Is anyone else watching The Magicians? I admit, I have not read the books, but the show is tempting me to!

Has it started? I meant to record it.

I am curious about it. What book series is it based on?

I played way too many years of White Wolf's Mage game.

I believe that's Lev Grossman's The Magicians as its source.

I am still on the fence. Someone described it as 'Hogwarts for adults'. While that is a bit simplistic, it does seem to capture the 'basics' pretty well. It seems to have potential, but I have seen that go wrong before <sigh>

Ghoul's right, it is Lev Grossman's... I have watched the first two episodes now, and it does look intriguing still.

So... it could be amazing or just a mess, but right now I want to know more, so I guess it is pulling me in. The big bad is intriguing, and the main protagonists are fun and flawed which I enjoy.

I was on the fence about it. Intrigued yet annoyed with the Narnia feel of the story and or other vibes. I wonder and will watch more. But they need to hook me or I will swim away.

I agree, though I like how that feeling has been just a sub plot so far.

What would you do if you found out that magic was real? If you were accepted into a school to learn how to be a magician? If the fantasy world you had always believed in was real too? If all your dreams could become true?

The price? All your nightmares, and more, are real too.

It has been on three seasons now... Does anyone else watch this series? If so, what are your thoughts?

I watched the first season and a good chunk of the second. Fell behind and waiting to watch it on netflix. I liked what I saw.

I watched season 1.
It started off slow and disjointed but once they got into the flow, I enjoyed it.

It is currently on Netflix, and Neptune, you are right. It was a little difficult to follow at first, but once you get into it, it was quite a bit of fun!

I liked the fact that the characters were not perfect, and that magic was not used as a everything-fix-it.

I started it way back when and fell out because of the rocky start. Since you guys say it gets better I will have to soldier on through and see how it goes. Thanks!

Pande, not sure about better, but it does get easier to follow... and I started really liking the characters which made a difference for me.

I hear you. I have to want to see the characters do stuff as well.

Upon urging from others, I recently binge-watched the first two seasons.

Yes it is Narnia/Potter fan-fic inspired.

Yes, it gets to be a lot of fun along the way- and really twisted.

But the characters are real feeling, and several have my sense of humor, so I am looking forward to season 3 hitting on Netflix.

Heh glad you liked it Gryph! I thought you would if you would give it a chance

Well ... it is still on 'my list' <g>

Mike, it was on my list, too, and I often got nudges asking if I had seen it yet.

haha I've been on the receiving end of those nudges before

Nivek now you have entered the discussion, you probably should prepare for more nudges!

<heh heh heh> Wheeeell ... now everyone is in trouble <chuckle>

You... all of you... consider yourself professionally nudged!

I think being professionally nudged is illegal in some states dear!

None in the US, Ken <g>

Depends upon if it is consensual nudging.

NUDGE







One of the best villains ever!

Nudge!

Starting to feel less than a nudge and more like full blown shove! <chuckle>

Duh! It's like you don't know Mina.

Of course I do <chuckle>

OK Mina ... finally got to the top of my list <g>

OK, so I =have= seen it ... at least the first season ... when it was on SyFy. I am not sure if I lost track at season 2 or 3 ... yet <wink>

Mike...ack! So watch Season 2 already!!! And Niv, I do NOT shove, I just say... please?

uh huh.

I'll get there ... while I recognized a lot, I don't want to skip over something I will regret later. As I recall, it is a complicated 'story line' <g>

Niv <tapping foot> you really should take my side... please?

Mike, it is actually fun on a rewatch that way you can catch a lot of things that were not easily noticed before

Yeah, I agree. I have rewatched many of the things I have like over the years for that very reason.

But that has a down side as well. I am more likely to notice 'things'. For example ... so there is this 'magical university' that finds and trains 'magic users' ... and they don't have =any= 'security measures' in place to 'detect', 'protect' the place, the 'things' and the populace there??? Oh come on!! <sigh>

Luckily, the characters and their interactions are interesting enough to keep me watching <wink>

They do have security. It is a primary focus of several episodes.

If so ... I have not seen it as of episode 9 in season 1 <shrug>

Non-students are smuggled in ... people break into one of the most senior teachers and walk out with a 'super important' artifact ... and so on.

Mike, what Zeim said.

It has invisibility, wards, protective enchantments- but nothing is perfect, so some bad things can happen, and does not save you from anything that is already in the school.

What ever works for you Gryph <g>

MikeD - the things you reference happened specifically because the perpetrator did something that caused the Wards to be suspended and let her in.

That was not particularly 'shown' in the show, Zeim. There wasn't a lot of "we have to do this to get in" and the like in the show <shrug>

Hmmm, if it was the episode where Q was trapped in a dream and the Hedge Witch broke in to steal back her spellbook, they explained that she trapped Q in a dream because she knew that the only way they could get him out was by summoning a specific being, and in order to do that summoning they had to drop the wards. She waited for the wards to drop to sneak in. So the whole episode was predicated on a complicated plan to get the wards dropped.

If it was a different episode <shrug> I'd have to see it again. That earlier one above I remember.

SPOILERS

The Beast getting in... the main characters did a summoning.
Charlie getting in... he got back in after the wards went down (see above).
Evil B getting in... she had an inside mole to get to Quentin, but she could not get in, personally, until the wards were down.
Possessed guy getting in... used an alumni key.
Reynard getting in... magic failed briefly.

Exactly ... apparently their security measures ... aren't very secure <shrug> You'd think they would have taken care of that <shrug>

Mike, when dealing with gods, demons, powerful magicians... things are bound to get a bit screwy. They are doing the best they can

Besides, all students signed a waiver saying the school was not responsible for their well being

Yeah, yeah, yeah <g>

I am about half way through season 2. There are some interesting 'twists' <g>

Just finished season 2. Going to look for season 3 shortly on my cable "On Demand".

Well ... fwiw ... 3 is not on NetFlix ... yet <g>

Yes, it's still on TV. Need to find it on my cable system.

It is Sy Fy if that helps <g>

OMG ... sorry ... the 'Big Musical Extravaganza' in season 2 was a bit ... over the top <sigh>

Mike... the whole show is a bit over the top!

Definitely a good show though.

.... but I love Eliot's singing voice!

<heh heh heh> Well ... it =is= a SyFy series <chuckle>

It is a SyFy series, and I am still enjoying it And... I keep trying to nudge Gryphon into running a version of it as a game. No luck so far, but...


Nudge!

Lol, while doubtful not off the table- but as I said, doubtful.

On a related note, Season 3 is only 1/2 done and they have already been renewed for Season 4!

So I do not have Cable, instead relying upon Hulu, Netflix, Go90 and the CW app. I finally broke down and purchased season 3 of The Magicians on Amazon... there are 4 episodes left in this season and I thought that I would slowly watch the season over the next month and savor it.

Two days later and I have binged and now have to wait for the final four.

And... OH MY! Season 3 is fun. At times I wonder how high the writers are, but at the same time they never fail to entertain. I love the characters, they continue to grow on me. And the Faeries... the Neither Realm Library... lots to learn in Season 3. And an eqpic quest for the One Eyed Conqueror, The Traveler, The Warrior, The Fool, The God Touched, The Tomato Lover, and the Torture Artist... Not to mention Felicia Day!!!!


Still loving this show!

I recently started reading The Magicians, the first book in the trilogy by Lev Grossman, that the show The Magicians is based on. Currently about 200 pages in.

Initial thoughts on the book- WOW! Lots of differences. I am greatly enjoying the book, but the show made some good decisions on what elements to work with.

While the book expands on certain features that the show used, there is a sense of urgency in the episodes that is, thus far, missing from the book.

Lots of intriguing ideas, but definitely a lack of urgency.

The Beast has only made one appearance so far, and that was mild- I should point out that the book starts with Quentin being accepted to Brakebills, and by page 200 Quentin and Alice only have one semester left of school (a 5 year program). So a decent amount of time has lapsed.

While I am enjoying the book, thanks to the series I know something big is coming, and that really amps my anticipation and enjoyment of what is going on so far.

The pacing of the show, right to the drama and terror of The Beast, is one of the things I think the show did quite a bit better than the book, at least so far.

If you like the show, give the book a read!

Just a note, as of today, Season 3 is on Netflix! YAY!

Season 1 EP 1
One of the best scenes...