A Discovery of Witches TV Recap: Episode 7

Relive each delicious moment of the TV adaptation of A Discovery of Witches with our weekly recap. This week? A Discovery of Witches Episode 7.

Do you ever find yourself yelling at the screen in front of you or mumbling cheeky responses to the characters while watching a show? We do. Sometimes we keep those responses to ourselves and, sometimes, Ashley and I text them to each other as we watch the same show at the same time 700 miles apart. We enjoy these conversations so much that we decided to share them with you. Each week, Ashley and I will publish an episode recap for the first season of A Discovery of Witches. You can read it while you rewatch the episode (because you know you’re going to rewatch it) or just read it. There’s no right or wrong way to do this, just do it. We hope that these recaps will be worth a few giggles for A Discovery of Witches fans and that they might even make you think twice about what you’ve just watched.

[0:00] Color returned, walking without a limp, pleasantries still at the ready… well that was one mighty swift recovery, Prof. Bishop! They used essential oils as part of her treatment, didn’t they? Mhmm, they did.

[1:00] Listen up, I know this warning accompanies the start of every episode, but we were served enough blood and fear in this past one to keep us all stocked up for a bit. No need to promise more so early in this episode.

[2:00] Squeaaaaaaaaaa! Home indeed. I’ve been patiently, not-so-patiently waiting for Matthew and Diana to arrive in Madison so, selfishly, we can spend time getting cozy in “the house.”

[3:00] Possible for me to have the whole second floor of my house disappear around the time unwanted guests ask to come visit? Convenient loophole, really.

[4:00] Is it just me or has Peter Knox’s perfectly-coiffed hair grown more and more disheveled in proportionate response to his master plan also unraveling? One more episode and he’ll hover somewhere around Nick Nolte mugshot glory.

[5:00] I’m so glad that, of the aunts, Aunt Em is the one who closely guarded that critical piece of information. I can’t help but wonder how far off the rails we’d be right now if it’d been Aunt Sarah’s to keep. Then again, if it had been Aunt Sarah, my hunch is that it would have come out long before now.

[6:00] I normally welcome a house full of guests with a charcuterie board. I can’t help but wonder if this conversation wouldn’t be better received with a nibble or two of some aged gouda and cured meats while flopped on the couch.

[7:00] “I was half myself for years, and you didn’t say a thing…” Finding yourself and figuring out who you are in the world is such a struggle at any age without outside forces putting a box around how far you can take that exploration. I can’t imagine what Diana must be feeling. Then again, many of us don’t truly discover who we are and feel comfortable in our own skin until we’re adults and have conquered bumps in the road.

[8:00] Ohhh, dinner theater! Hooray! SOMEONE GET THE CHEESE PLATE.

[9:00] It’s a good thing we know the Bishops were good guys. Because this scene is straight out Poltergeist, The Exorcist or any other ’80s horror movie that kept me sleepless for years. If they start calling her Carol Ann and ask her to come toward the light, I’M OUT.

[10:00] Parents, a free PSA: anytime a smooth-talking man asks if he can see your daughter so he can lay hands on her and “feel her power inside” — just say, “NO.” That is all.

[12:00] I linger too long in a goodbye hug with my son when I leave on your run-of-the-mill work trip. I can’t fathom how Rebecca and Stephen were able to break the hug and say goodbye knowing instinctively it was a one-way trip.

[13:00] “The spell was tied to my need for you” had the potential to be the corniest love phrase ever delivered. But because it’s these two and they’re having this moment amidst the cool backdrop of New York in fall with Matthew sporting that cable knit sweater (yes, that’s relevant, I swear), I’ve gone weak in the knees. Storybook romance, indeed.

[14:00] …aaaaand then her dead mother appeared to put a bow on the whole sentiment and do us in completely. So I’m now dead, too.

[15:00] This will go down as one of my favorite scenes in the whole series. A “for your consideration” awards nomination submission for both Alex Kingston and Valarie Pettiford. These enormously talented dynamo women have brought so much depth and chemistry to two book characters who, to start with, already had a good measure of both.

[16:00] Sorry not sorry for loving the irony of Peter Knox waking up from nightmares and uninvited bedside visitors after he’s spent the better part of a lifetime torturing the Bishops (and likely others) the same way.

[17:00] “Diana doesn’t even know her own power, what she is.” We’ve watched several characters, including Diana herself, come to this realization. But you know what? It never gets old. Keep ’em coming.

[18:00 p.m.] And again we say, Malin Buska is slaying this role. She was tailor-made for TV Satu. Standout!

[19:00] I have a feeling Matthew’s “with respect” is the vampire with impeccable manner’s way of doling out a Southern “bless your heart.” Whatever comes next is always a gamble.

[20:00] Complete side note, but we love to pay credit to all the magicians bringing this show to life: the lighting in this scene is perfection. It leaves little to the imagination of the setting, the time of day, the mood in the room, the smells and noises likely found outside. Kudos to the director of photography and lighting team!

[21:00] I don’t know what words Diana’s muttering, but if I were her, I’d be waving my hands trying to conjure up more coffee for a day with Aunt Sarah as my tutor. Oh sorry, with all due respect, of course.

[22:00] Diana’s dad was a time walker — and the plot thickens!

[23:00] Domenico’s attitude and voice throw off so much smolder that I can’t tell whether he’s terrorizing Juliette, flirting with her or an intoxicating blend of both.

[24:00] Note to self: magic flows freely when emotion overtakes you while wearing a turtleneck. Straight out of the Diane Keaton playbook. Good to know!

[25:00] “What. Just. Happened.” Same, Matthew. Because if I possessed this ability, you’d find me getting a pedicure or maybe eating tacos… not in an old barn. Take notes for future in case I go missing.

[26:00] In case there was any doubt in your mind about the intellectual superiority of daemons as creatures, behold: a solved Rubix cube right in frame. Well played, props team. Well played.

[27:00] Italy is so full of beautiful creatures that these two don’t garner a second look from anyone when they interrupt mass click-clacking down the center aisle. Fascinating.

[28:00] They’re holding this little meeting so discreetly that it makes me wonder if they really need that Platform 9 3/4 Congregation meeting site. They could just hold them inside a Catholic mass in between the sit–kneel-stand, sit-kneel-stand, and no one would be the wiser.

[29:00] I know we’re supposed to loathe her, but I celebrate any moment that a woman (or man) finds the inner courage and strength to rise up against whoever or whatever oppresses them and finally feel free.

[30:00] Between Diana’s “Owww [giggle] SHIT” and Matthew‘s ”[growl] FUCK,” I love that no matter the volume of degrees and powers they collectively hold, they react in scenarios such as these just as eloquently as we mere mortals do.

[31:00] May these two never lose their ability to flirt with each other — whatever shape that takes.

[32:00] Only Matthew [fictional or real] could pull off that sweep-up, carrying ascent maneuver without incident. The rest of us would take it in stages, come out bruised or hear joints popping as we attempted. I love TV.

[33:00] Imma need a minute. [Ps, Amber Run‘s ”I Found Love” is one of many gems on this season‘s soundtrack. Stay tuned for a future podcast episode from us diving into the music of this series.)

[34:00] “You can’t hurt me because you don’t want to.“ If only life were that that simple, Diana.

[35:00] I just spit wine at “Mi Casa, Su Casa!” This awkward doorway greeting is one I’ll play on repeat. So hilarious.

[36:00] Well there you have it, Sarah’s onto Matthew’s courtesy on a string. Also, I’m trying to imagine how much our house would talk during family holiday gatherings.

[37:00] I love that the collective resting witch face just shut down Miriam, typically the strongest voice in the room.

[38:00] Welp, as we said in our Episode 7 recap, Satu’s going to wish that hoodie was red and came with an extraterrestrial sidekick to fly her way out of this.

[39:00] Production side note again: the set design in this room is gorgeous. The blues, the leather, the fabrics. So rich, so warm, so Bishop.

[40:00] Good call, Baldwin. I also subscribe to wine as a go-to measure whenever there’s still work to be done or information to be shared. In fact, I’m drinking it right now while I listen to you two roar at each other.

[41:00] “Wouldn’t this be more fun if you just came out here and kissed me?” See comment at the 31-minute mark.

[42:00] With all due respect, no, no, no and FUCK NO. I’m getting the hang of it, Matthew!

Closing thoughts: Gulp. I guess my request for less blood and fear this episode was gifted, but on a string given what’s to come in the final episode (eek — not ready for this to be over yet!). But isn’t that life, in general? When you’ve gotten your wits about you again, filled the reserve tank and are in the midst of the light and joy that life and an attic romp can bring, something cuts you off at the knees again. Or grabs you by the throat when you least expect it. But like Diana, we find strength we know we have — and even some we didn’t know we had — to fight back, persevere and find a version of ourselves on the other side that’s even better than we thought possible.

All this to say, I love how completely relatable this show about worldly creatures and magic is to our own lives. This, among many other things, jumped out of the books to me and the TV series is proving no different.

I’d be happy to bask in the autumnal glory of Madison and the aunts’ hospitality for many more days to come. For that reason alone, this is an episode I’ll come back to frequently to enjoy for the setting, camaraderie, acting, sharp dialogue, rich emotion and mundane-within-the-mayhem nature of it all.

How’d you enjoy our first stay in Madison?
What was your favorite part of the episode?

If you’ve missed any of our A Discovery of Witches recaps, do not fret! You can find all of our Season 1 recaps here.