I discovered The Magicians a few weeks back when I was struggling to find a Tv series that could truly catch my attention. The Magicians seemed a bit cheesy but interesting enough to give the first episode a try. I sat in front of my tv the entire weekend fully captivated in the story line. Before I knew it I had completed the entire first season! The Magicians is the perfect series for any fantasy lover.. and here's why.
It all starts with what seems to be a mundane and overused plot. Magic school, a book series that turns out to be real, a magical land called Fillory, and of course a super scary bad guy. Main character: Quintin who is attractive and adorable awkward. However, The Magicians manages to twist a plot that's been used time and time again since the release of Harry Potter and make it into something new an exciting. It's a strange universe where Harry Potter, Narnia, Lord of the Rings, and even a little Buffy meet.
Somehow The Magicians is able to take all of the best aspects of your favorite fantasy series and make them feel new and relevant to an older audience. The Magicians isn't afraid to tackle social issues, touch on politics , or provide some seriously bad ass independent woman. (And you will find that this series does indeed manage to pass the Bechtel test)
The characters are diverse and interesting. The woman are strong and the men aren't afraid to show their emotions. The show features straight, gay, and even a pansexual character. The story line isn't afraid to get a little bit racy but also doesn't get lost in doing so or incorporate it outside of the actual story line.
The Magicians manages to create a world that you can easily get lost in that feels both fresh and new and distinctly nostalgic. It's bold and captivating and doesn't shy away from addressing or telling stories based around uncomfortable issues that might otherwise seem taboo to a television series of it's nature. It sells a story from which one must fight for paradise no matter how magical or ethereal and because of that feels all the more realistic.
