The Magicians (2015–2020) — Complete Series Review
Quippy Title: You’re a Wizard, Quentin! Unfortunately, Magic Comes With Depression, Trauma, and a Whole Lot of Bad Decisions.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, today we’re tackling something a little different. A fantasy television series that essentially takes the idea of discovering magic, attending a secret magical university, and traveling to another world, then asks a rather interesting question.
What if magic didn’t automatically make your life better?
Because that’s basically the premise of The Magicians, a Syfy series based on Lev Grossman’s novels that ran for five seasons and 65 episodes.
And if you’re expecting something along the lines of Harry Potter, where discovering magic is the beginning of a wonderful adventure, allow me to correct that assumption immediately.
These characters have depression, addictions, relationship problems, identity crises, and enough emotional baggage to fill an entire airport.
Oh, and occasionally they have to prevent the apocalypse.
You know, typical college responsibilities.
What makes The Magicians interesting is that it doesn’t necessarily treat magic as the solution to everyone’s problems. Sometimes magic actually makes those problems considerably worse.
But does that darker approach make for a compelling television series across five seasons? Or does the show eventually become so consumed by its own mythology that it loses sight of what made it interesting?
Let’s discuss.
Let’s start by showing y’all the trailers, shall we?
Non-Spoiler Plot Overview
The series follows Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph), a young man who has spent much of his life obsessed with a fantasy book series called Fillory and Further.
Quentin isn’t exactly happy with his ordinary life. He’s struggling with his mental health, feels disconnected from the people around him, and frequently retreats into fantasy as a way of escaping reality.
However, everything changes when he discovers Brakebills University, a secret institution where students learn to practice actual magic.
Yes, magic is real.
And unfortunately for Quentin, discovering that magic exists doesn’t suddenly fix everything wrong with his life.
At Brakebills, Quentin meets a group of students with their own personalities, ambitions, insecurities, and emotional problems.
Meanwhile, his childhood friend Julia Wicker (Stella Maeve) discovers that magic exists but is denied admission to Brakebills, forcing her to pursue magical knowledge through considerably more dangerous methods.
Eventually, the characters discover that Fillory, the fictional world Quentin has adored since childhood, is also real.
However, the actual Fillory is far more dangerous and morally complicated than the magical paradise described in the books.
What follows is an increasingly elaborate adventure involving magical creatures, gods, alternate timelines, political conflicts, secret organizations, and threats capable of destroying entire worlds.
And somewhere in the middle of all this, these people are still trying to figure out their personal lives.
Good luck with that.
Character Rundown
Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph)
Quentin begins as the closest thing the series has to a traditional fantasy protagonist. He’s fascinated by magic, obsessed with Fillory, and convinced that discovering a magical world might finally give his life some meaning.
However, what makes him different from the usual chosen-one hero is that he’s frequently insecure, emotionally overwhelmed, and not always particularly good at handling the responsibilities placed upon him.
His depression is an important part of his characterization, although the show also explores how his tendency to romanticize fantasy can prevent him from appreciating the world around him.
Quentin is not always likable, and that’s worth acknowledging. He makes selfish decisions, struggles with relationships, and occasionally becomes frustratingly indecisive.
But those flaws are also central to what the series is attempting to explore.
Julia Wicker (Stella Maeve)
Julia has one of the more interesting starting points in the series.
While Quentin gets accepted into Brakebills, Julia is rejected, despite having considerable magical potential.
Rather than abandoning magic, she pursues it through underground magical communities.
Her storyline explores obsession, exclusion, trauma, and the lengths someone might go to when they’re denied access to something they desperately want.
Julia also undergoes some of the most dramatic transformations throughout the series.
However, her story contains some extremely disturbing material, and the show’s handling of that subject matter deserves serious scrutiny.
Alice Quinn (Olivia Taylor Dudley)
Alice is an exceptionally talented magician whose intelligence and magical abilities often exceed those of her classmates.
But being talented doesn’t necessarily mean being emotionally stable.
Alice struggles with relationships, grief, ambition, and the consequences of using powerful magic.
She’s an interesting character because her intelligence can sometimes become an obstacle. She knows a great deal about magic but doesn’t always know how to handle the emotional consequences of her decisions.
Eliot Waugh (Hale Appleman)
Eliot is one of the show’s most distinctive personalities.
He’s sarcastic, theatrical, extravagant, and seemingly determined to treat every situation as an opportunity for another drink or an inappropriate joke.
But underneath that personality is someone dealing with loneliness, addiction, and considerable emotional pain.
What makes Eliot interesting is that his humor often functions as a defense mechanism.
And as the series progresses, he becomes much more than the flamboyant comic-relief character he initially appears to be.
Margo Hanson (Summer Bishil)
Margo is outspoken, aggressive, sarcastic, and absolutely unwilling to tolerate nonsense.
She’s also one of the characters whose development becomes increasingly important as the series progresses.
Her relationship with Eliot is particularly noteworthy because their friendship remains one of the emotional foundations of the show.
Margo’s confidence can sometimes cross into arrogance, but her determination and loyalty give her considerably more depth than her initial characterization might suggest.
William ‘Penny’ Adiyodi (Arjun Gupta)
Penny is a talented magician with the ability to travel between locations and worlds.
He’s sarcastic, confrontational, and often seems perpetually irritated by everyone around him.
Honestly, considering some of the decisions these characters make, I can’t entirely blame him.
Penny’s abilities make him essential to several major storylines, although the show’s increasingly complicated mythology also creates some unusual developments for his character.
Kady Orloff-Diaz (Jade Tailor)
Kady is a tough, independent magician whose storyline frequently explores addiction, loss, and the struggles of people operating outside established magical institutions.
Her connection to hedge witches gives the series an opportunity to examine the divide between privileged magical education and people forced to learn magic through less conventional methods.
Dean Henry Fogg (Rick Worthy)
The head of Brakebills is one of those authority figures who clearly knows considerably more than he’s willing to tell his students.
He’s intelligent, secretive, morally complicated, and occasionally so frustrating that you wonder whether anyone at this university has considered hiring a different administrator.
Then again, considering what happens at Brakebills, finding someone willing to take the job might be difficult.
Pacing / Episode Flow
One of the biggest challenges facing The Magicians is maintaining a consistent narrative across five seasons.
The first season focuses heavily on introducing Brakebills, establishing the magical system, and exploring the characters’ personal problems.
As the show progresses, the scope expands considerably.
Suddenly, we’re dealing with magical kingdoms, political power struggles, gods, alternate realities, and threats that extend far beyond the university.
That expansion gives the writers opportunities to explore imaginative concepts, but it also creates the danger of overwhelming the audience with too many simultaneous storylines.
The show frequently balances comedy, tragedy, fantasy adventure, and psychological drama.
Sometimes those different elements complement one another beautifully.
Other times, the tonal shifts can feel rather abrupt.
One moment, the characters are making sarcastic jokes about magical nonsense. The next, they’re dealing with something genuinely traumatic.
The series also has a habit of introducing new supernatural rules and complications, which can make its mythology increasingly difficult to follow.
However, the willingness to experiment with storytelling is also one of its distinguishing characteristics.
Pros
1. A genuinely different approach to fantasy
The Magicians takes familiar fantasy concepts and approaches them from a more cynical, adult perspective.
Discovering magic doesn’t make the characters special in a way that automatically solves their problems.
In fact, magical abilities often introduce entirely new problems.
2. The ensemble cast
The series benefits from having characters with very different personalities.
Quentin’s insecurity, Julia’s determination, Alice’s intelligence, Eliot’s theatrical personality, and Margo’s confidence create plenty of opportunities for interpersonal conflict.
The friendships can be just as important as the magical adventures.
3. Eliot and Margo’s friendship
Their relationship provides some of the show’s strongest emotional material.
They insult each other, support each other, argue, and occasionally behave like two people who have absolutely no business being responsible for an entire kingdom.
But beneath the humor is genuine affection.
4. The creativity of the magical world
Brakebills, Fillory, the Neitherlands, and the various supernatural organizations give the show plenty of opportunities to explore unusual concepts.
The magical system also feels more complicated than simply waving a wand and shouting a spell.
5. Willingness to tackle difficult subjects
The series explores depression, addiction, grief, trauma, identity, and the consequences of unhealthy relationships.
Not every storyline handles these subjects equally well, but the ambition is certainly there.
6. Unexpected humor
For a show with so much dark material, The Magicians can be surprisingly funny.
The characters frequently respond to extraordinary supernatural situations with sarcasm, irritation, or complete disbelief.
Sometimes that humor helps make the world feel more human.
Cons
1. The mythology becomes increasingly complicated
As the seasons progress, the show introduces more supernatural rules, organizations, alternate realities, and magical complications.
There’s a difference between having a richly developed fantasy world and creating a mythology that occasionally feels like it requires a flowchart.
The Magicians sometimes approaches that second category.
2. The tonal shifts can be jarring
The series moves between comedy and extremely disturbing subject matter.
While that contrast can be effective, it also risks undermining the emotional impact of certain storylines.
Not every traumatic development needs to be followed by a sarcastic joke.
3. Some characters can be frustrating
The characters are deliberately flawed, which is understandable.
However, there are occasions when their selfishness, poor communication, and impulsive decisions risk becoming repetitive.
Being a complicated character doesn’t automatically make every decision interesting.
4. The handling of trauma deserves scrutiny
The show includes sexual violence and other disturbing experiences.
These storylines can contribute to meaningful character development, but they also raise questions about whether the writing consistently gives traumatic events the sensitivity and consequences they deserve.
5. The expanding scope sometimes weakens the original premise
The idea of attending a secret university for magic is compelling.
However, the series eventually moves so far beyond Brakebills that the original academic setting becomes considerably less central.
That evolution is understandable, but viewers particularly interested in the magical-school premise may find themselves missing it.
6. Not every storyline receives equal attention
With such a large ensemble and increasingly elaborate mythology, certain characters and conflicts inevitably receive less development than others.
Some developments also depend heavily on the audience accepting new supernatural explanations.
Final Thoughts
The Magicians is an ambitious fantasy series that takes a familiar premise and attempts to examine it through a more adult, psychologically complicated perspective.
Instead of presenting magic as the ultimate escape from ordinary life, the show repeatedly suggests that extraordinary abilities don’t eliminate ordinary human problems.
You can travel between worlds, perform elaborate spells, and encounter gods, but none of that automatically makes you emotionally healthy or capable of maintaining a relationship.
And I think that’s an interesting foundation for a fantasy series.
However, ambition and execution aren’t always the same thing.
The expanding mythology, uneven tonal shifts, and occasionally frustrating character decisions create legitimate weaknesses.
What ultimately distinguishes The Magicians is its willingness to make fantasy uncomfortable.
Its characters aren’t necessarily destined to become great heroes simply because they possess magical abilities.
They’re imperfect people who have to confront their mistakes, their relationships, and the consequences of their decisions.
And sometimes those consequences are considerably more frightening than any magical monster.
Rating
Provisional Rating: 8/10
A creative, dark, and emotionally ambitious fantasy series with memorable characters and an imaginative supernatural world, although its increasingly complicated mythology and uneven handling of certain storylines prevent it from being an entirely consistent experience.
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⚠️ SPOILER WARNING ⚠️
We’re now discussing major character deaths, supernatural revelations, the endings of individual seasons, and the series finale.
Content warning: The Magicians contains graphic violence, sexual violence, suicide-related themes, depression, addiction, and other disturbing material.
Proceed with caution.
Spoilers
The Beast and the Truth About Fillory
One of the show’s earliest major revelations involves the true nature of Fillory.
Quentin has spent years imagining this world as a magical paradise inspired by his favorite childhood books.
However, the real Fillory is considerably darker.
The Beast, eventually revealed to be Martin Chatwin, represents the corruption lurking beneath the fantasy Quentin has romanticized.
Rather than discovering the wonderful childhood adventure he expected, Quentin finds a world filled with violence, exploitation, and dangerous magical forces.
Thematically, this is one of the most important developments in the series.
Fantasy isn’t necessarily a refuge from reality.
Sometimes fantasy has horrors of its own.
Julia’s Trauma and Transformation
Julia’s journey becomes considerably darker following her experiences with Reynard the Fox.
Her assault and the resulting trauma have lasting consequences for her character.
Eventually, Julia’s storyline develops into a much larger exploration of magical power and divinity.
Her transformation into a goddess is one of the series’ most dramatic developments.
However, it’s important to distinguish between a character gaining power and a character recovering from trauma.
Those aren’t necessarily the same thing.
The Loss of Magic
The second season ends with magic being shut off, creating a major crisis for the characters.
Season three then revolves around a quest to restore it.
This is an interesting narrative decision because it forces characters who have become dependent on magic to confront what happens when that power disappears.
It also expands the series beyond its original university setting.
The Alternate Timelines
One of the more complicated aspects of The Magicians involves alternate timelines and different versions of familiar characters.
The series establishes that the characters’ adventures have unfolded through multiple attempts to change disastrous outcomes.
Penny’s storyline becomes particularly complicated, especially with the introduction of Penny-23, a version of him from another timeline.
This allows the writers to explore different possibilities, but it also raises questions about character identity and emotional continuity.
When a character dies and another version appears, is the audience supposed to treat them as the same person?
Not necessarily.
And that’s an important distinction.
Quentin’s Death
Perhaps the biggest turning point in the entire series occurs at the end of season four.
Quentin sacrifices himself while helping defeat the Monster and its sister, ultimately dying in the process.
The show then presents an emotional farewell as his friends gather around a campfire and sing Take On Me.
It’s a memorable sequence, particularly because it allows the surviving characters to express their grief.
However, Quentin’s death also raises a difficult question because of his established history with depression.
The series addresses this directly when Quentin wonders whether his final act was genuinely heroic or whether part of him wanted to die.
That ambiguity makes the scene emotionally complicated.
It also places considerable responsibility on the writing to distinguish self-sacrifice from suicidal desire.
Quentin’s death fundamentally changes the series because the character who initially introduced the audience to this magical world is no longer part of it.
Season Five Without Quentin
The final season explores how the surviving characters respond to Quentin’s death.
Alice, Eliot, Julia, and the others experience grief in different ways.
Rather than simply replacing Quentin with another central protagonist, the series places greater emphasis on the ensemble.
This is an interesting creative decision, although losing the original lead inevitably changes the show’s identity.
Meanwhile, the characters must confront new magical disasters and threats involving Fillory.
The Destruction of Fillory
One of the most dramatic developments in the series finale is the decision to destroy Fillory itself.
The characters must evacuate its inhabitants before bringing the world to an end.
Considering how important Fillory has been throughout the series, this is an enormous narrative decision.
The fantasy world that Quentin once dreamed of visiting is ultimately destroyed.
But the story doesn’t end there.
Using the World Seed, the characters create a new world where Fillory’s inhabitants can begin again.
It’s an ending built around the idea that losing something important doesn’t necessarily mean losing the possibility of a future.
The Final Moments
The series concludes with the characters separated but continuing their lives.
Margo, Alice, Josh, and Fen find themselves in the newly created world, while others remain elsewhere.
Julia and Penny continue searching for their missing friends.
Eliot begins moving forward with his life, including accepting a teaching position at Brakebills.
And Margo is recognized as the ruler of the new Fillory.
The ending is relatively hopeful, particularly considering how dark the series has been.
However, it also leaves certain relationships and future adventures unresolved.
The characters have survived extraordinary circumstances, but their lives aren’t suddenly perfect.
And perhaps that’s the most appropriate conclusion for a show built around the idea that magic cannot solve every problem.
The Magicians begins with Quentin desperately searching for a magical world that will make him happy. It ends with his friends learning that the future is something they have to build for themselves.
And that’s a rather fitting way to bring the story full circle.
