This Underrated Fantasy Drama Is an Ultimate Watch for Every Harry Potter & Narnia Fan
It shows what would happen if Harry Potter got into Hogwarts in his twenties.
Five years after its finale, Game of Thrones is still considered the most groundbreaking fantasy series of our time, and only another brainchild of HBO, a series based on the Harry Potter universe, can compete with GoT for this title, but it is still in the early stages of development.
However, if you are tired of waiting for a new show, but want to feel something in the spirit of Hogwarts, then we have a suitable option for you. But a more explicit one.
The Magicians is Harry Potter With All The Adult Things
Let's face it: the SyFy channel has never been known for really high-quality series, so when word got out that The Magicians, an adaptation of Lev Grossman's book trilogy, was coming, no one was expecting anything special. However, from the very first season, it became clear that The Magicians was a perfect safe space for the fans who did not want to say goodbye to the world of Harry Potter.
The show's main characters are a group of twenty-year-old students who attend Brakebills University, located somewhere in New York. Like Hogwarts, Brakebills has its own faculties and disciplines, as well as a kind Headmaster who is reminiscent of Dumbledore, but not as manipulative.
The Magicians can be called Harry Potter without censorship: it contains everything that JK Rowling once chose to be silent about. Among other things, the series has plot tropes in the spirit of The Chronicles of Narnia, which makes it even more attractive to all fantasy fans.
Chronicles of Narnia Was an Inspiration for The Magicians’ Writer
Lev Grossman has repeatedly professed his love for the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. It is not surprising that this universe was embodied in his books and then skillfully transferred to the series. The local parallel world of Fillory is reminiscent of Narnia, without fantasy clichés, but with daring inhabitants and the most complex existential questions.
“It’s like Lion, Witch and The Wardrobe meets Harry Potter, but they're adults and have sex and do drugs. Why isn’t that an instant yes, please for people?” Reddit user dedokta wrote.
Despite Sharing Similarities with Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia, The Magicians Has Its Own Face
From the very first season, however, The Magicians proves that it is more than just a collection of references and allusions to popular fantasy franchises. Even within its postmodern nature, The Magicians proves to be an absolutely innovative series in many ways, tackling seemingly atypical topics for the fantasy genre, such as depression, sexual violence, post-traumatic stress disorder, and others.
Where to Stream The Magicians?
All five seasons of The Magicians are available on Prime Video and Netflix.