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Click here to return to the main site. DVD Review
Flynn Carson may appear to be an ordinary librarian working at the world-famous Metropolitan Library, but beneath the public library lies the centuries-old headquarters of scholars and adventurers who investigate the bizarre, collect dangerous artifacts and save the world from supernatural threats. When an ancient conspiracy threatens to destroy technology and bring back the age of magic, Flynn and his new Guardian, Eve Baird, must recruit three extraordinary people - a secretive scholar/cowboy who works on an oil pipeline, a hospital attendant who has the extraordinary gift of synesthesia – the ability to link all five senses to her memory, and a world-class thief - to join in the quest. If these new recruits fail, the world will be plunged into a new Dark Age. But if they succeed (and survive), they will become the new Librarians... If I were trying to sum up The Librarians as quickly as possible, I'd have to say that it is like a much much better version of Warehouse 13. The show uses the The Librarian movie series as a jumping off point. The three TV movies, which were released between 2004-08, starred Noah Wyle as Flynn Carsen, The Librarian, who was tasked with looking after a vast array of magical artefacts. If you've seen the movies, then you'll get a huge blast out of this show, which opens with Carsen and The Library still very much intact. The show introduces us to Eve (Rebecca Romijn) who is "invited" by the supernatural force that controls The Library to act as guardian to the Librarian - something Carsen thinks is not a good idea. The Library also sets Eve and Carsen with the job of tracking down three previous applicants for the job of The Librarian and asking them to come in and become new Librarians. There is also a shadowy organisation, known as the Serpent Brotherhood, that plans to unleash magic back into the world and allow it to once again belong to the people. In the process of doing this they manage to unhook the main part of The Library from our universe and send it spinning off to another realm. Carsen then heads off to find it (and is pretty much absent for most of this season) while Eve and her new recruits solve new mysteries that The Library makes appear in a magical scrap book. They still have access to aspects of The Library including its information and a door that can take them anywhere they need to go. Once the first season settles down it becomes something of a "job of the week" format show, which sees the cast travelling to different regions to solve mysteries that appear to be magic related. One of this season's highlights is Bruce Cambell playing the real Santa Claus in the episode And Santa's Midnight Run. Also making a guest appearance, in the episode And the Fables of Doom, is René Auberjonois, who Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fans will know as Odo. There is also a scene in the opening episodes where somehow, and I have no idea how, the writers make you feel something for a sword!!! It sounds odd, but without spoiling anything, we manage to form quite an emotional bond with something that doesn't really talk. Matt Frewer also stars in the recurring role of Dulaque, the leader of the Serpent Brotherhood. The episodes are enjoyable and the cast universally good in their respective roles. If I had one slight complaint, it's that the final episode rushes things forward, giving us information on both Dulaque and Jenkins's past together as well as their true identities. In fact, it felt as though the writers were purposely throwing new ideas into the storyline as if they were unsure that a second season was in the offing. The discs we received for review where CDRs with no menus or extras and the press information didn't reveal whether any extras would be available on the finished discs. But, to be fair, that's not overly important as the shows speak for themselves. This is an interesting series and, thankfully, to date (2016) the show has been commissioned for a third season. 8 Darren Rea Buy this item online
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