Witches of Essex review – Rylan’s look at real-life witch trials treats us like idiots

Witches of Essex is a three-part documentary series presented by Rylan Clark and Professor Alice Roberts that examines real-life witch trials in 16th and 17th century Essex. The show focuses on three significant trials: Hatfield Peverel, St Osyth, and Manningtree, highlighting the accusations, interrogations, and executions of numerous women. The first episode details the Hatfield Peverel trial, where Agnes Waterhouse and Elizabeth Frances were executed by hanging under the 1563 Witchcraft Act, passed by Queen Elizabeth I. The second episode covers the St Osyth trials, where 14 women were arrested, confessed under duress, and two were executed. The final episode introduces Matthew Hopkins, the self-proclaimed "witchfinder general," and the Manningtree trials of 1645, which resulted in the deaths of 23 accused women. The documentary attempts to provide historical context and explore the motivations behind these witch hunts, including fear, misogyny, and social hysteria. However, the review criticizes the show for being superficial and treating the audience as unintelligent, failing to make explicit comparisons to modern societal anxieties or the systemic issues that led to the persecutio... download the app to read more