A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES: Thoughts on Season 2, Episode 3

It’s time to conjure up a new season of A Discovery of Witches!

This week on A Discovery of Witches:

In the present, Domenico makes a disturbing discovery in Oxford. Back in 1590, Matthew must beg for forgiveness from Father Hubbard.

So lets talk about Episode 3! 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: I’m happy to see Diana figure out more about her powers with that spell knotting three elements.

I love QEI in any story and this iteration didn’t disappoint. Too bad she didn’t get Orlando’s power.

Also, I’m curious about that is happening in the present, but that trail seems to leading somewhere…

Christie: I’ve wondered how they would create some of the magical elements that are in the books. The tree growing out of Diana was a new thing, and it was fantastic. I also liked seeing the threads. These were things I had trouble envisioning while reading the book.

Another small scene I enjoyed was the scene between Matthew and Jack, after Jack has the nightmare. In the books this scene actually happens in Prague.

And finally — Dr. Dee’s library. Gaaaaaaaah!

THE BAD

Roz: Family dynamics between Matthew and Philippe have me so nervous.

Christie: It’s another gripe about how in the shows everyone just accepts Diana. Gallowglass is barely in the episode, barely spends any time with Diana that we see, but by the end he sees how Matthew is bound to her. I wish they had introduced him sooner. I just want a LITTLE bit more.

Also the scene with Matthew asking Hubbard for forgiveness… I can’t see that ever happening. They didn’t like each other ever!

Oh, and Gerbert is back. I don’t like Gerbert.

HISTORY & BOOK COMPARISONS

Christie: 

History:   Dr. John Dee, the queen’s astrologer, really did travel Europe in the late 1500s with Edward Kelly, who claimed he could talk to angels. He was also held by Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II so that he could continue his alchemical experiments to create gold. On the show, Kelly’s background is not as different, but is wrapped up in the creature world, as you will eventually see.

While Diana and Matthew are at Dr. Dee’s house, she inquires about a book possibly owned by or even authored by the Franciscan friar (and magician) Roger Bacon. Dee’s assistant says Dee has such a book that he brought back from Bohemia, but the book is not Ashmole 782. It’s not mentioned in the show, but in the books it turns out is the Voynich Manuscript, a mysterious text believed to date from the 1400s that was indecipherable. About six months ago, someone actually claimed they have found a way to decipher the manuscript — which is now at Yale University.

Book vs. TV: In the books it’s George Chapman and Henry Percy that get Matthew and Diana in to see Dr. Dee, but if it means we get another Mary Sidney appearance, I’ll take all I can get.

Another deviation is the inclusion of the victim with the weird bite marks and Domenico’s meeting with Gerbert. But this is an important one. Throughout the books, including the first, we hear about these kinds of attacks on humans, but they didn’t make an appearance in the first book. Here they are using them not only to foreshadow blood rage and its ties to the De Clermonts, but also how it ties to next season. It’s really important, so pay attention. It also gives us an excuse to bring us back to the present day more than we would be otherwise.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Roz:  I’m weirdly in love with all the covers over the credits. “Silent All These Years” is haunting already, but took on a different tone.

Christie: We’re going to France! I can’t wait. Philippe is one of my favorite characters and I’m excited for everyone to meet him.

You can follow along with our coverage of the show here.

New episodes of A Discovery of Witches will be released each week on Sundance Now, Shudder and AMC+.