A Discovery of Witches: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

94%

Tomatometer

34 Reviews

84%

Audience Score

500+ Ratings

"A Discovery of Witches" is a fantasy series based on the similarly-named novel of the "All Souls" trilogy, written by Deborah Harkness. Reluctant witch/historian Diana Bishop discovers a bewitched manuscript in the Bodleian library. As she attempts to unravel the secrets this book holds about magical creatures, she is forced back into the world of magic, full of vampires, daemons, witches and forbidden love. Forming an unlikely alliance, geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont helps Diana to attempt to protect the book and solve the riddles within, while at the same time dodging threats from the magical creature world.

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A Discovery of Witches — Season 1

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A Discovery of Witches — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

A Discovery of Witches smartly grounds its flights of fancy with a lived-in authenticity and harnesses the chemistry between its two star-crossed leads to make for a promising foray into the occult.

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Critics Reviews

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A Discovery of Witches: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

Raisa Bruner

TIME Magazine

The forbidden love story is the selling point, but the mysteries around witches, vampires and demons give it a highbrow veneer.

May 3, 2021

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A Discovery of Witches: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

Marc Silver

Washington Post

The on-location shots of beautiful ancient buildings and bridges, of the shimmering River Thames and tranquil Venetian canals, really do sweep the viewer into another world, casting a spell more powerful than any witch's incantation.

Dec 4, 2019

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A Discovery of Witches: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Sam Wollaston

Guardian

If historical fantasy is your thing then I imagine you're in heaven. Or hell, or wherever it is a historical fantasist most wants to be.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 4, 2019

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A Discovery of Witches: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Dev Shea

1428 Elm

The story gets really busy and is fast and convoluted at times, but it is an interesting watch. While it does lose a little bit of steam around episode 5 or 6, it does pick up again.

Sep 15, 2022

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A Discovery of Witches: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

Henry Northmore

The List

There's a lot of talk of magic and prophecies but very little action. Everyone just stands around looking consternated while delivering their lines in breathy hushed tones. The grey colour palette only adds to the gloom.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 4, 2019

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A Discovery of Witches: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Jessica Toomer

Uproxx

The series does a fantastic job of setting its scene, introducing us to this world. It takes its time, it crafts interactions between its main characters in a way that doesn't feel forced or rushed.

Dec 4, 2019

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Audience Reviews

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Sue B What the Twilight books wished it could’ve been, had it been well written with far better actors. Palmer and Goode’s onscreen chemistry had me like 🥵🥵🥵 My only complaint (or two). They never explained Satu’s motivation for helping Knox. Or what she wants from Diana. Why be Diana’s enemy? Also, no part of me was buying that Em and Sarah were partners. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/21/24 Full Review KerryWhite's S Rating: 8/10. 82/100 Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/02/24 Full Review Rachel W I thoroughly enjoyed this show. You'll be hooked till the END!!!! 😍💯💯 Diana and Matthew have undeniable chemistry and the cast is perfect 💯 Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/18/23 Full Review Jeremy S The first two seasons were more or less entertaining. By the end of the second season into the third the writing started getting super cliché/bad. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/27/23 Full Review Toms c I'm not sure I'm the demographic for this show but it turned out to be one of the best things I've watched in a while. I understand the pace issues some have mentioned, for me that wasn't the case, the pace worked brilliantly. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/11/23 Full Review Lol Boring as hell. I was skipping though most of the episodes. How visually boring can you make it ? And this main mail character is such a cliche actor for a period drama, it is kind of a joke. Rated 1.5/5 Stars • Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 04/04/23 Full Review Read all reviews

A Discovery of Witches — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

Teresa Palmer Diana Bishop Matthew Goode Matthew Clairmont Edward Bluemel Marcus Whitmore Malin Buska Satu Järvinen Owen Teale Peter Knox Elarica Johnson Juliette Durand

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 14, 2018 Episode 1 In Oxford's library, American historian and reluctant witch Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up an ancient magical manuscript, and finds herself confronted by geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont, who is determined to get his hands on the book. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 22, 2018 Episode 2 Blind to the interest she has stirred amongst creatures, Diana fights an increasing pull towards the magical and turns her back on her witch heritage; matters take an unexpectedly dark turn when Satu is sent by Peter Knox to intimidate her. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 29, 2018 Episode 3 Domenico takes Satu's information to menacing vampire Gerbert, who gains the advantage he has been waiting for; Diana refuses to help Knox realize his longing to destroy the vampires and answers his threats with a force of untamed elemental power. Details Episode 4 Aired Oct 5, 2018 Episode 4 Matthew's hope of keeping Diana safe is short-lived as Ysabeau refuses to welcome the warmblood; Knox calls an emergency meeting of the Congregation to denounce Matthew; Matthew's ferocious brother, Baldwin, plays a careful game to maintain control. Details Episode 5 Aired Oct 12, 2018 Episode 5 Gillian pays a price for her disloyalty to Diana; the vampires study witch DNA; the fall-out threatens the fragile equilibrium between creatures and the focus is on ending Matthew and Diana's relationship, whatever the cost. Details Episode 6 Aired Oct 19, 2018 Episode 6 Satu brutally tortures Diana in Gerbert's isolated castle ruins; Matthew, now sworn to hunt down and kill anyone who tries to harm Diana, attempts a daring airborne rescue mission with Baldwin in tow. Details Episode 7 Aired Oct 26, 2018 Episode 7 Diana learns the tragic circ*mstances surrounding why she was spellbound as a child; Diana's devastation at having lived her life as only half herself is interrupted by the Madison house releasing one of the missing pages from Ashmole 782. Details Episode 8 Aired Nov 2, 2018 Episode 8 Matthew's attempt to rescue Diana from Juliette goes horribly wrong; Diana discovers just how lethal her powers can be; as Matthew is dying, Diana must strike a dreadful bargain with the goddess and make the ultimate sacrificial pact. Details

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A Discovery of Witches — Season 1

A Discovery of Witches: Season 1 Featurette - The Witches' Archive