A Discovery of Witches Review: A Family Matter (Season 1 Episodes 7-8)

Here we are at the conclusion of the first season of A Discovery of Witches. This is the point where everyone comes together and the plots unravel. And most of it takes place in Madison County, New York.

Episode 7

Episode 7 takes us to the Bishop house where we not only get to see Diana and Matthew interacting with her aunts, but we get to see the Bishop house. The Bishop house is haunted by the spirits of the Bishop ancestors and has a mind of its own. You never know what it’s going to do.

Diana Bishop: The house has been known to misbehave with new people.

There’s a lot of hilarity involved in it, from Matthew’s surprise about it to Sarah’s comments about the house liking Matthew. We have the confrontation between the aunts and Diana which leads to this show’s clever use of flashbacks.

I love when shows try new storytelling tricks. Since the Bishop house is magical our characters are treated to a flashback in the same way we are. The house shows them why Diana’s parents acted in the way they did.

They knew Knox wanted her power so they spellbound her to protect her. They made is so her magic was connected to need, so every time she needed it, her power came out in small bursts. Until the time they predicted would happen (hence the creation of the story of the Magic Ribbons and the Shadow Prince) and her power was fully unleashed.

Diana Bishop: No, I think they tied it to need. If I was ever in trouble, I could still call upon my magic and I wouldn’t be alone.

This scene and the one that follows with Emily and Sarah are emotional and magnificent. Not only do we get to see a supportive and loving w/w interracial couple but they’re not just secondary characters. They have their own fears and desires.

Sarah is heartbroken over the fact that her sister seemingly didn’t trust her. Until Emily points out that she did because she entrusted Sarah with the most important part of her, Diana. It’s a beautiful scene that both Alex Kingston and Valarie Pettiford shine in.

Rebecca knew Sarah would protect and love Diana with everything she had, and she’s done that and will continue to do it.

Diana agrees to go back to the basics with Sarah in terms of magic while Matthew teaches her to defend herself. This, of course, leads to one of the best scenes in the season. Diana teases Matthew and reminds him of one of their first interactions back on A Discovery of Witches Season 1 Episode 1.

With the extra danger, Matthew takes off after her, and Diana is able to fly. She lands on top of him and they begin to kiss. The song on the background is “I Found” by Amber Run and they could not have found a more fitting song. Just look at the lyrics “I found love where it wasn’t supposed to be, right in front of me”.

Neither Matthew or Diana were looking to fall in love, Diana just wanted to finish her paper, Matthew wanted the Book of Life. And yet they were drawn to each other and fell in love. They are kissing throughout the house like teenagers and we get a very tasteful sex scene.

When it comes to sex scenes on television normally the woman is naked and the focus can be a bit male gaze-y. A Discovery of Witches decides to switch things up a bit and we actually get a sex scene that focuses on female pleasure. Thank God for female directors am I right? Both Alice Troughton, who directed A Discovery of Witches Season 1 Episode 5, and Sarah Walker who directed Episode 7 deserve major props.

The sad part is that it shouldn’t be such a shock when a television show decides to focus on female pleasure rather than male pleasure. But here we are. Since we’re on the subject I need to make a note of something.

With the exception of the first two episodes, all episodes are directed by women, and with the exception of Episode 4, all of them are written by women. In the case of Episode 4, one half of the writing duo is a woman. All four executive producers are women and even the cinematographer is a woman, Petra Korner.

And this show has some of the best cinematography I’ve ever seen.

A majority of the crew in this show are women and that is just wonderful. Because we need more women in film and on television. And we can see with A Discovery of Witches, they do a damn good job of it.

Before heading to the next part of this review I just want to refer to the post-coital scene. It’s not only a great scene because Matthew opens up to Diana but because it proves they are equals. He’s terrified of hurting her like he’s hurt other women in the past and she tells him he doesn’t need to worry.

He doesn’t need to worry about it because she’s just as powerful as he is. It’s a nice change from all other vampire/human relationships. There is no real imbalance of power so the relationship works so much better. He might be a vampire but she’s a powerful witch.

Diana Bishop: Matthew you will never harm me. I’m not human. I’m powerful. And you won’t hurt me because you don’t want to. You can’t, I won’t let you.

One of the great parts of this episode is, as I had mentioned before, the one where people start to come together. Earlier in the episode, we see a glorious scene between Agatha and Hamish. They talk about Sophie and Diana and what their discoveries could mean.

Agatha: If daemons can be born to witches, if cross-species families are possible, then everything we know about our kind is… Well, it’s all up for grabs.

It shows us that this isn’t just about Diana or Matthew. Everyone has a stake in the game. There’s so much that the characters in this universe don’t understand and we get to discover it alongside them. Which makes the ride all the more fun.

Of course, we have to talk about Marcus and Miriam arriving at the Bishop house. The scene in the living room is just hilarious and incredible. Marcus is just really happy to be there while everyone is like well this is awkward. Sarah and Miriam are on edge, Emily is waiting for everything to explode, Matthew is just amused while Diana and Marcus are smiling.

The house shows them a page from the manuscript that shows an alchemical wedding and just like that they have a common goal.

Matthew Clairmont: I think he wants you to have the book of life every last page of it.

Episode 8

The last episode us the season picks up exactly where Episode 7 ends. Let me tell you, people who are binging are luckier than the rest because they didn’t have to wait a week with that cliffhanger.

Elarica Johnson’s performance brought Juliette to life, but you really feel for her. Juliette was created to bring Matthew to heel and yet it backfires on them because Matthew wasn’t interested for long.

It’s when she realizes that Matthew truly doesn’t love her that she tries to kill him. Just like Diana promised back in A Discovery of Witches Season 1, Episode 4-6, she will hurt anyone that touches her husband. Here we see the witch-fire make an appearance as it forms a bow and arrow and defeats Juliette.

The image of the flaming bow and arrow is incredible. Diana asks the Goddess for help and in return, we get yet another callback at Episode 5. Back in Episode 5, Diana told Ysabeau that if she could use her blood to save him she would, and here that’s exactly what she does.

Between the threat of Congregation, which Baldwin warns them about, and the realization that anyone could find them Matthew and Diana come up with a plan. They need to Time-Walk somewhere where Diana can learn to use and control her magic.

Matthew Clairmont: What if we hide somewhere, in time?

For this to succeed they need three objects of the same night which Hamish brings over alongside Nathaniel and Sophie. So yes now all our favorites are basically in the same house. This is the moment our new family all meets, well we’re missing a few people but for the most part, they’re all there.

This gives us the opportunities for new dynamics which always keeps a show fresh. We see Emily and Sarah comforting Sophie, we see Nathaniel and Marcus becoming friends and of course, there’s the wonderful conversation between Hamish and Diana.

I really love this conversation. Like we talked about on A Discovery of Witches Season 1 Episode 4, no one knows Matthew better than Hamish. He knows his friend isn’t perfect, and that if they’re going to the past he needs to warn Diana. Because Diana won’t have anyone else, she’ll be in a strange time and completely out of her dept.

Hamish: You do realize where you are going, he won’t be the same man?

It sets the stage for the new obstacle they will have to overcome. Yes, they love each other but both of them still have their demons (not to be confused with daemons). If they’re alone in a strange time they’ll need to truly rely on each other.

We see the beginnings of a found family on this episode. A family that includes vampires, daemons, and witches and is stronger for it. A family isn’t just blood, a family is who you choose and this episode makes it clear. The scene at the dinner table is absolutely beautiful.

Sarah Bishop: I’d like to propose a toast: to unusual friendships.
All: Unusual friendships!

Emily and Sarah embrace Sophie just as they embrace Marcus. The show doesn’t make it very clear but because Marcus is Matthew’s son and he is married to Diana that means he is a Bishop too. I wish we’d gotten more of a hint of that but I understand time restraints.

We get two gorgeous scenes between Diana and her aunts and Matthew and Marcus. Diana doesn’t know when she’ll see her aunts again and their goodbye is bittersweet. Sarah makes it clear that no matter what, she is so proud of Diana. Teresa Palmer and Alex Kingston just make us want to cry in their goodbye.

Then there’s the stunning Marcus and Matthew scene. Edward Bluemel and Matthew Goode are extraordinary. It’s a truly emotional scene and you see that neither father nor son is much used to showing emotions or affection so it’s hard for them.

Matthew hands over the Knights of Lazarus to his son because he knows there’s no one he trusts more to lead them. Marcus is terrified of following in his footsteps but Matthew knows he’ll do it well.

Matthew Clairmont: My son, you are the only one I trust to do the job.

They hug and pour every word they can’t say into that hug. They don’t know when or if they’ll see each other again but they love each other. And for now, that’s all that matters.

Season Verdict:

It is a phenomenal season with great performances across the board. The extra scenes add more meat to the story and we are able to see why some decisions are made. It’s great to see how some of the secondary characters get from point A to Point B to Point C. And some things that aren’t great in the books are improved upon.

The only problem, other than the anxiety thing I mentioned in the review for the first three episodes, is the timing. Most specifically the timing in the last two episodes. I feel like the season would have benefited from two more episodes or even one more episode.

You can’t put every scene in an adaptation but there are important things that are left out. I wish we’d seen the letter from her parents or more of the Bishops bonding with Marcus and the rest of their new family.

The ring scene is also kind of missing but maybe it can be in season 2 because it’s kind of important. I mean she has the ring but we don’t get to see their small vows in which he gives it to her.

I know the next two seasons are already on board but I hope it gets a bit more time to breathe. The best case scenario would be dedicating season 2 and 3 just to book 2 but that’s probably not going to happen.

All of this doesn’t change how I feel about the series. I still think it’s one of the best new series and it’s a truly great adaptation to a really good book series.

Stray Thoughts:

• The last two episodes don’t start with Matthew’s voiceover which is interesting when you think about it.
• I like the mention that 25 days have passed since episode 4. It gives us a better frame for how time has passed.
• Matthew’s goodbye to his mother is absolutely gorgeous.
• Diana is so cute when she gets excited with the pumpkins
• Of course, they end with a cliffhanger, but unless they truly want to drastically change things, I’m not worried.

What did you think of this episode of A Discovery of Witches? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Reviewer Rating:

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A Discovery of Witches is now streaming on Sundance Now / Shudder.  

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