I told you it’d be a quick turnaround for the second season of the delightful sci-fi romance, A Discovery of Witches! Now I fear I will have to wait an obscene amount of time for the third season even though filming has already wrapped! I am also a little bit sad because I know the third season will be its last, although I respect the decision to stay faithful to the novels and not expand upon the world Deborah Harkness created.
Anyways, in this season, we start with Diana and Matthew having successfully time-walked into London in the year 1590. The outfits are insane, the streets are hella crowded and a little dirty, but that doesn’t distract from all the drama! Obviously, Matthew looks a little different than he actually did back then, and his friend Kit Marlowe is equally suspicious because he’s arrived back from a mission early and with a witch for a bride! I could smell the jealousy. Diana though, is naturally charming and sweet, so she gives Kit the benefit of the doubt.
When they first arrive back, Matthew and Diana have some people they need to appease, including local holy vampire named Matthew Hubbard (serious cult leader vibes from this guy) and Queen Elizabeth! After quelling suspicions, at least for the moment, the goal of their time-walk to this era is to get Diana a teacher for her magic and to find the elusive book. Diana encounters Sophie’s relative, Susanna and manages to convince her to help learn magic. That is when she is introduced to fellow “weaver,” Goody Alsop. The old witch teaches Diana the specifics of her craft, which is organic spell-making.
In the meantime, Matthew sort of has to fake his life in order to find the book. He appeases Queen Elizabeth, but her right-hand man Cecil isn’t so easily fooled. Matthew soon learns that the book is being held captive by a thieving scribe named Edward Kelly. The Queen wants Matthew to retrieve Kelly because she believes he has knowledge about eternal life. Before they can travel to Bohemia, Matthew’s nephew Gallowglass shows up with a summons to Sept-Tours to see his father, Phillipe. While at first Phillipe tries to gaslight Diana Matthew by telling them they aren’t actually mated, and that Matthew hasn’t done so because of his blood rage, he quickly grows to love Diana like a daughter, much like Ysabeau. Before they leave for Bohemia, Diana and Matthew become truly mated and officially married before Phillipe, who has come to accept his future death.
In Bohemia, it’s not as easy as expected to get their hands on the book, and Matthew’s blood rage, now that they are mated is stronger than ever. Luckily, Diana is able to get through to Matthew so they can focus on the task at hand. After some serious duping, they, along with Gallowglass, are able to get their hands on the book, but not before a few pages are ripped out from a crazed Kelly. Upon leaving, Matthew shudders when he learns the book has been made from creatures, and it appears it may only be a book of destruction rather than life.
Back in London, Diana resumes her training and is able to successfully complete all but the final step in spell-making. Both sense the presence of another weaver, and soon her and Matthew find out it’s Diana’s father. He has come back to this time to read the book, but also scolds Diana and Matthew for spending too much time in the past and for taking the book. They time walk to observe, not to participate, and at this rate what they’ve done in this time has changed the future. Speaking of the future, we are granted two full episodes in the present with everyone Diana and Matthew left behind. Knox and Gebert are trying to regroup before they attack again, Satu has gone to strengthen her powers (surprise! She’s also a weaver), and Baldwin is being a little slimy. Meanwhile, Marcus, Sarah, Emily, and Ysabeau are all keeping the witch baby to be born of demons safe at Sept-Tours. Marcus also finds love with a human! They are truly very cute together.
In the end, Diana and Matthew decide to leave the book and find again in present day along with the missing pages. She also manages to master the tenth knot before they get ready to time-walk. Of course, just like the season one finale, we get to see them just as they’re about to leave and that Knox is getting ready to infiltrate Sept-Tours. Another exciting season of the show, although I found myself more divisive about this season compared to the first. Still, there was plenty to love, and I can’t wait to see how this trilogy ends on the screen. In the meantime, I’ll be getting my hands on the first two books to compare!