A Discovery of Witches: Everything You’ve Been Craving Since the Vampire Diaries Ended
Image courtesy of Sundance
Filled with magic, intrigue, and romance, A Discovery of Witches, season one, is everything a Twilight-adult needs. Based on Deborah Harkness’s book series the All Souls Trilogy, the show follows Diana Bishop, an American witch who refuses to participate in the magical world, who has returned to Oxford University in London to study alchemy. After requesting a manuscript, Ashmole 782, from the Bodleian Library, that had been lost for centuries, creatures of all types swarm Oxford in an attempt to find out why this sacred text would appear only to Diana. One such creature is fellow Oxford professor—and vampire—Matthew Clairmont, who has been studying the decline of the magical species, vampires, daemons, and witches, for the past century.
Matthew is drawn not only to Diana but to her power; the two quickly fall into a romance forbidden by the Covenant, which is a segregational doctrine that forbids the intermingling of each of the three supernatural species: witches, vampires, and daemons. The Covenant is promulgated by the Congregation, a collection of magical creatures charged with enforcing the rules of the Covenant. Among the Congregation members is Matthew’s own brother, Baldwin. Eager to see her power and learn more about this witch, the Congregation longs to get their hands on Diana, which leads lovers Matthew and Diana on a long chase through Europe that ultimately results in the unlocking of Diana’s powers.
The build up of romance between the two is not unlike the forbidden romance between Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore on the CW’s The Vampire Diaries. The romance begins with a slow burn before escalating into an inferno that burns bridges with many of the characters. Their love is all-consuming and a major driving force of the plot. However, unlike The Vampire Diaries, A Discovery of Witches brings a higher level of sophistication to the production of the show.
Each episode of the eight-episode season is approximately forty minutes to an hour long and is full of plot development set alongside picturesque scenes of London, Venice, and even the French countryside. The show is very visually appealing and stimulating to watch. Scenes are filmed more like a movie than a TV show due to the lowlight shots and wide camera pans over picturesque landscapes, and the development of the plot leaves viewers’ heads spinning by the end of each episode.
Theresa Palmer, who plays Diana, and Matthew Goode, who plays Matthew Clairmont, are fantastic leads in this series. Both actors are incredibly talented and bring their own unique personalities to the role. Goode is wholly convincing at appearing young but ancient-minded. His ability to appear controlled, when his vampire nature constantly urges him into blood rage, is one that is implicit in every scene. In turn, Palmer does an excellent job at eliciting Goode’s vampire animalistic nature through her quick wit and naivete. The chemistry between the two is fantastic to see on-screen; however, the explanation for their quick love story remains to be fully explained in the series.
Many characters are first introduced in this series that coincidentally play a very important role in the plot. There were some instances that felt forced to coincide with the plot. For example, an unlikely connection between a cross-bred demon, Sophie Wilson, and Diana Bishop allows for the events of the season finale to take place. In this sense some of the plot did feel forced for writing purposes rather than character motivation. However, these “out of left field” moments were few and far between.
The soundtracks for each episode were also very well-chosen and featured a great mix between modern and classic tunes like Imagine Dragons’ “Demons” and Glenn Miller’s “Tuxedo Junction.” To see a summary of the season one soundtrack, click here.
Every episode has the perfect amount of romance, action, and plot-building that leaves viewers wanting more. The plot itself is not original; viewers have seen supernatural creatures harbor a forbidden romance before. However, the presentation of it in a more adult manner makes the show feel more realistic and mature, despite it being similar to that of teen shows and movies like The Vampire Diaries, Legacies, The Secret Circle, and Twilight.
The ending of season one will have viewers twitching to know what happens to the beloved characters next. So many questions still remain unanswered, including whether or not the two main characters made it out alive.
For fans of the supernatural, this is a highly recommended show to watch. From the cinematography similar to that of Downton Abbey to the highly enjoyable plot to the steaming slow-burn romance of Diana and Matthew, A Discovery of Witches is the next comfort-show for Vampire Diaries lovers.
