“Statement begins.” These are the words that accompany the beginning of each episode of The Magnus Archives, a horror podcast by Rusty Quill Entertainment which follows the life of Jonathan Simms, the head archivist of the mysterious Magnus Institute in London. Most episodes follow a monster of the week format as Jon reads the terrifying statements of the people who come to the Institute to tell their stories. However, as the story progresses the listener learns that there is more to this world than meets the eye, and it is revealed that Jon is in over his head.

Podcasts are a growing form of entertainment with a new celebrity joining the trend every week, but for new listeners, they can be intimidating as they have a wide array of educational, lifestyle, and inspirational content. According to Apple, in 2018 they passed 550,000 podcasts and since then Apple Podcasts and other platforms have continued to grow. For fans of fiction, it can be even more intimidating to wade through the avalanche of content as a good fiction podcast is hard to find, but The Magnus Archives stands out in this sea of content as a genuinely bone-chilling tale that will appeal to any fan of horror or mystery. 

The series begins simply with each episode telling a stand-alone horror story bookended with the supplemental background on the case which Jon and his research assistants have found.  As the listener becomes accustomed to the world of the Magnus Institute, so does Jon and his journey into the reality of the horrors of the world draws the listener along with him. The episodes which range from 20 to 30 minutes long are written in first person prose and showcase a plethora of different types of fear, so undoubtedly, there will be a topic that leaves you shivering. 

One episode, “Binary” is perfect for those wishing to start the podcast and is guaranteed to stick in the mind with lines like “The maze is sharp on my mind. The angles cut me when I try to think.” This episode covers the fear of artificial intelligence and humanity’s increasing reliance on technology. However, like any podcast the best way to experience this episode and all the others is through the stellar voice acting and haunting audio production of the recording. 

For those who are apprehensive of horror, the metaplot that spans the whole series is enthralling to the curious mind, as small pieces of the story are revealed to be a part of a larger puzzle. To attempt to dodge spoilers as much as possible, the series has been planned out to be exactly five seasons of 40 episodes, and as the series draws to a close, everything has changed for the archivist and his crew of research assistants. 

The Magnus Archives takes the time to explore themes like sacrifice, what it means to be human, and what happens when you can not stay that way. The connections that bind the employees of the Institute give the series heart in a way unrivaled by most modern horror. The relationship between the main characters of Jon and Martin are a highlight of the show as they as well as their friends around them struggle to keep the world safe as forces beyond their control and even capability to understand toy with those around them. 

The Magnus Archives is available to listen to on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and almost any podcast service of your choice. 

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