I signed up for a 30 day free trial of Sundance Now to watch A Discovery of Witches. I have already seen and loved all 8 episodes and am now re-watching them with a closer eye and ear to write up reviews.
Overall I feel that making the book(s) into a TV series was smarter and more beneficial to the story than a two hour movie(s). It kept the tone and much of the core story intact. With only 8 episodes some details and favorite scenes were omitted to fit other important details and to expand the story outside of Diana’s first person POV. I read a rumor that the next season for book two is getting more episodes, which is great because it has some much more going on. I am hoping for 12 episodes, at least!
Realistically the only way you are getting every single favorite detail in is if you turn the books into a daily daytime soap opera. These are the Days of Our Witches. lol
Ok SO, this review has major spoilers for the TV series and the book.
Don’t say I did’t warn you.
I loved seeing the outdoor scenes of Oxford. It makes me want to go back so bad!
The interior sets of Bodleian Library were outstanding! It looks like they filmed in the actual Bodleian.
I like the intro with the opening lines of the book and Matthew’s voice over. It remains the opening for the first 6 episodes.
I like how they kept in Diana’s physical activities, even if they don’t mention why she exercises so much. They also omitted her panic attacks.
Teresa Palmer does a great American accent. I think she did an incredible job playing Diana. She balances her strength and vulnerability really well. It’s also great to see an accomplished woman/character in her 30s, and not in her teens, as the lead.
I liked Deborah’s cameo. It was very appropriate for her to be there listening to a history lecture. I hope she gets her cameo wish for next season as a plump, wealthy, Elizabethan shopper.
I didn’t expect Ashmole 782 to be so small and I thought the page we saw would be more vibrant – but that could just be that magic is disrupted and it’s an old book.
What I did love was hearing the whispers, and seeing the words scroll across Diana’s hands. GREAT foreshadowing there.
Also, for time and for visual storytelling I thought it was smart having the vampires feel it in their blood that the book had been opened.
I loved, loved, loved that we saw the librarian look for Ashmole 782 and it appeared out of nowhere and then when she returned it how the book receded and disappeared! NICE, spooky visual.
I loved the Time-Walking foreshadowing of Diana seeing her dad at the Bod.
While we are on that subject of foreshadowing, Diana’s dreams of the spiderwebs binding her – Deborah has said she wished they were ribbons and I truly was expecting ribbons. But the spiderwebs makes sense because like spiders, Diana is a weaver.
At lot was changed for Marcus and I really don’t mind it. Some fans where upset he’s not blonde and quite frankly I never pictured him as blonde, so whatever. When they said something about it I was like, he’s blonde? I ignored that detail. Unless their hair color is really important to the plot or I saw the movie/series before reading the book and already have that actor in mind, I rarely ever picture characters to be blonde. Nine times out of ten they are brunette.
They also took Marcus out of Matthew’s research lab and made him a doctor in a hospital so that they could show the audience that the vampires are not successfully siring children. It explains why Matthew is desperate to get Ashmole 782. That was good story condensing.
I loved seeing Matthew with Marcus and Miriam. I loved seeing Sarah and Em. Seeing their family dynamics gave me warm fuzzy feelings.
I think the performances and chemistry is great all around the cast, but I do have a slight annoyance with Gillian. I don’t mind so much that she is more Diana’s friend than enemy in the show, but I kind of can’t stand her mousey demeanor and quivering mouth. I feel bad saying it but I have to. She annoys me.
I loved how close to the book the scene with Diana meeting Matthew in the Bod was. Did you notice he smells the book after he picks it up? I love the smell of old books!
The rowing boathouse. It was both creepy and funny. Matthew was right, rowing at night is not safe, and admit it Diana, you’re curious.
Matthew, why smell her jacket when you desire her? You are playing with fire!
But I love how his last words to her come back later in the season.
Miscellaneous thoughts:
When the creatures show up to watch Diana, where are the Daemons? Where is Timothy? He is important later.
Why was the location of Rebecca and Stephen’s murder changed from Africa to Ukraine/Russia?
The scene when Diana is reading while on the queue for the food vendor, the guy behind her cuts her! How rude. Tell her to move up, don’t take her turn. Jerk!
Witchy Wednesday continues next week with Episode 2.
Stephanie 