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Shadowhunters Review: Doing Things the Mundane Way

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(Freeform/Bruno Calvo)

Is it too early to start complaining about pacing (again)?

Say what you want about Shadowhunters (and it’s the internet so people will).

The bottom line: it’s a fun show with great characters. The problem is that it could be an amazing show. The kind you count the minutes between episodes.

But there’s that pesky pacing ruining everything.

(Freeform/Bruno Calvo)

“Original Sin” somehow managed to give us too much information and no information at the same time.

Which might almost be impressive if this kind of thing didn’t happen all the time on this show and it wasn’t the final season…

Sigh.

Magnus and Alec continue to mostly exist in their own world. And, really, that’s fine. Because they’re the best couple and they’re so fun to watch.

(Freeform/Bruno Calvo)

It’s not easy for Magnus to adjust to being mortal. He wants to live every second like it might be his last. So he’s rushing through from one thing to the next.

Alec did his best to keep up with him and took the opportunity to turn a hot training session into an even hotter let’s-get-naked moment.

But Magnus, with a camera in hand, still wanted more. More of the world, more of the food, more of learning to do things the mundane way…including potential nicknames for Alec like “Pup” and “Panda”.

Hilarious.

Alec finally broke through Magnus’ mania and helped him see that life is meant to be lived and no one’s going to remember the good moments if you’re always running to the next one.

Solid advice we should all follow more often.

(Freeform/John Medland)

In a whirlwind adventure, Simon and Izzy went from the NYC sewers to the Seelie Court. Simon located the ancient vampire who turned out to have his own Mark of Cain.

Because he was Cain!

Here’s where we had to swallow a lot of information in a limited time: Cain was manipulated by Lilith into killing Abel; he hides in the sewer so he doesn’t hurt anyone; the Seelie Queen is the only one who can remove the mark; it requires the rock used to kill Abel; and it’s super dangerous.

Back at the Seelie Court, the queen was willing to remove the mark since Lilith is gone (sure, show). She also warned Simon of impending death, but he was cool with it. Izzy stood and watched while the mark was removed.

Somehow that also led to Simon’s blood being sucked from his body (?) and Izzy needed to supply fresh blood (Seelies need not apply). But the cut she made wasn’t enough; Simon had to drink from her.

(Freeform/Bruno Calvo)

Which caused a problem because of the whole Izzy being addicted to the venom thing…remember that? If so, you’re doing better than me because I somehow forgot this entire huge storyline.

Now I’m not saying they should have dragged this out over the entire season or anything. But maybe more than one episode: a little debate over Simon risking his life, maybe Simon could have learned Clary was alive first? Then it would have been a harder choice.

Or not. Simon’s not the type to want the power to hurt anyone. However, I’m still not convinced this isn’t all part of the Seelie Queen’s plan. Adorable as she may be, she cannot be trusted.

Also, it bugs me that Izzy is always the supporting character in someone else’s drama. Even her venom lust the first time was more about Raphael. And now she’s all about Simon.

(Freeform/Bruno Calvo)

I love ships as much as the next person (maybe even more), but Izzy deserves better than only being used to serve male needs. She’s a BAMF, people.

(Again, I totally ship Simon and Izzy and have been waiting for them to happen since Season 1 so my complaints are probably going to ring hollow soon).

Finally, we have Clary and Jonathan. I told you it was going to be creepy. He does not look at her the way a brother should look at a sister and it’s not okay.

(Seriously, why is the incest the only thing the show is committed to remaining true to from the books?)

Clary did her best to escape her brother’s creepy clutches even as he tried to show her around Paris.

(Freeform/Bruno Calvo)

And, sure, there’s some truth in Jonathan’s point. He never had a chance in life. But kidnapping your sister and killing everyone who gets in your way doesn’t really show you wanting to try your best, Jonathan.

After Clary mugged a Shadowhunter for his stele, Alec received word of the incident, confirming Luke’s red string theories. Unfortunately, the Shadowhunter tried to get his stele back on his own.

Jonathan killed him…and he enjoyed it. He also killed the demon shop owner who’d sold the Morningstar sword to someone else (Another plot line that will likely be dragged out too long).

Jace, Alec, and Luke arrived to save the day. But Clary, who like Izzy is a BAMF in her own right, saved herself.

She stabbed herself so Jonathan was forced to flee (And he threw one hell of a raging pity party once he was alone).

(Freeform/Bruno Calvo)

Clary and Jace reunited with a kiss in front of the Eifel Tower because that’s the kind of reunion they deserve.

(Or should deserve if they were anything like book Clace and not this one we see onscreen where we’re constantly told that they’re an epic love rather than shown).

Ugh, I hate complaining about ships that I truly love. Because I do love them and want them to be together. I just want the show to give us more so we’re desperate for the reunion and not just going through the motions.

(Seriously, all complaints aside, I’m glad Clary’s back with the Shadowhunters after only one episode rather than dragging it out for three or four).

Mandy Treccia
Mandy Treccia has served as TVSource Magazine’s Executive Editor since 2016, formerly as Editorial Director from 2012-2016. She is an avid TV watcher and card carrying fan girl prone to sudden bursts of emotion, ranging from extreme excitement to blind rage during her favorite shows and has on more than once occasion considered having a paper bag on hand to get her through some tough TV moments. Her taste in TV tends to rival that of a thirteen-year-old girl, but she’s okay with that.

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