A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES: Thoughts on Episode Four

All right, creatures, who is ready to kick it up a notch?

This week on A Discovery of Witches:

Matthew’s hope of keeping Diana safe is short-lived as Ysabeau refuses to welcome the warmblood. Knox calls an emergency meeting of the Congregation to denounce Matthew but Matthew’s ferocious brother Baldwin plays a careful game to maintain control.

So lets talk about Episode 4! Please join us as we share our thoughts on the episode. And while we are at it – there are spoilers below. Lots of them. Read at your own risk.

THE GOOD

Roz: Ysabeau is amazing! I want to keep her always and forever. There’s something so cool and calm, but also menacing about her that gives me chills, but also makes me want to admire her more and more each time we see her.

Christie: Ysabeau de Clermont. Lindsay Duncan. Perfection. In the books, Ysabeau is actually younger looking, but a younger actress could not be as sultry and formidable!  Also, can we talk about Miriam’s coat? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love Miriam, but that coat — I love it even more!

Miriam Shepherd (Aiysha Hart) and her fabulous coat. (Sky TV)

Leah: Where do I even start? There was kissing, there was dancing, there was Matthew’s very formidable Mother. This episode was my favorite so far. Do I say that every episode? For me this was the episode that truly makes Matthew and Diana a couple. Up until this point they have both had their guard up, but now all of the things are happening! Also I adore Lindsay Duncan as Ysabeau de Clermont. I adore her in general, but she is perfect as the matriarch of the Clermont family.

THE BAD

Roz: I continue to hate Peter Knox and how much he’s not telling everyone else in the Congregation because there are more issues at stake than the Book of Life that would have changed how everyone reacted to Diana fleeing to France.

Christie: I love Diana’s bravery and devil-may-care attitude toward these ancient creature traditions, but sometimes she’s a little thick with her stubbornness. And that leads to unnecessary conflict with Matthew, not only in this episode, but actually throughout the book series as well. It’s a lesson it takes her a while to learn, and sometimes it’s really frustrating.

Leah: Domenico. Really? You really thought you would show up at Matthew’s Mothers home and do what? Nothing. You will do nothing but limp away. So this wasn’t a bad per say, more of a get it together people (vampires)! Oh and again, this isn’t so much bad as it is – well to me it’s funny in a dumb way – what is with the names of these powers Diana has? Witch Wind and now Witch Rain. It’s really the most ridiculous thing as far as I’m concerned. Don’t ask me what would be better, because I don’t know, but putting the word witch in front of the type of weather is making me cringe.

HISTORY & BOOK COMPARISONS

Christie:

History: 

Ysabeau complains that Diana “only speaks English and New French.”

Sept-Tours is in the Auvergne region of France, in the south. Historically, this region is part of Occitania. The language is Occitan, or Lenga d’oc. It’s considered an endangered language. It was also the language of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lionheart, and the language of Medieval troubadours.

These are major figures during the Crusader period. Which ties into an interesting piece of historical trivia.

When Domenico meets Matthew, he mentions the last time the two saw each other.

“When was it Matthew, in Ferrara? We were both fighting the pope, I was trying to save Venice, you the Knights Templar.”

The De Clermonts were heavily involved in the Crusades. Matthew’s stepfather, Phillipe, wanted to create a creature kingdom in the Crusader States. That dream never came true. But the De Clermonts were close to the Templars. And one of Matthew’s brothers, Hugh, died with them.

In 1307, French King Philip IV had the leaders of the Knights Templar arrested, and Hugh was among them. The Templars were accused of blasphemous rituals, homosexuality, financial fraud and other charges. Pope Clement V issued a papal bull ordering Europe’s kings to arrest the Templars and seize their assets. He then dissolved the order in 1312.

The Templar leaders were burned at the stake, and so was Hugh.

The papacy had issues with Venice over Ferrara, which was a papal land. Pope Clement V excommunicated the Venetians and put them under an interdict, but when that didn’t work, Clement preached a crusade against Venice. And according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the papal armies overthrew the Venetians in August of 1309. I suspect this is when Matthew and Domenico last saw each other.

There’s a theory by a 16th century Italian historian that the founder of the order was buried in Ferrara, so it would make sense that there was a Templar contingent there, and Matthew may be trying to help them, and also help his brother.

Book vs. TV:

Diana actually knew about the chalk circle in the picture in the books, because she can see it. Also, Gillian Chamberlain, in the books, told Diana that the witches killed her parents for keeping secrets, before they go to France.

Also, the Witchwater scene in the books is much more dangerous. It’s actually more like the witchwind scene in the show, because Diana loses control of the water and she almost… becomes water, is how it’s described.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Roz: I’m sad that we only have four episodes left of the season, but I know that we have more to come so that always helps. The show is doing an amazing job of dealing with all of the tension between the Congregation and the de Clermonts as well as Diana versus every witch she sees regularly (save her aunts).

Christie: This is such a beautiful episode, and it only gets better from here!

Leah: I didn’t read the books so I’m not sure how to compare the show, but from a strictly show standpoint I am super happy with the way things are progressing. The information being doled out, etc… Love it!

You can follow along with our coverage of the show here and be sure to join us as we live tweet the new episode here.

Discovery of Witches airs Sunday 9/8c on BBC America and AMC