descendant of the Medanham Witches and becomes tempted by Azazeal.
* Thelma Bates (
Jemima Rooper
Jemima Rooper (born 24 October 1981) is a British actress. Having started as a child actress in television series, she has appeared in numerous film and theatre roles.
Background
Born in Hammersmith, London, Rooper is the daughter of TV journ ...
) is the
ghost
A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to rea ...
of Cassie's best friend and is in love with her.
* Azazeal (
Michael Fassbender
Michael Fassbender (born 2 April 1977) is an Irish actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, four British Academy Film Award ...
) is a Fallen Angel and leader of the Nephelim. He seduces Cassie in order to have a son.
* Leon Taylor (
Jamie Davis) is a fellow student. He becomes the love interest of Ella and gets pulled into the world of supernatural by Thelma in order to save Ella's life.
* Roxanne Davenport (
Amber Sainsbury
Amber Sainsbury (born 28 August 1978) is a New Zealand actress.
Biography
She has starred in the Sky One UK television series '' Hex'' as Roxanne Davenport. Amber has also appeared in ''Coronation Street'', ''The Bill'', '' Trevor's World of S ...
) is first portrayed as
manipulative and cold leader of the school's elite, but later becomes devoted to God in order to make peace with her actions.
* Jo Watkins (
Anna Wilson-Jones
Anna Wilson-Jones (born 8 October 1970) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Juliet Miller in the television series '' Hotel Babylon'' and main character Tim Bisley's ex-girlfriend Sarah in the series ''Spaced''.
Acting career
...
) is a teacher at Medanham Hall. She falls under the thrall of Azazeal and becomes his mistress.
* David Tyrel (
Colin Salmon
Colin Salmon (born ) is a British actor. He is known for playing Charles Robinson in three James Bond films and James "One" Shade in the ''Resident Evil'' film series. He has had roles on many television series such as ''Doctor Who'', ''Merli ...
) is the Headmaster of Medanham Hall and regularly interacts with the student body. He is also aware of the school grounds' gruesome past.
* Troy (
Joseph Morgan) is the roommate and friend of Leon. He dates Cassie, but later leaves Medanham Hall.
* Gemma (
Zoe Tapper
Zoe (also ZOE, Zoë, Zoé, etc.) can refer to:
*ζωή (''zōḗ''), the Ancient Greek word for "life"
People
* Zoe (name), including list of persons and fictional characters with the name
Film and television
* ''Zoe'' (film)
* ZOE Broadcast ...
) is a friend of Leon, Roxanne and Troy.
Also appearing in Series One is
Geraldine James
Geraldine James, OBE (born 6 July 1950) is an English film and television actress.
Biography Early life and family
James was born in Maidenhead, Berkshire, to a cardiologist father and an alcoholic mother, who had been a nurse. She failed her ...
as Cassie's mother, Lilith Hughes. Recurring cast included
Jessica Oyelowo
Jessica Oyelowo (née Watson; born 1978) is a British actress and singer.
Early life
She was born Jessica Watson in Ipswich and spent her childhood in Suffolk, England. She attended Woodbridge School as a child and was a member of the National ...
as Rachel McBain, Holly Lumsden as Esther McBain and
Katy Carmichael
Katy Jane Carmichael (born 5 March 1970) is an English actress, director and producer. She is most known for her roles Twist Morgan in the Channel 4 sitcom ''Spaced'', Lucy Barlow in the ITV (TV network), ITV soap ''Coronation Street'', and Mel ...
as Peggy.
* Directed by Brian Grant
Series 2
Following the departure of some regulars from the first series (notably Christina Cole and Michael Fassbender), the second saw the introduction of several new characters.
* Ella Dee (
Laura Pyper
Laura Pyper is a Northern Irish actress, known for portraying Ella Dee in the second season of '' Hex'', Jane Fairfax in '' Emma'' and Lexine Murdoch in the video game '' Dead Space: Extraction''. She also played Lesley Howell in '' The Secret' ...
) is a witch who has been trying to stop Azazeal from having a child for centuries. She develops feelings towards Leon.
* Malachi (
Joseph Beattie
Joseph Beattie (born 1978) is an English actor, known for portraying Malachi in the second season of '' Hex'' (2004) and Henry Crawford in '' Mansfield Park'' (2007).
Background
Beattie attended King Alfred School in Hampstead and later tra ...
) is the son of Cassie and Azazeal. After his quick growth during the first episodes of Series Two, he enrolls to Medanham Hall in order to seduce its student body.
* Tom Wright (
Samuel Collings
Samuel Collings ( fl. 1780–1790?) was a British painter and caricaturist of 18th century.
Life
He first appeared as an exhibitor at the Royal Academy in 1784, sending ''The Children in the Wood, a Sketch;'' in 1785 he exhibited ''The Cham ...
) is Leon's new roommate after Troy leaves Medenham Hall at the end of Series One. He is secretly gay and in love with Leon.
Recurring cast for Series Two included
Stephen Wight as Felix, Jemima Abey as Alex,
Sam Troughton
Sam John Troughton (born 21 March 1977) is an English actor who has made appearances in ''Robin Hood'', ''Alien vs. Predator'' (2004), as Aleksandr Akimov in ''Chernobyl'' (2019), and as Mr. Wilder in the BBC comedy series '' The Outlaws'' (2021 ...
as Jez Heriot/Ramiel,
Ronan Vibert
Ronan David Jackson Vibert (23 February 1964 – 22 December 2022) was an English actor who was known for his appearances in films and on British and American television.
Early life
He was born in Cambridge, on 23 February 1964, the son of Dil ...
as Mephistopheles,
Katrine De Candole as Perie the Faerie,
Laura Donnelly
Laura Donnelly (born 24 June 1982) is a Northern Irish actress. She is the recipient of a Laurence Olivier Award as well as a nomination for a Tony Award. On television, she is known for her roles in the Starz series '' Outlander'' (2014–201 ...
as Maya Robertson,
Leon Ford
Leon Ford is an Australian actor who has appeared in many television and theatre productions. He is best known for his roles in the television series ''The Cooks'', ''Changi'' and the telemovie ''Stepfather of the Bride''.
Biography
Ford portray ...
as Max Rosen, Grant Parsons as Dr. Surtees and
Anatole Taubman
Anatole Taubman (born 23 December 1970) is a Swiss actor. He is best known for his performance as Elvis in ''Quantum of Solace
''Quantum of Solace'' is a 2008 spy film and the twenty-second in the List of James Bond films, ''James Bond'' se ...
as Raphael.
Film location
Hex was filmed at
Englefield House
Englefield House is an Elizabethan country house with surrounding estate at Englefield in the English county of Berkshire. The gardens are open to the public all year round on particular weekdays and the house by appointment only for large gr ...
, a
Tudor manor modified in the 18th and 19th centuries. Several external scenes in Series 2 were filmed in the city of
St Albans
St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major ...
(Hertfordshire), using locations such as the city centre, the Cathedral grounds and a small street adjacent to it.
Episodes
Series 1 (2004)
Series 2 (2005)
Reception
The show received generally positive reviews, and holds a
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
score of 66 out of 100.
Home media
The region 1 release is labeled as "Season 1" and contains 10 episodes, all of Series 1 plus the first four episodes of Series 2 in keeping with how BBC America had presented the show in US broadcasts.
Mill Creek Entertainment announced the complete series on DVD.
See also
*
List of ghost films
Ghost movies and shows can fall into a wide range of genres, including romance, comedy, horror, juvenile interest, and drama. Depictions of ghosts are as diverse as Casper the Friendly Ghost, Beetlejuice, Hamlet's father, Jacob Marley, Freddy Kru ...
References
External links
BBC America – ''Hex''*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hex (Tv Series)
2000s British drama television series
2000s British horror television series
2004 British television series debuts
2005 British television series endings
Angels in television
2000s British LGBT-related drama television series
British horror fiction television series
Demons in television
British fantasy television series
Television about magic
Sky UK original programming
British teen drama television series
Television series about ghosts
Television series by Endemol
Television series by Sony Pictures Television
Television series about witchcraft