I admit, for me The Magnus Archives is not actually a Youtube topic. But a podcast. And actually I don’t like podcasts. Yes, I’ve heard some that I liked, but due to my low-key passion for mystery, horror, and true crime, I’m less into babble podcasts (sorry buffedCast!), and more into produced and scripted storytelling casts.
And that’s why I pricked up my ears when my colleague Toni talked about a horror podcast. I was kind of itching to give The Magnus Archives a try. I like The X-Files, I like The X-Factor (still, yes, although I’ve seen each episode five times), I even watch stuff like Secrets of Skinwalker Ranch and Ghosts of Shepherdstown. Most of the stuff that’s on TLC’s Friday night programming is bullshit. But the fascination for the *Frakes voice* incomprehensible *cough* just never let go of me.
The Magnus Archives – what is it about?
The Magnus Institute is a fictional British organization dedicated to the study of paranormal, not-so-normal events. The main character, Jonathan Sims, is the institute’s archivist, who tapes and records eyewitness accounts of mysterious occurrences. John was only recently given this post following the death of his predecessor. He reads out the written statements of the “victims” and draws his conclusions from investigations that his employees have carried out as to what may have happened to the reporters and what it all means.
Over the course of the first season and thereafter, more characters from the institute will be added. Elias Bouchard, head of the institute. Martin Blackwood, Sasha James and Tim Stoker, John’s assistants. But people from outside also come to the institute, such as eyewitnesses who present their reports live, or the police officers Basira Hussain and Alice Tonner. In other words: At the beginning of season 1 of The Magnus Archives – there are currently 5 seasons in total, each with around 40 episodes – you often only hear John. But as the metaplot develops, it becomes much “fuller”. I think John Sims and the folks at Rusty Quill found the right pacing to establish new or returning characters.
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A well-known format
At first, The Magnus Archives felt a little like something that has stood the test of time in the TV series landscape for decades; a healthy mix of story of the week and metaplot. In the case of the podcast, whose episodes are written by Jonathan Sims – and who, in hindsight, isn’t particularly happy about giving his protagonist his own name – the individual threads of people’s weekly statements sooner or later become interesting, compelling metaplots woven, leading to dramatic events at the end of a season and beyond.
I think that’s also part of my fascination with The Magnus Archives. Sometimes I get fed up with the fact that Sims often uses the same choice of words, that the statements made by the visitors of the institute sound a bit stilted and less…well…colloquial. But the developing, overarching story arc surrounding the institute is fascinating and exciting. And that’s why I stay on the ball.
The future of The Magnus Archives
Because of the weekly schedule for new episodes of the podcast, John Sims naturally has to write a fairly high rate of stories on paper, so I express my utmost respect for him in this way. Each of us who is creative, professionally or privately, knows how bad it is when you have to deal with a blockage. Maybe that’s why it took about two years for Sims and producer Newall to decide on a “sequel”.
The Magnus Archives has ended with 200 episodes and a total of five seasons – that will interest some of you. But a Kickstarter project for The Magnus Archives 2 – The Magnus Protocol – not only achieved the set goal within a very short time, but literally pulverized it. More than 11,000 fans have dropped over £700,000 on The Magnus Protocol to date. Originally there were going to be three seasons, each with 15 episodes, but now there are three seasons, each with 30 episodes, epilogues and some episodes that are twice as long (an episode is usually around 22 minutes long).
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I myself am “only” on episode 147 of The Magnus Archives. Only yesterday I was surprised that it took until the 140 episodes for Mysterium to turn to a number station (I find that blatantly creepy). I don’t know exactly how much I have to restrain myself to listen to the “current” happenings in the podcast. Because I’m assuming that I’ll want to hear The Magnus Protocol in the foreseeable future – and that’s not there yet! Argh!
