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=== Recurring cast ===
=== Recurring cast ===
* John Gracey as '''Gerard Keay''', the son of Mary Keay, who worked alongside Gertrude Robinson after she freed him from his mother. He is described as having "poorly dyed" black hair as well as tattoos of eyes on all of his joints.
* John Gracey as '''Gerard Keay''', the son of Mary Keay, who worked alongside Gertrude Robinson after she freed him from his mother. He is described as having "poorly dyed" black hair as well as tattoos of eyes on all of his joints and over his heart.
* Paul Sims as '''Jurgen Leitner''', a collector of books affected by the paranormal forces the Institute researches. He went into hiding in 1994 after his library was burned down, and resided in the tunnels underneath of the Institute until his death, via “brutal pipe” murder, in episode 80, "The Librarian".
* Paul Sims as '''Jurgen Leitner''', a collector of books affected by the paranormal forces the Institute researches. He went into hiding in 1994 after his library was burned down, and resided in the tunnels underneath of the Institute until his death, via “brutal pipe” murder, in episode 80, "The Librarian".
* Luke Booys as '''Michael''', also known as '''The Distortion''', a manifestation of a paranormal power. Its appearance is flexible, but its base appearance is that of Gertrude Robinson's former assistant, Michael Shelley, a tall man with straw blonde hair and a round face. The Distortion was bound to Michael as part of a ritual disrupted by Gertrude, thereafter took on the appearance of her former assistant, distorting his features and appearing as thin and limp, with hands the size of its torso, an appearance only visible in mirrors. It both resides in and is a realm accessible only by a door of its own conjuring. It preys on people by luring them into its door and trapping them within an inescapable labyrinth. It was killed by and became Helen in episode 101, "Another Twist".
* Luke Booys as '''Michael''', also known as '''The Distortion''', a manifestation of a paranormal power. Its appearance is flexible, but its base appearance is that of Gertrude Robinson's former assistant, Michael Shelley, a tall man with straw blonde hair and a round face. The Distortion was bound to Michael as part of a ritual disrupted by Gertrude, thereafter took on the appearance of her former assistant, distorting his features and appearing as thin and limp, with hands the size of its torso, an appearance only visible in mirrors. It both resides in and is a realm accessible only by a door of its own conjuring. It preys on people by luring them into its door and trapping them within an inescapable labyrinth. It was killed by and became Helen in episode 101, "Another Twist".

Revision as of 22:12, 11 February 2022

The Magnus Archives
Presentation
Hosted byJonathan Sims
Genre
Directed byAlexander J. Newall
LanguageEnglish
UpdatesWeekly
Production
Audio formatPodcast (via streaming or downloadable MP3)
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes200
Publication
Original release24 March 2016 –
25 March 2021
ProviderRusty Quill
LicenseCreative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike 4.0 International
Related
WebsiteOfficial website

The Magnus Archives is a horror fiction podcast written by Jonathan Sims, directed by Alexander J. Newall and distributed by Rusty Quill. Sims narrated the podcast in-character as the main character, Jonathan Sims, the newly appointed Head Archivist of the fictional Magnus Institute—an institution based in London centered on research into the paranormal.[1] In 2018, BBC Sounds listed the show as one of the largest British dramatic podcasts, with an extensive fanbase on Tumblr having driven much of its success.[2] As of April 2020, The Magnus Archives had reached a download rate of over 2.5 million downloads a month,[3] growing to over 4 million downloads a month by July 2020.[4]

Production

The podcast is structured as a series of statements recorded, or written and then recorded, for internal research use within the Magnus Institute. At the beginning of each statement, the statement-taker - typically Jon, the head archivist - provides a brief description of the statement and the name of the statement-maker. Those who give or record statements in the Magnus Institute tend to lapse into a trance-like state, not unlike reliving the event as they narrate it.

Cast and characters

Main cast

  • Jonathan Sims as Jonathan "Jon" Sims, the Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute, a title with which he announces himself at the beginning of each statement he records, eventually shortened to "the Archivist" following the events of episode 120, "Eye Contact". Jon begins the series as often rude, short-tempered, and commonly sceptical of the supernatural subject material of the statements themselves; however, as the seasons progress, Jon accepts the stories relayed by statement givers as real, and becomes kinder and more sympathetic. As of "Dwelling" and perhaps before, he is in a romantic relationship with Martin Blackwood. He is asexual.[5]
  • Alexander J. Newall as Martin Blackwood, an archival assistant at the Magnus Institute, who obtained his job by lying about holding a degree in parapsychology. He is soft-spoken and generally gravitates away from social gatherings. As of "Dwelling" and perhaps before, he is in a romantic relationship with Jonathan Sims.
  • Lottie Broomhall as Sasha James, an archival assistant at the Magnus Institute, mainly locating records that could set the standard of proof for statements. In episode 40, "Human Remains", she is replaced by an entity known as 'Not-Sasha' (voiced by Evelyn Hewitt), which wears her identity with a different body, a change only obvious to Melanie King, with the rest of the Institute staff oblivious.
  • Mike LeBeau as Timothy "Tim" Stoker, an archival assistant at the Magnus Institute, who assumed the role when John was promoted to head archivist, having worked with him previously in the research department. He has been in relationships with men and women, as revealed in episode 3, "Across the Street", when he courts two file clerks. Tim begins the series as kind and cocksure, but comes to resent his position within the institute, which he is unable to leave, and becomes increasingly more cynical and angry in his interactions with his co-workers, mainly Jon.
  • Ben Meredith as Elias Bouchard/Jonah Magnus, the Head of the Magnus Institute. He is initially dismissive of the concerns surrounding active paranormal activity within the institute, but is quick to reveal some degree of knowledge, and as having intentionally withheld information when confronted.
  • Evelyn Hewitt as Not-Sasha, a paranormal entity that wears Sasha James' identity. It lives in the tunnels under the Institute when not performing the administrative tasks previously assigned to the real Sasha James, and has a significant role in drawing John's attention to the paranormal happenings within and below the institute. It has known issues with using technology, especially when compared to the original Sasha.
  • Sue Sims as Gertrude Robinson, the previous Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute. She was replaced by Jonathan Sims after going missing in March 2015. She appears in some episodes in past recordings of statements, as Jon and the other assistants work to understand her previous role at the institute. Her demeanor is brusque, and she is very serious about her work. The true motive of her work and motives is slowly revealed throughout the series, especially season 3 and 4.
  • Frank Voss as Basira Hussain, an officer sectioned to work on 'weird' cases. After responding to a police case tied to a supernatural event, she signs a 'Section 31' form, and becomes more and more involved in cases that eventually tie back to The Magnus Institute. She becomes involved in an investigation surrounding a death in the Institute in episode 43, aptly named "Section 31", and is quickly entangled in the institute's mysterious happenings.
  • Fay Roberts as Alice "Daisy" Tonner, a detective also sectioned to work on 'weird' cases through Section 31. She is known to use force, as well as her own judgements, to resolve cases.
  • Lydia Nicholas as Melanie King, the former host of the YouTube series Ghost Hunt UK. After some strange supernatural incidents, she comes to be employed by the Magnus Institute. As of "Rotten Core" and perhaps before, she is in a romantic relationship with Georgie Barker.
  • Sasha Sienna as Georgie Barker, the fearless host of the What The Ghost? podcast. She lives with her cat, The Admiral, and dated Jonathan Sims back when they both attended University. As of "Rotten Core" and perhaps before, she is in a romantic relationship with Melanie King.
  • Alasdair Stuart as Peter Lukas, Captain of the Tundra and member of the Lukas Family. He acts as the antagonist, and temporary Institute Head, in Season 4.

Recurring cast

  • John Gracey as Gerard Keay, the son of Mary Keay, who worked alongside Gertrude Robinson after she freed him from his mother. He is described as having "poorly dyed" black hair as well as tattoos of eyes on all of his joints and over his heart.
  • Paul Sims as Jurgen Leitner, a collector of books affected by the paranormal forces the Institute researches. He went into hiding in 1994 after his library was burned down, and resided in the tunnels underneath of the Institute until his death, via “brutal pipe” murder, in episode 80, "The Librarian".
  • Luke Booys as Michael, also known as The Distortion, a manifestation of a paranormal power. Its appearance is flexible, but its base appearance is that of Gertrude Robinson's former assistant, Michael Shelley, a tall man with straw blonde hair and a round face. The Distortion was bound to Michael as part of a ritual disrupted by Gertrude, thereafter took on the appearance of her former assistant, distorting his features and appearing as thin and limp, with hands the size of its torso, an appearance only visible in mirrors. It both resides in and is a realm accessible only by a door of its own conjuring. It preys on people by luring them into its door and trapping them within an inescapable labyrinth. It was killed by and became Helen in episode 101, "Another Twist".
  • Hannah Brankin as Jane Prentiss, a previously ordinary woman working as a New Age shop assistant, now turned into a living hive for wasp larvae after finding a wasps nest in her attic. Prentiss infected others by having the worms bury into their flesh, either killing them or turning them into hives. She was killed in the archives and cremated soon after.
  • Imogen Harris as Helen Richardson, a manifestation of paranormal power replacing Michael, who occasionally assists and disrupts the Archive's activities.
  • Guy Kelly as Michael Crew, an avatar of a paranormal force who meets Jonathan Sims in episode 91, "The Coming Storm". He has a large, branching scar in the shape of a Lichtenberg figure as the result of being struck by lightning as a child.
  • Jessica Law as Nikola Orsinov, a plastic mannequin who was originally Joseph Grimaldi. Orsinov serves a paranormal power which she attempts, and fails, to summon in episode 119, "Stranger and Stranger".
  • Hannah Walker as Jude Perry, a member of The Cult of the Lightless Flame, a group dedicated to destruction and suffering, who encounters Jonathan Sims in episode 89, "Twice as Bright".
  • Russell Smith as Oliver Banks, an entity of death able to see people's life force in the form of red veins.

Plot

The podcast is initially presented as a horror anthology, following the efforts of Jonathan Sims, Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute, to record on tape a number of statements of paranormal events that have proven impossible to record through conventional, digital means. Over the course of 5 seasons, a more complex metaplot develops, revealing the nature of the Magnus Institute, its head, Elias Bouchard, and the nature of the paranormal events recorded in the statements.[6]

Season 1

Season 1 of the Magnus Archives ran from 24 March 2016 to 13 October 2016.

The eponymous Jonathan Sims is installed as the new Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute's Archives, his predecessor Gertrude Robinson having gone missing, presumed dead. As he attempts to digitize the supernatural statements, he finds that some statements can only be recorded on a tape recorder, as opposed to the preferred digital recordings.[7] Among these statements are mentions of paranormal books referred to as "Leitners", many of them having originated from a library previously belonging to a man called Jurgen Leitner.[8][9] He also records statements live from subjects, including Melanie King, a paranormal investigator who hosts a YouTube series called "'Ghost Hunt UK.'"[10]

Initially, Jon is skeptical of the supernatural happenings but eventually begins to uncover connections between the statements, suggesting that the dark forces and horrors described within them are real. Various characters make incidental appearances to speak to Jon during recordings, such as the institute's Head, Elias Bouchard,[9] and the archival staff, Martin Blackwood,[11] Tim Stoker,[12] and Sasha James.[13] Sasha herself makes a statement regarding a supernatural being called Michael, that seems at least slightly more benevolent than other supernatural beings mentioned.[14]

The final conflict of the series involves a woman named Jane Prentiss, who has become the host for a mass of parasitic worms that seem intent on attacking members of the archival staff, attacking Martin[11] and eventually the Archives itself. In the chaos of Prentiss' attack, Sasha dies at the hands of another supernatural being, but her death goes unnoticed as the being replaces her and assumes her identity. The body of Gertrude Robinson, the former Archive Head, is also found in one of the tunnels beneath the institute, with three bullet wounds.[15]

Season 2

Season 2 of the Magnus Archives ran from 1 December 2016, to 31 August 2017.

In the aftermath of Prentiss' attack and subsequent death, John is increasingly paranoid. Convinced there is a greater conspiracy behind the murder of Gertrude Robinson,[16] he works alongside the police to investigate, most notably Constable Basira Hussain.[17] John also begins to explore the tunnels beneath the Archives, convinced that someone is down there.[16] The other archival staff begin to worry for both John's safety and sanity. As John continues to distrust and investigate his coworkers to the point of stalking, his archival assistants become more aggravated, particularly Tim, though Martin shows more concern than annoyance at John's actions.

After taking a live statement from a woman named Helen Richardson, a real estate agent who claimed to be terrorized by a supernatural being, John finds himself confronted by the supernatural being in question, Michael. Michael implies that there are much greater forces at work, and states that Sasha is "lying to him", before leaving and taking Helen with him.[18]

John continues his investigation of the tunnels, finding evidence of both Sasha and an unknown old man entering the tunnels.[19]

Later, Melanie returns to the institute, stating that her YouTube crew has disbanded. She and John argue that the woman John knows as Sasha is actually "not Sasha",[20] as Melanie does not recognize the woman the rest of the staff refer to as Sasha James, whom she met before the events of the previous season's finale. This eventually raises John's suspicions, particularly after finding more statements connecting a strange being called the "NotThem" that can replace people with a strange table sitting in the institute's artefact storage.[21] John decides to destroy the table, inadvertently freeing the creature impersonating Sasha, before being chased through the Institute tunnels by it, eventually saved by the unknown old man seen entering the tunnels, who reveals himself as Jurgen Leitner, the previous owner of the library of paranormal books in various statements.[22] The two return to John's office, where Leitner explains that he has been hiding in the tunnels since the destruction of his library in 1994, evading various monsters and people who sought to do him harm. He then explains his understanding of the entities behind the books (and creatures such as "Michael" and the "NotThem"): that they are manifestations of vast, powerful entities based on primal fears that exist just outside of human perception. He also relates that he believes that the institute's Head, Elias, is the one who killed Gertrude, who Leitner had been working with to destroy the institute, itself a place of power for one of the entities known as The Eye.

John steps out of the office, overwhelmed with these revelations, at which point Elias enters, surprised but pleased to discover the person with whom Gertrude had been working. Elias then murders Leitner brutally with a metal pipe and leaves, not wanting to leave any loose ends. When John returns, he immediately flees from the scene. The body is then discovered by Tim and Martin.[23]

Season 3

Season 3 of the Magnus Archives ran from 23 November 2017, to 27 September 2018.

John, now a wanted man in the murder of his predecessor and the murder of Leitner, flees the institute. Tim and Martin struggle to hold themselves together following the disappearance of their friend Sasha. The newly hired Melanie begins to act in an increasingly erratic fashion, and the archival staff come to realize that they are possibly too involved with the Archives to ever leave, and that they may have been unable to do so even before the events of the podcast.

As a wanted man, John hides with his friends before being kidnapped by a supernatural circus, before travelling the world attempting to piece together what information his predecessor had left in regards to a mysterious future event known as the "Unknowing". John finds out that the Unknowing is a ritual with the purpose of bringing in the fear entity of "The Stranger" to their world. In the finale, Tim dies in an explosion while attempting to stop the Unknowing.

Season 4

Season 4 of the Magnus Archives ran from 10 January 2019, to 31 October 2019.

John, having been knocked into a coma by the Unknowing, awakens, referring to himself now only as "the Archivist". The Archivist returns to the Archives to find a changed archival staff team, with Tim having perished following the events of the Unknowing, in which he sacrificed himself.

The Archivist becomes concerned with Martin and his relationship with the new acting Head of the institute, Peter Lukas, and discovers that Martin agreed to work with Lukas in order to stop a new supernatural power, the Extinction, from coalescing and coming into its full power. Martin eventually reveals that he was aware that Lukas was attempting to manipulate him, and that Martin was manipulating him back. Lukas, in anger, casts Martin into The Lonely. John rescuses Martin, and they leave the Lonely together. They live in Scotland for a short period of time. While trying to read a statement for sustenance, John accidentally begins a ritual that Jonah Magnus had disguised as a statement. He opens the door to the 14 fear entities to manifest fully in his world, essentially ushering in the apocalypse. Martin returns and looks on in horror.[24][25][26]

Season 5

Season 5 of the Magnus Archives ran from 1 April 2020, to 25 March 2021.

The season was split into three acts due to production delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[27]

The second act of season 5 began with episode 177, titled "Wonderland." In it, John and Martin reconvene with Basira, who is hunting Daisy. John realizes that he can control his new powers that he has gained through his relationship with The Eye, and Basira and Martin discover that it was John who sent the world spiraling into fearscapes. John and Martin meet up back in London with Melanie and Georgie Barker, John's ex-girlfriend and Melanie's current girlfriend. Annabelle Cane, an avatar of The Web, or the fear of manipulation, explains to Martin that they could possibly send the entities back through a rift to other dimensions in The Web's stronghold at Hill Top Road. She reveals that the Archivist was created by the Web, which marked John young and guided him, using the tapes to spin a web. She explains that if the plan works, the world will revert to normal, and the universes the Entities spread into will become like the world was before the Change, with the Entities being unable to directly manifest, working through Avatars. Basira asks how they would do it, and Annabelle tells them if they can destroy the Panopticon and the pupil of the Eye simultaneously, the Tape Recorders would become a powerful anchor, and would drag the Entities through The Rift. They plan to ignite the gas main under the Magnus Institute in order to blow up the Panopticon. John kills Jonah Magnus in the Panopticon. Martin rushes in, intending to stop John from killing Jonah, but he is too late. The others begin to destroy the Magnus Institute, causing John severe pain. John tells Martin to leave, but Martin will not leave without him. John then tells Martin to kill him, finish the job, and save the world. They kiss. Martin takes the knife and stabs John, and the recording turns off. Later, in a restored world, Basira, Melanie, and Georgie shift through the rubble of the Panopticon. Basira is surprised to find a tape recorder that still works. John and Martin have not been found, dead or otherwise. MAG 200 finishes with Melanie and Georgie walking away from the tape, while Basira addresses whoever is listening by wishing them good luck.

On 1 April 2020, excitement surrounding the release of the first episode was rumored, though unconfirmed, to have temporarily crashed Patreon.[28]

Critical reception

The Magnus Archives has been praised by critics and reviewers, with the development of the lengthy metaplot and the voice acting by Jonathan Sims in his role as the Archivist receiving particular praise. The Magnus Archives has appeared on numerous Top Horror Podcast and Top Fiction lists, from publications such as The A.V. Club,[29] GamesRadar,[30] Cosmopolitan,[31] and The Verge[32] since 2016.

Awards and nominations

  • 2019 Discover Pod Awards – Audio Drama or Fiction Podcast[33]
  • 2019 Audio Verse Awards – Writing of an Audio Play Production – Jonathan Sims[34]
  • 2019 Audio Verse Awards – Vocal Direction of a Production – Alexander J. Newall[34]
  • 2019 Audio Verse Awards – Performance of a Leading Role in an Audio Play Production – Jonathan Sims as Jonathan Sims[34]
  • 2019 Audio Verse Awards – Performance of a Supporting Role in an Audio Play Production – Alexander J Newall as Martin Blackwood[34]
  • 2019 Audio Verse Awards – Audio Play Production[34]
  • 2019 This Is Horror Awards – Runner Up – Fiction Podcast of The Year[35]
  • 2020 Audio Verse Awards – Action Sound Design in a Production – Elizabeth Moffatt[36]
  • 2020 Audio Verse Awards – Environment Sound Design in a Production – Elizabeth Moffatt[36]
  • 2020 Audio Verse Awards – Writing of an Audio Play Production – Jonathan Sims[36]
  • 2020 Audio Verse Awards – Vocal Direction of a Production – Alexander J. Newall[36]
  • 2020 Audio Verse Awards – Performance of a Supporting Role in an Audio Play Production – Alasdair Stuart as Peter Lukas[36]
  • 2020 Audio Verse Awards – Performance of a Supporting Role in an Audio Play Production – Alexander J. Newall as Martin K. Blackwood[36]
  • 2020 Audio Verse Awards – Performance of a Leading Role in an Audio Play Production – Jonathan Sims as Jonathan Sims (The Archivist)[36]
  • 2020 Audio Verse Awards – Cover Art for a Production – Anika Khan[36]
  • 2020 Audio Verse Awards – Audio Play Production[36]
  • 2021 British Fantasy Awards - Best Audio[37]

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Magnus Archives | Rusty Quill". rustyquill.com. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  2. ^ Watts, Ella (2018). Drama Podcasts: An overview of the US and UK drama podcast market (PDF). BBC Sounds. p. 12.
  3. ^ "Award winning horror fiction podcast teases final chilling season". The Scotsman. Jpi Media. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Rusty Quill Signs with WME in Trailblazing Move". PodNews.net. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Season 4 Q+A Part 1". The Magnus Archives (Podcast). Rusty Quill. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  6. ^ "The Magnus Archives". Rusty Quill. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  7. ^ MAG 1 Angler Fish, retrieved 13 October 2020
  8. ^ MAG 4 Page Turner, retrieved 13 October 2020
  9. ^ a b MAG 17 The Bone Turner's Tale, retrieved 13 October 2020
  10. ^ MAG 28 Skintight, retrieved 13 October 2020
  11. ^ a b MAG 22 Colony, retrieved 13 October 2020
  12. ^ MAG 33 Boatswain's Call, retrieved 13 October 2020
  13. ^ MAG 24 Strange Music, retrieved 13 October 2020
  14. ^ MAG 26 A Distortion, retrieved 13 October 2020
  15. ^ MAG 40 Human Remains, retrieved 13 October 2020
  16. ^ a b MAG 41 Too Deep, retrieved 13 October 2020
  17. ^ MAG 43 Section 31, retrieved 13 October 2020
  18. ^ MAG 47 The New Door, retrieved 13 October 2020
  19. ^ MAG 74 - Fatigue, retrieved 13 October 2020
  20. ^ MAG 63 - The End of the Tunnel, retrieved 13 October 2020
  21. ^ MAG 77 - The Kind Mother, retrieved 13 October 2020
  22. ^ MAG 79 - Hide and Seek, retrieved 13 October 2020
  23. ^ MAG 80 - The Librarian, retrieved 13 October 2020
  24. ^ "On Finales: The Magnus Archives 160: "The Eye Opens"". The Podcast Dragon. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  25. ^ Tres, Dean. "THIS IS DOPE: THE MAGNUS ARCHIVES HAS 160 EPISODES OF BONE-CHILLING HORROR FOR YOU". SYFYWIRE. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  26. ^ "Ruhm und Verbrechen". Sueddeutsche Zeitung. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  27. ^ Godigamuwe, Anil. "MAG Season 5 changes". Rusty Quill. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  28. ^ Williams, Wil. "7 podcasts with enormous and entertaining back catalogs". Polygon. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  29. ^ "5 offerings (that aren't horror films) to get you in the October spirit". AV Club. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  30. ^ Stuart, Alasdair. "The 10 best horror podcasts to give you nightmares". Games Radar. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  31. ^ Harvey-Jenner, Catriona. "12 creepy podcasts to send shivers down your spine". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  32. ^ "10 scary podcasts to listen to in the dark". The Verge. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  33. ^ "Announcing the winners of the 2019 Discover Pods Awards". Discover Pods Awards. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  34. ^ a b c d e "2019 Audio Verse Award Winners". The Audio Verse Awards. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  35. ^ "This Is Horror Awards 2019". This Is Horror. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  36. ^ a b c d e f g h i 2020 Winners, Audio Verse, 2021, retrieved 29 March 2021
  37. ^ "British Fantasy Awards 2021: winners announced". www.britishfantasysociety.org. British Fantasy Society. 27 September 2021.
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