The Magicians 4x07 "The Side Effect" Episode Review
Major Spoilers are included in this episode review. Please read with caution.
I was screaming at this episode. The side characters got much-needed attention, and everything I love / hate about writing books came to light for the audience. Penny 40 is back in the picture, and fully explains why the side characters: Kady, Fen, and Zelda. I’m so happy they addressed what happened to Kady in the last few episodes.
Penny 40 is watching over his friends in an interesting way, and the storytelling reveals how the audience cares more about Quentin and Alice than all the other side characters. How the camera angles in the episode showcase the side character over the main character in the room is a great example as we revisit the Margo-Josh-Fen scenes and seeing it from Fen’s POV.
This also lets us in on Penny 40’s adjustment to “being dead” and how he’s handling his new job at the Underground Library. The twist that the new guy was actually Penny’s superior was strangely impressive, and the cliffhanger had me wanting more from all the storylines. The seeds are planted for the second half of the season.
Fen’s prophetic dreams are an interesting and entertaining, but they do not help make this Fillory storyline stronger. It’s the weakest one, but it was super fun seeing Fen have the spotlight for once. The refresher on last week’s scenes helped too.
Zelda’s time in The Order, and how she handled Alice’s escape made her much more sympathetic. Although saving Harriet got convoluted at times, it did work to solidify the ending where Zelda seeks Alice’s help with Henry Fogg. I’m not sure why Zelda lied about Alice’s book in the first place, but it’s whatever.
Kady’s new story arc with the Hedge Witch Revolution is easily the best part of the whole damn thing. We had no trust in the writers, but they pushed Kady on her own path. She’s done being a sidekick to the shit Quentin and friends get into. I love the growth here, and how going in this direction will have direct effects on The Library and apparently the Fillory Quest.
Season four had a lot of fantastic episodes, and the tight-writing makes the series really engaging to watch. I’m excited to see how all of these storylines click with each other.