Monday Chitchat: Shadowhunters Returns + 10 of the Best Episodes (So Far)

12:00 AM

 Another weekend gone. Dang. 

Wrap Up
*It's been a while since I've done a Monday Chitchat and Wrap Up so, HELLO, lots of stuff.


Shadowhunters is a super tricky topic for obvious reasons. The fans of the show are just as diehard as fans of the books are. It's wild and neither fandom are ones you want to cross. A good chunk of each are subsequently at each other's throats for one reason or another (which I'm not going to comment on because both try my nerves) and honestly?

I wouldn't want to get involved in that. Both sides are lethal. I kind of admire them for it. But I also wish they'd grow up.

While I prefer the books above all else, the show is still highly addictive and entertaining to me. Do I wish they followed the books closer? Absolutely. Plenty of television series have adapted books and been true-to-page whilst making it their own, like Outlander, You, Sharp Objects and Big Little Lies, so it's definitely frustrating to a degree. In all honesty, I'm just relieved that they haven't butchered it entirely like Gossip Girl was, in terms of page-to-screen accuracy, so I look past it.

I like how I can always sneak a dig in there about Gossip Girl. It's a talent.

With the highly anticipated return of Shadowhunters, back on Freeflop Freeform tonight, FINALLY here, I figured I'd dive on into some good old fashioned appreciation of the show. I've already talked about this in the positives in Shadowhunters, I'm going to do a little nod to my 10 favourite episodes so far.


10. Season 3, Episode 8: A Heart of Darkness 


A Heart of Darkness was one of the most emotionally charged episodes of the show. It combined a lot of qualities that makes Shadowhunters, well, Shadowhunters. Plus, we get to see a little more of that emotional side of Jace that is more prominent in the books as he develops, but the show sometimes lacks. AND seeing the bond between Alec, Izzy and Jace is always great. I love (1) family.

9. Season 2, Episode 8: Love is a Devil 


I think you guys will find that a lot of my favourite episodes of Shadowhunters are the more absurd or emotional ones. Love is a Devil combines both of those things. Alec makes me want to cry A LOT. A LOT, A LOT, A LOT. There are some heartbreaking moments throughout this episode when everyone's gone a bit... woo-hoo. And there's a lot of hilarity sprinkled in for various reasons, including the beginning of TV!Climon (eh) and Clary hallucinating that Simon is trying to get with Maia... while she is right there.

8. Season 1, Episode 10: This World Inverted 


Uh, I'm a sucker for AU stuff. This show? An AU entirely for the books. This episode? An AU of the show and the books and LITERALLY A WILD, WILD MESS. I love it. The shamelessly bad plugs of advertisements thrown into it? Brilliantly AWFUL. Meliorn's beautiful face? Alec and Magnus switching personalities basically? Nerdy Isabelle and Simon looking all cute? Clary and Magnus being BROTP? Valentine being... normal? A delight. Luke actually owning a bookstore? There was something so fluffy and fun about this episode, and the theme that no matter what universe they are in, these characters are always together. I just really love it.

7. Season 3, Episodes 9 + 10: Familia Ante Omnia and Erchomai


I am not counting these as two separate episodes even though they technically are a two parter. And you know, two halves of the same whole. I feel like this would have been a deal breaker for me if it was like five or six years ago, because I don't like *that* change and plot twist, re: Clary. I did however like the storyline as a whole because it took something that could have been overly familiar re: books and it made it it's own/managed to surprise me. Would I rather see the events of the books play out? Yes. But, this was a solid episode and really had me hooked. I am going to be honest: the midseason finales of S2 and S3 are fire. Did I mention THE SIZZY MOMENTS? Because. Hi. My brand.

6. Season 2, Episode 12: The Fair Folk 


Ooohhh, the angst! The book callbacks! The general campiness! The Seelie Queen playing Seelie Queen games! Alec as the head of the institute! Downworlders angst! That connection between Izzy and Raphael that is still the most pleasant surprise about Shadowhunters. AH. I really do love this episode. I just really, really do and I can't explain it. It was another one of those episodes that hooked me within the first scene and it was just fun. Once more, it took some liberties with book plots... but, it was still good to see That* scene play out. The kiss you most desire.

5. Season 2, Episode 13: Those of Demon Blood


Okay, okay, don't get me wrong: this episode had some flaws. But! I still really enjoyed it and the many political elements of it. If there's one thing The Shadowhunter Chronicles books showcase, it is politics of the Shadow World. Shadowhunters, too, explores the general politics of both the Shadow World and our world. For the most part, this episode really hit the right marks about it. Armed with its usual campiness and with a few tricks up its sleeves (hello, plot twists! surprise hookups!) it was just a highly engrossing episode. And some book plotlines sprinkled in. Plus, a little glimpse to Magnus and Dots pasts.

4. Season 3, Episode 4: Thy Soul Instructed 


I'll be honest, my least favourite part of S3 has been "The Owl" plotline. That being said, this was the episode that came fresh off the heels of *that reveal* and also introduced us to a few more characters. Fans of the book will recognize the inclusion of Jordan Kyle and know the signs of what is to come for Simon, Maia and Jordan. Heidi, aka Maureen 2.0, serves some of the general wildness that is Maureen in the later The Mortal Instruments novels. Clizzy kick some ass. Raphael gets into some trouble. Overall, a great episode that mixes up the canon of the show and the books.

3. Season 1, Episode 12: Malec 


I don't really have to explain this, right? The first season was entertaining and campy from the start, but Malec is THE highlight of the whole season. From Lydia Branwell (I love her, sorry not sorry) and Alec Lightwood's BS wedding, to their friendship and Lydia's unflinching support of Alec, to the big moment where Malec say FUCK IT and kiss in front of everyone. I thought I was going to hate this episode when I first caught wind of it because the spoilers (before it aired) had it pinned as an arranged/forced marriage. Overall, the plotline surprised me--as did Lydia Branwell as a character. This episode is, as the kids say, where SHIT GOT REAL. And I was living for it. Like, Malec is That Ship. You know?

2. Season 2, Episode 20: Beside Still Water 


This episode was just... fun. All the things that make Shadowhunters entertaining are present here. Little nods to the books, from a season that otherwise branched out into its own 90% of the time, emotions, death. Valentine fucking off. Would I die for these characters in any form? Absolutely. Also, did I mention VALENTINE FUCKING OFF? 'Nuff said.

1. Season 2, Episode 10: By the Light of Dawn 


Uhhh, this episode, guys. This is the episode where Shadowhunters peaked in terms of dramatic, on the edge of your seat, angsty fuckery. Will I be entertained by the remainder of these episodes? Duh. Will it be as fun as By the Light of Dawn? Doubtful. This is by far their strongest episode. They branched out on their own and still felt familiar in terms of plots/twists, and damn it was good. While there were a ton of things I'd have changed, this was sincerely SO very captivating. I couldn't look away. I promptly rewatched it after it aired. SO. GOOD. 

I will be doing recaps of the final episodes of the series starting this week! 
So keep an eye out for that.

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