The Magicians
Season 2 Episode 4: “The Flying Forest”
Directed by Carol Banker
Written by David Reed
Created by Sera Gamble & John McNamara
Based on the novel by Lev Grossman
Starring Jason Ralph, Stella Maeve, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Hale Appleman, Arjun Gupta, Summer Bishil, Rick Worthy, Jade Tailor
Syfy
Air Date: Wednesday, February 15th, 2017, 9:00pm

Last week on The Magicians, it was the showcase showdown for the Beast (Charles Mesure) and Reynard (Mackenzie Astin), and everything got totally messed up… except for one super heroic sacrifice by Alice (Olivia Taylor Dudley). Marina (Kacey Rohl), Julia (Stella Maeve), and the Beast got Reynard right where they wanted him, but then Penny (Arjun Gupta) swooped in and stole the beast (and Julia by accident). Marina was left alone with Reynard, and he literally chewed her up and spit her out. Back in Fillory, Ember (Dominic Burgess) took a dump in the wellspring, and the gang fought the Beast. Alice let herself be consumed so she could kill him, and Quentin (Jason Ralph) had to release his fire demon on her to prevent her from destroying Eliot and Margo (Hale Appleman, Summer Bishil).

Spoilers below.

The Magicians 2.4 “The Flying Forest” review: Quentin has had 5 surgeries and needs to recover, so Margo and Eliot return to rule. The kingdom has big problems – the biggest being the befouling of the wellspring. Margo is being serious. Eliot is being ironic and miserable.

“Since when are you Fillory Clinton?” Good one. She has an idea for an Eliot loophole and leaves.

Julia finds Kady (Jade Tailor) in a hovel. She cleans her up because she needs her help (of course she does). She freeze dried Marina, who left a message which Kady recognizes as a Brakebills library book. Julia gets the book out of the library with BFF magic, but Margo and her have words. Not for nothing, but I have to side with Margo on this one. Julia is reckless and it leads her to sacrifice everyone for whatever goal she has. They (Kady and Julia) bring back Marina (really sad moment), and she tells Julia that she can send Reynard back to where he was.

Dean Fogg is having trouble casting. It’s the crap in the wellspring – it’s affecting Earth magic too.

Penny appears at Brakebills after his crazy hands made him travel to bunches of places… some without oxygen. He runs into Margo who fills him in on the whole thing, so he runs away.

Eliot’s wife loves the sex, but Margo interrupts with the materials to make another Eliot. I won’t be able to take it. The clone is as exquisite as he is. They transfer his consciousness and Eliot gets to go home, where he finds that Todd has usurped him. He meets Javier, and just as they get down to it, his consciousness volleys back and forth between Brakebills and Fillory. He ends up having sex in 2 worlds.

Penny shows up and mucks up his “sorry” with Quentin. Oh, and the “hospital” can’t help him with his hands. He comes back later and begs him to chop them off with an ax after they try to kill him. Quentin almost can’t go through with it, until Penny just goes off with the insults. I wanted to chop his hands off and I love him.

Quentin practices archery and tells Penny they will hunt and catch the White lady for Penny’s hands and to bring Alice back to life. They go to the “flying forest.” The trees don’t fly. They do. They are very very high and forget everything. When they emerge, the boys have a sincere grieving moment and band together. This is the way I like them – with Penny less douchey and Quentin less shaky.

They do catch the White Lady (she’s cool), who easily gives Penny back his hands. Quentin can’t have Alice back. She still wants to fulfill a wish for him, so he wishes to go home. “Home” is in the regular world. Did he totally quit magic? How long do you think that’s going to last?

Um… Quentin? You couldn’t ask for a clean wellspring or Fillory restored or something?

Although not as crazy exciting like last week, this was a lick wounds, regrouping episode. Although a piece of the team is missing in Alice, I am pleased that it wasn’t so easy to magic Alice back to life (and Marina too – it was more poignant that she only came back to life for a few moments).

The most surprising part about this episode (and unusually and pleasantly so) is that I have NO idea what will happen next. That never happens to me.

The Magicians airs Wednesday nights at 9:00pm ET on SyFy.

Video

THE MAGICIANS | Season 2, Episode 4: Sneak Peek | Syfy

Now that Alice is gone, Eliot and Margo have to figure out their next steps as High King and Queen. And it’s not going to be easy with Fillory in the shape that it’s in. Wednesdays at 9/8c on Syfy.