A Discovery of Witches

A Discovery of Witches is an atmospheric, romance-forward fantasy drama that balances scholarly intrigue with supernatural politics. Adapted from Deborah Harkness’s All Souls novels, the series thrives on its lush production design, strong central performances from Teresa Palmer (Mixtape) and Matthew Goode (Dept. Q), and an ever-expanding mythos that explores power, prejudice, and legacy across time. Though occasionally uneven, it delivers a compelling blend of history, mystery, and emotion.

The opening season introduces a magical society in decline and a heroine whose life is shaped by deliberate denial. Diana Bishop (Palmer), raised by her aunt Sarah Bishop (Alex Kingston – Doctor Who) and Sarah’s partner Emily Mather (Valerie Petitford – The Family Business) after her parents’ murder, has spent years avoiding her witch heritage. Her instinct to remain ordinary collapses when she unwittingly summons Ashmole 782 at the Bodleian Library—a manuscript thought lost and believed to hold the origins and fate of witches, vampires, and daemons.

This single act thrusts her back into a world she has avoided. Witches, vampires, and daemons converge on Oxford, each with their own agenda. They are the ruling group known as Congregation, composed of the different supernatural beings. Matthew Clairmont (Goode), is a brilliant vampire geneticist fascinated by the manuscript’s implications but has his own agenda. As Matthew and Diana cross paths, threats intensify and their relationship deepens, breaking the sacred covenant that forbids interspecies relationships, which leads to significant consequences from the Congregation.

Key antagonists Peter Knox (Owen Teale – Line of Duty) and Satu Järvinen (Malin Buska - Advokaten) push relentlessly for punishment, while a young daemon couple, Nathaniel (Daniel Ezra – All American) and Sophie (Aisling Loftus – Mr Selfridge), quietly try to build a community online in the shadows of rising tension. The pressure peaks when Knox sends disturbing photos of Diana’s parents’ murder, forcing her to confront him at the Bodleian, where her uncontrolled summoning of witch wind reveals both her potential and her vulnerability. Matthew intervenes and spirits her away to his ancestral home, Sept-Tours in France.

At Sept-Tours, Diana faces further hostility. Ysabeau de Clermont (Lindsay Duncan – G.B.H.), Matthew’s mother, resents witches due to wartime trauma, while the Congregation convenes in emergency session to accuse Matthew of kidnapping Diana. Baldwin Montclair (Trystan Gravelle – The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power), Matthew's brother and head of the Congregation blindsided, contacts Marcus (Edward Bluemel – Killing Eve)—Matthew’s son—just as the truth surfaces that the photos threatening Diana were staged and her parents were killed by other witches. The Congregation’s envoy arrives to deliver an official warning and condemn Diana and Matthew for breaking the Covenant.

The season escalates through abduction, revelation, and bloodshed: Satu’s torturous attempt to break Diana, Matthew’s near-death at the hands of his ex-lover, Juliette (Elarica Johnson – Death in Paradise), and Diana’s explosive defence of the man she loves. By the finale, Diana’s magic has become both shield and symbol of her awakening, setting the stage for the next chapter of their journey.

The second season shifts into historical fantasy as Diana and Matthew “time-walk” to Elizabethan England. This era allows the show to deepen its mythology and complicate its characters. Matthew’s return to his identity as Master Roydon forces him to confront the violent enforcer he once was, a man shaped by royal espionage and religious persecution. His struggle to navigate old obligations—including his uneasy relationship with Father Hubbard (Paul Rhys – Being Human)—creates both moral and emotional friction.

Diana, meanwhile, seeks education rather than redemption. Under the guidance of Goody Alsop (Sheila Hancock – The Rag Trade), she learns to harness her abilities with intention, growing from an instinctive spellcaster into a disciplined witch. The contrasting arcs—Matthew dragged backward, Diana pushed forward—make this season especially rich.

Matthew’s greatest challenge in the 16th century is confronting the presence of his father, Philippe (James Purefoy – The Witcher). During a visit to Sept-Tours in France, he must face the emotional fallout of his past, ultimately revealing to Diana that in the 1940s he was forced to end Philippe’s life out of mercy after rescuing him from Nazi torture. Although Philippe initially regards Diana with suspicion, he eventually embraces her as part of the de Clermont family, sealing his acceptance with a blood vow at her wedding to Matthew—assured by the knowledge that Ysabeau will one day welcome her as well. Matthew also reconnects with his steadfast Scottish nephew, Gallowglass (Stephen Cree – Outlander), who quickly accepts Diana and becomes a loyal ally on their journey.

Philippe’s fate is not the only truth Matthew reveals during their time in the past. Diana comes to understand why he long resisted completing their mating bond. Matthew suffers from Blood Rage, a hereditary vampire illness passed down from Ysabeau and believed to have vanished. The condition drives him into uncontrollable violence, and mating with Diana would heighten his protective instincts to dangerous extremes. With her compassion and growing magical strength, Diana is able to steady Matthew and reach the man beneath the monstrous impulses.

Parallel to the 16th-century narrative, modern-day Oxford faces its own crisis: a Blood Rage killer whose existence threatens to upend vampire politics. Congregation member Domenico’s (Gregg Chilingirian – The Wheel of Time) realises that the killer must be a descendant of the de Clermont family, and plots to use the information to dethrone Ysabeau and remove the de Clermonts from vampiric power, making Gerbert d'Aurillac (Trevor Eve – Shoestring) the new leader in exchange for control of Venice, adding a serpentine layer of tension that sets the stage for the final act.

Season 2’s time-travel conceit is more than a plot device—it is a mechanism for character excavation, and it succeeds beautifully.

The final season wastes no time plunging back into turmoil. Diana and Matthew return to the present to confront loss, danger, and the weight of impending parenthood. The narrative narrows into a more intimate quest: recovering the missing pages of the Book of Life and understanding its implications for their children’s future.

Diana’s evolution reaches its apex here. No longer tentative, she stands as a commanding witch capable of negotiating alliances and facing down old adversaries, including Satu. Her determination drives this concluding chapter, and the show’s emotional centre of gravity shifts decisively toward her.

Matthew’s storyline revolves around accountability and acceptance—particularly the consequences of Blood Rage and the secrets he has long carried. His arc mirrors Diana’s in its pursuit of truth, but his journey is steeped in atonement rather than discovery.

Although the final season moves swiftly, it ties together the political intrigue, scientific mystery, and familial themes that have shaped the series. The resolution honours the characters’ growth and preserves the romantic heart that has always defined the show.

A Discovery of Witches succeeds as a character-driven fantasy grounded in emotion and history. Its blend of academic mystery, supernatural politics, and star-crossed romance gives it a distinctive identity within the genre. While pacing quirks and occasional narrative shortcuts appear along the way, the series delivers a satisfying, cohesive arc—from forbidden connection to empowered partnership.

For viewers who enjoy sweeping romance, rich world-building, and a story that treats magic as both burden and birthright, A Discovery of Witches offers an elegant and engaging escape.