Just in case you needed a reminder, family is at the heart of everything that happens on A Discovery of Witches. Family is what helped Diana survive Satu. Family is what brought Matthew, his brother & mother together to find out what happened to Diana. And family is why they don’t fall into tropey traps where secrets are kept for “the benefit of the family.” There are no secrets. There’s only family.
Diana is More Than a Survivor, She’s a Champion
Personally, episode 6 was one of the hardest to get through. It’s not that I didn’t love it. I did, and I think everyone did an amazing job acting wise. But this episode hurt. This episode saw our bae Diana Bishop being torn apart by a woman who didn’t understand her and wanted to know all about what made Diana so special. It was raw, heartbreaking, fueled by fear, and so damn cruel. What kept me going is that A) You never ever see women LIKE THIS and B) I needed to see Diana save herself, which she did.
Matthew came. He worked with his family to get to Diana and couldn’t get to her at the end because she stuck in a place he couldn’t enter. So it was all up to Diana and her belief in herself. That’s what unlocked the power inside of her and what propelled her up up and away. Trust that she isn’t alone in this. Trust that she has people watching her back. Trust that there will be someone to hold her hand as she figures this all out. Satu is the one who started tearing Diana apart but it was Diana herself WHO SAVED/UNBOUND HERSELF and used the power inside because of trust.
This leads me back to a point I made in the previous review HERE. We could all do with being a little more like Diana Bishop. This BAMF was tortured, alone, and afraid. But she survived Satu, she survived that well, and she will survive any little thing that comes her way because she has strength within her and all around her in the family and friends who love her. Same thing goes for you, dear reader. You CAN survive the pain you’re going through. You have the strength, the power, and I promise you, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Matthew Didn’t Brood and Take Rescuing Diana All on His Own
As soon as Diana was taken, I expected Matthew to do a couple things that TV has taught me that men do in situations like this. I expected Matthew to brood all alone, somewhere in that castle the Clairmonts call home. I expected Matthew to put together some half assed plan all on his lonesome because he couldn’t let anyone else be in danger like Diana was. And I expected Matthew to sneak out alone from the castle to defeat Satu and save Diana cuz he’s the “male hero” and this is how shit is done.
Then A Discovery of Witches walks in and shows me, you, everyone watching, that Matthew isn’t going to fall into a tired and used trope. Nope. Matthew is going to do better for himself, his family, and Diana. That’s why he calms his ass down and starts working with his family to come up with a plan or possibilities about what happened to Diana. Matthew trusts them to have his back and to help him find Diana. This trust makes Diana’s rescue a team effort where NO ONE is alone in figuring shit out.
Dear lord in heaven, I need more of this in the media I consume. Seriously, we are taught over and over again by TV, movies, and books, that the male hero goes out there and pulls some amazing heroics all by himself that saves the day, leaving the other experts of the group in the dust. But that’s not realistic. It’s dangerous, foolish, and more often than not, would leave the hero and the person being rescued, dead.
That’s why I want to thank A Discovery of Witches for what they have done in pushing away from old and weak tropes like the “brooding hero.” This is 2019 and no one has time for heroes, particularly male ones, who would be perceived as we weak if they don’t “go at it alone.” Family is strength. Friendship is strength. Love is strength. And that’s why Matthew, Diana, and the rest of their family will succeed. They aren’t alone.
They are in this together.
We Need to Talk About That Ending
I’m not talking about Diana questioning what she is and the fact that Matthew told her she was spellbound. I’m talking about something smaller that happened at the end of this episode that made me take a step back and reflect on the episodes before and this one in particular. So, most of the time, and after such a traumatic event, the female and male lead would take some time together to work things through. Just them. No family, not really, because TV/movies/books always make it seem like the orphan way is the only way.
Wrong.
Family matters to Diana and Matthew. That’s why Matthew’s mother Ysabeau is in the room as they’re discussing what happened to Diana. There’s no time or need to hide secrets because they are in a very precarious situation that requires honesty and trust. Plus, I think that Diana and Matthew are just the kind of people who wouldn’t shy away from family. Diana has a problem? Boom. She calls her aunts. Diana has a problem? Boom. He goes and talks with his BFF Hamish. Family is at the heart of this episode, this review, and everything that happens on A Discovery of Witches.
And it’s refreshing AF! A Discovery of Witches doesn’t do lip service when it comes to family. They actually come through and show that family is a grounding force and strength that Diana and Matthew have and that they wish to hide nothing from. Family makes this show. AND I LOVE IT!
Favorite moment from 1×06:
This #Bishmont moment was intimate, sweet, and the kind of thing I need to see more couples doing. Cuddling and hand holding is my kryptonite every day of the week and twice on Sundays!
A Discovery of Witches is now available on Sundance NOW and Shudder.