S01.E05: Mendings, Major and Minor

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Although everyone should be training for the upcoming Welter's Tournament, the students are each dealing with a personal distraction that keeps them from staying focused.

Edited February 9, 2016 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Clip:

[KaleyFirefly]

Julia, ugh. I hate her. Glad someone finally gave her a little smack of reality. She was all demanding and obnoxious, like "Gimme magic NOW. I deserve it." And mean to everyone. Then that hedge witch guy (forgot his name) offers to take her on a trip to learn more magic, and she refuses because "I love my boyfriend" -- the boyfriend she has been continually lying to and now is cheating on. So I thought it was great when the hedge witches gave her boyfriend amnesia. Best thing to happen to him.

 

I liked the scene where Quentin shows his father the magic. I didn't like that Alice didn't apologize to Quentin for nearly getting him killed with her Charlie obsession.

 

The only story I'm really interested in right now is Penny's. I want to see more of Fillory and learn more about the mysterious moth-face man.

[Philbert]

 

 

Julia, ugh. I hate her. Glad someone finally gave her a little smack of reality. She was all demanding and obnoxious, like "Gimme magic NOW. I deserve it." And mean to everyone.

 

I can't say that I hate her but that's probably down to the casting of an attractive and charismatic actress in this admittedly hard to like role. She's self entitled, arrogant, convinced of her own superiority and just down right spoiled rotten. Quentin by contrast is at least trying to come to terms with his limitations. Julia is just...really, really frustrating and I really hope they take this character somewhere worth having to sit through these various temper tantrums.

[blugirlami21]

I hated this episode. Julia continues to be the whiny, self-absorbed, twit she's always been. Am I really supposed to believe that knowing about magic for a couple of months is her whole life? There's nothing worth doing if she doesn't have access to it? She has deserved everything that has happened to her. I hope that they will give her amnesia next.

Quentin got on my nerves in this episode as well. I hate how apologetic he is. Alice should have apologized but Quentin was really no different than she had been. Magic is not a fix for all your problems. Don't you think that if cancer could be cured by magic that it would be? I thought he was so arrogant to act like he was the first person to have problems that magic couldn't make all better.

Penny is the only one who didn't get on my nerves. It's too bad his mentor is such a debbie downer. I really want him to excel at his gift.

[GaT]

The sound on this show is making it near impossible to watch. I can hardly understand what anyone is saying & it's really getting on my nerves.

[snuffles]

I thoroughly enjoyed the "B" plot where Margo and Penny were competing against each other for the cool mentor. They had some funny lines and looks.

The rest of the plots ran from mildly boring Penny and the transporting, super boring Quentin and Alice and excruciatingly annoying Julia.

I wish they would stop glamorizing smoking, drinking, drugs and sex. Also, enough already with the cussing. Why does every character have to have a potty mouth? Used sparingly, the profanity can drive home a point. The way the writers use it makes the characters seem trashy.

I guess we finally found out what makes Quentin the extra special snowflake among so many snowflakes. Of the beast is from Fillory. What a surprise, said no viewer.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

QUENTIN KILLED CANCER PUPPY!

 

Seriously, I know the real puppy is still alive in reality, but as soon as Quentin decided to "cure" the puppy, I was like DUDE, DO NOT FUCK AROUND WITH CANCER PUPPY. That may have been the cutest, tiniest puppy I have seen on my tv in years.

 

Oh, Julia. Willing to prostitute yourself to get info about a magical safehouse? Those hedge witches did your boyfriend a favor by wiping you from his memory. And hey, now she has no reason not to leave New York and run off to wherever that guy said had even cooler magic.

 

I know it was mean of Dean Fogg to tell Quentin he was going to kill Julia, but I laughed when he revealed that he was just joking.

 

I was really expecting something grander (like the Tri Wizard Tournament) but what this week's competition made me realize is that we really don't know very much about what they're learning at Brakebills. I'm not saying I want to watch class after class, but at least in Harry Potter we were told what they were learning about or what courses they were taking. I have no idea what Quentin and the other first year students have learned since the school year started.

 

I'm glad that Quentin, like Caroline on The Vampire Diaries, was told that if there were some magical/supernatural way to cure cancer, it would probably be known by now. While I understand Quentin's desire to use his new magical abilities to rid his father of cancer, it seems incredibly naive of him to think that of all the people throughout history who have done magic, none of them had ever considered using magic to cure it. But I do understand his desperation. It's what causes other people to try juice fasts and other alternative cures for various illnesses.

 

I appreciated that Quentin's dad was trying to make peace with him and tell him it was okay to do card tricks instead of finance if that's what made him happy. It sucks that it took imminent death to get him to do it, but better late than never. Loved Quentin later showing him that he's a magician!

 

 

 

I wish they would stop glamorizing smoking, drinking, drugs and sex. Also, enough already with the cussing. Why does every character have to have a potty mouth? Used sparingly, the profanity can drive home a point. The way the writers use it makes the characters seem trashy.

I don't think they're glamorizing it as much as they're giving a more truthful depiction of 20 something students who are living together in what are essentially glorified coed dorms. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Hogwarts was an extremely sanitized version of 16 year old students (which I understand since the Harry Potter books were for children, but if you can find one high school in the entire world where NO ONE is drinking alcohol, having sex, smoking, or swearing, I'd be shocked) so at least The Magicians has a more honest depiction of what 20 year olds are like. When I was that age, everyone was doing at least one of the above, if not all of the above. Communal living in a house seems to increase the likelihood of at least one of those taking place. To be fair, I can only recall two couples having sex so far. Penny and Kady's magical sex could be seen as glamorized, but Julia having sex in her kitchen in exchange for information was anything but glamorized in my opinion.

 

I'm assuming that Alice's aunt Genji will have a bigger role to play because that seemed way too minor for Denise Crosby.

 

And fun to see Blue Fairy as a teacher at Brakebills!

Edited February 16, 2016 by ElectricBoogaloo

[patchwork]

I liked the board game, it looks like a good way to test yourself and your magical creativity. It's almost a shame that Quentin's snowflakeness reared up and ended the game for everyone.

 

Penny's storyline is starting to be interesting.

 

Julia, Julia, Julia I could empathise with her actions/motivations in previous eps but in this one she was just an entitled bitch.   

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Mr. EB's reaction to Quentin ending the boardgame was yelling, "Ten points to Gryffindor!"

[Lemur]

I liked the board game, it looks like a good way to test yourself and your magical creativity. It's almost a shame that Quentin's snowflakeness reared up and ended the game for everyone.

 

Penny's storyline is starting to be interesting.

 

Julia, Julia, Julia I could empathise with her actions/motivations in previous eps but in this one she was just an entitled bitch.   

 

Quentin didn't end the game, he won it.  He swept everything else off the board. 

 

Agree on Penny's storyline and Julia. 

 

I wish they would stop glamorizing smoking, drinking, drugs and sex. Also, enough already with the cussing. Why does every character have to have a potty mouth? Used sparingly, the profanity can drive home a point. The way the writers use it makes the characters seem trashy.

 

Oh dear.  Totally disagree.  But then again, I have a total gutter mouth and was pretty much obsessed with three of the four of these at 22.  In reality, these characters are actually quite close to a lot of the hipsters I ran into this weekend out at the bar, so it doesn't seem trashy to me at all, but rather authentic.

[Trisan]

The pacing was all over the place in this one... but I truly liked it nevertheless.

 

I don't think they're glamorizing it as much as they're giving a more truthful depiction of 20 something students who are living together in what are essentially glorified coed dorms. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Hogwarts was an extremely sanitized version of 16 year old students (which I understand since the Harry Potter books were for children, but if you can find one high school in the entire world where NO ONE is drinking alcohol, having sex, smoking, or swearing, I'd be shocked) so at least The Magicians has a more honest depiction of what 20 year olds are like.

 

 

This !

 

Personally, I'm really enjoying that the show doesnt shy away from what real 20-s yo are. Of  course, they are drinking, smoking, having sex and stuff, and it adds quite a lot more credibilty to the characters...

As well as making them more relatable... I mean, I wouldnt feel "close" to sanitized angelic young adults, so I'm glad the show's taking that road !

Edited February 16, 2016 by Trisan

[gaby4ever25]

Does it bother anyone else that the actress playing Julia look like she's sleepy all the time? I keep waiting for her to fall asleep mid scene. At first I thought it was an acting choice but then I watched a few interviews and she looks the same.

I understood Quentin trying to cure his dad with magic. Yes it was naive, but who wouldn't at least try. The ending scene with his dad was wonderful.

[Philbert]

 

I understood Quentin trying to cure his dad with magic. Yes it was naive, but who wouldn't at least try. The ending scene with his dad was wonderful.

 

 

Quentin is still a bit whiney but his heart is clearly in the right place. He's still in his early 20's. I wouldn't expect a fully formed human being at that point. He's been progressing steadily since the first episode I think, with a few stops and starts along the way.

 

Julia though....Yeesh. Grow up already.

[iMonrey]

Quentin, Julia, Alice and Penny are all such Debbie Downers that it brings the whole feel of the show down. It all feels rather depressing. These people are learning magic and all they do is mope and bitch and moan about how horrible and sad their lives are. The show has a really dark feel to it. They could stand to do a few lighter episodes and lift the mood a bit. I don't know why Cady would even want to sleep with Penny, he always looks like he wants to beat the crap out of everybody.

 

Also, there was no follow-up on what happened with Cady regarding Marina and the hedge witches. Presumably they know she double crossed them, were there any repercussions from that? Or don't they know?

[Philbert]

 

Then that hedge witch guy (forgot his name) offers to take her on a trip to learn more magic, and she refuses because "I love my boyfriend" -- the boyfriend she has been continually lying to and now is cheating on. So I thought it was great when the hedge witches gave her boyfriend amnesia. Best thing to happen to him.

 

Pete, I believe and yeah I feel kind of sorry for the guy, although I shouldn't. He's an adult and he should know what he's getting into with a hot mess like Julia. Of course I think he does which is why I kind of feel sorry for him. At least he had the good sense to tell her off.

[TiffanyNichelle]

Also, there was no follow-up on what happened with Cady regarding Marina and the hedge witches. Presumably they know she double crossed them, were there any repercussions from that? Or don't they know?

Every episode feels like they cut out two or three crucial scenes. I missed the first two minutes of the show and came in when the Dean was trying to lure Alice back to school. I was so confused.

 

While I feel bad for Julia's boyfriend getting mindwiped (though that seems to be standard procedure in the magic world- "I don't want to explain anything so I'll fuck with your mind.") I think it was better for him than having Julia drag him into her quest for more magic knowledge. I just could not see him handling the news of magic and all the lengths Julia is willing to go in order to gain more. I could also see her then resenting him for holding her back.

[stillshimpy]

Personally, I'm really enjoying that the show doesnt shy away from what real 20-s yo are. Of  course, they are drinking, smoking, having sex and stuff, and it adds quite a lot more credibilty to the characters...

As well as making them more relatable... I mean, I wouldnt feel "close" to sanitized angelic young adults, so I'm glad the show's taking that road !

 

Yeah, I like that we're not dealing with some idealized form of not-quite-adult characters.  If brain development truly is finally finished at 25 then these characters pretty much are late adolescents.  I like that they have all the flaws attendant to that, after all, we've all been through some of them.  It's not the most charming age for most people.  

 

Although, Pete and Marina deciding to handout mindwipes and purporting it to be for James's own good?  Well, I guess through the act of hate, one really does become what they claim to hate.  After all, if they're so ticked at Brakebills for their misuse of power and dictating who's allowed to know what, perhaps they need a solid introduction to a mirror.  They just removed a significant, loving relationship from a guy's mind?  That's a violation on an epic scale and it's also playing god. 

 

Truly, Julia is engaging in some behaviors that are self-destructive and would have likely destroyed her relationship, but James is a person with his own ability to make his own choices and his own rights.  Trying to wield magic like a cudgel and as if they know best is really inappropriate and an abuse of power.  

 

Admittedly, Julia deciding to have sex with Pete in exchange for information was a violation of her relationship with James, but if they were going to break up (and it look like they were) then ....oh well.  People have failed relationships.  We learn from them.  They aren't saving him from anything other than being in control of his own destiny. 

 

I'm personally digging Elliot and Maro together, they crack me up as the terrible attitude twosome.  I'm kind of glad that Quentin freed that poor puppy from whatever form of magical animal testing they had been putting him through for 100 years.  Jeez, there are worse things than death. 

 

So the girl in the dungeon in Fillory, I wonder if she's meant to be Kady's sister and that's why Marina said Kady "couldn't" talk, suggesting that she's there for a reason and she seemingly hooked up with Penny for a reason.  

 

Nice job by the show of making me care about Quentin's dad almost immediately.  The resolution with the model plane actually made me tear-up.  But you know, I think any parent around can tell you:  You watch another card trick, you know?  Doesn't matter if you're bored half to death.  You know the world's most boring board game is, in my opinion, Jr. Monopoly.   The number of times my husband and I played it with my son (who is my husband's stepson, but he's known him since he was 7) would truly boggle the mind.  Eventually -- thank the sweet lords of mercy -- he outgrew, but most parents find the patience to wait for their kids to outgrow something rather than being unable to watch another magic trick. 

 

I liked the pay off but they biffed that setup a little bit.  I wish they'd had Quentin's dad refer to the millions of card tricks he watched, always waiting for Quentin to outgrow them....but he never did....etc. etc.   

 

Nice emotional undercurrents going here though.  I enjoyed them.  As for everyone being so unhappy....eh...yeah, that has an uncomfortable level of verisimilitude to it.   People only ever live their own reality.  I did like that Quentin was actually simply ticked off at Julia and wondering what was going to be done to her as punishment, because again, it was human.  Sure, maybe that wouldn't have happened if Quentin had just told the Dean "Hey, I saw Julia, and she knows about this place...the mindwipe didn't work..." ....but she nearly killed him, regardless of whether or not she was trying to, so I get not being overly prone to declaring bygones at this stage. 

 

Poor Pete.  I oddly felt sorry for him too, he's just some smitten guy.  

 

Still think the girl in the dungeon will turn out to have a connection to Kady or maybe even Marina though.  Penny is super gorgeous, but there's something going on in that storyline that I can't quite figure out. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by stillshimpy

[Lemur]

 

Although, Pete and Marina deciding to handout mindwipes and purporting it to be for James's own good?  Well, I guess through the act of hate, one really does become what they claim to hate.  After all, if they're so ticked at Brakebills for their misuse of power and dictating who's allowed to know what, perhaps they need a solid introduction to a mirror.  They just removed a significant, loving relationship from a guy's mind?  That's a violation on an epic scale and it's also playing god.

 

Truly, Julia is engaging in some behaviors that are self-destructive and would have likely destroyed her relationship, but James is a person with his own ability to make his own choices and his own rights.  Trying to wield magic like a cudgel and as if they know best is really inappropriate and an abuse of power.

 

Juxtapose that with Dean Fogg's speech to Quentin about the nature of magic in the aftermath of Cancer Puppy incident.  All ties up so neatly with his speech about hedge witches in the beginning.  They could have concentrated on these two storylines and ditched the B, C and D stories entirely.

[grandemocha]

So..Julia = junkie? 

[Terrafamilia]

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Hogwarts was an extremely sanitized version of 16 year old students (which I understand since the Harry Potter books were for children, but if you can find one high school in the entire world where NO ONE is drinking alcohol, having sex, smoking, or swearing, I'd be shocked)

They did all that stuff in Slytherin.

[stillshimpy]

So..Julia = junkie?

 

I can't quite figure out if that's the parallel they are trying to draw or not, because for Julia to be a junkie, then magic would have to be the drug.  There's a ton of magic users/magicians in this story who clearly aren't all strung out on magic.  So magic isn't the drug, but maybe power is? 

 

So I don't think it's a junkie parallel precisely (or shouldn't be) , but Julia is clearly engaging in self-destructive and even debasing behaviors in trying to find access to magic.  I think the parallel is Julia = Marina.  

 

Marina did some shit that was just not okay in trying to get that book out of Brakebills because her magical knowledge was taken away.  I mean, I was personally horrified beyond the telling of it that she was just fine with Quentin dying.  Here she just mindwiped a guy of a significant emotional relationship to continue punishing Julia.  Not for even one single fucking second do I think she had the right to do that even if it could on any level be argued "It will be safer for him"  ....because they don't get to determine that for other people, or shouldn't.  That's a very personal violation of James too who did nothing to deserve it other than being in  someone's way.  Sure, Pete tried to justify it, but pretty clearly Pete has his own motivations for thinking anything that gets James out of the picture is okay by Pete. 

 

But yeah, it's a heinous thing to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind someone without their consent on the matter.  

 

Also....an entire class went missing?  Wha....?  Three years ago, an entire Brakebills class just went missing??  And there's evidence that they maybe in Fillory (Victory chained up in a dungeon in Fillory suggests that's where at least one of that missing class landed)? 

 

Is Dean Fogg trying to use Quentin to recover his missing students?  

 

Dean Fogg's speech to Quentin seemed to be about recognizing the limitations of magic and Julia seems to have lost all sense of appropriate boundaries for the use of magic within a life. 

 

But I confess, I am just  not sure what parallels they are drawing.  

Edited February 16, 2016 by stillshimpy

[Terrafamilia]

I must say, I was quite taken with the knot in the dean's tie. Does anyone know the name of it?

[iMonrey]

 

Every episode feels like they cut out two or three crucial scenes. I missed the first two minutes of the show and came in when the Dean was trying to lure Alice back to school. I was so confused.

 

I feel the same way. It's a Canadian show, right? And since they have to bleep the F-word I'm guessing it originally airs there. Maybe it's an hour long without commercials and they have to cut it down to fit 42 minutes on the SyFy channel. That would explain a lot.

 

I'm not sure how I feel about the way magic is performed on this show. The weird hand gestures are inventive, but it also looks like they're often brewing up some kind of potion with rare ingredients, and I don't know why they'd need this stuff if they're just doing hand gestures over it. There's very little in the way of incantations aside from Quentin binding Charlie. 

[Philbert]

 

 

So..Julia = junkie?

 

That's certainly the way I'm reading it. Of course Mutant Enemy tried this magic=addiction plot line in season six of Buffy the Vampire slayer with decidedly mixed results. They ended up renouncing the whole idea in the beginning of season seven but part of that I suspect was because they introduced the metaphor halfway through season six, despite the fact that prior to that Willow's use of magic was seen more as a metaphor for abuse of power. At least here, they've introduced it early on in the first season so it makes a bit more sense. You can either view Julia as just a self entitled and rotten person to begin with (and I didn't really get that impression prior to this to be honest) or you can see her as a relatively decent person who's personality is being affected by drug addiction.

[Terrafamilia]

The whole magic = drugs may be overblown because it misses the mark. It would be more accurate to say that some characters are shown where the doing of magic becomes a "behavioral addiction".

 

I've adapted this list from the criteria for a gambling addiction. I couldn't think of a suitable adjustment for the last one though.

 

Do You Have a Magic Addiction?

 

In order to be diagnosed, an individual must have at least four of the following symptoms in a 12-month period:

 

• Needs to cast spells with increasingly showy results in order to achieve the desired excitement
•     Is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop spell-casting
•     Has made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop spell-casting
•     Is often preoccupied with spell-casting (e.g., having persistent thoughts of reliving past spell-casting experiences, or planning the next venture, thinking of ways to get spells/ingredients with which to spell-cast)
•     Often casts spells when feeling distressed (e.g., helpless, guilty, anxious, depressed)
•     After failing, even with disastrous results, in performing a spell, often returns another day to get even ("chasing" one’s losses)
•     Lies to conceal the extent of involvement with spell-casting
•     Has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job, education or career opportunity because of spell-casting
•     Relies on others to provide money to relieve desperate financial situations caused by spell-casting

[grandemocha]

 

It's a Canadian show, right?

No, it's not a Canadian show. It is filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia but it was initially created for the U.S.

Another SYFY show (Bitten) is an actual Canadian show that is filmed in Toronto, Ontario and produced as an original series for Space channel then transferred to SYFY.

[Philbert]

 

It would be more accurate to say that some characters are shown where the doing of magic becomes a "behavioral addiction".

 

 

Fair enough assessment I think. Casting magic is more behavioral than say substance abuse but it's easy to consume a substance like alcohol, which is fairly benign in small or even medium doses and not become a raving addict. I like the gambling analogy though. It fits.

[wayne67]

Julia, Julia, Julia I could empathise with her actions/motivations in previous eps but in this one she was just an entitled bitch.   

 

I think my biggest problem with Julia isn't that she's ambitious which I could theoretically get behind... It's that she's so entitled as to expect people to go out of their way to help her just because... Then she uses sex or crying or tantrums to get what she wants which is just pathetic and kind of adds to Elliots anecdote of Hedge Witch behavior. 

 

I think I lost all respect for Julia when she stole a bunch of spells from the second ranked safe house, didn't bother to teach that one guy a single spell or even give a second demonstration because from what we've seen she shows little remorse or interest for how her behavior effects anyone else. She didn't even bother sending Quentin an apology card for nearly killing him. Then after that she complains about the quality of the spells she defrauded the Hedge Witch Network and then tried blackmailing Pete while trying to claim some moral superiority or something by claiming she had a boyfriend that she loved. 

 

Honestly I'm surprised that Marina didn't show up and kick Julia's ass personally for pulling that kind of shit. Or at least come after her in order to reclaim those spells. Or maybe theft is just overlooked.

 

I did find Dean Fogg assertion that he's not the magical police funny. Such deadpan delivery. Especially the way he just assumes that Julia will just crash and burn. Which given everything he's seen isn't that much of a reach. I am confused as to why these dire consequences that he hinted about didn't manifest in regards to Marina stealing back her memories. Or has he not noticed? Or does he not care ?

Edited February 17, 2016 by wayne67

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Inside the episode:

 

Didn't Julia and James live together? That run in after his memory got wiped seemed like it should have happened the night before.

[stillshimpy]

I think last week one of the scenes with James had to do with showing Julia a listing photo for an apartment or condo and he was referring to Yale and was she still planning to live with him.   So I think they were on the cusp of moving in together.  

 

That whole "Oh James has been mindwiped!" thing is one of the plot elements I'm just trying not to think too much about, because it would cause too many problems within James's life.  Presumably his parents and friends have met Julia.  Presumably they've had their picture taken together countless times.  That's to say nothing of the number of times they would have had sex, or movies they had seen together or....I mean, he'd be Swiss Cheese, is my point.  Unless they gave him new memories, he'd be at the ER wondering what the hell was wrong him. 

 

So that's a plot element I'm just choosing to accept rather than examine, because it would never just be James they'd have to alter.  Hell, it would likely be the people in the cafe too.  

[Lemur]

That whole "Oh James has been mindwiped!" thing is one of the plot elements I'm just trying not to think too much about, because it would cause too many problems within James's life.  Presumably his parents and friends have met Julia.  Presumably they've had their picture taken together countless times.  That's to say nothing of the number of times they would have had sex, or movies they had seen together or....I mean, he'd be Swiss Cheese, is my point.  Unless they gave him new memories, he'd be at the ER wondering what the hell was wrong him.

 

I'm hoping the mind-wiped James thing is temporary.  Could just be done to screw with Julia and for Marina to flex her muscles.  Explain it away with Julia breaking up with him sort of thing.  Also, I don't really care about James so I'm not too concerned about that sub-sub-plot looking like a sieve.

 

I did find Dean Fogg assertion that he's not the magical police funny. Such deadpan delivery. Especially the way he just assumes that Julia will just crash and burn. Which given everything he's seen isn't that much of a reach. I am confused as to why these dire consequences that he hinted about didn't manifest in regards to Marina stealing back her memories. Or has he not noticed? Or does he not care ?

 

He's a bit hard to read on this one, I agree.  I think his main concern is the school followed with keeping the "Away Team" (at this point, at least Quentin and Alice, probably Eliot, Margo and Penny) at the school.  As for the dire circumstances, maybe that's to come?  On another note, are we going to see Quentin get called into his office every goddamned week for screwing something else up?  Isn't he on double-secret probation to begin with after the whole Beast episode?

 

So..Julia = junkie?

 

I'm more in the Julia = asshole school myself.  I dunno.  I swing wildly back and forth between finding her sympathetic and finding her super annoying and entitled.  Also, I occasionally find her super naïve. I'm trying to figure out if she's one of those book smart/street dumb people or if she's willfully not thinking through the consequences of her actions.  I find her highly unlikable.  I hope she becomes likable. 

[zxy556575]

Every magical character we meet is pretty much a selfish or thoughtless or ruinous dick of some kind. The only ones I slightly like are Dean Fogg and Pete.

[ZoqFotPik]

That whole "Oh James has been mindwiped!" thing is one of the plot elements I'm just trying not to think too much about, because it would cause too many problems within James's life.  Presumably his parents and friends have met Julia.  Presumably they've had their picture taken together countless times.  That's to say nothing of the number of times they would have had sex, or movies they had seen together or....I mean, he'd be Swiss Cheese, is my point.  Unless they gave him new memories, he'd be at the ER wondering what the hell was wrong him. 

I was wonder this very thing. Aren't James, Julia, and Quentin supposed to be childhood friends? Presumably they know a lot of the same people. What's going to happen when one mutual friends asks about Julia?

[WildPlum]

The "James mind wipe" thing seems more like something that Marina would have done in annoyance with Julia hanging around Pete than something Pete and the other "lesser hedge witches" would have done. And from what we have seen of mind wipes in the past, they don't work very well.

 

Maybe that was what the Dean was talking to Quentin about - yes, with magic you can do some things but other things just don't end well. James currently has no idea who Julia is, but that won't last and then things will be even more screwed up than they are now, which goes along nicely with it being something planned by Marina to screw with Julia.

 

I do like Penny's arc so far, although I'd like to see the limpet Kady removed from him, and I did like his scoffing at her about turning to thievery.

 

Also, we see why the characters have been aged up - now they are all presumably over 21, so showing drinking and sex aren't pushing any broadcast boundaries. I'd rather the producers spent more time showing actual PLOT related things than the sex and party scenes, myself, which don't add anything for me as a viewer.

[wayne67]

The "James mind wipe" thing seems more like something that Marina would have done in annoyance with Julia hanging around Pete than something Pete and the other "lesser hedge witches" would have done. And from what we have seen of mind wipes in the past, they don't work very well.

 

Personally I'm thinking Marina wiped Pete as retaliation for Julia's actions and instead of just wiping Pete's memories of everything Julia was involved in, Marina just altered his memories so there was a girl with a different face to Julia's and a different name and a different ending. So instead of remembering Julia while he watched Point Break or MI2 he remembers Sandra who was a blonde who was better endowed who got a drug habit and that he dumped for a drug addled loon. 

 

Then maybe she followed up with a cyber wipe of his phone and computer of any pictures of them together. Of course there's tonnes of loose ends but since their social circle seems fairly small it wouldn't take that much effort to alter/erase Julia out of James life and honestly he's better off without her. Also now Julia go off and pursue whatever magic she wants without having to explain it to anyone, not even her invisible parents or friends.

Edited February 17, 2016 by wayne67

[Eliza422]

This episode finally got me to head to the library to get the book to read.

 

This episode was very confusing. Since in the show they've barely explained anything about magic and how it works in this world, the competition made no sense to me at all. In fact the whole series has been that way - and mostly about mopey Quentin and desperate Julia and I don't know what.

 

I guess I don't get the point of any of it yet!

 

I do love the Elliot character a lot, and I'm intrigued by the possibilities, but the show doesn't seem to have its sea legs yet, to my noob eyes. Like it doesn't know what it wants to actually be. Throw it all at the wall and see what sticks, I guess.

 

Off to continue reading the book!

Edited February 17, 2016 by Eliza422

[zxy556575]

I'm personally inclined to believe that Marina mind-wiped James without concern for any consequences to him. He's left not knowing who the girl in the photos is, or why he has so many of them, doesn't have an answer when friends ask after Julia, is startled when he finds some stranger's possessions in his apartment, etc. He's taken to doctors and diagnosed as a selective amnesiac and ultimately left damaged, with a huge scab to pick at for the rest of his life.

[Hanahope]

I was really expecting something grander (like the Tri Wizard Tournament) but what this week's competition made me realize is that we really don't know very much about what they're learning at Brakebills. I'm not saying I want to watch class after class, but at least in Harry Potter we were told what they were learning about or what courses they were taking. I have no idea what Quentin and the other first year students have learned since the school year started.

 

 

This episode was very confusing. Since in the show they've barely explained anything about magic and how it works in this world, the competition made no sense to me at all. In fact the whole series has been that way - and mostly about mopey Quentin and desperate Julia and I don't know what.

 

Yes, I'm beginning to think I need to ditch the show and read the books because I'm not following at all what the school is teaching the kids, how its different from what the hedge witches are doing.  Certainly Quentin's 'big spell' at the competition had absolutely no impact on me because i didn't really understand what they were supposed to do in the competition.

 

Also, I don't know if its the casting or the writing, but just about all the characters are very annoying, especially the leads, Julia, Quentin and Alice.  They all come across as entitled spoiled babies.  It makes me wonder if they are portrayed the same way in the books (in which case, maybe I'll just forget the whole thing).

[wayne67]

I'm personally inclined to believe that Marina mind-wiped James without concern for any consequences to him. He's left not knowing who the girl in the photos is, or why he has so many of them, doesn't have an answer when friends ask after Julia, is startled when he finds some stranger's possessions in his apartment, etc. He's taken to doctors and diagnosed as a selective amnesiac and ultimately left damaged, with a huge scab to pick at for the rest of his life.

 

Considering the way Julia used magic to steal money from a bank, it's up to the viewer to guess whether Hedge Witches use magic to cover up the consequences/observances of their misuse of their magic or they simply don't care. The latter seems more likely but it's hard to tell at this point due to lack of info.

 

I do agree that the series still doesn't feel like it has hit its stride. It's just hit and miss as to whether an individual episode is entertaining enough to ignore the vague plot arc of the season. 

 

Even though Quentin is a tiresome sad sack I kind of wish that we had less of Julia and her obsessive magic hunt. I'd prefer they focused on Penny or Cady? Kady? stories so that we could get a break from the two major 'protagonists'.

[KaleyFirefly]

I wish they would stop glamorizing smoking, drinking, drugs and sex. 

 

Yeah, the smoking really bothers me. It's so unnecessary to show it and I hope they are not trying to glamorize it or make it seem like something "cool" people do. And I really don't want to watch sex scenes with these people either, and this is coming from someone who watches "Game of Thrones." I just think on this show, why bother with sex scenes?

 

I want to see more scenes of actual magic, or some indication of what the school is teaching them magic for. What's the ultimate purpose? Are they trying to create a group of magicians who will better the world with magic? It just seems like they are learning random spells. And the magician's quidditch, really?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

[wayne67]

Something I forgot to add last post. It was nice to get a reasoning behind Alice not being on the admittance list. Dean didn't want to cause her family any more heartache. It was good he apologized for that. 

 

Now if we only knew anything about how magic worked in this universe we'd be set. Where are the teachers for this school?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

One of the things that reminded me how little we know about what the students are learning in class is that we saw Quentin teaching himself that black hole spell using a book in the library (which makes me think it's something they weren't taught in class). So they have access to books that have spells that will create huge black holes and anyone can just try it? I'm not saying I'm in favor or censoring books but it makes me understand why Hogwarts had a restricted book section. That seems like the kind of spell that should be supervised when they're learning how to do it, similar to the invisible fire spell that Julia tried. They are both novice magicians who aren't completely in control of their power yet so practicing in a controlled environment in the presence of someone who can help if something goes wrong seems like a good idea.

Edited February 18, 2016 by ElectricBoogaloo

[wayne67]

One of the things that reminded me how little we know about what the students are learning in class is that we saw Quentin teaching himself that black hole spell using a book in the library (which makes me think it's something they weren't taught in class). So they have access to books that have spells that will create huge black holes and anyone can just try it? I'm not saying I'm in favor or censoring books but it makes me understand why Hogwarts had a restricted book section. That seems like the kind of spell that should be supervised when they're learning how to do it, similar to the invisible fire spell that Julia tried. They are both novice magicians who aren't completely in control of their power yet so practicing in a controlled environment in the presence of someone who can help if something goes wrong seems like a good idea.

 

The thing I found weird while Quentin was casting his singularity is the way the crowd reacted. Everyone minus the Dean seemed to start panicking. Older experienced magicians acting like civilians confronted with something unusual and dangerous. Noone cast a personal protection spell or a teleportation spell or tried to block it or cast a shield or anything ? The only person who actively did something was Alice who canceled the spell when it spiraled out of Quentin's control. 

 

It is amusing that Alice took the role Quentin had last time of stopping something dangerous. You'd think Magician's would have study buddies as a matter of course, people to ground them, to try and prevent them from trying random reckless spells whenever. Especially since some spells apparently require lots of energy and have the potential to kill you.

 

For a magical community they don't seem to be very well organised. They have an apparent hierarchy but don't seem to have much in the way of magical cops, lawyers or security. I really hope they flesh out the magical community, school and curriculum a little more. I don't need to see classes every episode but something that provides more context would be nice. Half the time I have no idea what I'm supposed to be taking away from some scenes because it's so open to interpretation as to leave me feeling like I'm missing something crucial. Maybe it's an editing thing ? I don't know. 

[Izeinwinter]

I'm getting the impression that magic is enormously dangerous. And Brakesbills is trying to expand and teach the known "won't kill you" spells. That is the garden path. Those spells that can be safely learned without dying or turning into something horrible. Brakebills also does not give a shit what happens to you if you step off it. They just want your notes, in particular if you survive and / or learn something new. Because young and arrogant hotheads committing suicide in droves until someone rolls a critical success on the magical research table is how new spells are discovered. This is why noone is stopping them. 

Edited February 18, 2016 by Izeinwinter

[stillshimpy]

One of the things that reminded me how little we know about what the students are learning in class is that we saw Quentin teaching himself that black hole spell using a book in the library (which makes me think it's something they weren't taught in class). So they have access to books that have spells that will create huge black holes and anyone can just try it?

 

Judging from a couple of things said by other characters, we're to take it that Quentin's emotional state at the time of casting that spell was what was making it so dangerous.  That he wasn't fully in control of it, because he was upset about this dad and the limitations of what magic can do.  

 

Truly though, they were about as clear as mud with what was going on there in that scene.   Quentin couldn't even focus enough to bring the ....l'm going to go with dice (?) up to his hand and Alice handed it to him instead.  That was somehow okay, but yeah, nothing in that whole scene made sense.  Quentin can't focus power enough to do something everyone else is doing with ease.  Then he busts out something that would essentially suck the school in after it (Memo to Fogg: Readdress Ward Concerns, STAT) ...Alice closed it and .....somehow that won?  

 

It really felt like the writer's room was having a spaghetti session with whatever it was they were trying to bring across there: Throw this out there!  Maybe it will stick.  We'll have this student cause something to grow ....and people will  react to that as if it is awesome....and we won't explain anything!  It will just be magically enigmatic.  Woo!  Then Quentin could realistically be threatening everyone's life, in a game that we told everyone was created to keep students from accidentally killing everyone around them....but in this case, we'll have everyone act like that was an okay move.  Hopefully the audience will just take to drinking sometime after the agricultural spell and won't ask any questions.  

 

What freaked me out more than the "Uh....is that....a black hole...?" was the casual way that Alice just closed that sucker with ease.  

 

So I guess that everyone having access to the world-sucking spell is okay, as long as someone on your team studied the counter-spell?   Good thing she came back to the school then, or else the missing third years would have had more company in the "Pffffftttttzzzppt.  Gone" void. 

 

Genuinely that was confounding shit and for the life of me I can't figure out how it won anything.  "Game over!"  Thank God, I can quit trying to figure out what is meant to be going on.  

Edited February 18, 2016 by stillshimpy

[wayne67]

Judging from a couple of things said by other characters, we're to take it that Quentin's emotional state at the time of casting that spell was what was making it so dangerous.  That he wasn't fully in control of it, because he was upset about this dad and the limitations of what magic can do.  

 

Genuinely that was confounding shit and for the life of me I can't figure out how it won anything.  "Game over!"  Thank God, I can quit trying to figure out what is meant to be going on.  

 

I think judging by Elliot's? reaction when he started casting that spell. I think it might be a high level dangerous spell to begin with. Or maybe it's like bringing a sledgehammer to hammer in a nail. Overkill. 

 

That said, I do completely agree that this show is super unclear about magic. I leave most episode more confused about magical rules than when I started. I can't tell if the 3 main students (Penny, Alice and Quentin) are prodigies or just straying off the garden path and being super reckless.  

[eurekagirl mOo]

Quentin didn't end the game, he won it.  He swept everything else off the board. 

 

Agree on Penny's storyline and Julia. 

 

 

 

 

Oh dear.  Totally disagree.  But then again, I have a total gutter mouth and was pretty much obsessed with three of the four of these at 22.  In reality, these characters are actually quite close to a lot of the hipsters I ran into this weekend out at the bar, so it doesn't seem trashy to me at all, but rather authentic.

They are 20 something grad students. They do have sex, they do drink,they do smoke weed. So what? At least I can understand that because that's what you DO in your 20's. You experiment. What I find unrealistic is Star Trek Voyager where they were in that space ship for 7 dam years and only 1 wedding? And one baby? Seriously???? This show is at least realistic....as a show about a magic school can be that is..And I LOVE IT>>>>>

 

I must say, I was quite taken with the knot in the dean's tie. Does anyone know the name of it?

That tie was driving me crazy! Such a cool knot. It looked like they took the "short" part and wrapped it around a regular knot and then put the ends under the collar. God I spent way to much time looking at that tie!

 

And because it can't be said enough...CANCER PUPPY.......What a cute little bundle of fluff....and I LMAO when he killed the poor thing and all you heard was the "clunk" when it keeled over....To funny.....and really if the poor thing was 150 and riddled with disease I'm thinking Quentin did the pup a favor!

 

I LOVE THIS SHOW

[DEM]

I must say, I was quite taken with the knot in the dean's tie. Does anyone know the name of it?

 

I believe it's a capsule knot.  It's not a cape knot because there's no mini-cape behind the main body of the tie.