Do you believe in past lives? That’s the question at the heart of the new web series Last Life, written by Elesha Barnett. Sloan is a real HWIC (Head Witch In Charge, that is) on a mission. She will do anything to reunite with her soulmate Taylor, a soft spoken agoraphobic mourning the loss of her boyfriend Rick, who died three years prior.
The thing is, Taylor isn’t who she seems. She’s actually an extremely powerful and evil Bloodborn witch who is being drugged into submission by the rival Alina clan of witches. For three years, Sloan (whose body has been inhabited by Rick’s soul) has been searching for Taylor, and has used up her last life to try and find her. She desperately wants to get to Taylor before her fellow Bloodborn do, so they can continue being a supernatural Bonnie and Clyde (or Bonnie and Bonnie). The Bloodborn have a different plan, which involves silencing Taylor forever.
The series involves a lot of back and forth between the Bloodborns and the Alinas, trying to get the upper hand when it comes to Taylor’s destiny. Last Life seems to make the most out of its magical effects, using good old fashioned physical acting and sparce amounts of CGI. The Alinas have planted people in Taylor’s life, even as far back as her childhood, to attempt to keep her under control.
Her psychiatrist, Dr. Stanwicke (Nicola Lambo), convinces Taylor that the memories of her past lives are actually caused by Dissociative Personality Disorder, and laces her meds with water from the Lethe river. (You know, one of the five rivers of Hades. Yeah, I didn’t either!) The Lethe is the river of forgetfulness, so there are medicinal and mystical elements going on here.
So far the series has seven episodes, and as Taylor and Sloan are inevitably drawn to one another, Taylor’s memories and power begin to come back. Are we supposed to root for Taylor and Sloan, or will they bring about the end of days? Taylor and Sloan have loved each other throughout the ages in different bodies and different forms, but this is their last chance. That’s a lot of pressure on a couple. While the production doesn’t have the bells and whistles of some of the stellar webseries coming out now, the main cast and plot of Last Life are enough to keep you engaged.
Check out the trailer for Last Life and watch full episodes on their site.
