The Magicians: Purgatory

March 13, 2020 8:10 AM - Season 5, Episode 10

Margo gets ocular augmentation, while Josh goes on an interesting adventure with a new friend. Eliot looks back through an herbal haze to recall past lessons on magical babies, while Penny and Plum consider their own bind.

‘The Magicians’ Takes a Bittersweet Stroll Toward the Series Finale With “Purgatory” (Vanessa Armstrong for Slashfilm)

These last few episodes of this season’s The Magicians have taken on a bittersweet tinge after the news that Syfy hasn’t picked up the show for a sixth season. After last night’s episode, ironically called “Purgatory,” there are only two episodes left before what we now know will be the series finale on April 1. On the bright side, we can savor what we have left (including a musical episode that co-creator Sera Gamble has called the craziest one yet [Twitter]), and be thankful that the show’s five seasons will always be there, ready for us to re-watch whenever we want to reminisce with the characters we love.


This week, however, let’s talk about “Purgatory.” Much like the status of the show before the showrunners’ announcement, all of our characters are in some sort of purgatory of their own this week.

The Magicians Season 5 Episode 10 Review: Purgatory -- The aptly named “Purgatory” has many of The Magicians characters trapped while the dangers of the Taker scourge take a surprising turn. (Michael Ahr for Den of Geek)

As a clearer picture starts to form of Fillory’s plight and how the Dark King’s obsession ties into it, The Magicians takes on a sense of urgency appropriate for both the end of the season and the series. Bringing in the mourning of a god also related nicely to the themes that season 5 has been exploring all along with the death of Quentin. In fact, “Purgatory” felt like a series of stories of people trapped in limbo, whether it was Penny and Plum in their room out of time, Josh in the Underworld, or Julia and Eliot in prison. It’s exactly that kind of narrative unity that has been the hallmark of this great series, and it’s nice to see this close to the finale.

Both reviews have a screencap of Fogg in front of a blackboard with the 9 Do's and Don'ts of Magical Intercourse as the header image, if you didn't have time to read it all during the episode.

posted by filthy light thief (8 comments total)

I don't have the words to describe how badly I want a Fogg & Todd sitcom spinoff.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 8:22 AM on March 13, 2020 [1 favorite]

But which Fogg and Todd? There are a multitude of versions to choose! And perhaps that's how it can get picked up by SyFy as the spinoff from The Magicians :) Magic + multiverse + college + hijinks = fun for all!
posted by filthy light thief at 9:02 AM on March 13, 2020

yay Penny-40!

So the rest of the little girl's friends are... really dead? :( I remember when they got snatched by the Takers.

I guess it's obvious that Rupert wants to kill/incapacitate the Takers so he can grab his boyfriend and stroll right out of the Underworld. But like Hades said, then anyone can leave the Underworld. What I haven't really grasped is why his blood is harmful to the Takers. Is it because he's bonded to Fillory via the tree roots?
posted by numaner at 9:21 AM on March 13, 2020 [1 favorite]

i want "DON'T USE MOTION POTION FOR LOTION" on a shirt
posted by numaner at 9:25 AM on March 13, 2020 [1 favorite]

Hades was playing Untitled Goose Game.

HADES WAS PLAYING UNTITLED GOOSE GAME.

<3
posted by cooker girl at 6:10 PM on March 13, 2020 [17 favorites]

It is a lovely day in the underworld and you are a horrible god.
posted by Maecenas at 7:51 AM on March 14, 2020 [7 favorites]

Penny-40! Benedict Pickwick!
posted by esker at 6:31 PM on March 14, 2020 [1 favorite]

Only two episodes left ?

I'm going to miss this weird little big show....
posted by Pendragon at 4:19 PM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]