Why You Should Watch Shadowhunters

Hello fellow bookworms 💕 since Shadowhunters is back in full swing with a third Season (and needs all the support and promo for a fourth season) I decided to make a post about why you should give the show a chance! I’ve been among the people hesitant to watch the TV Series but I can speak from experience when I say that checking it out is definitely worth it. Give it a few episodes and especially don’t expect the Show to be exactly like the books. I think if you go into it with a fresh mind and without expecting it to be something it’s not going to be, you might really enjoy it! You still get to see the world and I personally like seeing different plotlines, it’s like an addition to the books. The show is constantly improving and especially season 2 is a huge step up from the first season.  Additionally, you have to keep in mind that if the Show is canceled that there won’t be another screen adaption of the books, especially not since there was only one movie produced.

Please read this amazing Twitter Thread!

https://twitter.com/grimeslincoln/status/978008047917387776

Disclaimer: While, I love the show I’m no longer a huge fan of the books, as I have become more aware of their issues. I still think that books 1-3 were the best ones, but even they had flaws, which is why I’m glad that some things were changed in the show. Therefore, you’re going to see me talking a lot about aspects that were better done in the show. Like always, if you like the books that’s great, but please be mindful that my opinion differs and is NOT a personal attack on you.

Reasons Why I You Should Watch Shadowhunters

💕 There is Instant Clizzy Friendship and No Female Rivalry! I really appreciate this, since there is already too much girl hate in literature, therefore I’m always there for some strong lady friendships. In the books it took a very long time for Clary and Isabelle to become friends and there was much hate going on between them. This is why I’m eternally grateful that the Show skips that rivalry and instead has both become friends + allies, Izzy is helping Clary come to terms with this whole new world and supports her. Of course their relationship still has ups and downs but there is so much genuine friendship and caring here, it makes my heart melt ♥

💕 Characters like Raphael + Maia getting more screentime. This is one of the liberties of the show that it can give screentime to supporting characters. So far I really liked them showing Raphael and Maia more, it was really great seeing them more than in the books, they also instantly grew on me because of that, so I think there is a lot of potential for characters getting more attention! I also love Simon in the show, which I never got from the books, he’s so funny and nerdy and every relatbale to me!

💕 Exploring different relationships. This is another perk directly linked to the above, because the Show has the opportunity to show some relationships more in-depth, which warms my heart, it’s always great to see characters interact that usually aren’t around each other. I was really fond of seeing Magnus and Simon bonding, with Magnus having a soft spot for him, because he once was a fresh Downworlder feeling lost too and wants to give him guidance (honestly I was all there for Magnus adopting Simon). There’s also some short Magnus and Ragnor friendship, which made me very happy and sad at the same time.  In addition, I really liked how we got to see some Magnus – Raphael interaction early on! If you’ve read the Bane Chronicles you probably know that they know each other! There’s also more of Simon and Maia interaction right in the beginning and I loved seeing that little development that happened over the last few episodes. I was also genuinely happy with Luke – Simon conversations and Luke being like a father + guardian for him. In addition, I really liked how we got to see some Magnus – Raphael interaction early on! And then we also have Madzie, who is adorable! ♥

💕 Malec getting more screentime and being a more healthy relationship. I loved Malec in the books, they were my first real OTP ever, but I even love them more in the show. For instance they get more screentime, while in the books they felt like a side couple compared to Sizzy and Clace. I also like that their relationship is a bit more healthy, since Alec has this huge jealousy crisis in the later books and in the Show it’s much more decent. There’s still some awkwardness when it comes to Magnus’ exes, but it’s done so much better and not full on jealousy. Their relationship has a healthy foundation and is so beautiful to watch, especially as it’s still growing and they have come so far already.

💕 There are many PoC in the cast which is really great to see in a TV Show! E.g. The actors of Izzy (Emeraude Toubia), Luke (Isaiah Mustafa), Magnus (Harry Shum Jr.), Raphael (David Castro), Meliorn (Jade Hassouné ) Sister Cleophas (Lisa Berry) or Maia (Alisha Wainwright). I’ve probably not named all of them, but you see that there’s great diversity in the cast and I love that we have so many main actors that are people of color!

💕 The Great casting! The Actors do convey their character very well and give them so much character, which results in me liking certain characters better aka. Valentine and Simon – I honestly didn’t care much for either of them in the books, but I really enjoy Simon’s jokes and nerdness more in the Show. I also think that Valentine is a better villain in the Show, his portrayal really gets me and he’s such a complex, smart villain. I really think that the actors for Izzy, Alec and Luke are so so much more fitting than in the movie, they just fill their characters with life and are much more what I imagined. Magnus was great in the movie, but I like his actor even more in the Show. When it comes to Clary and Valentine I like both actors, but Valentine’s actor in the Show is much more accurate when it comes to his real age. The only movie actor I prefer is Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace, even though I warmed up to Dominic Sherwood, because he does a good job playing Jace. However, Jamie will always be how I really imagine him.

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💕 There are Different storylines apart from the books, which keeps the surprise element and opens new perspectives. The Show is only loosely based off the books, but I enjoy that because we get to see many different storylines and I honestly stopped comparing book and show, because I know that they differ. I kind of like that the Show does its own thing, for instance I loved that we got to see the Iron Sisters way early in the Show!

Who’s your favorite character, ship & episode from Shadowhunters? 💕