Why You Should Watch The BBC's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

BBC America's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell kicks off this Saturday at 9 PM (8 PM Eastern). Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is one of the first major premieres of the summer, perfect for us fantasy geeks looking for a way to escape the heat. It also may be one of the BBC's best fantasy series since Doctor Who. If you've never heard of the BBC miniseries, or the 2004 novel it's based off of, then a) shame on you, and b) don't worry. Luckily, ComicBook.com is here to conjure a handy primer of the who's, what's and where's of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.

Forget Hogwarts

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is set in an alternate version of Victorian England. At first glance, it looks, feels and acts the same as the historical Victorian England. Set during Napolean's butt-kicking of the country, everyone's dressed in petticoats, poofy gowns and white wigs. However, there's one key difference: magic once existed in this England, although no one has practiced its use in hundreds of years. No one knows why magic "left" England, but it might have something to do with the disappearance of the Raven King, a seemingly immortal ruler who used magic and a fairy army to conquer a part of England in the 1100s.

Jonathan Strange Is Not a Doctor

As the title implies, the series' main characters are Jonathan Strange and Gilbert Norrell. While Norrell isn't as flashy or good looking as you might expect, he starts the series as England's only true magician, having taught himself with an impressive collection of books he purchased over the years. Once Norrell reveals himself to the world, he takes on the young and handsome Jonathan Strange as his apprentice, although his reasons for doing so are unclear.

Fairies With A Bite

Fans of Hellboy might recognize the Sidhe, who play a large role in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Kind of like fairies, The Sidhe are magical creatures who inhabit a land connected to England by magic. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell draws heavily from the English fairy tales, who usually depict the creatures not as whimsical creatures, but as beings filled with mischief and malice. The fairies who appear on the show aren't the fairies who come into children's rooms and leave money in exchange for teeth. They're the kind who come into a child's room and steals them as slaves for their own world. Bum deal, huh?

A Long Awaited Adaptation

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell adapts the 2004 hit fantasy novel by Susanna Clarke,. The book was almost immediately optioned for a movie by New Line Cinema, but that adaptation fell by the wayside when New Line collapsed in the late 2000s. It would take five more years for BBC to pick up the novel, this time as a seven part miniseries.

There aren't any major movie or TV stars in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, but you might recognize some of the actors. Bertie Carvel, who plays Jonathan Strange, has appeared in Doctor Who and Sherlock in minor roles. His co-star Eddie Marsan, who plays Mr. Norrell, has appeared in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movies and was the main villain in Will Smith's Hancock movie. Other actors who you might recognize are Paul Kaye and Enzo Cilenti, who both have appeared in Game of Thrones, or Marc Warren, who has played villains in countless TV shows and movies (he's a villain here too).

Don't Knock It Till You Try It

If this article has piqued your interest in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell even a little, you don't have to wait until Saturday to give it a try. BBC America has the first episode available to stream on their website today. Give it a watch and let us know what you think in the comments below!