The Magicians
Season 2 Episode 5: “Cheat Day”
Directed by Joshua Butler
Written by Mike Moore
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 22nd, 2017, 9:00pm

Last week on The Magicians, Margo helped Eliot (Summer Bishil, Hale Appleman) make a clone so his consciousness could go back to Brakebills. He ended up having sex in 2 worlds. Q and Penny (Jason Ralph, Arjun Gupta) hunted and caught the White Lady, after getting high and almost forgetting themselves in the Flying Forest. Q asked for Alice (Olivia Taylor Dudley) to be resurrected, but that could not happen, So he then asked to go home. Penny asked for hands – granted.

Spoilers below.

The Magicians 2.5 “Cheat Day” review: Penny warps back to the arctic to see Mayakovsky. His hands don’t work anymore, and he’s looking for help. He has to help in exchange, and of course… he’s in. The hands are duds, but he can still travel. He wants it all fixed though. He tells Penny he cannot get out of this exile. He used to sleep with students (that’ll do it). His strategy for when magic disappears is to store it.

Quentin is at a 9-5, and just as out of place as he is everywhere else. Someone invites him to lunch. She gave up magic too. “Do you want to tell me?” He doesn’t really, but he does instinctively do magic to clean her blouse and she’s pissed. She comes around though. They go out and she asks after Alice.

Q: Alice is dead.”

She declares it cheat day. Turns out, she slept with Mayakovsky and misses him. She turns into Alice for him. They both change and are there for each other. She wants to do it again, but he’s like, “Nah.”

Julia and Kady (Stella Maeve, Jade Tailor) are doing research, looking for strange energy, when Julia vomits. Oh no. She’s pregnant with an evil baby. They want to find a magic abortion. “Right now, it’s just a clump of cells,” reasons Kady. She opts for a real one. She’s nervous, so Kady shares her abortion story. “You’re not alone. I’m your best bitch, remember?” The nurse pretends Julia does not have an appointment, but the doctor lets her through. Uh-oh. Run! The doctor tries to start the procedure, but kills herself instead. Kady says they will find another way. I don’t know about that.

Eliot’s wife is pregnant too. He toasts to “our violently attractive progeny.” Eliot is pretending to be happy. He tells his wife about his bad dad. And then there’s an assassination attempt. “Lesson learned.” Margo saves him. They are both horrified by the snobbery and viciousness of the court. Bayler (the killer) wants to kill every child of Earth – he’s part of Fillory United. He’s a Foo Fighter, which Margo find hilarious. “If we execute him, he’s a martyr.” Eliot says it’s his responsibility. First he asks Bayler (Rhys Ward) how the Foo Fighters would fix Fillory. Margo: “Get over yourself, Ned Stark.” LOVE Margo! Wifey Fen (Brittany Curran) is an ex-Foo Fighter. What?!?! I don’t know. I think Eliot will be a better father than he thinks he will. And I think Margo is going to be super pissed when she finds out Fen’s deal.

Q sees a wan Alice across the street mouth, “Help me,” before she disappears. This moment is going to be terrifyingly fun to explore.

I mentioned last week that I had no idea what was coming next, and boy, was I right. The episode was bananas and felt like 5 minutes. Julia finally got into a mess she cannot get herself out of. I know Kady is in her corner, but will the rest of them help? I feel like Reynard (Mackenzie Astin) is not somebody the two of them can face alone.

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

Videos

THE MAGICIANS | Season 2, Episode 5: Sneak Peek | Syfy

Penny is running out of options as to what to do about his hands. One of those options? Give up magic, just like Quentin.

THE MAGICIANS | Inside the Magicians: Season 2, Episode 5 | Syfy

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