With only 3 episodes under its belt, Syfy has renewed The Magicians for a 2nd season. The series, based on the Lev Grossman novel of the same name, follows the tale of Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph), tapped to test for Brakebill’s College for Magical Pedagogy – secret magic college! His best friend Julia (Stella Maeve) does not pass, yet finds another way into a darker magical education. In the meantime, the world of Fillory (a childhood storybook realm), is threatening his world, and the life of him and his new magic friends.

More below.

The Magicians
Season 1 Episode 2: “The Source of Magic”
Directed by Scott Smith
Written by Sera Gamble & John McNamara
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: Monday, January 25th, 2016, 9:00pm

On the last episode of The Magicians, we were introduced to Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy. They recruit some potentials to take a test, and Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph) gets in, but his best friend Julia (Stella Maeve) does not. She cuts herself so she won’t forget, but now the knowledge is destroying her. She gets magically almost sexually assaulted by another magician who lets her know that Brakebills is not the only choice out there. In the meantime, Quentin meets a few new friends, some nice and others with whom he summons a deadly Moth Beast demon. Said demon attacks a class.

Spoilers below.

The Magicians
Season 1 Episode 1: “Unauthorized Magic”
Directed by Mike Cahill
Written by Sera Gamble & John McNamara
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: Monday, January 25th, 2016, 9:00pm

One of Syfy’s most promising new shows, The Magicians, has released its 1st episode in anticipation of the television premiere of the first 2 episodes Monday night, January 25th, at 9:00pm and 10:10pm ET respectively. I would venture to describe it as “Hogwarts meets Narnia meets Sex meets hipsters.” You’ll get it.

Watch the entire 1st episode, “Unauthorized Magic” below.

With X-Men: First Class becoming a shockingly successful bit of cinema this summer, the film’s writers have apparently moved on to big things.

Deadline is reporting that Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz are heading to the small screen as writers for Fox’s newly announced drama series based on the Lev Grossman novel, The Magicians.

The Magician King
By Lev Grossman
Hardcover | Kindle
Viking/Penguin
Release Date: August 9, 2011

It’s time to return to the magical land of Fillory with The Magician King, the anticipated sequel to author Lev Grossman‘s 2009 bestselling debut novel, The Magicians.

It’s been several years since the events of the first book, The Magicians. Quentin, Eliot, Janet, and Julia are now the High Kings and Queens of Fillory. One day, Quentin and Julia decide to venture on a quest, but find themselves back in the real world of Earth where Quentin’s parents reside. In order to find a way back to Fillory, Quentin and Julia must use the help of underground magicians to find a way back to their home of Fillory.