"A Discovery of Witches" | S2:E2 | An Analysis (contains details of E2)

The following analysis is solely my own. Some of it offers an opinion while recapping portions of the episode. The analysis below is intended to focus on a particular aspect of the story or aspect of a character. Anything written for this post is created by the blog's author who is an inspired fan with the intention of promoting the work. If you enjoy reading this, please leave a comment here or on Instagram @thataddamsgirl.

Episode runtime 44 minutes including the recap.

Shudder TV episode description: "Diana meets the head of a local coven. Matthew grows more at home in his old life." 

If you have not watched episode 2 of season 2, please do not read further to not be spoiled.

Episode 2 feels much more condensed. The story moves quickly in its adapted version from book two, Shadow of Night, of the All Souls Trilogy, the series of novels written by Deborah Harkness. 

The second season also delivers stellar opening credits blending images of S1 and S2. Some of the sequences use a silhouette technique, reminiscent of the earliest silhouette animation work of Lotte Reiniger. Reiniger's work is all done by hand, whereas here it is a digital product.

As episode 2 opens, we see Diana Bishop's Aunt Sarah (Alex Kingston) making the bed at Sept-Tours, an old French castle, talking to her partner/wife Emily Mather (Valarie Pettiford). It is possible the temperature in France in early November is chilly. The two witches wear a layered winter ensemble, perhaps as a metaphor for how they feel living around a couple of vampires--when a vampire looks at a witch, the feeling is like icicles on their skin. While Matthew and Diana together timewalked, the women traveled from Madison, NY to live under the protection of Matthew's vampire mother, Ysabeau (Lindsay Duncan) and the de Clermont family servant Marthe (Sorcha Cusack). Ysabeau used to hunt witches, so Sarah seems a little edgy about being near her.

Stoke the fire if you're cold, Sarah (right).
Emily (left) is holding the page that depicts art
representing Matthew and Diana;
cut from Ashmole 782 aka The Book of Life.

Marthe speaks with Ysabeau mentioning that Matthew "has evolved" and it's Marthe's idea that the witches share a dinner table with her and Ysabeau. It's ballsy of Marthe saying, "Because Matthew would expect you to." Well, she is correct.

The Tower of London looms in the distance in
many shots of London during S2.
Ravens are heard and seen in the distance,
as a tradition with the Tower.

Father (Fr.) Andrew Hubbard has a connection to a few characters of the second season. It's revealed that Hubbard was first a priest and has also been a vampire since the Black Plague of the mid-14th century. Matthew explains to Diana that Hubbard believes in the Divine Resurrection because he was dying, dug himself his grave, and then woke up as a newly sired vampire even though no one, yet, has come forward as his "maker." He rules the City of London and takes in "lost souls" under his protection. First he drinks their blood to see into their soul. The fact is that the act of vampires drinking from humans allows them to acquire the human's secrets. Fr. Hubbard has the charm and gentleness of a cult leader on the surface, bestowing the word of God to his "flock." But in no way would Matthew and Diana trust him for protection. 

Father Andrew Hubbard, vampire ruler
in the City of London (Paul Rhys)

Hubbard's men corner Matthew saying he has to bring Diana to Hubbard's that very night. Matthew insists that she not let Hubbard get a drop of her blood or their secret will get out. Diana, frustrated by this new development, asks Matthew why he hasn't said anything about this until now. Kit Marlowe (Tom Hughes) sees this friction between them. He doesn't hesitate to tell her that's what sucks about being a time spinner without having lived in that time. [If it were me, I'd flip him off.] He advises Matthew to "re-inhabit" his "old life... before you get yourself killed," but this suggestion is making Matthew feel even more pressure.

Once arriving at Hubbard's cloisters; Diana's heartbeat is audible, he immediately recognizes that the scar of Matthew's bite on Diana's neck is a problem. Matthew is not so easily intimidated with Hubbard offering protection of Diana and says that Hubbard can tell "his flock" that they're part of the family, but he's not going to get a drop of Diana's blood. The witches would kill Matthew for taking her blood without her consent; she'd have to leave England. Diana takes control and tells Hubbard that it was to "save Matthew's life" and he seems to be satisfied with her answer, but warns her, "Nothing happens in London without my blessing." 

At the end of E1 of S2, we saw Matthew Roydon (his identity in 1590) ordering the torture of a prisoner in the Tower. He's there as ordered by his stepfather Philippe to spy for Queen Elizabeth I. He identifies Catholics and interrogates people accused of treason against the queen, which lately happens to be mainly witches.

In E2, Matthew notices Lord Cecil Burghley (Adrian Rawlins) interrogating and ordering another witch Thomas Caldwell (Louis Maskell) to be tortured. Burghley wants Caldwell to name other treasonists. As Matthew passes by, he stops for a few seconds, and the prisoner screams in pain. He won't intervene; it would make him a sympathizer. Burghley later tells Matthew that the queen is upset by the nasty things witches say under torture, particularly blasphemous things about the Crown. She worries that they're turning against her. Matthew is put in charge of questioning Caldwell even after he tries to remind Burghley that they don't involve themselves with human affairs. Nice try, but Burghley insists that Matthew find out what is being "plotted" against the queen using "any means necessary." [Oh, bother!]

Matthew torturing and killing witches vs. hunting for a wild animal--not quite the same. He's not sucking the blood of witches, yet, to find out any secrets. In S1, Matthew drank from his brother Baldwin, the witch Gillian, and Diana, though that last one was because he was on the brink of death. Each time he saw inside their mind. How well Matthew maintains self-control now that he's back in 1590 is still to be seen. He was doing alright before time walking; not giving in to his hunger for blood and the desire to kill. We haven't seen him actually hunt and eat anything, like the time he chased his meal of an elk to pacify his craving Diana in S1 E2? So, what is nourishing Matthew?

Open carry of a broad sword with a leather ensemble
 of the late 16th century. (Matthew, Kit and Peckham.)
Burghley's got Matthew under his thumb with
the cases against witches accused of treason;
he's caught hanging out with Kit, and dodging his responsibility to the Crown by a Whitehall clerk named Peckham (Tom Lewis).

Matthew Goode (right) and Teresa Palmer (left) are at home in their characters in every scene they share. 

The love between their characters is still present even while they're in the middle of this conflict about his work. Yet, surely, the two are trying so hard to not burst into laughter by the end of the scene.

Later on, Matthew stumbles into Hubbard after having put off Burghley. Caldwell is unfairly being imprisoned and Hubbard believes him to be innocent so if Matthew doesn't free him, he'll send word of this situation to Philippe. He'd just love to hear about Matthew mating with a witch, no? [Hell, no.]

On top of this, Diana figures out the whole Caldwell situation so she raises the alarm about how the persecutions of witches began even though Matthew insists that they're "20 years off from the witch trials." He begs her off, his palms pressed together for emphasis, so he can finish reading the testimonials. She walks out of his secret filing room while hollering back at him that she's found a teacher.

Kit is worried about Matthew getting caught so he advises Matthew to delay Lord Burghley for as much as a few weeks while he contacts his stepfather Philippe to intervene because he could find another way, beyond what they know. Matthew just becomes angrier at the thought of Philippe finding out about Diana. He's got both Hubbard and Kit triggering his anger every time they bring up his stepfather Philippe. Kit, who earlier in a church, says to Matthew, "You've forgotten the other side of Matthew Roydon," and, again, Kit advises, "Matthew Roydon is never cruel for sport. But he is ruthlessly efficient." He tells him to not "impersonate Matthew Roydon, but to become him."

Matthew unlocks the cell, tells Caldwell, "Fr. Hubbard pleaded your case." Perplexed about seeing Matthew deliver this news, but without time to speak, Matthew unwaveringly steps towards him and twists Caldwell's neck in one motion. We watch as Matthew's face remains cold and his eyes are blank. Quickly over, no cruelty. Gently, Matthew rests the body on the stone ledge, lit by moonlight, and he kneels down over the body while signing the cross as a habit of his Catholic faith. 

To placate Lord Burghley would have been an enormous burden. Burghley is enraged, unforgiving of this mistake, and won't accept any of his excuses. As a result, in the preview of episode 3, Burghley is sending Matthew to see the queen.

A somber Matthew returns home. Diana rushes upstairs, inquiring, "Tom?" and Matthew responds, "He didn't suffer." She at first is somewhat assured, saying, "You killed him out of mercy." He sternly imparts that mercy would be Caldwell "rowing himself down the Thames." Her questions push his his patience to the limit, and he is resolute on firmly answering her, "CORRECT," when she states that the prisoner wasn't a threat to her. He kept them alive. The conversation is over. What more is there to say? 

What is the alternative? Setting him free paints him as a sympathizer, betraying the Crown, and then he'd be executed as a punishment for treason. He's trapped. But Diana can't do anything to keep him from doing his job. They have to live with the fact that in order to remain alive, they're going to need to blend in and be not of the future.

In comparison as to how the book, Shadow of Night, depicts Matthew with those accused of treason, Diana asks Matthew, "And your prisoner--is he dead?" to which he says that he didn't get there in time to stop the interrogation and he was only able to "insist that his suffering end." The book says, "Matthew had been through the man's death once before." He had not even gone to the Tower. "Today he could have remained at home and not concerned himself with a lost soul in the Tower. A lesser creature would have." The adaptation is only slightly different and Matthew is not less burdened by serving the Crown.

Yes, Kit pressing Matthew to be the Matthew Roydon of 1590, not the Matthew that has a conscience is in an effort to keep Matthew from being detected, however, it is manipulative and done partly out of his own self-interest. Earlier they shared card games, gambling with Matthew's funds. Kit is getting in between Matthew and Diana. If she wasn't there, he'd have Matthew to himself.

E2, Kit persists in getting the Matthew of 1590 back. Matthew is back to wearing an earring (vampire strength aided in pushing it into an earlobe without a hole). Kit tells Matthew, "See, now you look like Matthew Roydon."

Matthew Goode performs so honestly as if it was always meant for him to be Matthew Clairmont. He enters a scene and we believe he's lived the long, complex life of a 1500-year-old vampire, a Catholic who still prays in a church, who's also a geneticist of modern-day, and returning to a past life as a spy. The secrets and complications arise at every turn, especially the more he hides the truth, and Goode's performance demonstrates every nuance of what comes with his guilt for what he's done and is about to do to keep him and Diana alive; avoid being detected as a mated vampire and witch. 

There is a little respite from the woe, for example, in E2, Matthew goes gambling with Kit. Out with the boys having fun and forgetting about the burdens. In contrast, for the remainder of the episode, he is frequently beset by the guilt of his actions. There's no denying, though, that Matthew's carefree laughter and enthusiasm is something we fans of this character always cherish, even if fleeting.

(Aisling Loftus as Susanna Norma, scene from E1)

Diana invites the reluctant Susanna Norman back to The Hart and Crown while Matthew is not around. Diana is determined to have another test of her powers, but it's one of those spells she doesn't know. Susanna emphasizes that if her powers are too weak, there's no way she's going to get a witch to teach her anything. Diana attempts the spell of cracking an egg into a bowl without using her hands. Last time Diana could only make the fruit rot. This time she got a chick to hatch out of an egg. Susanna, now convinced, sets up a meeting for her to meet with Goody Alsop, the witch we saw in E1 of S2 who prophetically declared a powerful witch is arriving on Halloween. The meeting goes rather smoothly. Alsop imaginatively and magnificently portrayed by Sheila Hancock, explains that Diana is a weaver, a rare kind of powerful witch. Diana recalls that Satu thought she was special and perhaps this is what she meant. Alsop confirms she sees how Diana's father spellbound her to protect her, too. 

Diana has a meeting with The Rede to seek their consent so she can be taught how to use her magic (The Rede aka the Council of Witches). Susanna speaks about the relationship Diana has with a vampire, that the witches are being put in prison, and the leader does have reservations about this information. Alsop steps in and speaks on Diana's behalf. Susanna's concerns are that Diana aligned herself with a vampire and that Fr. Hubbard would disapprove of the interspecies relationship, but Susanna doesn't have a full picture. Diana doesn't hold back anything about her arriving in 1590 from the future as a time spinner aka time walker seeking knowledge from a teacher of this time. 

Furthermore, Diana goes on to explain how The Book of Life (Alsop calls it the first grimoire; the first book of spells) plays a role in her obtaining use of her power and her relationship with Matthew, plus she's trying to understand her purpose once she can master her power. It's fairly straightforward that she's the full package: her power, her relationship with a vampire, and the book. It is a pivotal moment when Alsop declares that they can all welcome her and the glowing palms of their hands make it apparent that they're united to help her learn about weaving her own spells.

The episode also covers the topic of footwear, or at least the shoes we find worn on the feet of alchemist Mary Sidney. In E1, Diana caused fruit to rot, which is mentioned briefly, half-jokingly, when it is suggested by Matthew that they inquire about a teacher with Mary Sidney (Amanda Hale), Countess of Pembroke. Diana arrives in the gorgeous home of Sidney's with every detail depicted of the life of a scientist. The background of a bright room has windows silhouetted with insect creatures painted on the glass. We see Diana is excited, but also apprehensive about meeting one of her favorite people this time. 

Mary Sidney's house.

Once they're seated, Diana simply gazes down towards the toe of Mary's shoe and spots the embroidery of a snake. In a matter of seconds, the snake begins to come alive.

We're not sure how this happens, but it helps them get onto the topic of finding a witch. It's the whole reason why they visited her. It just became awkward and slithery. Moreso, Mary fears what it would mean to help them find a witch since it turns out Matthew's secret identity is not actually a secret to her. No witch for you, but instead Mary offers her friendship; Diana agrees. Mary warns Diana about the witches being imprisoned in Scotland, so it means that she's got to keep it together so no one suspects her. Her warning doesn't help. Still, finally, Diana has a friend in Mary Sidney, a human actually, as opposed to only having vampires and a daemon to back at home.

Twice in one day, she's brought life into the world with the chick and then the snake. (Teresa Palmer)

Aside from the above, these next images, enhanced, are from the wall of Kit Marlowe's house seen in E2.

Did anyone else see the writing on the wall in the scene at 38:23 into the episode? I asked the book's author, Deb Harkness, on her Facebook Q&A of January 17, "Are they supposed to be Jack's drawings?" She answered "No."
Underlined above, I see, "EVERLASTING DEATH" or "EVERLASTING DENIAL"
Is that Christ on the cross above this to the right, pointed with an arrow? 
Is there a woman hanging with her hands tied behind her back, pointed with an arrow? 

Is this an image of a man with a beard or an owl?

You can watch the show on Shudder or Sundance Now. In the U.S., subscribing to AMC+ provides four networks in one bundle that includes those two mentioned as well as AMC and IFC Films. More photos, videos, and other updates on the A Discovery of Witches Facebook site.