The Magicians is no Harry Potter or The Chronicles Of Narnia, although it shares some basic plotlines with both. But that’s not a bad thing. Yes, The Magicians is about students learning magic at a school, and within that premise is an angle about a door that leads people to a magical place. But what sets it apart is that the protagonists here are all in their 20s and hence they deal with a whole set of different emotions and problems than the children in the other two.
Based on the novels by Lev Grossman, The Magicians is very much an adult dark fantasy. In the 13-episode first season, some of the best stories are those that explore tough issues like mental health, grief, sexual assault and human relationships – all interwoven with magic and spells, of course.