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| Would YOU look at the size of that thing?! |
Turning a book into a TV series has a unique set of
challenges. Instead of deciding what to
leave out of a 400-page book, the dilemma becomes what to add in to the fill
the spaces created by stretching a book out to fit even a 13-episode
season. Or perhaps, what and how much to
change to keep the book's spirit alive and please the true fans while still
giving them something interesting to look forward to. This week's episode of The Magicians continued
what was started last week with regards to the additional stories not in the
book, but its final scene hints at what could be a pretty huge variation from
the first book's timeline.
The place slows down a bit this week, as Quentin comes to
terms with shocking news about his father and how it affects their strained
relationship. Through this turmoil
Quentin finds a sense of urgency—and an even deeper connection to magic—that he
never realized he had. Meanwhile, Penny
learns a new way to control his own newly discovered powers, finding himself in
a mysterious place that feels strangely familiar, which leads to a discovery
that could no less than change the course of the series.
For all of the new information and discoveries in this
episode, fans of the book should be delighted to finally get to see something
from the books they may not have expected: the game of Venters. While not as visually impressive as, say,
Quidditch, the chess-inspired game seemed difficult to not only pull off in a
visual medium, but make interesting and engaging to watch. The Magicians pulls this off with the
usual aplomb and attention to detail with a fantastically well-done scene of
Venters combat. The only complaint is
that the scene was too short. Hopefully
the viewers get to experience more Venters in the episodes to come.
While not strictly speaking the most exciting episode of the
season thus far, The Magicians delivered its most deeply personal
episode so far. Each new episode adds
more interesting depth to this fascinating universe, and watching the universe
get bigger while also growing more intimate has been a treat. As the show begins to veer away from the book's
narrative and find its own interesting and unique voice it only appears to be
getting better. Hopefully this promising
series keeps the momentum going and continues to deliver more great episodes.
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Score
-Mike Stec