If the series premiere of The Secret Circle introduced us to Cassie Blake, episode number-two introduced viewers to the world into which Cassie is now "Bound" - and it's one mysterious, layered, deadly locale!

There are books of shadows... and numerous generations of witches... and secrets... and spells... and literal sparks between two people that were only just strangers.

Let's start there: there is something between Adam and Cassie, literally. This isn't some issue of puppy love or teen lust. That's what Cassie meant when she sat by the water with Adam. She felt something when the two powered that light bulb. It wasn't normal, it wasn't of typical human origin and that may scare Cassie more than any power possibly could.

It's confusing enough to be a 16-year old girl, after all. Imagine being a 16-year old girl being told by the universe that you're destined to be with someone you just met. It would be enough to prompt me to sign up for the school carnival, too. Anything to feel like a normal high school student.

Diana clearly senses this, too. Did Adam's declaration of love silence her insecurity? I say no. In fact, I take it a step further: I say Diana is working with her father. Think about it: she's the only one with her family's book; she was pushing hard for the binding; and she just seems too nice, too perfect. I predict it will soon come out that she has a major agenda.

But what might that be? What is the second generation after? Their powers, for starters, but there's a "bigger picture," Dawn said. They clearly have a plan for those powers, one that likely involves something far more dangerous than creating fire without a match.

And how great of a character is Dawn so far? The best villains possess multiple layers. They are well drawn and one can understand their point of view, even if one disagrees with it. In this case, Dawn isn't some caricature, twirling a figurative mustache and cackling. She's a protective mother and someone, I even believe, who loved her late husband. But she's also deadly. I saw Henry's death coming the instant he asked about the crystal, but I was still glad to see it go down. The Secret Circle isn't afraid to raise the stakes.

When you're dealing with the supernatural, that's huge. Deaths can't be a rare occurrence. Viewers must actually fear that these powers have consequences.

The only two things that bothered me about the episode:

1. Multiple second generation witches died because they were teens supposedly partying on a boat? Weren't they all parents? What kind of a lame cover story is that?
2. And what's wrong with saving the turtles, Faye?

Overall, a strong follow-up to an engrossing season premiere. There was little doubt the circle would be bound in the end, but along the way we learned of a third generation; received more intel on the accident that took so many lives; got to know Nick as a horny player a bit more; saw Melissa in her underwear; and were even faced with a question laced with actual political undertones:

Would you prefer to be part of a large, organized, powerful system? Or free to be on your own at all times? Ponder that and check out next Thursday's Secret Circle preview now!

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.