Warning: This article contains spoilers from the series finale ofThe Magicians.
The Magicianswent out with a bangliterally.
After some time passed without any word from the missing foursome, Eliot and Kady took meaningful steps forward.
Credit: James Dittiger/SYFY
After keeping people at arm’s length, Eliot was finally ready to open himself up to a relationship.
“And that’s how I know it’s our story,” said Alice.
Just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean the story is truly over for the characters.
James Dittiger/SYFY
What made season 5 the right time to tackle that plot point?
The big one is, we also have to blow up an entire planet.
It actually had both qualities to it.
James Dittiger/SYFY
I love the fact that it ends on thisfor usunusually optimistic note.
I think that should be the first clue that this is the end of the series.
What were the most challenging beats to figure out?
We asked ourselves repeatedly, “Where was Alice in episode 1?
Where was she in episode 6 of season 1?”
We had her a bit handicapped for the big piece of magic she has to do.
We did a version of that for each of [the characters].
What went into writing that last exchange and figuring the final line of the series?
It felt more intimate and a little cheekier and about the peopleandThe Magicianshas always been about the people.
Did you guys start thinking about what season 6 could look like if you managed to get another season?
MCNAMARA:I’ll let you in the vault.
We have a document that may someday be available on eBay that is the arc of season 6.
MCNAMARA:I remember the first time David Reed pitchedthe befouling of the wellspring.
GAMBLE:We did that one, though.
And I just remember saying, “We’ve crossed a bridge here.
This is a safe place to have really insane ideas.”
We probably would’ve gotten there if the show went on 15 seasons.
But there’s a lot of really crazy creatures in [Lev Grossman’s] books.
There’s a giant demon who’s stark naked with big dangling balls.
We frequently would pitch that demon in episodes and then he would fall back out again.
MCNAMARA:I still can’t believe though that I got shot down in the musical episode.
Originally, Santa comes in earlier to rescue them.
He is confronted by a Golem and has a Captain Kirk-style knife fight in the hallway and he dies.
That didn’t even make it to lunch.
Looking back on the series, what line, scene, or moment are you most proud of?
MCNAMARA:It was a line in the pilot that got cut.
I can’t remember why it was cut.
We quickly realized nothing was too far, nothing was too much, nothing was too vulgar.
Her spirit animal is a c—."
And I really missed that line.
I was so glad we found a way to put it in.
GAMBLE:I’m going to be slightly cheesy and sincere in answering the question.
An example of that, for me, is Julia’s story over the course of the series.
It’s like in season 1 of the show, she’s brutally assaulted.
I think that’s true of [our approach to] all of the [characters].
The Magiciansseasons 1 through 4 are available to stream on Netflix.
