Cassie Workman is Witchy AF makes the occult wickedly fun
I’ve been to my share of occult shops and mystical places in search of magic—or sometimes without knowing exactly what I’m looking for. Sometimes, that’s how you find the best stuff.
Courtesy of: United Artists
I didn’t know what to expect when I started watching Cassie Workman Is Witchy AF, and somehow, I found exactly what I needed.
Apparently, I’ve been living under a rock, because I went into the series knowing next to nothing about Cassie Workman. I wasn’t familiar with their comedy or their work, which now clearly needs to be rectified.
CASSIE WORKMAN IS WITCHY AF is an eight-part adult comedic documentary series exploring the history and philosophy of occultism and magic, set in a fictional occult bookstore owned by Workman.
We don’t actually see much of the shop itself, but after spending two episodes with Workman, I know that if it were real, I’d want to pull up a chair, pour a stiff one and spend the day talking demons, movies and theology with Cassie.
Courtesy of: United Artists
King Grimsquawk, Cassie’s sidekick, is a bizarre puppet who looks like a crow with baby-doll arms. But he’s far from the only puppet involved. Occult icons like Aleister Crowley also get the puppet treatment, and I actually found myself preferring it to the usual actor reenactments you see in documentary series.
It gives Witchy AF just the right amount of fun without becoming so silly that you stop caring about the history.
That balance carries over to Workman’s delivery. They’re fun, snarky, knowledgeable and possibly drunk, but their personality never gets in the way of the subject matter. In one scene, Workman stands at a cigarette machine as demons casually begin appearing around them. Completely unfazed, Cassie simply asks for a little social distancing. That pretty much sums up the vibe: demons may be lurking everywhere, summoned or otherwise. You might as well get comfortable with them.
About the demons.
The series incorporates interviews with demonic figures—we’ve already met Lilith and King Paimon. The interview with King Paimon is especially over the top in the best possible way. Workman’s interaction with him feels less like a formal interview and more like two old girlfriends catching up, gossiping and fully committing to the bit.
It’s a wonderfully strange way to dig into mythology and history, while also pointing out parallels between the past and the demons, literal or otherwise, still living among us. It’s funny, interesting and occasionally makes you stop and think in between laughing.
This isn’t a deep dive into occult history, but I don’t think it’s trying to be. Witchy AF is interesting, approachable and still educational. The eight-part series promises to explore ritual magic, identity, demons, tarot, love, death and possible salvation, with subjects including Aleister Crowley, John Dee, Santa Muerte and the secret history of Hollywood.
Are they teaching us how to conjure demons?
Not yet.
But after two episodes, you don’t doubt that Cassie knows exactly what they’re talking about.
The puppetry created by Direct Message and practical SFX makeup from Monster in My Closet—whose credits include Smile 2 and Hocus Pocus—give the series its weird, playful personality without overwhelming the material. I caught guest star Shirley Manson of Garbage in the episode I watched and can’t wait to see or hear what other surprises are coming, along with an assortment of demons and evil puppets.
I’ve only watched the first two episodes, so there’s still plenty I haven’t discovered yet. But I definitely plan on finishing the series.
I went into Cassie Workman Is Witchy AF not knowing Cassie Workman and not entirely knowing what I was looking for.
Much like wandering into an occult shop, I came out having discovered something I didn’t know I needed. And now I want to see what else they’re going to conjure up.
CASSIE WORKMAN IS WITCHY AF, produced by ETCH and Anarchists United Studios, premiered Sept. 16 exclusively on YouTube. The eight-part series will release new episodes weekly.
