By Dustin Gebel
What would happen if you threw Indiana Jones, Doctor Who, Supernatural and a dash of Harry Potter together? More than likely you would find TNT’s new show The Librarians. The show airs on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. and follows the story of a group of genius level individual who were once recruited to take position of Librarian, a role that serves like a wizard Indiana Jones.
A short disclaimer to the reader, three TV movies on TNT lead to a spin-off, the show in question, The Librarians. To watch the show doesn’t require watching the films, they however provide an enjoyable marathon and do give backstory on the current Librarian, Flynn Carsen, and how he became the man being shown in the series. The films provide the setting and mood of the series, in which they do not appear too serious or grim. The franchise claims a tone of comedy mixed with sarcastic characters and an abundance of dry wit.
The season begins with Eve Baird, a government agent, searching for a nuclear weapon in a warehouse district when she comes across Flynn Carsen who appears wildly out of a shoot, exclaiming crazy notions about mystical artifacts. The view watches the two achieve their objectives, Flynn figuring that both the combination to the lock on the item’s box and the shutdown code on the bomb Eve’s the same. This being a simple recurring symbol of showing that the two characters formed a connection. Flynn disappears and Eve tries to recount what happened to her superiors and given a leave of absence.
Eve then receives a letter from the Metropolitan Public Library, the Library that Flynn received almost ten years before. The Library, a front for the organization, to make sure magic doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Eve is offered the role of Guardian, a person responsible to protect Librarians in the field. Flynn already developing the skills necessary to survive without a Guardian. An odd fact because most Librarians die quickly after taking the position.
From here the two discover that someone murders potential Librarians, leaving only three left. Jacob Stone, Cassandra Cillian and Ezekiel Jones all characterized with genius level intellects in various fields of study. Jacob, a man from small town America who deeply focuses on art and history. Cassandra, a mathematician who experiences hallucinations because of a brain tumor and Ezekiel a thief and skilled hacking. Each brings a skill that helps solve mystery of the week. Flynn rounds out the ensemble for a recurring role, leaving to find the Library entrusting the in training three with Eve and Jenkins, a magical researcher of sorts.
Through the opening episode they come across an old villainous group from the movies called The Serpent Brotherhood who wants to return magic to the world. The scene reveals that Cassandra, a turncoat in the group, wants magic to return to heal her tumor. This choice reappears later in the second episode, choosing to save her Flynn, her mentor, rather than use the lasting effect of Excalibur to heal herself.
By the end of the opening episodes, Flynn plans on leaving to try and find The Library, which had been cut from this dimension by The Serpent Brotherhood when Cassandra had revealed herself. The scene ends with him and Eve going around and saying goodbye, her having to push him to undertake this journey, using his own brilliance to do an impossible task. The two kiss and Flynn disappears in a very eccentric manner, resembling the way that he appear at the opening of the show.
The show focuses more on the development of characters between weeks, highlighting the distrust that Stone feels towards Cassandra due to her betrayal and her attempts to make it up to him. Eve mentors the three, training them to keep safe when out in the world. Jenkins, a reluctant mentor in magic, provides help but holds anger because all these people won’t stop interpreting his research. He provides the magical book that collects any occurrence of a mystical events around the world, now providing more stories since more magic flows through the world.
With eight episodes already aired, and two more coming next Sunday, further cast development,along with a hope that Cassandra receives forgiveness and the group gets along in the long run, that Flynn finds the Library and can continue training The Librarians in training, nicknamed LIT’s, and his romance with Eve flourish, so far having little attention.