For the die-hard fans of The Mortal Instruments series, I realize there was a lot of let down with the first season of Shadowhunters.  As a big fan of Cassandra Clare, not only the Mortal Instrument Series, but of Infernal Devices and her newest Dark Artifices series as well, I will admit that I found lots to criticize in the first few episodes of Season One.

However, despite my misgivings, somehow this new and “different” version of Shadowhunters began to grow on me once I separated the television show from the book series.  If you continue to compare and contrast the two, as a viewer you will be deeply frustrated and not enjoy the show at all.  On the contrary, if you allow yourself to forget everything you know about the Cassandra Clare series and simply watch Shadowhunters with new eyes and no opinions, it is actually a very engaging series.  Appealing to a younger, more technologically fluent generation, Shadowhunters seeks to make the world of Demon Hunters, Vampires, Fairies, Werewolfs and Worlocks much more sexy and relevant to the upcoming generations.

The first season struggled somewhat with character development and I found the acting lacking in plausibility.  But the second season, the actors have definitely started to fall into a more comfortable rhythm with each other and with the characters they play.  Although, the series loosely sticks to events from the books, it also adds brand new characters, new plot twists and  storylines that help to solidify the series identity as separate and unique unto itself and apart from the books. Maybe unyielding fans will have a problem with this and not be able to get past it, but for those of us who simply love the world of the Shadowhunters and all that entails, it is just another way for us to glimpse into that world on a weekly basis.

The season ended with Clary and Jace finally getting together, but just when it finally seems to happen, it then just as quickly “unhappens” as Jace struggles with his resurrection from the dead and its suggested consequences. Without divulging too many details, the season finale showcased all of the other characters facing their own inner demons in the last few moments as well, this perfectly building the anticipation for next season.  This series is definitely on the way up and appears that it will keep improving.

I, for one, honestly cannot wait for Season Three.