The Magicians

I can't believe they're cancelling this show right as I found it and binged it on Netflix. There will never be enough of Eliot and Margo. Somebody ovary up and pick this show up. Please.

I will just start by saying that this is nothing like the book (which I like) and it is done in an excellent way. They basically just took the names and two or three basic ideas, but that's it. Even the Main Character has a different background and skills.

The premise is that there is an unhappy boy who wants something and finds a magic school. Sounds a bit... used. But:

1) Magic is a tool that the show uses, not a goal in and of itself.

2) The show focuses on many characters instead of just one and it develops their personalities and interactions, independently from the Main Character.

3) The pacing is really good of the show. They cover surprising amounts of subjects in one episode - this is not a show where they will make you wait for the finale for something exciting.

4) What they do is dangerous and people get hurt. Also, magic takes a lot of effort - you don't just say a word and wave a wand.

5) They curse and do not get always get along, and they smoke, sure, but they don't make a big deal out of it. It's not a prude show, but it's not a Spartacus/GoT show (blood & tits) either.

6) The first season has 13 episodes and SyFy has already renewed it for another season. So you won't just start a show, just to see that they cancel it at the end of the first season.

I'd personally recommend it if you are into fantasy. It's not exceptional, but it is good and it got me hooked up and wondering what will happen next. This is why between the first and the third episode, the 18-34 audience has actually been growing.

I just finished season 5 and I'm so sad there is not another season or at least a spinoff. A new network like Netflix or Hulu or YouTube need to pick it up! I need more magician's to get through quarantine!

At the beginning of Season 1 everything in this show is really weird and artificial. The characters felt gimmicky and that got more pronounced when you'd realize they're suppose to be playing teenagers. The plot also feels rushed, you feel there is more content between the lines that you can't really read. Things get more interesting when the main antagonist shows up and from there things start to look a bit better. What really kept me with this show are the characters (despite the acting) because there are no good/bad guys. I mean, there are villans and heroes but even while they're doing good all the characters seem a bit bored, like they're doing it because they think it's proper, not because they feel it's right. In that way they seem more inline with modern culture that always wants excitement but can never get satisfaction out of anything. As this series is progressing through seasons it's getting better and better. The plots are craaaaazy, Alice in Wonderland level crazy, and characters keep growing with the story and changing which is surprising because I never would have guessed it from season 1. Highly recommend watching it if you like something different and out there

I've seen reviews online that rate this show badly solely because it's not Harry Potter. I am a fan of HP too but this is not that kind of magician story, so keep an open mind.

This is Harry Potter for adults. Yes, it's a genre that's been done. But it hasn't been done like this. I read the first book in the series and my dislike for the characters kept me from reading the rest of the series. The good news: the show characters are more likeable... but not entirely. The Magicians embraces cliches. It's very aware of what it is. Harry Potter, meets Narnia, meets The Hangover. Yes, F-bombs are dropped like popcorn. It's laugh out loud funny(seriously, the one liners will make you cry) with a fantastical plot that draws you in and keeps you hooked. Bonus if you're into mythology.