Based on Lev Grossman’s best-selling book series, The Magicians follows Quentin Coldwater, a highly intelligent but socially withdrawn twenty-something secretly obsessed with a series of fantasy novels he read as a child about a magical land called Fillory. Beyond that, Quentin's life is dull until he finds himself admitted to a very secret, exclusive college of magic in Upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the practice of modern sorcery. However, magic doesn’t bring the happiness, adventure, and meaning that he thought it would…until he and his friends discover that Fillory is real.

Childhood's End follows the peaceful invasion of Earth by the mysterious Overlords, which begins decades of apparent utopia at the cost of human identity and culture.

Karellen (Charles Dance), the ambassador for the Overlords, makes first contact with Earthling Ricky Stormgren (Mike Vogel). Karellen’s comforting words and amazing technological gifts quickly win humanity’s favor. However, Karellen’s refusal to reveal his physical appearance and insistence on dealing only through Ricky raises questions whether his intentions are truly benevolent.