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Harry Potter-esque and Game of Thrones-esque TV SHows

Updated on February 10, 2016
Shannara Chronicles
Shannara Chronicles
The Magicians
The Magicians

If you are among the millions of fans of Harry Potter and\or Game of Thrones, there are simply two new TV shows you should watch: The Shannara Chronicles and The Magicians.

Both are based on award winning books, all invoke the magic and fantasy and suspense that HP and GoT do.

The Shannara Chronicles began in January, 2016 and the first season consists of 10 episodes. It has the same elements that make Game of Thrones the epic show it is – suspense, demons, fantasy, people with powers, backstabbing. The show is on MTV, of all channels. It is based on the book by Terry Brooks called “The Sword of Shannara Triology”. It begins after the War of Races which confined demons in the Forbidding until the tree of Ellcry begins to die. When this starts to happen, the last Druid must protect the Ellcrys from dying and releasing the demons, which grow stronger with each leaf that falls. The main characters in this journey are Wil, Amberle and Eretria to protect the seed of the tree.

The series is epic for its CGI, equal to GoT. The characters quite developed and often pitted against one another. There are demons similar to those in The Hobbit, shape changers, elves, half humans and druids. In fact, Allanon is the last one with powers played by a Charleston Heston-like Manu Bennett. Wil is half human and the last of the Shannara and learning to use his magic powers via trial and error.

The show is worth checking out as a companion to Game of Thrones. Filmed in New Zealand. One reviewer state it was a “Game of Thrones for Teens and 20-somethings”. Maybe. What does it matter? It is still good entertainment! Some of the scenes are just as gruesome and bloody as those in Game of Thrones, so if you like blood, it should satisfy you. This is not a teen Twilight-like theme, though, there is some of that, it is more like a quest to prevent demons from devouring the world elfs, druids, and half-humans live in.

The Magicians IS Harry Potter for adults. It, too, is a new show based on an award winning book by the same name written by Lev Grossman. Instead of little kids going to school to learn how to use their magic skills, the young adults are doing this at a special magic college in a Narnia-esque manner. The main character is Quentin who studies at Brakebills before going to his magical land of Fillory from his favorite childhood book. Of course, the students all hone in their magic skills to battle with the Beast, who eats a student in the first episode with excellent HP CGI effects. It has already been renewed for 2017 for SyFy channel.

The show is quite good and like HP, funny at times, as students learn their craft and battle with The Beast at various times, which has ultimate power. It appeals to an older TV viewer because of the adult themes but it is very reminiscent of Harry Potter for kids, especially in the classroom settings.

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