Summary
Being aGame of Thronesfan was both exciting and frustrating, and there’s no doubt thatthe series finale is considered one of the worst. Viewers felt the last episode was rushed and that it offered up lackluster character resolutions, andit was hard not to feel disappointed after becoming invested in the eight-season fantasy epic. The prequelHouse of the Dragonhas gotten mixed reactions, but since fans love the world that George R.R. created, it’s hard not to be hopeful that each season will improve.
Whilelooking for a TV show to binge watch, it’s great to find a show with a lot of seasons, andthere’s one underrated fantasy series that fans should check out. As it turns out, it has a better Rotten Tomatoes score thanGame of Thrones.
The Magicians Has A 91% Tomatoes Score (Compared To Game Of Thrones’s 89%) And Was Great For Five Seasons
The Magiciansis an underrated fantasy series that deserves more attention.While of courseGame of Thronesis still a beloved series that pop culture fans andGeorge R.R. Martin’s readerstalk about all the time,The Magicianshas a higher Rotten Tomatoes rating than the HBO fantasy epic. WhileGame of Throneshas an 89% rating,The Magicianshas 91%. That is especially impressive considering that it’s not discussed as much as it should be.
Based on the trilogy by Lev Grossman,The Magiciansaired on Syfy from 2015 to 2020. The story follows grad student Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph) whose life changes when he becomes interested in magic andbegins attending Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy. Other stand-out characters include Quentin’s good friend Eliot Waugh (Hale Applebaum), Quentin’s harsh but kind roommate William “Penny” Adiyodi (Arjun Gupta).,
smart magician Alice Quinn (Olivia Taylor Dudley), and Quentin’s pal Julia Wicker (Stella Maeve) who he has known since forever.
SinceThe Magiciansonly ran for five seasons, compared toGame of Throneswhich had eight,it didn’t get the chance to become a worse show and disappoint fans. EventheGame of Thronesshowrunners talked about the negative reaction to the series finalein a fascinating 2024 interview. Viewers considerThe Magiciansto be a strong and well-crafted show thatbalances the main characters' compelling relationships with one another while showing plenty of fun and entertaining magic.
Why Was The Magicians Cancelled?
Sadly, inMarch 2020, Syfy cancelledThe Magicians.Although no official reason was given, executive producer John McNamara toldTV Insiderthat the showrunners were never certain that the show would be renewed each year. McNamara said:
“It played out kind of the way it’s played out almost every season. With the exception of Season 4 into Season 5, we never knew whether or not we’re going to get picked up.”
McNamara also toldTV LinethatThe Magiciansseason 5 finale worked well as a series finale. He explained:
“we reluctantly just decided, ‘Well at least we have this season finale that was crafted to also be a series finale.’ It was kind of always going to pull double duty.”
Fans appreciate the unique tone ofThe Magicians, and several have discussed this fantasy series onReddit. One fan wrote:
“I love that show. It’s not going to be for everyone. It’s campy and silly but also tackles really dark material.”
Several fans compare the show toBuffy the Vampire Slayer, and fans are definitely hopeful thatthe upcomingBuffyrebootwill capture the spirit of the original. IfBuffyfans are looking for a similar show about good vs. evil and learning about parts of the universe that haven’t been explored by many people,The Magiciansis a good bet. Redditor @nightpop shared thatThe Magiciansreminds them ofBuffyand wrote:
“I love it. It’s got real Buffy energy. A bit campy and melodramatic, sometimes silly (Buffy-style musical ep?) but super entertaining. I love the pacing - they really fly through plotlines, and it keeps things feeling fun and exciting.”
Redditor @frankstaturle posted that the tone and strong character development are two reasons why the series is so enjoyable to watch. Likethe best fantasy shows on Netflix,The Magiciansfully immerses viewers in an intense and gripping world where nothing is as it seems and anything seems possible. The fan wrote,“It’s dark, witty, magical with solid world-building and a bit of high fantasy.”
Where Can You Watch The Magicians?
The Magicianscan be streamed for free on The CW, and full seasons can also be purchased on AppleTV. Since there are five seasons, it’s the perfect show to binge-watch.
While of courseGame of Thronesis always a great fantasy series to binge, it can be hard not to feel frustrated with the final season.The Magiciansis so satisfying because the writers were able to finish the story they way that they wanted to.
