Wizard Wars: Magic Meets Reality Programming?

It’s a magical summer and the latest TV show to debut is Syfy’s “Wizard Wars.” The reality style program has teams of magicians that are given sets of random objects and then asked to create a routine that employs each of them. The teams compete against each other and the winner of the set then challenges a team of resident wizards with a new set of objects.

A judging panel provides commentary and decides the winner. Lending credibility and recognition to the show are Penn & Teller. Other judges include Christen Gerhart, who is best known for her Theory 11 “Expose” web series, and magician Jason Latimer. The resident wizards include: Gregory Wilson, Angela Funovitz, Justin Flom and Shimshi.

It’s not clear how much time the teams have to create their routines. Also, it’s not clear how much help they receive. I noticed in the credits that there are magic consultants that include: Johnny Thompson, Don Wayne and Dan White. 

Random Objects
It’s a great idea to have magicians compete with random sets of objects. In the first episode, the objects include Spam (the meat-like product, not junk email), a mannequin, water pistols, playing cards (really? I’d be surprised if magicians didn’t break out playing cards), chalk boards, glasses, and more. 

It’s a formula that has long worked on reality shows such as “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Iron Chef,” where aspiring chefs are offered random foods and asked to create a dish in a limited time.

Predictions and Existing Routines
As I expected, predictions are the “go to” effect as magicians can take any object and make a prediction come from or through it. Predictions are the easy route but there are lots of other magic effects to perform (levitation, destruction and restoration, escape...etc). But I understand given the time constraints.  

Furthermore, I think that the magicians may be simply adapting their existing routines. For example, resident wizard Gregory Wilson practically performs his pick-pocket act in his challenge round with Justin Flom against the contestants. The routine, the moves, the jokes are all things he has performed thousands of times.

Sure, one can say that the performers are playing to their skills, as is the case with the chefs in “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Iron Chef.” But when experienced magicians simply adapt their own routines to the props at hand, is this truly “thinking outside of the box?” 

TV Magic Wars
Wizard Wars is pleasant and fairly entertaining. It’s stronger than CW’s “Masters of Illusion” which doesn’t allow for any personality on the part of the performers. But for my money, Penn & Teller: Fool Us is the best of the bunch as we get to experience the polished routines of accomplished magicians. Consider the breakout performances one can enjoy on that show that includes Piff the Magic Dragon, John Archer and more. 

Personally, I prefer to watch magic that has been practiced, polished and perfected. Not cobbled together under pressure. Will "Wizard Wars" be good for magic? We'll see.

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