I cannot wait to let my senses feast on this series for so many reasons – the responsibility of a magician during the re-emergence, the mechanics of magic as a sacrifice, the culpability of the characters, the gritty realism…
You Should Know About: Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Based on the novel by Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is part fantasy series, part historical drama. Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars, the show presents an alternate version of history in which magic begins to resurface in Britain (having mysteriously disappeared years beforehand) thanks largely to the effort of the titular characters (played by Bertie Carvel and Eddie Marsan respectively), self-professed magicians who (initially at least) seek to restore English magic. However, as the pair grow in power and influence, politics and the question of what magic should be and how it should be used begins to drive the pair (formerly in a master/pupil relationship) apart and pit them against each other. This is thanks, in no small part, to the mysterious ‘gentleman’ (Marc Warren), a sinister figure with links to the Raven King – the last known practitioner of ‘English’ magic who has come to be associated with faery, blood magic and everything that Mr. Norrell stands opposed to.