The beloved fantasy TV showMerlinhas been a blueprint for magical series and worlds since it premiered in 2008, but its true replacement on television might surprise you.Merlinquickly made a name for itself by reinventing Arthurian legendsand bringing the audience on adventures of both Merlin’s and Arthur’s coming of age, and this inspired countless other shows to follow suit.
WhileMerlinis afantasy TV show from the 2000s that holds up perfectly, its spiritual successor came out only a few years after it ended in the 2010s. It’s common for series within the genre to draw their stories from books, folktales, and classic myths and legends, but this can easily grow repetitive. Fortunately,both TV shows find a way to make their stories fresh.
The Magicians Embraces Fantasy Tropes While Also Subverting Them
The Magicians Is A Flawless Tribute To The Fantasy Genre
LikeMerlin, the five-season-long fantasy seriesThe Magicianshas a lot of lore and genre work behind it, but that never stops either project from feeling unique within the narrative space.Based on the book series by Lev Grossman,The Magiciansis set against the backdrop of a magic school, which could easily be derivative of the works that came before it.
However,The Magiciansnever contents itself to stand still or do what the audience expects, allowing it to age so well and feel brilliantly unique compared to similar works. The series is in conversation with some of the most famous parts of the fantasy genre, but it takes these elements and uses them to create a new world that audiences will appreciate.
The Magiciansis still underrated ten years later, making it the perfect show to dive into today, because there are so many other fans discovering it. LikeMerlin,The Magicianstakes on a coming-of-age narrative,giving its characters room to be flawed and make mistakes while discovering the most magical corners of the well-built world.
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Both Merlin & The Magicians Have The Perfect Blend Of Humor & Darkness
Both Shows Find A Tonal Balance That Will Appeal To All Viewers
Tone is a difficult aspect of any TV show to get right, and it can be especially difficult for a fantasy show, since the stakes are so high and the tensions between characters have world-ending consequences. This means that series likeMerlinandThe Magiciansmust work hard to find comedy and lightnesswithin these intense storylines, and it’s all the more impressive when they do.
The narratives focus on the characters and how they grow from these situations.
Merlin’s devastating ending to the fantasy showis one of the most memorable parts of the series, andThe Magiciansfollowed this example of taking some dark turns with the story. However, in both cases, there’s always a sliver of hope and humor inside the most heartbreaking moments because the narratives focus on the characters and how they grow from these situations.
As much as the audience is enthralled by watching the characters navigate the more serious aspects of the story, it’s refreshing to see series likeMerlinandThe Magiciansexplore contemporary humor as well. Even though there are moments when each show comes off as a little dated, this has become nostalgic with time and makes it fun to revisit these series year after year.
Merlin
Cast
Merlin is a 2008 fantasy television series following the formative years of the legendary wizard Merlin, portrayed by Colin Morgan. Set in Camelot, it explores Merlin’s early friendship with Prince Arthur, played by Bradley James, amid a kingdom where magic is banned.
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.
