Summary
WhileThe MagiciansTV show took several liberties with the books, one big character dynamic change was so much better than the books.The Magicianswas beloved by audiences, even those who haven’t read the books, and it devastated fans when the show was canceled after five seasons. On one hand, keepingThe Magiciansto a trim five seasonsensured that the storytelling remained strong and gripping to the end. On the other,audiences weren’t ready to say goodbye to the series.
That reason for that was down toThe Magicians' cast of characters, which was and still is one of the most interesting and complex put on TV. With a true ensemble cast, it can be hard to provide equal time and development to each character; at least one or two always seem to get the short end of the stick. ButThe Magiciansmanaged the delicate balance of maintaining forward plot momentum while giving ample time to build each character up. With that, the relationship between two characters, in particular, was all the deeper for it.
1 Crucial Thing Made The Magicians Different (& Smarter) Than Every Other Fantasy Show
Magic is treated differently–and far darker and more dangerous–in The Magicians, and it’s what sets it apart from other fantasy TV shows.
Quentin & Eliot’s Dynamic Is Way More Interesting In The Magicians Show Than The Books
They Got To Spend A Life Together
While all the characters have incredible arcs – truly,some of the best collective ensemble evolutions in modern television– one of the greatest character relationships and dynamics is between Quentin and Eliot. While Quentin is a little aloof at first inThe MagiciansTV show, in the books, he’s pretty much immediately obsessed with Eliot. The pair initially have a mentor-mentee dynamic in the TV series, with the debonair, debauched, detached Eliot takingThe Magicians' nerdy, anxious Quentinunder his wing and introducing him to Brakebills.
Over time, however, their dynamic starts to change and even out so that they become genuine friends and equals, and, in one alternate timeline episode, the quiet loves of each other’s lives, living together until they are old men. That episode was titled “Life in a Day.” In the series,there was always queer subtext between Eliot and Quentin.Especially obvious was Eliot’s repressed feelings for Quentin, but “Life in a Day” made that subtext the text, period. That wasn’t the only episode that showcased their bond, but it was the most memorable. It was richer, deeper, and more complex than in the books.
How Quentin & Eliot’s Relationship Is Different In The Magicians TV Show
The Book & TV Show Each Have Their Unique Strengths
Even author Lev Grossman agrees. In a recentRedditAMA, he commented on some of the changes the show made to the books,revealing that he approved of every single change made.WithThe MagiciansTV show adaptation, he was able to explore story threads he didn’t get to in the books. As he explained, “Because of the nature of TV, they had a lot more room to let the stories sprawl, and follow up leads that I didn’t have room for in the books. Like Quentin’s relationship with Eliot, which they were able to take a lot further than I did, as in ‘Life in a Day.'”
That’s not to say the book doesn’t explore their dynamics and their friendship. They become like brothers in the books, but the show is able to do more, as Grossman said.It also adds a layer to their relationship that is hard to picture in the booksthanks to the visual medium of television, and both Hale Appleman (Eliot) and Jason Ralph (Quentin) bring subtlety and life to an often very complex, fraught swirl of feelings between them. For those who loved the show, it’s well worth going back and readingThe Magiciansbooks, simply to see how the dynamic between Quentin and Eliot develops in a different, but still wonderful, way.
The Magicians
The Magicians follows a group of young adults who enroll at Brakebills University, a secretive institution devoted to teaching magic. As they engage in an unconventional education in spellcasting, they realize that a childhood fantasy world is indeed real and presents a significant threat to humanity.
