So, Saturday evening saw the grande finale of the BBC show "The Magicians" and with it, probably the last primetime TV magic show to be on our screens for a while.
To be fair, I thought this second series was much, much better than the first. However, the series didn't come without it's "highs and lows".
The problem really is with it's format, which really doesn't show the resident magicians in the best light. Latimer, Barry & Stuart & Pete Firman are all performers at the top of their game. Unfortunately, the celebrity element of the show tends to pull them down into a mediocre performance.
Take Pete Firman as a prime example. Pete Firman live is one of the funniest, most original and professional performers I have ever seen. If you have not seen this guy perform live, then I suggest that you catch him on his 2012 tour. You really will have a superb evening watching a fantastically gifted and hilariously funny magician. Which leads us to the problem of the TV show.
Pete Firman as a performer is incredibly funny. However, trying to re-create that humour with a random celebrity is very difficult. The only performer to come close to it is Adam Woodyatt, who was a great foil for Pete's humour. As to the rest of the celebrities to work with Pete, well apart from Joe Swash, it was like watching amateurs night at the local magic club. This, of course, was not Pete's fault. The problem is with trying to fit a poorly rehearsed celebrity into the performance. Pete performing his own act, on a primetime television would have been fantastic!
Another casualty of the format were Barry & Stuart, again, incredibly talented performers in their own right.
Barry & Stuart are one-offs. It is virtually impossible to describe their act to anyone who hasn't seen it. However, it is suffice to say that they are funny, yet dark and fascinating to watch. And yet, this only came over a couple of times in this primetime show.
And, worst of all, probably due to the short rehearsal time available with each celebrity, they came close to revealing a top class stage illusion that many performers have paid close to £12,000 to perform!
This made Barry & Stuart look bad and amateurish which, I know, upset a lot of fellow magicians.
Of all three acts, I think Latimer came off the best and performed illusions that were, for me, the highlight of the series.
His levitation illusion was a thing of beauty as was his water form creation and his transposition of a group of spectators from one articulated lorry to another while both were on the move!
Again, though, there were times that just didn't cut it for Latimer. The Hoff is just one that stands out as being utterly dreadful.
The problem for me is that this becomes the public's perception of the performers. If the routine doesn't work out, it is the magician that tends to look bad and not the celebrity.
As I say, overall, I think this series was much, much better than the first one. However, I think it's high time that the broadcasters put on a primetime show where the magic and the magicians can shine rather than using the tired celebrity or game show format.
The problem is, who's going to be brave enough to pick up the mantle?
Close Up Magician & Mind Reader
