11 Reasons Why You Need To Watch The Magicians Right Now
Start writing a post
Entertainment

11 Reasons Why You Need To Watch The Magicians Right Now

Magic just got a lot edgier.

381
11 Reasons Why You Need To Watch The Magicians Right Now
Creative Commons

Did you cry when the "Harry Potter" film franchise ended? A lot of us grew up with The Boy Who Lived, and for those of us who weren’t lucky enough to get a letter to Hogwarts, J.K. Rowling’s "Harry Potter" series became our home away from home. But if you’re waiting around for Rowling’s "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" to premiere to get your magical fix, wait no longer! Syfy’s premiere season of their show "The Magicians," based off Lev Grossman’s bestselling trilogy, wraps up on April 11th, and if you’re a "Harry Potter" fan, here are a few reasons you just HAVE to get in on the action!

1. Hogwarts for Americans

If you were one of the 450 million fans to get your hands on a "Harry Potter" book in the United States, you might have spent a decent chunk of your childhood worrying whether or not your Hogwarts letter would come at all because, unlike Harry, you didn’t live in the U.K. Good news for Americans! Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy is located in Upstate New York, and you don’t have run through a train barrier to catch the last express; when you’re ready, the entrance comes to you!

2. Get ready for your quarter-life crisis

That’s right, you heard me. Brakebills College. If you thought you got over the initial disappointment of not receiving an owl from Hogwarts on your eleventh birthday, get ready to go through a whole new quarter-life crisis, because Brakebills accepts students from the age of 17 and up.

3. A whole new funny

The series brings a sense of humor to Grossman’s material that is unique and charming, and largely stems from its main character, Quentin Coldwater, being so clumsy, naive and gloriously socially inept. The writers bring an edge of comedy that can only be described as "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" meets "Doctor Who." The perfect combination of awkward and clever!

4. An edgier Harry Potter

"The Magicians" can be very dark when it wants to be. Like, really dark. Featuring a terrifying, faceless villain known only as The Beast, the show delves into deeper and darker themes than Rowling’s beloved children’s series ever could. Quentin’s love for magic is balanced precariously with the stark reality that a world with magic in it is just as dark and twisted as our mundane world.

5. Smart magic


In this grown-up world of witchcraft and wizardry, learning magic is hard and arduous and a magician’s source of power often comes from pain. The magic featured in the show is sleek and cinematic, and rather than toting around wands, Quentin and the other Brakebills magicians cast magic using spells and intricate finger movements, a style which the show creators derived from a form of dance called “tutting”, originated from 70s funk dancing, which uses the fingers and hands.

6. Strong female characters

Although Quentin plays the leading roles in the series, just as he did in the book, the show brings new life to "The Magicians" female characters, rounding out a cast that is smart, fleshed-out and interesting. Julia Wicker, Quentin’s childhood friend and long-time crush, winds up fulfilling the role of Quentin’s darker opposite, rejected from Brakebills and cast out onto the streets of New York, where she determines to learn magic anyway that she can.

7. A show that cares about mental health

Before coming to Brakebills, Quentin admits himself briefly to a mental hospital for his depression, which he struggles with for the entire season. Besides touching on how, even for a magician, depression and mental illness are very real and present conditions, the show also deals with the theme of mental health in a very genuine and earnest way.

8. All the ships!

Romance and sex abounds in the first season of "The Magicians," without all the cheesy love triangles. Featuring a cast of characters with diverse and often fluid sexualities, you’re bound to find your new OTP a few episodes into this show.

9. Great actors

The actors cast for these characters breathe new life into "The Magicians" and most of them are probably just as much of a fan of the series as the show’s viewers.

10. You can binge it

Behind on episodes? This is the perfect show to binge-watch. You can stream the first four episodes here, or simply log onto Syfy with your cable or TV provider information to binge the entire first season! Grab a bag of popcorn and clear your calendar, you’re not going to want to leave your house for a while.

11. Out of content? Try the books!

If you’re not already a fan of the books, I highly recommend picking them up before or after watching the first season! The show is distinct enough from the books, while still maintaining the trilogy’s essence, that you’ll enjoy an unique and pleasurable experience from both.

Whether you’re a fan of the books, are just looking for the next big thing, you’ll find that "The Magicians" is not only a fantastic TV adaptation, but the funniest, most thrilling and uplifting series to grace television in the past year.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

62076
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

40562
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

961338
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

207669
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments