The Magicians Season 2 Episode 2 Review: Hotel Spa Potions
Mandy Treccia
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What's worse than a magical, murdering beast?
A magical, murdering beast who sings.
Which is why Julia considered cutting out his tongue on The Magicians Season 2 Episode 2 "Hotel Spa Potions."
It's hard to feel sorry for her when she made the choice to work with him. It's also hard not to laugh at the childlike glee in the Beast's eyes as he sang, and enjoyed his sugary treats.
Except we can't forget he's a monster. No matter how funny it is to hear the bad guy belting out tunes at every turn, we can't lose sight of the fact that he's a killer.
We can, and should, applaud Charles Mesure for continuing to bring his all to this character. He goes from evil to delightful in the blink of an eye without going over the top.
And that makes the Beast appear even more dangerous.
The Beast: You're doomed. Which I might find amusing except it's likely to get me killed. And for what?
Julia: Because no matter what I'm going to hold onto--
The Beast: [interrupts] If you say humanity, you will learn I can vomit nonstop for two hours.
It's great to see Marina again, even as potential bait for Reynard the Fox.
They've got a long way to go, but I'd rather watch her and Julia form a friendship than remain foes.
The ladies bring out the best and the worst in each other because they're so alike. Both are powerful outcasts, struggling to find their places in the magic world.
Like the Brakebills magicians, they're stronger together than apart, and they should use that for good rather than constant power grabs.
Of course at this point, the smartest thing they can do is keep each other alive because no one else is going to.
I was surprised when Dean Fogg turned Marina away.
He's not wrong in the sense that she's dangerous, but he should have seen the bigger picture. He had to know she would end up running back to Julia and the Beast.
Dean Fogg: Fillory is very real.
Professor Sunderland: Ooooookay. And this is going to be on the syllabus next semester?
Dean Fogg: We shall see.
There's the possibility he did it on purpose. Maybe he thinks they'll keep each other distracted. I suppose we can say he was generous since he let Marina keep her memories.
But it still seems cruel that he didn't at least try to help keep her safe.
Especially since the dean and Professor Sunderland were doing everything in their power to help Quentin and company.
There's little I love on ensemble shows more than when the characters team up to get the job done. The library scenes were fun and the "Hotel Spa Potions" reveal made me laugh.
Because what else would the book of spells be called other than "Last Hope Options?"
Sometimes the show is a little too on the nose with its cleverness.
I haven't read the books so I don't know if that's a trend the writers inherited or one they invented. Either way, it's one of those things that's cute at first, but can grow old fast.
We're not at that point yet, and hopefully, we won't reach it.
Naturally, it's up to Alice to save the day again.
I enjoyed the quiet scene between her and Quentin. It seems like he's learned from his past mistakes, and doesn't want to take advantage of her strength.
Or, he does because they have no choice, but at least he's trying to tell her that he appreciates it, and wants to help.
Penny: Ow!
Professor Sunderland: Sorry [she tightens the ropes on his hands]. The spell says they have to be tight.
Penny: Do they have to be behind me? I feel like I'm getting busted.
Speaking of wanting to help, can we talk about the chemistry between Penny and Professor Sunderland?
Yes, yes, it's wrong to ship students and teachers. But this isn't high school and these are not ordinary grad students.
The sparks were flying all over the place during their scenes.
I know we're probably supposed to praise the professor for saying nothing can happen, but I'll admit I was disappointed.
More of these two, please.
Well, I guess life is about new experiences, and I've never been pussy-whipped. So...
Eliot
As much as I love Eliot, the Fillory part of the episode fell flat this week.
It's just a little too convenient that the one thing they need is farmers, and he just happens to have grown up on a farm.
I appreciate the character implications. It's hard for Eliot to admit where he came from after everything he did to reinvent himself.
There's no question he's an amazing guy, and he's going to grow into a great king. I love that he put Fen's needs before his own when he saw he made her uncomfortable.
But overall, the fertilizer scenes were a snooze.
Thank goodness the episode ended with the gang returning to Fillory.
I wasn't sure how long they were planning to drag out the Eliot's on his own story. But it makes sense that the group return now that they've got the creepy demon spells inside them.
How gross was that ritual?
They need strength, but does it have to come from terrifying lobster-like demons embedded in their skin?
Then again, after that kind of torture, facing the Beast should be a breeze.
Tell us what you thought of "Hotel Spa Potions!" Did you enjoy Eliot on his own? Were you a fan of the Beast's serenades? Who's going to mess up and release their demon at the wrong time?
(Quentin, right?)
Unleash your reactions in the comments!
And if you need to catch up, you can watch The Magicians online anytime!
Mandy Treccia was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in September 2017. Follow her on Twitter.
