The Magicians (2015)

Watchseries; So to start off I will say to you this: This series is amazing.

I am a huge Harry Potter fan, or a fantasy fan in general, and so I was really excited to hear of a series in which adolescents discover having magical powers. I expected to see a kind of rip-off from Harry Potter, but not that I really cared much about that, because I am a fan of the genre in general.

But what the show actually was like, blew me away. You expect some cliché main characters with standard personalities, some basic struggling with magic, some discovering the magical world through little quests and so on. Although it may seem at first this show gives you this, and it maybe does at first, it actually gives you so much more.

It touches so many topics, that not even relate to magic at all. They just use the magic to bind the story together. It is actually an adult show (would not advise watching it with younger children), trying to bring to you a story of a group of misfits that happen to all have magical powers. But it could have been a series without the magic as well and still be good. It's actually a very intelligent show, making a lot of references to other works of fictions. Every time you think you know what will happen, they surprise you by adding a new element to the show.

I know many people call it an adult, dark and gritty Harry Potter adaptation, and I cannot say that they are wrong. It actually is just that. But they way the story weaves everything together. I don't know, I think it's just very refreshing to see that the writers didn't restrain themselves on using real world problems and implementing these into a show that's actually about magic (not reality). It doesn't feel in any way forced and the pace of the show is really good. I have been watching this series and never had one moment thinking that it was getting boring. There are a few episodes that I just think are magnificent, but up to you to decide which are, because that's pretty subjective.

I would not say this series is a perfect 10/10. But in its genre and just for being so creative and different it is really a must to see.

The special effects AND the acting are both incredible for a series this "small". To start up a show with a very small fan base, almost from scratch and ending up with a quality product like this, from episode 1 already, gives me the feeling that this show will bloom to get even more awesome than it is already. I think season 2 is even better than season 1, so if you are having your doubts after season 1, I think it's worth a try to keep on watching and see how you feel about the second season.

All I can say is that if you're a fan of the fantasy genre and you're not easily scared by the ugly side of the magic, this is has to be on your watch list. Just don't expect it so be a sort of comedy show of a group of magicians just wizarding through the world.

So to start off I will say to you this: This series is amazing.

I am a huge Harry Potter fan, or a fantasy fan in general, and so I was really excited to hear of a series in which adolescents discover having magical powers. I expected to see a kind of rip-off from Harry Potter, but not that I really cared much about that, because I am a fan of the genre in general.

But what the show actually was like, blew me away. You expect some cliché main characters with standard personalities, some basic struggling with magic, some discovering the magical world through little quests and so on. Although it may seem at first this show gives you this, and it maybe does at first, it actually gives you so much more.

It touches so many topics, that not even relate to magic at all. They just use the magic to bind the story together. It is actually an adult show (would not advise watching it with younger children), trying to bring to you a story of a group of misfits that happen to all have magical powers. But it could have been a series without the magic as well and still be good. It's actually a very intelligent show, making a lot of references to other works of fictions. Every time you think you know what will happen, they surprise you by adding a new element to the show.

I know many people call it an adult, dark and gritty Harry Potter adaptation, and I cannot say that they are wrong. It actually is just that. But they way the story weaves everything together. I don't know, I think it's just very refreshing to see that the writers didn't restrain themselves on using real world problems and implementing these into a show that's actually about magic (not reality). It doesn't feel in any way forced and the pace of the show is really good. I have been watching this series and never had one moment thinking that it was getting boring. There are a few episodes that I just think are magnificent, but up to you to decide which are, because that's pretty subjective.

I would not say this series is a perfect 10/10. But in its genre and just for being so creative and different it is really a must to see.

The special effects AND the acting are both incredible for a series this "small". To start up a show with a very small fan base, almost from scratch and ending up with a quality product like this, from episode 1 already, gives me the feeling that this show will bloom to get even more awesome than it is already. I think season 2 is even better than season 1, so if you are having your doubts after season 1, I think it's worth a try to keep on watching and see how you feel about the second season.

All I can say is that if you're a fan of the fantasy genre and you're not easily scared by the ugly side of the magic, this is has to be on your watch list. Just don't expect it so be a sort of comedy show of a group of magicians just wizarding through the world.

The Magicians watchseries. If you've read Lev Grossman's wonderful Magicians trilogy you may find watching this series rather disorienting. The characters are all there and quite recognizable, and it's still about magic students and mysterious otherworlds, but it often feels like the series' writers cut the books into pieces, stirred those pieces in a bowl, then pulled them out and stitched the pieces together in random order, making up new stuff to fill in gaps.

That's not bad, and the world they have created works quite well, but it increasingly diverges from the books' mythology. This approach means I often find the show full of weird left turns where it shows me something familiar and then wanders off somewhere else with it, but the show is very entertaining, and it's prickly characters (awkward guy geek, ridiculously hot, short-skirted girl geek, snarky macho guy, snarky gay guy, angsty magic reject) are, if not quite likable, still fairly relatable.

The first changes from the book were relatively small. We follow Julia's story throughout the series, whereas her later reappearance in the book represented a plot twist. And while the books' Quentin did not have a Harry Potter-ish Destiny - he was just a smart guy so desperate for grand adventure that he would pursue all sorts of crazy things - comments made by supporting characters suggest that in the series, Quentin is in some way inherently Important. I feel that's a bit too obvious - the lack of destiny was one of those nice contrasts with Harry Potter - but it's fine.

Some story elements in the series are from the books, but they can come from any book in any order and are often mixed with things that aren't from the books at all. But while I'm often discombobulated by these changes, I'm rarely displeased.

Addendum: Just saw the last episode, so came back to say that this series held up throughout. Sometimes overly confusing, but overall very solid with an excellent finale.

OK I must be the only person who has read the book! Now the book is a hard read. I felt you are NOT meant to like the main character Quentin. He is a very self absorbed introvert, who in the book just walks away from his friends and leaves everything behind for his pursuit of magic.

To me he is the awful modern version of Holden Caulfield.

So this is NO Harry Potter - do not even compare. The books characters are flawed but deliberately. I felt the author wanted you not to like them.

I am not going into any detail. But the Show has taken the premise of the characters and re-written the entire thing and made something more, from shallow characters. I am really enjoying it. Don't waste your time on the book - this is one where the show outshines the pages.

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.

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.