The Magnus Archives | Graphic by Bethany Althauser | The Wright State Guardian
“The Magnus Archives” is a universally loved podcast, but for those who have not heard it before, the question is: what is it about? Why should I listen to it? Why exactly is it loved? For those with these questions, this review will help provide answers.
Make your statement
What do you fear?
There are many fears in the world, which are often shared among all of us. If you ask those around you what they fear, you would probably hear many of the same things: the dark, bugs, death and things generally unknown to them.
“The Magnus Archives” takes these fears and expands them into Eldritch horror-esque entities that infest the world. Separated into over a dozen categories, the podcast explores the manifestation of these fears in people and the world around us.
The story starts in the fictional Magnus Institute, London, which is an institute focused on researching the paranormal. One way the institute collects information on this matter is through “statements,” in which visitors can recount paranormal events that have happened in their life before it is stored in the archives.
After the recent death of the previous Head Archivist, Gertrude Robinson, a new Head Archivist is chosen: Jonathan Sims, the main character of “The Magnus Archives.” His goal is to organize the archives—left in disarray to the untrained eye by the previous archivist—and starts by transferring all of the written statements to an audio format.
Sims’s life, as well as his fellow archivists, begin to take a turn for the worse as the history and truth behind each statement is revealed. Any ignorant nonbeliever attitudes are thrown out of the window throughout the course of the first few months of the podcast as more things begin to happen that simply cannot be explained.
Well, they can be explained, of course, but readers are encouraged to listen to the podcast to learn of the world of “The Magnus Archives.”
The podcast is told through tape recordings, in which Sims starts with recording statements but begins to morph into outside conversations and events in or around the institute itself. “The Magnus Archives” does an excellent job of using audio cues to present needed information to the listener.
Comprised of roughly 200 episodes, as well as countless extras in the form of Q&As, fan-written episodes and deep dives into the creation of the show, “The Magnus Archives” is full of content waiting for the unsuspecting individual to stumble upon it and learn the history of this dark world.
Face your fear
“The Magnus Archives” is a worldwide hit, and for many reasons.
As a creative writer myself, my favorite part of the podcast is the worldbuilding. The manifestation of the fears is craftily placed throughout human history, creating a world that can almost be mistaken for our own.
The way Sims explores these fears and how they exist in the world and among humanity is incredibly interesting; many who listen to the show would almost wish they were members of the Magnus Institute, if only to learn more about it all.
Of course, the characters are amazing as well. The podcast is filled with well-written characters; whether you learn to love or hate them, it cannot be argued that each character is rounded out in terms of personality, motivations, backstory and more. Learning of their changes alongside them over the years can be a heart-wrenching but exciting experience.
Fair warning, however, that there is heavy emphasis on the words “heart-wrenching.” This podcast is not for the faint of heart or those that become attached to characters easily. The show is filled with many darker topics, like death and violence, and those looking to listen should heed any warnings presented in the episode’s descriptions before they listen.
As for production quality, producer Alexander J. Newall did (and continues to do) a fantastic job on “The Magnus Archives” and other productions. Each episode is composed with the highest quality, and the behind-the-scenes help reveals how exactly he accomplished this.
End recording
Rusty Quill, an independent production company and podcast network, distributes “The Magnus Archives.” Since its founding in 2015, Rusty Quill has produced countless podcasts and creative projects, one of their most popular being “The Magnus Archives,” their second podcast.
The main writer for “The Magnus Archives” is Jonathan Sims—yes, you read that name right. Both the writer and the character share the same name!
While it unfortunately ended back in March 2021, Rusty Quill has continued to provide new content for avid fans of the series who wish to know all that they can of the world Sims created.
For those interested, Rusty Quill has recently launched, as they describe, a “‘prequel/sequel/sidequel’ to the internationally-renowned Magnus Archives podcast.”
This new show is called “The Magnus Protocol,” and information on it can be viewed on Rusty Quill’s website.
