It begins with absence and desire. It begins with blood and fear. It begins with A Discovery of Witches… season two. Picking up right where the first season left off, with our two leads Diana (Teresa Palmer) and Matthew (Matthew Goode) landing in London, it’s certainly a lot more action-packed than its predecessor. As it dances between both past and present – with every character encountering problems everywhere they go – there’s almost never a dull moment.
It helps that the show is also visually stunning. With a rich, earthy-toned colour scheme, and contemporary Oxford, Elizabethan London, and Gothic castles for settings, as well as some very sophisticated special effects in the form of the witches’ magic, there’s no denying that this season is a treat to look at, aside from the peculiar array of outfits that look vaguely like curtains that Diana was frequently adorning. And the weird amount of bloodletting that the characters were getting up to, but maybe I’m just squeamish. After all, it is Elizabethan England. Everyone has such beautiful blue eyes that I can look past these less aesthetically pleasing aspects.
Aside from making a very pretty supernatural couple, Matthew and Diana are admittedly the weak links in our cast of characters. Though both are perfectly decent actors, the rapport between them is definitely less compelling than it was in season one, probably due to the fact they emotionally bonded themselves for life (that usually tends to dull the spark a little), and is most evident in their slightly stilted dialogue. Additionally, the way almost every single other character they come across goes above and beyond to serve the pair of them isn’t very believable, but they are still quite sweet for the most part. Aside from Matthew’s newly developed possessiveness, punctuated by actual growling, which did make me chuckle, but grew increasingly annoying.
“Though you might miss some things if you stop paying attention, it’s relatively easy viewing, and although it’s definitely not ground-breaking, it is fun.”
The rest of the characters more than make up for them, though. Interesting dynamics abound – villains colluding with villains; vampires, demons, witches, and humans all intermingling; a lot of bartering and power play – and the ‘chosen one’ syndrome that Diana is suffering from is luckily not found in any of the others. However, I must admit that this main character syndrome is quite helpful in carrying the plot forward. At least, it is for Matthew and Diana – the rest of the characters have to slog along and work things out for themselves!
On that note, it’s the series’ plot that stands out the most. Both tying up loose ends from season one and creating several threads to lead into season three (which is coming at an unknown date), the stakes are a lot higher, inevitably leading to a lot more drama. And, as someone who enjoys a bit of a wild plot, a lot more fun. There’s a new, unknown, murderous – or should I say bloodthirsty – vampire roaming present day Oxford, seemingly constant obstacles in Matthew and Diana’s relationship back in 1590, and some good old domestic drama occurring at the de Clermont family home, as more and more supernatural beings head their way over to France. Essentially, there’s a little bit of something for everyone, but particularly romance fans.
So, all in all? I would recommend A Discovery of Witches to everyone. Though you might miss some things if you stop paying attention, it’s relatively easy viewing, and although it’s definitely not ground-breaking, it is fun. And, unusually for a fantasy show in my experience, it’s fairly PG-13, meaning you can watch with the whole family! If you’re looking for a solid binge watch with drama, romance, and the supernatural, then this is the one for you. Enjoy!
The second season of A Discovery of Witches is available in full on NOW TV and Sky Signature, and airs weekly, Fridays at 9pm (GMT), on Sky One.
Words by Georgia Keenan-Hill