[3] Following her mother's death in a tragic fire, orphaned highschooler Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson) moves to Chance Harbor, Washington, to live with her grandmother.

Her plans to adjust to her new life are made more complicated when five of her classmates—Adam Conant (Thomas Dekker), Diana Meade (Shelley Hennig), Faye Chamberlain (Phoebe Tonkin), Melissa Glaser (Jessica Parker Kennedy), and Nick Armstrong (Louis Hunter)—recognize her as a witch and invite her to join their coven, the Circle.

On February 8, 2011, The CW picked up The Secret Circle with Dawson's Creek creator and The Vampire Diaries co-creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson now attached.

However, he told The CW that The Vampire Diaries companion series he was helming had been put on hold in order to focus on The Secret Circle.

[26] Williamson worked on an original script penned by Andrew Miller, creator of the Emmy-nominated web series Imaginary Bitches, with writer credit shared by both men.

He then wrote "Director Liz Friedlander aims not just for creepiness but for a tremulous sense of beauty that reflects the heightened sensibilities and hair-trigger sensitivities of adolescence" and appreciated the actors "who are good to look at, but also bring a little soul to their roles.

Phoebe Tonkin's performance was well received by critics; she was featured on Variety's list of new faces to watch[33] and named one of 2011 Breakout TV Stars by E!

The Secret Circle executive producer Andrew Miller auctioned a signed poster of the show's cast in support of the campaign.

[39] The campaign targeted at ABC Family asked fans to donate money to fund a delivery of 325,000 golden plastic coins to the network's headquarters.

[45] A music project was launched, with the aim of developing and distributing a full-length album of 10 fan songs online and making them available for free download.