This article contains mention of sexual assault and violence.
The MagiciansTV show is one of the best television adaptations of a fantasy book series. For the most part, I’ve always been a fan of the changes the show has made to the original story.When the show deviates from the novels and adds new elements, they almost always serve a purpose,increasing my enjoyment of the narrative and helping me learn more about the characters' motivations. However, this doesn’t mean thatThe Magiciansisn’t capable of making a misstep, especially when it comes to handling more sensitive topics that the story’s themes and plots explore.
The Magicians TV show surpasses the bookwhen it comes to character dynamics, but there are plenty of ways that the series fails its characters as well. As an adult fantasy series,The Magicianstackles serious topics throughout its run, which serve as a clear reflection of real-world issues. From the beginning,The Magicianstells its characters and the audience that magic can’t solve the world’s problems. However, when it comes to some of the book’s issues,I wishThe Magicianscut certain scenes that hurt the charactersand stunned the audience.
The show could have left out this devastating moment
InThe Magiciansseason 1 finale, Julia’s character is sexually assaulted, and the portrayal of the scene is more graphic than anything else in the series up to that point. This moment hugely impacts Julia and her character’s choices moving forward, but it always struck me as needlessly gratuitous and unsettling. While there is a place for discussions about sexual violence and the stories of survivors in media,it should be handled with more delicacy than the wayThe Magiciansapproaches it. Julia is a hugely important character, and this scene isn’t fair to her or the audience.
All five seasons ofThe Magicianshave their strengths and weaknesses, butportraying such a violent moment in season 1 is one of the series' low points.As season 1 progresses, the show becomes more violent and less episodic, placing an increasing focus on the overarching narrative. However, this doesn’t change how shocking Julia’s assault is. It feels as though it comes out of nowhere. It’s likely thatThe Magiciansdecided to incorporate this into the show because it’s in the books. However, even the source material doesn’t treat this Julia scene with the care it requires.
Neither Version Of The Magicians Handles Julia’s Rape Scene Well
The show makes the same mistakes as the books
The way the show characterizes Julia’s assault is disappointing, as the books also faced criticism for how the assault was described. I hoped that the series would take a different approach or cut this moment entirely.Julia already faces lots of hardships and is up against overwhelming oddsthroughoutThe Magiciansseason 1. I felt for her throughout the episodes. Quentin leaves her behind for Brakebills and doesn’t look back even though she’s struggling. After everything Julia goes through, she doesn’t deserve such a painful conclusion to the season.
ThroughoutThe Magician King, flashbacks explain Julia’s backstory, but this is woven into the show’s storyline instead.
InThe Magiciansbooks, Julia’s story is barely in the first installment.The reveal of what happens to her with the Free Trader Beowulf group comes much later. ThroughoutThe Magician King, flashbacks explain Julia’s backstory, but this is woven into the show’s first season instead. While it centers Julia’s character as a foil to Quentin, that the series doesn’t alter what Reynard the Fox does to her is an injustice.The Magician Kingportrays this moment graphically, and the TV adaptation does the same. Then it makes the mistake of turning her into a villain.
The Magicians' Highest-Rated Episode Confirms The Best Part Of The Show
Though there are many great episodes of The Magicians, the highest-rated of the series shows what audiences care about in the plot and stories.
The Magicians TV Show Should Have Gone Another Route With Julia’s Character
Her character arc following her attack doesn’t represent the character Julia could be
Every villain inThe Magiciansserves a purpose and is an interesting addition to the story, but painting Julia as an antagonist following her assault isn’t fair. There were other ways to further Julia’s development that could have driven her to team up with the Beast other than getting revenge on Reynard. Since she becomes antagonistic and single-minded in her goals after her assault,The Magiciansis implicitly perpetuating harmful beliefs about survivors. The rest of the characters are turned against Julia even though she has experienced something traumatic.
Julia was one of my favorite characters from the beginning of the show,and before this scene,The Magicianshad elevated her character in exciting ways. It would have been more interesting and compelling to see Julia take on a more villainous arc because of how Quentin had been treating her or because of her experiences with the Hedge witches. Additionally,The Magicianscould have included the assault but used it as a way to grapple with how the world had failed Julia and how she would decide to make up her own mind about magic.
The Magicians
Cast
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.
