A Discovery of Witches: 5 reasons you should be watching this magical series

Kelly Shanaphy

Teresa Palmer as Diana Bishop – A Discovery of Witches _ Season 1, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Robert Viglasky/SundanceNow/Shudder/Bad Wolf

Looking for a new show? A Discovery of Witches is the bewitching new series to liven up your spring watchlist.

While A Discovery of Witches has technically been out for a while, the show made its network debut this month. The magical series, adapted from Deborah Harkness’ hit novel of the same name, is one of our favorite shows of the spring. It’s led by an all-star cast, an intriguing list of creatures, and the cinematography is absolutely stunning compared to other shows. AMC has done a big marketing push for the series over the past few weeks and for viewers still on the fence about checking out, here are five major reasons to tune in.

Warning: Minor spoilers for A Discovery of Witches

5. The unique take on the supernatural

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A lot of shows and movies have slipped into the “Fur Against Fang” trope when it comes to the supernatural. There always seems to be a certain appeal about pitting vampires and werewolves against each other when it comes to story-telling. However, A Discovery of Witches shifts the focus to vampires, witches, and daemons rather than include werewolves. For many, this change might seem superficial on the surface but these creatures are actually quite different than viewers will be used to. Gone are the prosthetics that have become commonplace in the supernatural genre! Instead, A Discovery of Witches makes its universe a little more grounded by having these creatures blend in with society. Magic is something that is felt throughout the world even if humans can’t harness that power.

The series is dedicated to exploring the origins of these creatures as well. Matthew Clairmont and his team have been studying DNA markers and why power seems to decrease over time. While the vampires still have similar traits like drinking blood and immortality, they are no longer creatures of the night. Witches are painted in much broader strokes because their powers and abilities vary depending on their own descendants. However, daemons are perhaps the most unique in this universe. They’re usually creative geniuses but often eccentric and deal with erratic thoughts. They’re often ignored by other creatures but A Discovery of Witches uses them as symbolism to show the increasing mental health problems. Daemons are prone to suicide yet other creatures couldn’t care less.

Teresa Palmer as Diana Bishop, Matthew Goode as Matthew Clairmont – A Discovery of Witches _ Season 1, Episode 2 – Photo Credit: Robert Viglasky/SundanceNow/Shudder/Bad Wolf

4. The show is gorgeous

From the pilot, A Discovery of Witches is breathtakingly beautiful. Plenty of far away shots let viewers see the scenery whether it’s Matthew in the country or Diana in the library. As shows get increasingly darker, this series always seems to be full of light. As someone who has never been to Oxford or the Bodleian Library, the show does an excellent job trying to recreate some of the awe of arriving in such a place.

Owen Teale as Peter Knox, Malin Buska as Satu Jarvinen – A Discovery of Witches _ Season 1, Episode 2 – Photo Credit: Robert Viglasky/SundanceNow/Shudder/Bad Wolf

3. The acting is top-notch

This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering both Matthew Goode and Teresa Palmer have a long resume of successful acting jobs. However, what many don’t know is that A Discovery of Witches is full of talented actors. Lindsay Duncan plays the de Clermont matriarch Ysabeau and is absolutely phenomenal. In fact, Harkness was actually the one who was championing her casting despite doubtful fans. Duncan has made her name on stage and in front of the camera. She’s received two Olivier Awards and a Tony. Joining her is Alex Kingston, who may be more recognizable to the average viewer thanks to her role on ER, Arrow, and recently Amazon’s The Widow. She’s perfect as Diana’s stubborn and passionate Aunt Sarah while Valarie Pettiford, who plays Sarah’s partner, is her equal in every scene as the calm and compassionate Aunt Em.

However, A Discovery of Witches has also showcased some newer but equally incredible talent. Malin Buska plays Satu perfectly, and every time she walks on screen an uneasiness settles in. Meanwhile, Aiysha Hart and Edward Bluemel seem to have exploded since the series debuted. Hart can be seen in two upcoming films, Hope Gap and Mughal Mowgli, which both have impressive casts. Meanwhile, Bluemel joined the second season of the critically beloved Killing Eve.

Matthew Goode as Matthew Clairmont and Teresa Palmer as Diana Bishop – A Discovery of Witches _ Season 1 – Photo Credit: Robert Viglasky/SKY Productions/Sundance Now

2. The romance is charming

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At the heart of A Discovery of Witches is the relationship between Diana and Matthew. Yes, the romance does progress a bit quicker than usual, it’s easy to fall in love with these two. A large part of that is due to the immense chemistry between Matthew Goode and Teresa Palmer who are able to sell their characters immediate attraction. It’s also refreshing to see the two portrayed as equals in the relationship. Often TV shows or movies with vampire boyfriends usually have the female character be the one who always needs saving. Instead, Diana is able to match Matthew wit-for-wit despite his hundreds of years of knowledge. Despite the light stalking which comes standard with every vampire tale, their romance doesn’t blossom because Diana falls madly in love with a mysterious stranger. He wins her over by being earnest and honest which eventually wins her trust.

Over the past few years, shipping has also gotten very popular. A lot of the times it’s a fun way to connect with other fans but sometimes it becomes very competitive and will fandoms break up into different sections based on various ships. It’s a change of pace on A Discovery of Witches where the show is confident in all of its relationships rather than looking for drama in the form of love polygon.

Teresa Palmer as Diana Bishop – A Discovery of Witches _ Season 1 – Photo Credit: Adrian Rogers/SKY Productions/Sundance Now

1. The characters are complex

Diana is the audience surrogate and right away she stands out among a lot of supernatural heroines. She values her intelligence and curiosity above all else which is why she is so focused on her career. Even when Matthew first approaches her, he doesn’t attempt some kind of silly pick-up line but instead attempts to enter a conversation about her work. Gillian, her sort-of friend, is jealous of her friend’s ability to shine in an academic setting and of her vocational success.

Her opposing force, Satu, is equally intriguing to watch on screen. She’s very forward and aggressive, something not often seen by female villains. In fact, she doesn’t really care about this missing Ashmole text and finds herself much more interested in Diana. Throughout the course of A Discovery of Witches, the show develops her character to be someone equally curious and able to compromise with other creatures but lacking the empathy Diana does in her pursuit of answers.

These aren’t the only two who will enrapture audiences though. Matthew and his family are all flawed as well as unique. His son, Marcus, is a hard-partying doctor who is dismissed as immature and young by both Matthew and Miriam but is deeply loyal to the people he cares about. Throughout the season he also maintains a steady head even when problems begin to arise. The book is told from Diana’s point of view but the show develops a lot of the secondary characters who you’ll fall in love with right away.

A Discovery of Witches airs at 9 PM EST on AMC and is also available through AMC’s Premium Service, Shudder, or Sundance Now.

Have you been watching A Discovery of Witches? Be sure to tell us your thoughts in the comment section below!

Kelly Shanaphy

Kelly Shanaphy is a superhero nerd and writer still dreaming of joining the X-Men. In her free time, she's either working on her novel or cheering on the New York Giants.