Prime Video is dwelling to a number of the largest fantasy hits previously few years, providing contemporary and subversive takes on the genres. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy expands upon J.R.R. Tolkien‘s iconic novels, whereas The Legend of Vox Machina affords chaos and comedy in equal measure. Among the best fantasy reveals within the streamer’s library is The Magicianswith all 5 seasons being accessible to observe. Based mostly on a trilogy of novels by Les Grossman, The Magicians tells the story of Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph), a graduate scholar who discovers he has magical skills and enrolls at Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy. It then proceeds to interrupt, subvert, or flat out ignore each main fantasy trope…and it is all the higher for that call.
‘The Magicians’ Excels When Tearing Down Fantasy Tropes
At first look, The Magicians looks like a hodgepodge of various fantasy books. Quentin going to a college that trains magicians seems like a extra adult-skewing model of the Harry Potter books; likewise, his discovery that the magical land of Fillory, which he grew up studying about, is actual brings The Chronicles of Narnia to thoughts. The Magicians takes a unique path by exhibiting how these situations would actually play out. Brakebills is the furthest factor from Hogwarts that you can think of; the scholars are coping with their very own hangups, and the academics desire to throw them into the deep finish reasonably than do any precise instructing. As for Fillory, it is no dream land however a realm filled with gods and monsters; ruling it proves to be a problem.
The largest factor that stands out about The Magicians is how magic’s depicted. Whereas most fantasy worlds have a complete system devoted to magic, The Magicians portrays magic as akin to a drug. When Quentin’s good friend Julia (Stella Maeve) fails to get into Brakebills, she resorts to determined measures to be taught magic — ultimately working with a bunch of ‘hedge witches’ who coerce her into doing their bidding in order that she will be taught magic from them. The whole relationship is akin to a drug seller continually supplying a buyer with product, and the top outcome is identical: Julia finally ends up wrecking her friendship with Quentin and even going to rehab. You would not see that taking place to Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, which helps The Magicians stand out from the pack.
Characters Go Via Intense Modifications Throughout ‘The Magicians’
Along with breaking down the fantasy style’s partitions, The Magicians would additionally see its solid of characters radically develop all through the collection. Get together animals Margo (Summer season Bishil) and Eliot (Hale Appleman) wound up turning into rulers in Fillory, studying duty and, in Margo’s case, delivering unholy wrath upon their enemies. Overachiever Alice (Olivia Taylor Dudley) struggled together with her personal feelings, even briefly remodeling right into a godlike being referred to as a Niffin and coping with the aftermath of that call when she crashed again right down to Earth. Penny (Arjun Gupta) grew from Quentin’s rival to his ally, and learns that he is a Traveler — a strong magician who can teleport to completely different worlds.
It is Quentin who has the largest adjustments. At first, he comes off as the same old magical prodigy, however ultimately grows into an grownup. He places his life on the road time and again to assist his pals. He falls in love with Eliot, leading to a number of the collection’ largest romantic second. The largest second includes Quentin sacrificing his life in Season 4, which threw followers for a loop — particularly contemplating that Quentin is the primary character of The Magicians novels. Government producer Sera Gamble even stated that she needed to name Lev Grossman to debate the transfer.
“…we referred to as Lev Grossman and we stated, ‘We have now this concept, what do you concentrate on killing Quentin?’ It was a really lengthy pause, after which he stated he thought it was a extremely nice and intriguing and wealthy thought, and he began pitching concepts for the opposite characters primarily based on what would occur. So we realized that we had been onto one thing.”
The Magicians wasn’t keen to take a seat round and play it protected. It pushed boundaries all through its five-season runleading to a fantasy collection in contrast to another, and that makes it an ideal match for Prime Video’s fantasy slate.