#tma is actually a comedy if you read the transcripts

[bone-apple-teeths]

I- just the fact that we all know exactly what this sounds like is so fucking funny to me

[bubonickitten]

I’m sorry to ask this of you, but do you know of the TMA episodes that have bits of humor with the group/Fond Times (or Micheal or Gerry)? I don’t do well with horror and trying to consume the horror-a-week parts ended up being actually harmful to me, but... I still want to join the Excitement About Boyfriends club. If you don’t feel like looking through episodes for an anon, thank you anyway 🖤

It’s kinda hard to pick out specific parts because the cute/humorous stuff really is scattered in here and there, and it’s horror genre first and foremost. The horror-of-the-week short stories within each episode sometimes seem like standalones, and can be consumed that way, but they all end up being related to the metaplot eventually, even if it doesn’t seem like it at first. 

That said, most of the “statement” part of the episode (which is the bulk of most episodes) is usually (but not always) a tale of something that happened in the past (usually to someone not part of the main cast of characters). Most of the present-day dialogue/events between the main characters occurs at the beginnings and/or ends of the episodes, and the last few episodes of each season are usually action- and plot-based with multiple voice actors throughout the episode, rather than embedded short stories primarily told by a single narrator like the bulk of most episodes. So, you’re just interested in the character dynamics, you’ll want to lean towards the beginnings and ends of episodes, but it can be hard to keep up with the overall plot and character development with only that info. 

Even then, though, I’ll be honest -- it’s a very intense story with a LOT more horror/tragedy than cute/humor. The characters are often not friendly to each other and there’s a lot of interpersonal fighting in the group. There are major character deaths. There are also frequent themes of isolation and self-loathing by the main narrators. I think the author does a good job at balancing the dark parts of the story with the raw humanity of the characters, and there ARE genuinely funny parts (especially if you like dark comedy) and genuinely touching parts (and canon LGBTQ+ characters/relationships), but it also isn’t the kind of story that’s going to have a happy ending (and I’m trying to prepare myself for that, lol -- I can tell I’m going to have a rough go of it and I’ve been stocking my bookmarks with nice fanfic to get me through it).  

It’s a good story, with good writing and character development and voice acting, but if you don’t like horror, you might want to give this one a skip -- and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, because your mental health comes first. If it’s not horror in general that you don’t like, but just specific topics, there’s a Google doc with comprehensive content warnings (including some timestamps) for specific triggers here. There’s also an unofficial transcript site (here) that I usually have open when I’m listening to episodes so I can follow along, and each episode page has a block of content warnings at the top. You can also check out the wiki (here) if you just wanna familiarize yourself with the basics or read summaries without having to get too deep into the content of the episodes themselves. 

Whatever you choose, stay safe. The latest season admittedly deals with some pretty close-to-home topics that resonate with current events (unintentionally -- it was written before everything that’s been happening lately). 

[sheriffofmagic]

Could you give reasons why you watch the Magnus Arhcives? I really want to get in it but i dont know what im looking at and this seems like a good chance for you to go off

you're giving me too much power here but i absolutely will Go Off about this

so (some) reasons why i love the magnus archives

it's super well written. the individual statements all have such unique tones and characters. they're really enthralling and immersive and creepy. there's such a clear difference between the dialogue writing and the statements and it just adds a whole other level. and then the writing from a meta standpoint is also really well executed. hints and details are everywhere and nearly everything has meaning. things just come together in a very satisfying way that i really enjoy in a story.

it's a story with a plan. that's always something i value. a story that has a set ending that it's aiming for, one that may change as the story evolves but knows where it's headed. when i found out early on that they had a 5 season plan from the very beginning i was delighted because that's the kind of story i like.

honestly i really like the pacing. a lot of people think it's slow and that's fair but i really like that we get immersed in the world first before the meta-plot actually takes off. we get to know the characters and the conflict at a natural pace so you always feel like you understand why a character is doing what they're doing even if it's dumb. plus it makes the payoffs that much better because you've agonized over it.

this show is the first podcast that's made me think about sound design outside of just music and it's genuinely incredible. they do fantastic work.

i could do a whole post just about the characters but seriously the characters in tma are amazing. they're all super complex, not just the main cast but even the one-off characters for the statements. jonny may not be good at coming up with names but he's masterful at constructing whole personalities. and not just the characters being interesting or likeable but the way they evolve over the course of the show is so fun to hear (even when it hurts). it all feels natural. (im trying to be vague because i could legitimately make a whole separate post just about this topic)

to branch off of that.... i really love the female characters in this show. they're all incredibly distinct and complicated people and that's something a value a lot in any character but especially in female characters. again i could do a whole post about them.

the horror? i don't usually consider myself a big horror fan. mostly because i don't like jump scare-filled slasher movies/games. but i really love the horror in this. it's engaging and scary without relying on just being gross or taboo. (though there is gross stuff don't get me wrong, it's just not gross for the sake of being gross)

the comedy is great. this show can get dark. like really dark sometimes. so the moments of genuine positive emotions and especially humor hit really well especially if you read the transcripts along with it because some of the stage directions in there are hilarious.

there's rep! i'm not gonna spoil anything here but if you've seen my tma posts you might have a clue. there's both main, recurring, and one-off characters that are lgbt. (though i will say if you're looking for trans or nonbinary rep this show has uhhh basically none which is :/)

the voice acting is *chefs kiss*. some people have a hard time with jon's Bitch Voice in the first season when he reads statements and like... i can see why people would feel that BUT one of the personal highlights of listening for me is hearing how his tone changes over the course of the show (especially in how he interacts with other people 👀). and not just jon everyone in the cast is stellar. if you don't fall in love with martin the first time you hear his voice i don't know what to tell you

there's so much more i could say but i've gone on for way too long already. obviously, this show isn't perfect and not everyone will love it as much as i do. but it's really, really good and i highly suggest that anyone with an interest at least give it a shot. thank you for your time lmao