NYCC Interview: Salem Janet Montgomery Teases Her Characters Violent Return

Salem casts its spell on New York Comic-Con with an exclusive first look at season 3

Salem has become an undeniable hit for the WGN America network. Slowly, but surely, they’ve gained a following through word of mouth and the powerhouse that is online streaming. The cast and creators of WGN’s hit show Salem took to NYCC to discuss season 3, guilty pleasures, and why you should watch the show when it airs on TV.

Official Summary: The third season of “Salem” dawns with the triumph of the witches’ plan to remake the New World by bringing the devil to earth and making Salem his capital.  But the devil is a liar, and instead of a New World free from murderous Puritan hypocrisy, his own plan will bring nothing but death and slavery with the ultimate aim of leading humanity to destroy itself.  And there’s only one person on earth who can beat the devil — the very witch that birthed him, his mother, Mary Sibley.  The only problem is—she’s dead.  Or is she?

Montgomery teases a very different side to Mary, “Mary comes back from the dead. How violent that is and her reaction to being back, it’s been exhausting to shoot and I’m exciting for people to see that, it’s a very different side to Mary” and Shane West shares his list of horror movies and why October is his favorite month and dishes on his after dark guilty pleasures with “Isn’t a guilty pleasure not suppose to be very cool.”

We sat in on the Salem panel and learned some interesting facts about the upcoming season and the cast themselves!

1) Marilyn Manson is making an appearance in season 3! Yes, THE Marilyn Manson who’s been praised for creating the theme song to the show will have a role as a not so savory character. Think.. demon barber of Fleet Street to get you mind racing.

2) Mary isn’t necessarily happy with being brought back to life. That’s an understatement. Girl is pissed. Mary felt she left this world on her own terms, so to be brought back under someone else’s power, she’s not exactly filled with rainbows and butterflies. “Mary thought she left this earth knowing she did something noble.”

3) John’s past may or may not be explored this season. The most frequent question we got on Twitter regarding Salem was undoubtedly about Johns past. Adam Simon didn’t really drop any spoilers that the fans would learn about what happened to John prior to coming back, but he did say that there is hope for that at some time in the future.

What was our biggest take away from the Salem panel at NYCC? You need to watch the show when it airs on WGN! It’s pretty simple, shows need ratings. You keep watching, they keep producing. Salem has produced a cult following because of its presence on Netflix, but in order for the show to keep getting picked up, you have to watch live! So if you love the show. Janet Montgomery suggests, “wait until the show is on WGN, watch the season, and then binge it again on Netflix later.” You heard her people. Do it. We believe in you.

Season 3 Premieres Halloween Week, Wednesday, November 2 at 9pm ET/PT

NYCC Correspondent: Faith Bektas
Video Editor: Benoit Schrijnemakers
NYCC Team Assist: Sophia Myers