The Magnus Archives is a weekly horror-fiction podcast that follows the dark hallways of the Magnus Institute: an organization devoted to studying the unearthly and the weird. The story follows Jonathan Sims, the newly employed Head Archivist at the Magnus Institute. As he begins to dive into what exactly it is that he’s archiving, he begins to discover that the horrors described aren’t quite as fiction as he’d first believed. The horrors are all too real, and he’s in too deep to turn back now.
The Magnus Archives has been ongoing since 2016, and its popularity has only continued to grow as time went on. Praised for its in-depth and compelling storytelling, chilling horror and excellent production quality, this podcast is a story ridden with lore and deep narratives. With 5 seasons thus far, there’s a large well of content for listeners seeking a terrifying story.
As I started this project, I knew that my initial analysis of the podcast was not going to be a full breakdown, as I was only listening to 3 episodes to begin with. However, I feel rather confident in my impression of the show thus far, despite not having the full story yet. As the reviews I read led me to believe, The Magnus Archives is indeed a horrifying ordeal full of mystery and questions. Every step leaves you wondering how Jonathan’s findings could possibly get any worse, and yet, they constantly do the further he dives in to the mysteries of this organization.
To pull away from the story itself just a bit, this series is remarkably well done. Everything from the actors, the production, the writing, and everything in between is stellar. The podcast really does have a touch of professionalism all over it and it is extremely evident that everyone involved cares a great amount about this story and the production of it. I believe that the crew working on this show and their passion for it is the greatest driving factor as to why The Magnus Archives is as well-renowned and praised as it is. It is extremely hard to pass up on this story once you get invested, and that, to me, is the mark of passionate producers.
In the few episodes I have listened to (also including ones I have not analyzed below), a big theme in The Magnus Archives seems to be that of choice. For starters, Jonathan doesn’t exactly have the choice to begin reading these archives, as it is his job, but he does have to choice to dive in deeper. Jonathan is the main driving force for a large portion of this series, and it is ultimately his prompting of a choice that pushes that narrative forward. As he learns more about these archives, Jonathan’s choices are swayed by these choices of the past, forcing him to be influenced by events that have already happened. Without spoiling too much, choice really does drive this story in a powerful way.
Unfortunately, as the story continues, both Jonathan and the listeners learn that, sometimes, the information driving these choices are not necessarily correct. There are instances in which Jonathan is given unreliable information, and thus his choices are ill-informed. This happens to be another aspect of the show, one that drives into the mystery of it all: there are so many things that we don’t know. This applies to characters within the story and the listeners ourselves. At any point in time, there is a vast well of information that is simply not available to us because the ones in charge don’t want that information to be given. Rather, it is a tactic to keep people in the dark.
Overall, I have loved listening to this series so far. Despite not being that far in, each episode has been incredible and such a thrill. I’m left wanting more information and find myself forced to continue in order to quell that want. For anyone who enjoys mystery, thrills, and possibly a bit of the supernatural, this podcast is absolutely one you will enjoy.
