# The Colour of Magic (2008)

> A reluctant wizard guides a naive tourist across a fantastical flat world while the gods gamble on their fate.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/5546

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 2
- Episode runtime: 98 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: fantasy, comedy, adventure
- Created by: Terry Pratchett
- Network: Sky One
- Cast: Christopher Lee, David Jason, Sean Astin, Tim Curry, Jeremy Irons, James Cosmo, Peter Copley, David Bradley
- TMDB rating: 7.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1079959/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: whimsical, witty, irreverent, breezy, adventurous

## What critics say

Viewers found the Discworld adaptation decent and visually acceptable, with good performances and locations, though the story was seen as somewhat clichéd and less exciting than bigger fantasy films.

## Synopsis

The Colour of Magic (2008) is a British two-part fantasy comedy miniseries adapted from Terry Pratchett's novel and broadcast on Sky One. Its cynical wizard Rincewind (David Jason) is conscripted as a reluctant guide for Twoflower (Sean Astin), a wide-eyed tourist who has come to Ankh-Morpork with a fascination for everything. When a terrible fire forces the pair to flee the city, they set out across the Disc on a sprawling journey through strange kingdoms and absurd dangers. Christopher Lee plays Death, and Tim Curry and Jeremy Irons add weight as sinister and self-important figures in the city. Beneath the chaos, the gods are quietly playing a board game with the travellers' lives as the stakes, giving the adventure a playful, fated shape. The series moves briskly, trading in satire of fantasy clichés, dry wit and whimsical world building. Its feel is that of a light, irreverent romp, with the tone of a family-friendly quest. Fans of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Good Omens and The Lord of the Rings will find a similar mix of parody and earnest adventure. Across two episodes it offers a complete, self-contained fantasy romp for viewers who enjoy bright, witty escapism.

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