AMC+ combines a spooky supernatural setting with relatable human drama in its new show Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale, written and created by Debbie Horsfield. Based on V.V. James’ 2020 novel Sanctuary: A Novel of Suspense, Witchcraft, and Small Town Secrets, the 7-episode series premiered on the streaming service in January and has already more than lived up to its source material’s name. Elaine Cassidy (The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die) and Hazel Doupe star as mother-daughter duo Sarah and Harper Fenn, who hail from a family of witches.
Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale takes place in a town where witches and regular mortals live in relative harmony, with magic out in the open and requiring a license to practice legally. Despite the mystical element of the show, it bears no connection to AMC’s recent Immortal Universe hits, Interview with the Vampire and The Mayfair Witches. Instead, it is closer to Big Little Lies as it unravels the lives of small-town residents in the wake of a mysterious death that causes neighbors to grow suspicious of the resident witches.
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More About Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale Episode 4
In Screen Rant‘s exclusive clip from Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale episode 4, Abigail (Amy De Bhrún) is preparing for her Daniel’s vigil. Her friends Bridget (Valerie O’Connor) and Julia (Kelly Campbell) are initially supportive until Abigail turns her attention to making Sarah and Harper pay. Abigail remains convinced that the mother and daughter are responsible for Daniel’s death through the use of witchcraft, and she demands that her friends take her side rather than revert to being part of Sarah’s coven.
Harper accused Daniel of raping her, a statement that is corroborated by the “sex tape” that leaked of them shortly before his demise, but neither Abigail nor the majority of Sanctuary will believe it. Instead, Harper is painted as a vindictive girl who would not only kill a promising young man with magic she doesn’t possess (as her mother’s gifts were not passed down to her) but would then seek to destroy his reputation afterward.
While Abigail is partially pushing this narrative due to her grief and rage over the loss of her son, there’s also the distinct impression through the first three episodes that she never valued Sarah as more than a useful witch. Now that her powers cannot bring Daniel back — at least not without dire consequences — the friendship has been replaced by deep enmity. Meanwhile, the remaining episodes of the AMC+ series will surely build a case that determines the real culprit and whatever kind of dark magic they used to send the town into disarray.
