A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES: Thoughts on Season 2, Episode 8

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

This week on A Discovery of Witches:

In 1590, Diana is transfixed as she tries to work out what the Book is telling her. Matthew worries over the Book’s power.

So lets talk about Episode 8! 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 do love the New Order in this episode. I love that band anyway, but these feel apt for what Marcus is going through. This does a good job of moving from the past to staying mostly in the present for all the political machinations of that baby and all creature politics.

Christie: “I’m grandmaster of the knights.” “And I’m Princess Leia.”

“It beats slower… and it loves longer.”

“Do you just glog it down?” “Yeah.” “Straight from the bag?” “In a mug! I’m not a heathen!”

“56 seconds.” “There was a queue at the till.”

The Phoebe-Marcus dynamic is one of my favorite parts of the whole series and I love that we get this episode to see their courtship, and also how Phoebe becomes another in a long line of women in this story who are strong and make their men stronger. This episode had some great lines and really showcased Edward Bleumel as Marcus well.

Oh! And shoutout to Agatha staring down that prick Knox.

THE BAD

Roz: I think the historical part is so interesting that it feels weird when we aren’t in the past right now. I would have rather have had all of this be in the present than to spring in the little bits of the past; it was jarring to jump back and forth.

Christie: Baldwin telling Gerbert pisses me off. It also feels a bit out of character. It’s not Baldwin’s style. But it does add to the hatred for Baldwin. Definitely.

Oh and Knox. Hate Knox. I don’t care if they’re not “your kind” who the hell walks into a hospital room, knocks out the parents and starts touching their baby? Creeper!

HISTORY & BOOK COMPARISONS

Christie: 

History: The Knights of Lazarus are based on a real order, the Order of Saint Lazarus, which was founded during the Crusades. They were founded at a leper hospital in Jerusalem and were recognized as a Catholic military order. They supposedly dissolved in 1830.

Book vs. TV: Well much of this episode is a departure from the book. In a way, that’s part of its appeal for me. We can leave it at that.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Roz: Let’s go next week! I’m curious about Elizabeth’s reaction to the trip and whatever is going on with the witches.

Christie: Down to the home stretch and there’s some really cool stuff that’s about to happen in the next two episodes. Can’t wait for everyone to experience it!

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+. For those waiting to see the show on TV, these new episodes come to AMC in June.