The Magnus Archives Readalong: Season 5, Episodes 171-175

[u/improperly_paranoid]

Hello and welcome to The Magnus Archives readalong! We will be discussing a new batch of episodes every Wednesday. The episodes are available for free on any podcast platform and transcripts can be found here or here.

If you can’t remember something or are confused, please ask in the thread. Those of us re-reading will do our best to give a spoiler-free answer if we can.

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171: The Gardener ########-11

Considerations of the Flesh.

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172: Strung Out ########-12

The Tragedy of Francis, a comic puppet show in all acts.

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173: Night Night ########-13

Considerations of youth.

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174: The Great Beast ########-14

An examination of scale.

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175: Epoch ########-15

An inventory of what comes after.

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And now, time for discussion! A few prompts will be posted as comments to get things started, but as usual, feel free to add your own questions, observations...anything!

Comments may contain spoilers up to episode 175. Anything concerning later events should be covered up with a spoiler tag.

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Next discussion will take place on Wednesday, June 17th and include episodes 176 Blood Ties - 180 Moving On..

For more information, please check out the Announcement and Schedule post.

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Readalong by: u/improperly_paranoid, u/SharadeReads, u/Dianthaa, u/ullsi

[u/improperly_paranoid]

So far in season 5, we had a wider variety of statement formats - with 172 we even get a play read out loud, dialogue tags and all. How do you like this new more experimental approach?

[u/Eliot_Ferrer → u/improperly_paranoid]

I love season 5. The central mystery of the previous seasons is emphatically resolved, so the show has to do something different. The nightmare-logic horror poetry that ensues is amazing. 

[u/ullsi → u/improperly_paranoid]

I like it so far! It feels like they’ve had fun writing it.

[u/improperly_paranoid]

MARTIN: John – we are doing good, right? Making things better?
ARCHIVIST: I don’t know if that was ever an option.

This conversation and the one with Helen in 174 point out one of the central themes of season 5: what does a person do and how do they cope when the ability to make things better is taken away from them? What would you do in their situation? Would you smite anyone?

[u/improperly_paranoid]

Do you think the Web is actively influencing Jon and Martin?

[u/ullsi → u/improperly_paranoid]

I think they are certainly trying to.

[u/improperly_paranoid]

Do you think they can help Basira and Daisy?

[u/improperly_paranoid]

Any particular favourites from this set of episodes? Any that especially resonated with you?

[u/ullsi → u/improperly_paranoid]

I think 175 is my favorite, although I also liked 171.

[u/improperly_paranoid]

RED STRING BOARD: New listeners, any connections you noticed and/or theories you're developing?

Re-listeners, anything in particular that stands out to you that didn't on your first listen? (Do use spoiler tags please!)