That is entirely thanks to the brilliant intellect, research and imagination of author Deborah Harkness, who created a universe that feels new and refreshing while still grounding itself in our reality. The world-building in this series is very cohesive and leaves no room for plot holes. They are not supposed to intermingle, and it’s strictly forbidden to enter romantic relationships with someone from another species. This ancient pact was stipulated eons ago between vampires, witches, and daemons to protect them from being found out by humans. But it’s actually quite simple: the Congregation, the nine-person judiciary assembly of creatures based in Venice, Italy, upholds the Covenant. It’s odd how these creatures have managed to escape human attention for thousands of years when they can be so over the top. “It begins with absence and desire, it begins with blood and fear, it begins with a discovery of witches.” The two must challenge notions and traditions that have been in place since, well, the beginning of time if they are going to be together. Matthew and Diana’s love blossoms against all odds and everyone’s better judgement, as if predestined, all while a budding war bubbles up in the background. It’s so palpable that it feels like a character of its own.

It’s impossible to take one look at any promotional picture from the show and feel indifferent to the electric chemistry between Palmer and Goode. I do sincerely believe his performance deserves Emmy recognition, and that’s a hill I will die on. To us… well, it’s not hard to believe, when Matthew Goode plays him so spectacularly. To Diana, this is clear from their first, very tense, conversation.

However, Matthew’s charm masks a secret: he is a millennia-old vampire and a member of the powerful de Clermont clan. Matthew Goode ( The Crown, Downtown Abbey) plays this stoic, brooding, wine-loving male lead of the show majestically. They both need to find the Book of Life, an ancient manuscript that had been lost for centuries. To face the deadly challenges that await her and fight the enemies closing in, she will have to accept the power of her bloodline… and to make alliances with other creatures.Įnter Matthew Clairmont, a brilliant professor of genetics Diana crosses paths with at Oxford. A rather powerful magic-wielder, yet fully untrained due to her reluctance to have anything to do with the supernatural.Įvery story starts with an unwilling hero, and Diana soon learns she can’t run from what she is. What most people do not know, and what she wishes she could herself forget, is that she was born a witch. To everyone around her, Diana is an American historian, a tenured professor of the history of science at Yale who is conducting research on alchemy at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. What is A Discovery of Witches about?Īt the center of it all is Diana Bishop, played by the phenomenal Teresa Palmer ( I Am Number Four, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice).

The show holds a stellar score of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, and an average of 8 on IMDb. If you are a lover of romance or fantasy, or dark academia, or if you have a passion for history and anthropology, this show is definitely for you.įor some inexplicable reason, ADOW fell terribly under the radar despite its high production values and the many big-name cast members. It is a tale of Otherness, of community, of politics, generational conflict, legacy and evolution. No offense, but this isn’t The Vampire Diaries either.Ī Discovery of Witches may on the surface appear to be only a (terrific) love story, but it primarily seeks to investigate humanity even against the backdrop of the supernatural. Rather, it sets its own pace, style and terms. Far from being a tale about teenagers - the protagonist is in her’ 30s - the show does not conform to Young Adult canons. While many people are quick to call ADOW a sort of “Twilight for grown-ups,” the only thing this story has in common with Twilight is the existence of vampires. If this reminds you of something you’ve already seen or read in other series, don’t be fooled. The British show, produced by Bad Wolf and Sky Productions, offers a mature outlook on the politics and intricacies of feuds between supernatural creatures whose existence is a secret from humanity. If you like fantasy but think you’ve outgrown the genre, or if you’ve grown tired of the forbidden-relationships-between-species trope, A Discovery of Witches is guaranteed to change your mind. What is A Discovery of Witches, who stars in it, where and when can you see it, and why should you be watching this excellent series?

Cast of a discovery of witches season 3