"A Discovery of Witches" | S2:E9 | An Analysis (contains details of E9)

The following analysis is solely my own. Some of it offers an opinion while recapping portions of the episode. The focus is usually on a particular aspect of the story or aspect of a character. Anything in this post is created by the blog's author who is an inspired fan wanting to promote the work. Feedback is welcome. Let me know if you like or don't like something. Please leave a comment here or on Instagram @thataddamsgirl.

For those keeping track of the directors and writers of season 2 episodes:

Directors: 

• E1, 4, 7, 8: Farren Blackburn 
• E2, 3, 5: Philippa Langdale 
• E6, 9: Jonathan Teplitzky

Writers:

• E1: Sarah Dollard
• E2: Susie Conklin
• E3: Polly Buckle
• E4, 6, 8: Peter McTighe
• E5: Lisa Holdsworth
• E7: Joseph Wilde
• E9: Michelle Gayle

If you haven't watched episode 9, you will be spoiled if you read any further. I'll only refer to the book when it is significantly relevant.

Shudder TV episode description: Matthew must account for his visit to Bohemia. Matthew and Diana reach a new level of intimacy.

Tell me if you are reading this and felt the need to brace yourself because this episode is one of the last two episodes of the season. Episode 9 is 44 minutes of everything being a matter of life and death. In The Hart and Crown, Diana (Teresa Palmer) hides Ashmole 782 aka The Book of Life, wrapped carefully, securing it inside a space below the floor of the bedroom. She tells Matthew (Matthew Goode) that she can see how they could build a life together with Jack by remaining in London 1591, but she doesn't know the reality of what it would really mean for Matthew. He says, "But we don't belong in this time. Perhaps we've been here too long." How have they impacted life in 1590-91 by traveling to that time?

A major storyline bombshell drops before the opening credits. The stakes are higher when Goody Alsop (Sheila Hancock) sees Diana after she's been married and mated with Matthew and it is revealed that Diana is pregnant. Her hands hover over Diana's abdomen and we can hear a heartbeat. How has Matthew missed this or was she not far along yet for him to detect it until she saw Goody?

In Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness, Matthew is first to discover that she is pregnant because he had his head up against her abdomen while seated. I like that Goody senses it because she is mentoring Diana and it seems fitting that witches would know. In fact, midwives at that time had medicinal knowledge and were often accused of practicing witchcraft. 

Having a child with a vampire wasn't ever thought to be possible, but if Diana and Matthew are meant to be together -- her mother and father saw her with the Shadow Prince -- then perhaps the miracle of life through their mating means that both of their bloodlines won't die out. Maybe the baby won't continue to carry the de Clermont blood rage. 

They are both astounded by the news. They have to timewalk to the 21st century as soon as Diana can get her final training in weaving those knots. We watch her train with much less anxiety and with much more confidence. The fifth knot formed first with a star in the shape of the five-pointed pentagram, but without the circle around it. The sixth is first shaped from a heart and then forms a vertical infinity symbol before the knot is tied. 

She finds her familiar in this episode with the seventh, which has been long anticipated by fans of the book Shadow of Night. The familiar is a firedrake named Corra and Goody tells Diana that her familiar will be there when she needs it. The special effects team did a fantastic job in the detail because it appears similar to a dragon, the face has the details and its wings and body is made entirely of fire. You can read more about the familiar and what role they play with witchcraft in the Wicca Wiki.

As complications arise, Matthew has changed in such a way that he's able to roll with complex problems easier than before he left London to see his father. Goody sees his attitude has changed and so has Queen Elizabeth. A lot has happened between episode 3 and episode 9 to help his character gain more perspective. However, he was supposed to return with Edward Kelley and the queen is forcing him to turn over The Book of Life so that Emperor Rudolf gets it back. Lucky for Matthew and Diana that they have Jack (Joshua Pickering) who swipes the book back from Lord Cecil Burghley's (Adrian Rawlins) box of confiscated books with a little distraction effort in the street by Gallowglass (Steven Cree). 

The fate of Jack is still to be settled before Matthew and Diana timewalk out of there. His value has increased incredibly by saving the book. I'm guessing that before they leave, they will turn over the book to John Dee so that his collection is preserved for them to find the book in the future in Oxford.

The bars of this doorway's gate is a reminder of what happens if someone betrays The Crown.

The music that plays in the background when Matthew first greets the queen provides an atmosphere of importance; the queen appearing rather edgy. His influence and power represented as his face is center screen under the high arches of the ceiling above him as well as in parallel to the tall support column. The sobering setting of the great gothic hall adds to the heavy idea of her threatening that he'll lose his head and Diana will be imprisoned and probably tortured. She's sucking on clove oil because she has an aching tooth. She's also still dealing with the worry that witches are rising up against her. Matthew is held at White Hall while every nook and cranny of The Hart and Crown are being searched for books.

Barbara Marten as the aging Queen Elizabeth is most authentic in playing this character. There's so much intricate detail in the makeup and costume, but the words are always delivered with determination. And then there is the enchanting Matthew Goode as Matthew Roydon, particularly when he has the queen essentially in the palm of his hand. When her fingers gently grace the side of his face,  he softens his eyelids for her. This is the last time they will be in each other's presence while he's not the Matthew Roydon that he used to be. Rather than feed her more lies, he knows how to set her at ease. In fact, his first action is one of mercy. He offers her a drop of his blood as the antidote to her pain. Indeed, he reveals that he and Diana came from four centuries into the future. She believes him saying, "You are a future Matthew." When he says that everyone in the future remembers her name and using, "Gloriana, the greatest monarch in English history," she is finally satisfied and pleased at hearing a most valuable secret from her spy. We're looking up at her with the big arches of the gothic ceiling above her head and the light from the windows behind her, framing her on either side. She is royalty from head to toe. She thanks him and he turns back to say "You're welcome...Bess." Nice, too, how the camera slowly backs out of the hall -- we won't turn our back on the queen as we leave. Later we see her telling Burghley that she forgave Matthew and she wants to be left in peace.

Matthew Goode (left) hearing Sir Walter Raleigh portrayed by Michael Lindall (right) is not on the greatest terms with the queen. Here's why.

Vampires who offer alternatives to dentistry: don't call 1-800-DENTIST -- call 1-800-VAMPIRE!

Having been detained at Whitehall also meant that he was unable to retrieve Diana from Goody's. She didn't return to The Hart and Crown on her own. Pierre (Milo Twomey) and Gallowglass didn't find her either. Kit Marlowe (Tom Hughes) schemes a story to make Diana think Matthew was sent to the dungeon. She's suspicious but she still gets in the boat. 

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." - Marcus Tullius Cicero

When she arrives at a wet and muddy cave, Louisa de Clermont (Elaine Cassidy) with a ferocious "whoosh" of incredible speed, swoops in and restrains Diana in a headlock. While the water drips all around them, Diana attempts to convince Louisa that Philippe accepted Diana as his blood sworn daughter; has Philippe's blessing to be a member of the de Clermonts. Every moment of the scene shows Diana as powerful. Maybe the best part is when she recites Marlowe's words from "Hero and Leander." Kit is vulnerable to Louisa, not wanting to disappoint her, he is forced to point a gun at Diana. It is a profound moment when Diana has convinced him she'll tell him all he wants to know about his future. She plays into his desire to know his fate. Louisa knocks him out, but her gunfire fails to hit Diana twice. Calling forth her firedrake, Corra rises up from behind Diana and adds flames to encircle Louisa and Kit. Diana tells them that they have no future and that they both die soon. Matthew, Gallowglass, and Fr. Hubbard (Paul Rhys) arrive to quite a sight of Diana in control. This is the first time they all see Corra and are mesmerized at what Diana can do. Hubbard tells Diana that he's got this and takes Kit and Louisa to Bedlam. Matthew is relieved to see Diana unhurt.

It is night, a full moon shines brightly so, naturally, nice long shadows surround bright beams of light as Matthew tortures his old friend Kit and his sister Louisa. Diana demands that Gallowglass take her to Bedlam because if Matthew is in a blood rage, she can pull him out of it. Of course, he is; blood is running down his face. He's been torturing Louisa. Kit chained up, cowers in fright. Louisa tries to tell Matthew about the Witch's prophecy -- the old story that the witches want to destroy the vampires. It seems that Louisa didn't get the memo that Philippe saw a different prophecy of a witch with the power that inspires everyone to see the world differently.

Bedlam is based on the hospital for the insane called Bethlem Royal Hospital. Take a look at the book called This Way Madness Lies.

Diana is successful again. Her coaxing Matthew back is depicted differently in the adaptation, but both versions, in their unique way, reach the same conclusion. Her soothing words remind Matthew that he's no longer an assassin. He has the feral-like mannerisms that we saw in E6 and 7; growling and about to eviscerate his prey. Her touch and her taking his hand guide him back. She is his "anchor." They depart for home leaving his victims on the floor. As they reach Water Lane, he spots The Hart and Crown, she takes his hand to assure him. They look in on Jack asleep. They're a family. Matthew wraps his arm around Diana with his hand resting over their baby in her womb. 

In the morning in the bedroom, we arrive at the scene which we have been waiting for in the adaptation (any book followers know what I mean). I'm certain most fans thought it would occur in E7 at the point in which Matthew tells Diana that he wants to "possess [her] body and soul." My theory is that the producers and writers thought that the scene was already intense. I previously acknowledged that the adaptation is different for television. Its image is never associated with exploiting sex or violence for ratings. The book primarily drives the adaptation, so I'm not expecting anything in which you can see lips on the skin slurping up the blood. I accept that this is made for younger adult fans. However, if you are searching in the book, the scene begins in Shadow of Night's Chapter 30 and you can see how parts of E7 and E9 were adapted from that chapter.

Something very unique has to occur for this blog writer's jaded heart to palpitate as a result of viewing exceptional material. Such was the case for scenes in ADOW's S1 E3, E7, and S2 E5, i.e., the night we meet Philippe. I'd definitely say that such was the case for E9, specifically at the end. It is magnificently executed -- every second of their intimate ritual is dignified. 

Maybe it was the blood rage hangover, but Matthew is covering his eyes and exhaling. He is steady on the idea that he will finally tell Diana how he really feels. We're watching from the other side of the canopy bed's thin veil of a curtain and as he begins to speak, but when Diana appears onscreen, we're on the inside watching and listening as if we're in the bed with them.

"Every day of my life is a battle for control. A war with myself of the need to possess you in ways that no warm blood could possibly fathom." This is from the book, but more is explained in the book about how he doesn't "believe it is right to take blood from other creatures." 

One can draw the parallels of how an addict speaks about trying to maintain control. In my opinion, it is similar, but I feel the character of Matthew has been humbled by the many actions of Diana during their relationship. Whenever she steps up to speak, she has saved them from something worse. Think back to how she would have no part in destroying the vampires when Peter Knox told her that Ashmole 782 held the secrets to the creatures; that the witches could unmake the vampires. She explained to Fr. Hubbard why Matthew drank from her. She fought Juliette to save him. She asked to see the book and got Rudolf to take her to Kelley. His being with her means everything to him as he has said to Marlowe, "I'm nothing without Diana."

He explains that blood rage consumes him and he's always been burdened by it; ashamed. Diana watches as he speaks, listening to the man she loves, whom she has married. Now she's carrying their child, and she accepts his truth without question. She says nothing and lies back on the bed. 

He takes a moment in which he observes intently that she doesn't resist the idea. He is silent, facing forward, he closes his eyes and then lies back next to her. He then turns to look at her as she touches her neck.

"No." He points to her heart vein. She is gazing at the top of the canopy serenely listening. She's out of focus and Matthew in focus. It is as if we're allowed to lay on the bed next to them. It is at this point at which I felt my heart stop and start as he says, "The heart vein, they say it tastes sweeter." His words imply that he hasn't tasted blood from any person's heart vein himself. Well, of course, because he hasn't mated with anyone until Diana. We know from early on he craves her blood, but he was always in control and only drank from her because he would have died if he hadn't. He did it only because she forced him to and he knew when to stop. In the book, it elaborates that someone with blood rage who is drinking from the heart vein "requires complete control...not to be swept up in the strong emotions that result." Controlling his blood rage during this ritual is not in the adaptation, but we know the danger that comes with a vampire feeding vs. a vampire sampling the blood for information.

The score by Rob Lane is called "Transcendence." consists mainly of stringed instruments and not like what we've heard typically for their intimate scenes, often with vocals. Exultingly special, the score reminds me of works by my two favorite composers, Angelo Badalamenti who scored "Twin Peaks," and Ennio Morricone, particularly his love theme in Cinema Paradiso.

Matthew softly explains, "To drink from one's mate is to know that nothing is hidden and all that is left is complete belonging and honesty." In my opinion, saying that drinking from this vein is about their trusting each other, and it says as much in the book, but also says that they experience "a deeper intimacy" in seeing each other's thoughts. The ritual is done to connect to each other's truth, and not solely about being jealous in thinking of E7.

 

Her face comes back into focus and she's still on her back. "Drink, then."

Dried blood on edge of his hairline; wearing his blood-stained shirt from the torture he dealt the night before at Bedlam. We're watching from above while he is telling her everything. "But I'll know your secrets and you won't know mine."

"I could." She turns to face him pointing to the spot at the middle of his forehead and says, "The witch's kiss allows me to see inside your soul."

Read about the third eye aka sixth chakra. 
Read more about the forehead kiss.

He answers with something similar to what he said in S1 E5 when she's about to see the scars on the surface of his skin, "You might not like what you find." 

"You first." 

"You always smell like honey." (the line is in Shadow of Night)

"Are you ready?"

"I trust you." 

The sound of the music gets louder. In the book, Diana's perspective is that she feels his bite, and then her "skin went numb from the pressure of Matthew's mouth on my flesh." Onscreen her face reads of pleasure with little gasps when he releases his mouth. He only has a little taste, then stops, returns to lay on his side, and he lovingly gazes at her. 

When Diana goes to touch him to turn and kiss him, Matthew reacts slightly startled, like he was in another state of mind. "It's okay," she says, and then she kisses him with her lips glowing. It's the spot of the third eye between the eyebrows. The light remains when she removes her lips and a thread of light connects from his third eye to the spot where he drank from her heart vein. The volume of the music rises again to complete their ecstatic reaction and the camera positioned next to Diana, our POV, has us watching Matthew ask her, "What did you find?" 

She answers, "You. Only you." In Shadow of Night, this is his answer to her when she asks, "And what did you find?" The role reversal is something to consider. Here Matthew is concerned about what his partner detects regarding his honesty. Diana's honesty is unquestionable.

From the moment she says "I trust you" in which we're above looking down at Matthew about to put his mouth on her, from this point, I timed the entirety to last 1:48. 

Their performance, Goode and Palmer, is so realistic; their intimacy so natural. In character, I believe that they're high on each other and their bodies react in unison -- together climaxing without the act of sexual intercourse -- when the thread connects his third eye to her heart. It is better to show us than tell us, but having any insight into their thoughts would be like a breach of privacy. 

I'll be watching for any future episode in which their connection is more telepathic in nature. In Shadow of Night, Diana's lips touch his third eye and she sees Matthew in the forest, which appears in the adaptation in E6, having a moment of joy while he's there to hunt. The adaptation omits, during her kiss, who Benjamin actually is -- the man who approached her in Bohemia when she was at Rudolf's lodge waiting in line. I predict that the topic will enter into the conversation in episode 10.

There's nothing I would change for the adaptation of the storyline in E9. Their connection far supersedes the intimacy of sexual intercourse, which is what happens in the book. If you disagree, think about it -- we watched something much more emotional on a deeper level, which already simulates an orgasm.

All of the cast -- regulars, guest stars, and stunt performers -- are stellar in every scene throughout season 2. Their level of commitment no matter how fantastical the story is a gift to us fans. I know I'll follow their work in months and years to come. The same goes for the production team, writers, and the directors. I love the attention to all of the details.

Episode 10 gives us the remaining 44 minutes of season 2 and we all should expect a breathtaking cliffhanger based on the previews. How can one prepare to wait for season 3, which is currently being edited? 

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.

"A Discovery of Witches" | S2:E3 | An Analysis (contains details of E3)

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. This may or may not recap every moment and may not cover every character of the episode. 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: Matthew and Diana search for the Book of Life. They later meet with Queen Elizabeth.

If you have not watched episode 3 of season 2, please do not read further to not be spoiled.

The before-opening-credits scene is set in present-day Oxford, England. Domenico Michele (Gregg Chillin) of The Congregation in Venice, Italy, has just found out that something got the munchies for human blood. The gory, nasty neck wound appears to be from a vampire. Domenico has tight connections with the police so he hears about it first. 

He tells Gerbert D’Aurillac (Trevor Eve) upon reaching Venice, Italy, that it was obvious the person was a victim of "uncontrolled feeding" and correlates it to the "infected bloodline" of the de Clermonts (more insight into the bloodline to come in E4; the words "blood rage" first come up in S1, E5 when Ysabeau talks about turning Matthew into a vampire). Gerbert would like nothing more than to take them down. Domenico and Gerbert discuss negotiating that if it turns out to help Gerbert, that Domenico gets back control of Venice because its image as a civilization is tarnished; long overdue for an upgrade. Vampires don't like humans that much, and Domenico has an even worse attitude about the tourism that has ruined the city he calls home.

The dead body in Oxford.

Trevor Eve as Gerbert D’Aurillac wearing the red socks ordered from The Vatican that are made for all popes.
He was a pope back in the day.

At Sept-Tours, Emily Mather (Valarie Pettiford) is calling up the spirit of Diana's mother Rebecca. "This path is closed to evil," she says and that hints to us that this is for her protection. Five candles are strategically arranged to represent the pentagram's five points. Smoke rises in front of her and an unfamiliar face of a woman emerges before she whooshes it away. Hopefully, we'll see or learn more in E4.

Emily Mather portrayed by Valarie Pettiford

At the end of E2, we saw Matthew snap the neck of the prisoner Tom Caldwell at the Tower of London. He did it to spare his suffering because Lord Cecil Burghley (Adrian Rawlins) wanted him to name names of other witches acting against the queen. Killing him was the only alternative because letting him go free would have jeopardized his relationship with Diana.

A sign of the cross over the dead (from E2 S2, Matthew Goode plays Matthew Roydon, a Catholic serving Queen Elizabeth I)

After the opening credits, we find Matthew in his secret files room at the Hart and Crown, kneeling on his prayer cushion, praying to a crucifix on the wall, up to the line, "On Earth as it is in Heaven." Cut to Fr. Andrew Hubbard (Paul Rhys), the vampire king of London, walking through the sanctuary of his cloisters, Matthew quickly following from behind. Matthew explains that he wants Hubbard's forgiveness for killing the prisoner. His going to Hubbards differs from the novel Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness, for which S2 is based. Of course, from S2 E1 we heard Marthe say he's evolved, that is, evolved beyond the role of a torturer.

Matthew says that his stepfather Philippe will appreciate Hubbard forgiving him, the subtext being that it can incentivize Philippe to send Hubbard a monetary donation in return. Hubbard is gonna have to think about it. Remember, he already has sent a message to Philippe telling him what Matthew did, so isn't that enough? Hubbard still thinks Matthew has changed because of Diana, but Matthew denies it.

Alchemical experiments with Mary Sidney (Amanda Hale)
 and Diana Roydon (Teresa Palmer)

Mary Sidney invites Diana to perform some experiments and her search for the book comes up. She refers Diana to Dr. Dee because she knows Dee will have it or he will know who has it. Diana is excited to not only have a science lab buddy, but she's grateful for her connections in the literary world.

A beautiful pastoral setting for Dr. Dee's library.
[Alternate dialogue: What's the library's lending policy?]

"I'm going to have a hell of a time getting you out of here."

💕

[Alternate dialogue: Diana, the boat will sink if
we take all of the books home.]

[Alternate dialogue: You can see I'm in a corset and eight layers
of fabric. Don't make me laugh!]

Matthew fishes Dr. Dee for information about the disposition of the queen in asking about the recent visit she had with him. "Was she in good humor?" We're not in earshot of Dee's answer. The scene efficiently follows most of what happens in the Shadow of Night, in which Dr. Dee discovers that the book he was supposed to have been given by Emporer Rudolph in Bohemia upon return sees that it was not the book at all. We get the lowdown that Edward Kelley is a slick guy who is likely in possession of this book, which Dee assures contains "the secret method to obtaining immortality." Diana is holding back her delight.

Indeed, the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place as Matthew offers to take the wrong book back to Edward Kelley in Bohemia and retrieve the book that Dee was supposed to bring back. Diana suggests later that they could just go to Bohemia for the book in response to Matthew trying to recall who was his contact with Emporer Rudolph in 1590. Surely, walking up to the Emperor's castle in Prague and knocking on the door would work, yeah?

[Alternative dialogue: Certainly, you thought up a
 plan to get the book, right?]

Diana arrives at her first day of weaver training under the teachings of Goody Alsop (Sheila Hancock) and The Rede. Just like in Shadow of Night, Matthew escorts her to the location. Notice a precious, flirtatious moment when the actor, Teresa Palmer portraying Diana, turns to tell him she'll be okay as she blinks just before she turns to go inside.

The lesson involves assessing which of the four elements are part of Diana's intuitive magic, and it comes down to her seeing the threads of each of them -- air, earth, water, and fire. Her awkwardness at first is due to her impatience. When she returns the next time, she's much more confident, and upon weaving the third knot, there occurs a spectacular moment of her arms thrusting into the air as a rowan tree emerges into the space above her, brilliantly lit up with golden light; her arms form the branches. Goody Alsop and The Rede are incredulous as Diana shows them her power. The tree represents the world beyond this world, and Goody declares that Diana is "truly a weaver."

As Diana is leaving the building, Susanna Norman (Aisling Loftus) stops her and tells Diana that she's powerful to which Diana asks her why she's not able to control her magic. Her response is, "Magic feeds from all aspects of your life. Everything is intertwined." 

Look at S1 E6 to see her parents appear to Diana; "Magic is in the heart," she says, and then she flies up to the opening of the oubliette after being tortured by Satu. It's in that episode that her parents first speak of her being connected to Matthew who is the "Shadow Prince," the figure in the tale her mother tells her while her father performs a spell to suppress Diana's power, protecting her from Peter Knox.

Rich colors and fabrics complete each detail
in the 16th-century costumes.

Hair and accessories capture each authentic detail.

Diana is at the beginning of her training and also at the beginning of building a life with Matthew. How Diana will be able to control her magic is yet to be seen. She meets later with Goody, and circles back on this topic in saying that "magic is connected to my intuition and emotions, and they are connected to Matthew." Susanna perhaps has the same power to see this in Diana as Sophie saw Diana in her dreams in S1. We learned at the end of E6 in S1 that she uses her magic out of need; protecting herself, her friends, and Matthew. Look back in S2 E1 when she tells Matthew, "You don't protect me, we protect each other." She's following what Goody taught her so far and using her intuition in an effort to hone her power. 

Sheila Hancock as Goody Alsop is always amazing in using her props to show her emotions, but even more so when she demonstrates the bond she has developed between her and Diana, knowing it means she won't be there to guide her through learning to weave spells.

In Matthew's world, he visits Kit and seeks background details about what's happening in Bohemia. We briefly saw some of Kit's home in E2, but now we see clearly he lives sparsely, like a writer always in need of money. His home is mainly consisting of paper, books, a desk, and a table.

Kit tells Matthew that Bohemia is run by a mad man and that he needs to stay "focused on what's closer to home," referring to his duty to the queen. The idea of losing Matthew is in the back of his mind, too. Matthew uses this time to fish for what Cecil knows of Diana. Kit doesn't give him a straight answer. He only admits that Cecil can tell something is amiss with Matthew's uncharacteristic behavior.

When returning with Diana after her lesson, waiting at the Hart and Crown is Cecil Burghley who determines immediately that Matthew is different because of his sympathy for her kind -- witches. It doesn't matter that Diana tries to persuade Cecil that witches have been loyal and don't want trouble. Cecil commands that Matthew and Diana see the queen the next day.

Matthew immediately tells Kit that Cecil, indeed, knows Diana is a witch and accuses Kit of letting the secret out. "Lies come sweetly to you, don't they?" he growls.

Matthew Goode uses the low ceiling beam on the set -- it already makes him appear bigger, threatening -- slamming his hand on the beam in anger, accusing Kit of endangering Diana, and he's coming between them and not acting as a friend. When Matthew ducks under it, Kit physically stiffens his body anticipating an attack. Tension is like that in E1 when Matthew tells Kit that if he mentions Diana to anyone again, that he will end him. What will happen the next time Kit crosses Matthew's path?

The support beam behind Matthew's head
doubles as a filing system.

[Alt. dialogue: You are so handsome when you're mad, Matthew.]
(Tom Hughes as Kit Marlowe).
The wider angle depicts Kit as slightly smaller than Matthew.

"You stay away from us both."

Kit being eager to convince Matthew that he didn't betray his trust, pays an unscheduled visit to Cecil to find out who told Cecil this news. It should have been him, is Cecil's response because that's why he pays him. It's a confirmation that Kit is a spy for Cecil, "but only when it best suits [him]." Kit, desperate to win back Matthew's trust, asks Cecil to tell Matthew that it wasn't him, but Cecil is above that nonsense. How will Kit fix this so he doesn't lose Matthew? Should he write an apologetic poem?

Countess of Pembroke, Mary Sidney, is turning out to be a much more valuable friend when she delivers to Diana a dress to prepare her for meeting Queen Elizabeth.

"I'm here to make sure your armor is worthy of the battle to come."
Perfectly stated. Diana is unprepared to meet Queen Elizabeth, being a witch and a woman beyond her time.

Lizzie's disdain toward witches is apparent. "I will compel my husband to adhere only to your will," says Diana, speaking to the Queen of Matthew's loyalty to the Crown. The Queen sees through this saying, "She's clever. Too clever," and fortunately, she moves the conversation to reveal that she heard that they were with her astrologer, Dr. Dee. 

Barbara Marten portrays Queen Elizabeth I aka Lizzie.
Exquisite detail in the costume, makeup and hair.

Speaking through her rotten teeth, Lizzie asks if the book that they're seeking has anything to do with the Philosopher's Stone. The Queen is wary of what happens if the "key to eternal life ... the limitless riches, fall into Hapsburg's hands." She can't get to Edward Kelley using her ambassadors because Emperor Rudolf refused them entry. She is counting on Matthew to use his powers of persuasion to bring her Edward Kelley so she can "lock him in the Tower until he creates the Philosopher's Stone." And then she will let Matthew off the hook for snapping the neck of the prisoner and for not being forthcoming upon his return from up north, i.e., presenting his wife Diana to the court as per protocol. Matthew volunteers his assistance while Diana watches and listens -- he's got himself backed into another "corner," in essence, extending their time in the past beyond what they had in mind.

Never turn your back on the Queen, especially when it is obvious the conversation has finished and you must leave.

A note on observing how much the use of natural light in S2 reminds me of the film Barry Lyndon. The candlelight and sunlight are used as much as possible for a feeling of authenticity. It's beautiful even though often dark.

Sweeping Uncle Matthew off of his feet.

🤗

Saving the best to begin the third act of this chapter, we finally meet an infamous vampire out of the book Shadow of Night. The fun won't be spoiled by detailing how he enters the scene. If you are at all familiar with the intellect of predators, in this case, vampires, guessing an opponent's offensive strategy has helped them survive for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Thank goodness for a gag in what's been a rough 24 hours for Matthew -- Lizzie summoning them, Burghley Bossypants, distrustful Kit, and remember, Fr. Hubbard hasn't forgiven him for murder.

Gallowglass (Steven Cree) is Matthew's nephew. As he's being introduced to Diana his keen senses are alerted that she's a witch. He's got a Scottish accent, thicker than Hamish's accent, and we already know his name because Kit mentions that Matthew was meant to be in Scotland with Gallowglass in E1. Gallowglass received a message from a courier to pass along for which Matthew is caught off guard, appearing stunned upon seeing the wax seal on the note in front of him. It's from his stepfather Philippe de Clermont.

If ever there was a time to say, "F^ckity f^ck f^ck," this is it.

The emotional rollercoaster that Matthew goes through from joy at reuniting with his nephew to seeing the note. Later describing his last memories are of his stepfather going insane. (Ysabeau, Matthew's mother, said in S1 E5 that it was witches who killed Philippe. Here Matthew says it was the Nazis who tortured Philippe into insanity).

Nice that they include in the adaptation the symbolism from Shadow of Night in referencing Philippe's coin on the seal inside the letter that tests the loyalty of anyone he summons. Matthew at first is wistful, and then serious, and becomes sad as he breathlessly describes how Philippe "could barely hold a pen the last time" he saw him.

Matthew pushed the thought of Philippe from his mind in E1 of this season, being of the mindset that they're going to get what they need and leave as soon as possible. Diana listens patiently and supports him by saying that it will "Reopen old wounds, but heal them, too." She doesn't know what she doesn't know but it sounds really soothing. Of course, Matthew knows the wounds, and Philippe's aim does not avoid them. "Not before making them worse, I assure you," is his response to her. Indeed, the [wine] "glass half empty."

Emotionally fraught, he warns her that he'll "be dragging her through a war," to which Diana thinks he means the Siege of Paris. He shuts his eyes, implying "not that war, Diana." Next, he recalls something his father told him,

"mating was destiny, and when I found her...you, that I would just have to accept my fate. But that's not how it works. In every moment, for the rest of my life, I will be choosing you." 

I take this to mean that before he met Diana, and chose her to be his mate, his decisions didn't have to factor in a partner, or the consequences to their lives as a result of his choices. His destiny held little weight until he met her. "From this moment on, we will always be one," he said in E5 of S1. Vampires mate for life. At the close of S1, he relinquishes his title of Grand Master of the Knights of Lazarus, asking Marcus to take over; letting go of that role to time walk to another time and place, to find the book that may save the creatures, but most of all, to keep him and Diana safe from the Congregation.

[Alt. dialogue: Where the f^ck is Pierre with the wine?!]

If by this point you're wondering how Matthew and Diana can journey from England to France, and also factor in the search for Ashmole 782 in Bohemia, watch how Matthew tenderly shows Jack (Joshua Pickering) where on the globe the journey will take them. But Jack has to stay behind. His nurturing of Jack actually is a side of Matthew we are only beginning to see. Diana is now Jack's mother, so she thoughtfully leaves him a parting gift to hang onto until they see him again. The miniature portraits of Matthew and Diana are so perfect in capturing their images, and also, match the description of the art described in Shadow of Night.

Gallowglass (Steven Cree)
[Alt. dialogue: Just tell me. Am I your favorite nephew?]

Gallowglass tells Diana that he's not going to take them further than to Mont St. Michel over the fact that the French killed his father. He also implores her to be an "anchor" for Matthew or "he may lose himself at Sept-Tours." [Is this family visit gonna be fun, or what!?]

Three episodes into this season and for the next seven episodes, their experiences could be life-altering. We may soon see:

⭐ more of Gallowglass!
⭐ Philippe!
⭐ 16th Century costumes, and 
⭐ SCENERY!

I can't wait for more of "A Discovery of Witches"!

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.

"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?