That was sort of a lame cliffhanger, wasn't it?

To conclude its opening nine-episode run, The Secret Circle didn't leave viewers anxious with how a storyline would be resolved, it simply dropped a major plot point on us in order to set the stage for 2012.

Another member of the coven hails from the "Balcoin" bloodline and is the child of John Blackwell. That's interesting to ponder, but two points:

1. It's clearly Faye, right? A spellbound Jane admitted earlier in the episode that Dawn had a thing for JB.
2. It's difficult to get too excited or anxious about what a second, dark magic-filled circle member might mean... because we're not even clear on what it means for the first one. We've been given flashes on Cassie's power, but there's a great deal more to learn about her first, making it difficult to care much about a half-sister.

I was hoping for more. Couldn't the episode have concluded with Cassie getting kidnapped? Wouldn't such an action have made for a better cliffhanger than a simple reveal and a wide shot of the group on the pier, all safe for now?

But let's focus on the positive, starting with the next generation: there's a riff between Charles and Dawn, and there's something seriously wrong with Jane. I hope we learn the former duo's end game soon, as it can get a bit tiresome to hear them constantly talking around the question of why they want their powers back. Still, these two are fascinating to watch, especially Charles. He seemed like an all-knowing, all-powerful villain at the outset.

Now, though, we've seen him struggle with killing Nick, pine romantically after Dawn and act unsure over what he has done to Jane. A layered, flawed bad guy is an interesting one to follow.

So is the concept of a witch hunter's "counsel." Isaac referred to this higher authority on more than one occasion. It wants Cassie alive? For what purpose? Who comprises the counsel? Where is it located? What is its end game? All questions to ponder over the next six weeks.

Yes, like The Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle is off until January 5. That gives us a long time to wonder why Melissa disapproves of Diana dating Holden (just a protective family thing? Or is there something more about the seemingly very nice guy?) and to brace ourselves for just how dark life is about to get for Cassie. We've only been teased about her dangerous gift so far, but this return promo promises a far more in-depth look in 2012.

And forget Dawn's agenda or Chris Zylka's stiff acting... if Faye really is Cassie's half-sister, and if someone such as her can conduct dark magic on her own, that would be scary.

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