I've said before that it can be frustrating when a really great audio drama ends after only a few episodes. Of course, I also say that it is better to burn bright and fast than to smolder well past your time. Plus, shorter lengths mean more opportunities to discover more great shows. With all of that in mind, allow me to introduce the podcast we'll be reviewing today. We're taking a look at The Magical History of Knox County.
The Magical History of Knox County follows Mordecai Dogwood. He has recently gotten a job at a small public radio station in Knox County, Ohio. Specifically, he's been tasked with taking care of the station's flagship program The Magical History of Knox County. You see, Knox County is far from ordinary. There are krakens in the lake, magic trees and talking toads in the woods, and a quirky cast of townsfolk for whom all of this is just daily life. Mordecai will have to report on the happens of this strange magical world to his loyal audience of listeners. At the same time, he'll try to uncover what happened to the show's former host Abigail Redwine.
I can best describe The Magical History of Knox County as a saner, more down-to-earth version of Welcome to Night Vale. You've got a public radio show host in a quirky small town where weird things are a part of daily life. However, The Magical History of Knox County is much more grounded and doesn't just throw our random weirdness for the sake of random weirdness. I'm aware that Night Vale has added more than just random weirdness, but I'd argue they didn't do so very well. But that is a discussion for another day.
Suffice it to say, I absolutely love The Magical History of Knox County. It only lasted for a single season of eight episodes, plus one mini-episode. I don't know if it was intended as a single season show, or if more episodes were planned, but never materialized. Still, it tells a complete story, and all loose ends are tied up by the final episode. So, there's no cliffhanger, or anything like that. Since there are only eight episodes, why don't we look at each of them individually?
Episode One sets up the premise of the series. Mordecai joins the station and we're introduced to several of the main characters of the show. There's station assistant Ned, whose name is short for Nedezhda. She's snarky, sarcastic, and not exactly thrilled to have Mordecai working at the station. She also very obviously still hasn't gotten over Abigail's disappearance. In other characters, we also meet Riddle Toad. He's a human-sized toad who speaks with a Transatlantic accent. He does offer advice and guidance of Mordecai, though, as his name suggests, he's very cryptic and indirect about it. I must say that I loved how the team nailed that detached NPR style narration, especially with Mordecai. Not too much else to say, other than that it is a pretty good first episode.
Episode Two follows Mordecai on his first real investigation for the radio station. He's taking a look at a tree, but not just any tree. This is a magical tree, and anyone who carves their initials, and the initials of someone else, into it will be bound for life. Mordecai interviews several couples who have gotten together because of the magic tree to see how their relationships turned out.
This is where the series really hits its stride. It would seem that the weirdness of Knox County only goes so far. Mordecai calls the local university to inquire how global warming effects magical plants, and most of the professors tell him to get lost. Well, he does find one professor who at least humors him. This episode does present an interesting question. What happens when you're bound to someone because of fate, and something stupid you did as a teenager? Throughout history, most marriages were arranged, and tended to be more like business transaction than anything else. Marrying for love is a fairly recent development in the grand scheme of things. Despite this, surviving accounts seem to indicate that most couples learned to love each other. Of course, you also have to factor in potential bias and omissions from those accounts, but still.
It seems that many of the couples did indeed manage to make it work, though there were a few notable exceptions. It's also interesting how the tree works. It wasn't magical originally, but it became magical because enough people believed that it was. All in all, an excellent episode.
Episode Three has Mordecai meeting with magical creature experts Lumily and Devodit. They study the magical ecosystem of Knox County, with a particular focus on Fearsome Critters.
I was particularly fond of this episode. First of all, Lumily and Devodit are a joy. Devodit is like an absent-minded mad scientist, while Lumily tries to reign him in, but isn't so above it all. The second reason I loved this episode is the focus on the Fearsome Critters of American Folklore. Fearsome Critters are tall tales created by loggers in the Midwest and New England. Very few people seriously believed in them. They were created as a way to explain, in a tongue-in-cheek way, strange happenings around the camp. Whenever something would go missing, it would be attributed to a Fearsome Critter. Also, they were a good source of campfire stories, and fodder for playing pranks on new recruits.
Today, most Fearsome Critters have faded into obscurity, with the notable exception of the jackalope. In this episode we get to see the wasset. It's a creature that looks like a green weasel during the summer, which is when it hibernates. During the winter, it turns white and sheds its legs. It swims through the snow, and can grow quite large and ravenous. Ned has one, named Snickers, as a pet.
Lumily and Devodit are trying to counteract the effects of invasive hodags. Hodags are a Fearsome Critter from Wisconsin. They're described as having the head of a frog, face of an elephant, thick short legs with claw, the back of a dinosaur, and a long tail with spears at the end. They're still fairly well-known in Wisconsin, with many schools and sports teams using them as mascots. As such, a Wisconsin creature is certainly invasive in Knox County, Ohio. It would seem that the magical ecosystem has some fairly mundane problems. Another excellent episode.
Episode Four begins with Mordecai investigating a case of magical poaching at the behest of Riddle Toad. Mordecai is about to get up close and personal with the seedy underbelly of Knox County.
This episode really captures the major theme of The Magical History of Knox County. Despite all of the magic and fantastical things, the problems faced by Knox County and its inhabitants are fairly mundane. Having so many strange and magical creatures probably would lead to a pretty big black market. We also got Riddle Toad in a prominent role, so that was good. Fittingly enough, his best friend is a sphinx, who was unfortunately a victim of the black market for magical creatures. All things considered, another solid episode.
Episode Five changes pace by having Ned as the main character. Mordecai has gone missing, and Ned has to find him while also keeping the show running. What could possibly go wrong?
I think this episode show that, though she'd deny it, deep down Ned really does care about Mordecai. I also loved the main threat of the episode. It's a shapeshifter, but it follows certain rules. It can't form its own sentences; it can only repeat what it's heard the people it transforms into say. This is handy for telling a shapeshifter from a real person. We also meet Wendell, the owner of The Sleeping Giant bookstore. Keep this in mind, it becomes important later. There's also Karl, he keeps track of all the books dealing in magic, alchemy, the occult, and other strange subjects. He's aided by his trusty team of bookworms. They're magical worms that eat books, but absorb the knowledge contained within the books. They can answer any question you have, unless it is a yes or no question.
We also get mention of Abraham Young, who also becomes important later. As is the magical tear in reality within the basement of the store. In case it wasn't obvious, this a pretty important episode. Important, and all also excellent as usual.
Episode Six sees Mordecai return to investigate a highly aggressive flock of magical bird known as, well, The Flock. We also get formally introduced to Abraham Young.
This is the point where The Magical History of Knox County went from episodic to developing something of a continuity. Abraham being the most notable example of this, and his connection to Abigail's disappearance. The Flock made me think of The SCP Foundation. Seems like they'd fit right in with the SCP universe. Then again, you could say that about Knox County as a whole. This episode further shows that Ned really does care for Mordecai. Also, rest in peace Snickers, you were a good little wasset. Oh, I might have let it slip that something happens to Snickers, but you'll have to listen to the episode to find out what that was. Another episode that is pretty good.
Episode Seven begins with a memorial service for Abigail, but then things get serious. Mordecai discovers that there is a giant buried beneath The Little Giant bookstore, and Abraham Young is attempting to awaken it. Mordecai is determined to stop Abraham at any cost, but what consequences will this bring?
I've watched a lot of science fiction and fantasy anime that spend most of their season being fun, quirky, and lighthearted. Then the season finale comes, and suddenly things turn dead serious, sometimes even save the world level serious. This episode of The Magical History of Knox County, and the one that comes after it, is kind of like that. So yeah, there is a giant buried beneath the town. Well, giant isn't really the right word. It's more like a minor god in terms of power. A massive untapped source of raw, unrefined pure magic. It almost sounds like something straight out of H.P. Lovecraft's writings. But for our purposes, we shall call it a giant, as the Mordecai does.
Okay, going to have to discuss some spoilers now, as it pertains to what will come in Episode Eight. So, turn back now if you don't want that.
Last chance. You sure you want to continue?
Well, okay then. Let's begin.
Turns out that Abraham wasn't trying to awaken the giant; he was trying to perform a ritual to contain it. Unfortunately, Mordecai stopped the ritual, and now the giant has awoken. Oh, and several characters, including Riddle Toad, are dead. I mean, damn, didn't see that coming. This is also why Abraham killed Abigail. She tried to stop his ritual, because she thought he was trying to tap into the giant's magical powers. Obviously, she was less successful than Mordecai.
Well, that was surprisingly intense, but well done. Let's see if the writers can top that.
Episode Eight deals with the fallout from Episode Seven. It is also the season finale, but due to there only being one season, is also the series finale. The giant has risen. Knox County, and possible even the world, is in peril. Only Abraham Young can possibly stop it, but he's gone missing. Mordecai is going to risk it all to find Abraham and save Knox County.
And so the series reaches its end. As such, this whole segment is going to be one big spoiler, so you have been warned.
Well, first all, turns out Abraham lied. He really was trying to siphon the giant's magic. Unfortunately, it quickly got out of his control, and the ritual is him desperately trying to fix his mistake. I will also add that I love how Mordecai finally locates Abraham. He carves their names into the magic tree from Episode Two. The giant is recontained, but you'll have to listen to find out how. Mordecai goes missing, apparently having sacrificed himself to stop the giant. Ned goes crazy without him, but never loses hope that one day he will return. See, she really does care. That, and this probably echoed Abigail's death, and hit way too close to home for Ned.
But, thankfully, Mordecai does return. Soon after it becomes business as usual for The Magical History of Knox County. All of the major plot threads are neatly wrapped up, but there is a strong sense of "And the adventure continues" so it leaves the door open for future seasons. Unfortunately, we didn't get any other seasons, but hey, what we did get was excellent.
There is a bonus episode where Mordecai interviews one of Knox County's residents, but personally I didn't care for it. I probably should have mentioned it before, but the voice actors are all incredibly talented. They are what really brings the story to life, as they should be.
Bonus episode notwithstanding, The Magical History of Knox County is an excellent urban fantasy podcast. It has that off-beat quirky small-town NPR vibe like Night Vale, but is also more grounded and down-to-earth. I wish we had gotten more seasons, but perhaps we ought to take joy in what we did get. Bottom line check out The Magical History of Knox County today. You'll be glad that you did.
Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.
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