Summary

"The Magicians" has a higher Rotten Tomatoes score (91%) than "Game of Thrones" (89%).
Fans appreciate the well-crafted characters and relationships in "The Magicians."
"The Magicians" was sadly canceled after five seasons but offers a unique and entertaining fantasy experience.

Being a Game of Thrones fan was both exciting and frustrating, and there's no doubt that the series finale is considered one of the worst. Viewers felt the last episode was rushed and that it offered up lackluster character resolutions, and it was hard not to feel disappointed after becoming invested in the eight-season fantasy epic. The prequel House of the Dragon has gotten mixed reactions, but since fans love the world that George R.R. Created, it's hard not to be hopeful that each season will improve.

While looking for a TV show to binge watch, it's great to find a show with a lot of seasons, and there's one underrated fantasy series that fans should check out. As it turns out, it has a better Rotten Tomatoes score than Game of Thrones.

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By Rachael Fiddis

The Magicians Has A 91% Tomatoes Score (Compared To Game Of Thrones's 89%) And Was Great For Five Seasons

Summer Bishil and Hale Appleman in The Magicians

The Magicians is an underrated fantasy series that deserves more attention. While of course Game of Thrones is still a beloved series that pop culture fans and George R.R. Martin's readers talk about all the time, The Magicians has a higher Rotten Tomatoes rating than the HBO fantasy epic. While Game of Thrones has an 89% rating, The Magicians has 91%. That is especially impressive considering that it's not discussed as much as it should be.

Based on the trilogy by Lev Grossman, The Magicians aired on Syfy from 2015 to 2020. The story follows grad student Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph) whose life changes when he becomes interested in magic and begins attending Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy. Other stand-out characters include Quentin's good friend Eliot Waugh (Hale Applebaum), Quentin's harsh but kind roommate William "Penny" Adiyodi (Arjun Gupta).,

smart magician Alice Quinn (Olivia Taylor Dudley), and Quentin's pal Julia Wicker (Stella Maeve) who he has known since forever.

Since The Magicians only ran for five seasons, compared to Game of Thrones which had eight, it didn't get the chance to become a worse show and disappoint fans. Even the Game of Thrones showrunners talked about the negative reaction to the series finale in a fascinating 2024 interview. Viewers consider The Magicians to be a strong and well-crafted show that balances the main characters' compelling relationships with one another while showing plenty of fun and entertaining magic.

Why Was The Magicians Cancelled?

Sadly, in March 2020, Syfy cancelled The Magicians. Although no official reason was given, executive producer John McNamara told TV Insider that the showrunners were never certain that the show would be renewed each year. McNamara said:

"It played out kind of the way it’s played out almost every season. With the exception of Season 4 into Season 5, we never knew whether or not we’re going to get picked up."

McNamara also told TV Line that The Magicians season 5 finale worked well as a series finale. He explained:

"we reluctantly just decided, ‘Well at least we have this season finale that was crafted to also be a series finale.’ It was kind of always going to pull double duty.”

Fans appreciate the unique tone of The Magicians, and several have discussed this fantasy series on Reddit. One fan wrote:

"I love that show. It’s not going to be for everyone. It’s campy and silly but also tackles really dark material."

Several fans compare the show to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and fans are definitely hopeful that the upcoming Buffy reboot will capture the spirit of the original. If Buffy fans are looking for a similar show about good vs. Evil and learning about parts of the universe that haven't been explored by many people, The Magicians is a good bet. Redditor @nightpop shared that The Magicians reminds them of Buffy and wrote:

"I love it. It's got real Buffy energy. A bit campy and melodramatic, sometimes silly (Buffy-style musical ep?) But super entertaining. I love the pacing - they really fly through plotlines, and it keeps things feeling fun and exciting."

Redditor @frankstaturle posted that the tone and strong character development are two reasons why the series is so enjoyable to watch. Like the best fantasy shows on Netflix, The Magicians fully immerses viewers in an intense and gripping world where nothing is as it seems and anything seems possible. The fan wrote, "It's dark, witty, magical with solid world-building and a bit of high fantasy."

Where Can You Watch The Magicians?

The Magicians can be streamed for free on The CW, and full seasons can also be purchased on AppleTV. Since there are five seasons, it's the perfect show to binge-watch.

While of course Game of Thrones is always a great fantasy series to binge, it can be hard not to feel frustrated with the final season. The Magicians is so satisfying because the writers were able to finish the story they way that they wanted to.

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Release Date: 2015 - 2020-00-00
Network: SyFy
Showrunner: Sera Gamble
Directors: Chris Fisher, James L. Conway, Joshua Butler, John Scott, Carol Banker, Scott Smith, Guy Norman Bee, Rebecca Johnson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Meera Menon, amanda tapping, Bill Eagles, Jan Eliasberg, Kate Woods, Shannon Kohli
Writers: John McNamara, Henry Alonso Myers, David Reed, Noga Landau, Christina Strain, Leah Fong, Alex Raiman, Elle Lipson, David Reed