Successful supernatural television series likeSupernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer,andCharmedhad a winning combination of great casting and compelling storylines, making them perfect comfort viewing. Dean Devlin (Independence Day, Stargate, Godzilla) knows that all too well, having served as consulting producer and executive producer ofThe LIbrarianson TNT from 2014-2018. Now, Devlin hopes to keep the magic alive in a spin-off ofThe Librarians —itself a spin-off of the film franchise.The Librarians: The Next Chapteris fresh and engaging, moving audiences through a new round of escapades with a new cast of characters who become the unlikely stewards of a magical repository of the world’s most powerful and dangerous supernatural artifacts.
As in the otherLibrariansoutings, these new characters are on a mission: Whether they like it or not, they must retrieve and protect sacred artifacts, lest those objects fall into the hands of evildoers. The result finds these intrepid souls embarking on magical adventures. Cue: suspense, team-building, and special effects that aptly capture the supernatural elements required for an engaging franchise of this caliber. Brisk, playful, and engrossing,The Librarians: The Next Chapterhits all the right notes. (Mostly.) It’s the kind of comfort viewing audiences love.
The Librarians: The Next Chapter
New Characters Hit Their Mark
This offering focuses on a new character, Vikram Chamberlain (Callum McGowan), a Librarian who time travels from 1847, escaping the dreaded General Gregor (Adnan Haskovic), the leader of a cult called “Gregor’s Hammer.” Vikram must adapt to present-day surroundings while also attempting to reclaim and protect sacred artifacts. Gregor wants as many of those artifacts as he can get because it strengthens the “magic” rising in the cult he’s formed. Vikram’s fish-out-of-water premise works to winning ends here: McGowen masters all the nuances of the compelling character, creating a strong protagonist audiences can root for.
But Vikram wants to return to the 19th century. The sudden time jump means he’s left behind a loved one, somebody who — quite coincidentally — nearly identical to a new acquaintance, Lysa Pascal (Olivia Morris). Lysa is a genius in math, engineering, and physics; as such, she’s the pragmatic one in a shambolic new posse Vikram must lead to protect the library’s artifacts. (There are shades ofThe Conjuringand theFriday the 13thseries from the late 1980s here.) That team includes livestreaming hipster Connor (Bluey Robinson), as well as Charlie (Jessica Green), a steely military commando trained in martial arts who’s also training to become a Guardian, a vital aid for all “Librarians.”
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Backup support comes in the form of Elaine (Caroline Loncq), the Caretaker of the Library. Elaine is wonderfully snarky, and pure joy to experience on screen. Loncq is in top form playing this immortal Camelot-era Brit, with whom Vikram shares a storied history. Another bright spot is fan favorite Christian Kane, reprising his role as the reliable Jacob Stone. Kane is a solid actor with sharp comedic timing, and his presence here is a nice anchor for the series.
The Series Balances Supernatural Elements and Character Development
From its storytelling template to its production quality,The Librarians: The Next Chapteris on par with other successful supernatural series, which bodes well for this show. There are shades ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer,Supernaturaland the delightful new bright spot,Dead Boy Detectives. The series quickly pulls viewers into the action, reveals what’s at stake, and then sails through a series of action-packed adventures. Some of the 12 episodes soar higher than others, of course. There’s a point halfway through when this kind of storytelling feels a little too familiar—a kind of cut-and-paste approach, but changing the characters and the setting.
The series is set in Europe, and most of the tales unfold in Belgrade, Serbia, where Vikram takes up residence in his former castle, which has become a museum. Banter about science being magic and magic being science abounds, giving Lysa some great scenes that make her one of this series' brightest standouts. Wry humor and special effects are delivered effectively, pulling the viewers along for an overall captivating ride.
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Themes of friendship, team-building, chosen family and sacrifice are added to the mix too, but without making the series feel too preachy. The core cast gels very well creatively, especially in the later episodes. But the real fun is in the capers: One episode tracks the backstory of the Noon Witch, leading to a climactic and hilarious ballet sequence which proves that Devlin is a master of balancing humor and suspense. And when the gang heads to a world-class observatory on the college campus, they discover a precious crystal is being used to steal people’s memories in order to own the future. The series is captivating from beginning to end; a second season has already been ordered, which ensures that fans of the franchise will remain lost in the stacks for some time.
The Librarians: The Next Chapterpremieres on TNT May 25. Watch the trailer below.
