THE MAGNUS ARCHIVES #65 - Binary 

Ok but that was a really smart move on Jon's side??? Like actively seeking out people into computers to just casually mention how he got locked out of "his" laptop, and then having them crack it for him??? I hate that he's being so paranoid but damn he's clever

this is like listening to your parents argue with each other while you're in the same room

imagine if you tried to download slenderman or smthin and ended up with a 17 hour video of a man eating his computer

Petition to organise Martin his tea party

Season 1 : *Jon roasting his co-workers* /mainly martin/ Season 2 : *Co-workers roasting Jon*

OH Sorry. didnt mean to DISTURB you while youre being _Suspicious_

the real horror is a job you want to quit but cant

"FUCK you, I got eaten by WORMS because of you!" Favorite line so far

*17 Hours of Computer Eating Sounds to Help You Fall Asleep (ASMR)*

Now now kids, just because Jon and Tim are fighting doesn't mean they love you any less.

You know you grew up with parents in a broken marriage when arguing between fictional characters becomes the saddest and most upsetting part of an episode about a man cronching down on some computer keys until he died

I love the spooky stuff but by god I am LIVING for the banter between Jon and the others. Also, when Tessa Winters mentions that "sweet spot between creepy and nerdy"... Damn if that isn't just for everyone listening to this

iiiim gonna MONCH iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim gonna CRONCH

That moment when Tim realized something was pulling strings was almost instant de-escalation and just what my conflicts averse mind needed. Now he knows it's not just his co-workers that Jon is paranoid over, and that maybe he has good reason.

“Nothing about humanity is binary” TMA said nb rights

A man eating his computer? Tim confronting Jon? Oh boy, this was one hell of an episode.

I am continuously impressed by the level of intelligence these characters possess. They are so far away from generic horror characters. Here, forbinstance. The computer is frozen. She crashes the program. It still doesn't work? She closes the laptop. The horror chases her instead of her wallowing around going whaaaa??? It's so refreshing!

Why does no one ever knock??

I miss when Tim and Jon got along :(

Doesn't look like the archives are going to let any of them leave...I think it's great, that they are adressing it. Every sane person would have left months ago.

me, a nonbinary person: haha this isnt scary jon: episode 65.. binary... me: AHH

People fighting gives me highkey anxiety but the drama was too good v_v

no one mentioning wayyy earlier when sasha was first acosted prentiss alongside michael they had that convo like S: "this isnt a normal job i should quit. we all should." J: "will you? quit?" S: ". . ." S: "no. i dont know why but i have to see this through" the archive has been keeping them for SO LONG. ALSO it was so smart of Jon to nudge Tim into quitting before revealing he couldn't fire him. he probably wanted to see how he'd react before bringing up he was also aware.

Oh my god, I'm so glad Tessa cleared up the bit about the "deep web". I saw that bit in the description and died a little inside lmao

Huh, she's got a point about digital vs. analog, especially considering the tape recorder. The laptops won't record these statements, but the tape recorder will. So the difference isn't necessarily analog vs digital, it's the type of digital, or the location of the data, that's causing the problem.

To quote Jonny in the Season 2 Q&A: "Ohohoho... I know where to fit the Spooky Computer."

Jon earlier this season “I need to be more secretive with my supplementals. Also Jon: *Literally being not secretive whatsoever and getting caught again* “I jUsT dOnT kNoW hOw ThiS kEePs HaPpEnNiNg”

When I was a kid I had nightmares about computer viruses. I was terrified of something haunting me behind the screen and the paranoia followed me for years after I got a laptop of my own. I'd nearly forgotten the whole ordeal, but this episode made me remember. Thanks.

i love how jon is being very patient with his interviewees this season but my god please tessa sweetie get to the poooooooiiiiint

'Nothing about humanity is binary'. My NB ass shedding a tear over that accidental (?) representation.

God. The fight at the end made me feel nauseous. That just goes to show how real it felt. Props to the VA’s.

Okay, but can anyone tell me why Ushanka loves the great taste of Silicon Crunch?

The way Tim talked about how he couldn't quit, it didn't entirely seem like it was simply a matter of him not wanting to, but being physically unable to. Like something was preventing him from quitting, and had some sort of control over him that he may not have been entirely aware of. The way Jon said that he couldn't fire Tim either, made me think that perhaps something similar is happening to him. It reminds me of how in Recluse, the kids at the house were being controlled, and that Raymond Feilding appeared to be (at least partially) using the table to do this along with whatever powers of persuasion he naturally had. I think that Not!Sasha is doing something similar. I think she needs them to uncover some mystery- that there is something she desperately wants to know about and for some reason only the Magnus Institute can uncover this secret. This might even be why the table was delivered to the Magnus institute- so that the creature could use it to gain access to the Institute. Even if I'm wrong about using the table to control people, now that this has led me down this particular train of thought, it makes total sense that either way, Not!Sasha planned on replacing an employee of the Magnus Institute to gain access to it.

Kinda funny how much this freaks me out considering I’m.. nonbinary

SPEAK UP BICON TIM STOKER!

i GoT eAtEn By WoRmS bEcAuSe Of YoU

oh keyboard keys , the forbidden snack

This is some FINE computer horror right here. No sonic.exe, no secret gore streams, no HAL 9000. Just some guy eating his computer with no good explanation as to how it works.

I relish the bits between the staff. That was rough but so good

I love how Tessa is babbling about computer nerdy stuff and Jon's just probably politely nodding bc he knows nothing of computers at all, wants to ask her to start the statement but he can't break her throughout lol Also, calling him grampa made me burst into laugher, and I was walking in a crowded street at that moment so people thought I was crazy or something

Tim cursing out Jon is something I never knew I needed in my life-

"Nothing about humanity is binary" Me, an enby: Absolutely correct

Everytime someone gives a statement I imagine Jon starry eyed, cheek resting on palm and fully inveloped into what they're saying. And he's always startled when they're done.

Tim being unable to quit despite wanting to and Jon being unable to fire him despite wishing he could really reminds me of when Martin admitted that he couldn't leave; that despite having his life in danger he felt he couldn't quit. Its a very nice bit of subtle foreshadowing.

This has to be my favourite TMA episode. I wouldn't say it's the best one, but I just love it so much. I spent the better part of my early teens (coinciding with the early 2010s) submerged in the world of creeppasta - I wasn't much into it, but my best friend was and I absorbed a ton of it, to the point of it becoming a huge part of my life back then. I'm endlessly impressed at how well the writers managed to capture that feel of late 2000s/early 2010s internet creepy stories. Even the small things, like Sergei's last name - it feels like an idea of a teen creepypasta writer who wants to evoke the whole array of connotations that come with a Russian name (Russia as this foreign place with a very specific flavour of weird and uncanny, Soviet experiments, Russian Sleep Experiment, etc.) but also doesn't know enough about the naming conventions, so they unknowingly end up naming the guy after a hat. Or the video of the man eating his computer, which, yeah, I would totally freak out if I was in that situation, but it's also so goddamn funny to read/listen about? It feels, again, like someone was trying so hard for gruesome and scary that they accidentally ended up on the grotesque side of things. Or the mutable, changing nature of those stories... I legit ended up looking up "sergei ushanka" to see if they didn't actually use an existing creepypasta, because it all fell into place so perfectly, but no, they are apparently just that good. This episode gave me such a surge of weird nostalgia that I didn't even know I had in me. It felt like coming back to a place you used to hang out as a kid and finding it still existing and unchanged. I suppose these are not exactly emotions that you want to evoke with your horror podcast, but damn if it didn't feel great in the strangest way

Ms Winters infodumping for like 5 minutes at the beginning is such a solid mood

Girl: analog and digital are so different, people can't be digital ect. ect. Me: please stop having a digital existential crisis; it's too late to think about this Girl: Everything you are is in your mind, you have no idea if you're losing yourself Me: ah yes this I can deal with, just a normal Tuesday

1:07 to 5:00 is just me without my adhd meds

The supplemental here reinforced my already strong fondness for TMA. It's not just typical protagonist dealing with mysteries and dangers (alongside his mostly loyal and supportive friends). It's a reality where other people have their own feelings and opinions, and their reaction to your actions might not be always so pleasant. PS. Tim should be like "oooh, so that's why Elias didn't fire you" :D

This is the only episode of the entire 183 episodes currently out that has actually scared me. I made the mistake of making this the last one before bed I listened to, and I had to postpone sleep for a whole another episode to actually calm my brain down. So. Technological horror. That's my breaking point. Good to know. Thanks Magnus Archives. I'm going to go microwave my phone now.

*God* that end bit was tough, I mean I fully agree with both of them but *fuck* man... really good episode

this is one of the creepiest ones so far for me. i was shuddering the whole time

I love how people come to him with complaints and accusations, but in the end Jonnyboi inevitably sweet talks them into forgetting their grudge, and they leave, confused and ashamed, while Jon is murmuring softly into their ear.

Get my boys some councilling Please Their suffering pains me - Tim and Jon arguing reminded me SO much of my parents it made me feel sick

Doctors: You are what you eat Sergei: *Grabs an Apple III and a bottle of Siracha "Finally some good f*cking food"

It's so funny how Jon is confused as to how he keeps getting caught recording supplemental statements when it's like... buddy..... I swear there's multiple places you could do that. In a broom closet? In the airtight room that Martin was staying in??? During overtime hours?????? YOUR FLAT???????

the "niche legend" concept of this one reminds me of the Grifter's Bone one.

"There's no feeling but the no feeling hurts" is such a mood, actually. I 'feel' like that a lot.

I didnt think I'd find an episode that truly scared me because nothing up until this point unnerved me, but this episode scared the shit out of me and i have no idea why

Tessa: People aren't binary Non binary people: It's like... I was made for this.

gOD I live for Tim roasting Jon the turns have tabled oml

I am honestly more unsettled by the supplemental than the story itself and I think that says enough.

You can't turn yourself into a living computer? That's quitter talk.

“nothing about humanity is binary” tma said nb rights

Everyone: you can’t eat a computer! Some dude: technology go CRONCH

3:10 SHE DID IT BOYS! SHE DID IT! SHE SAID IT! *airhorn sounds*

Damn the change from her confused speech to her clear and clean statement is incredible. There's definitely something going on here (No spoilers please)

Okay, so I know this was a long time coming for Jon and yaaay Unhinged Tim and an F bomb blah blah. BUT. I got a feeling that after the whole "fuck you" "no fuck YOU" this isn't the archives compelling them to continue working peacefully. I'm pretty sure it's their Englishman sensibilities. That was the most English fight I've ever heard. "Fuck you sir. Now that that's out of the way, I will see you Monday"

Tim moved up on my "needs a hug list"

tim and jon fighting makes me very uncomfortable. its like watching your parents fight while you're in the same room

As a computer nerd I am high-key excited and lowkey very anxious for the writes understanding of the deep web and such in general

“nothing about humanity is binary” nb rights

And on the sixty-fifth episode, Jonathon Sims officially became too tired to sass back any longer.

Just at the beginning, but while Ushanka is a type of hat, Yushenko (read similarly) is a real last name!

"No need to take that tone" mumbles Jon, the soul of discretion

As soon as I heard Tessa's voice all I could think was "Holy shit she's _baby_ "

Tim literally said everything everyone was afraid to say he’s so brilliant

Loved that genuine moment of them both realizing "oh fuck we're in this together"

One of the more unsettling episodes, for sure.

The supplemental part is amazing all the way through. From Jon being excited over finally being able to access what's on Gertrude's computer, through Tim's EXCELLENT snark and some well-deserved Words to Jon, to the slow horrified realisation that the Archives are somehow preventing them from leaving (Martin was being very literal about being stuck here!).

Damn, it musta taken a couple of bytes to eat that all.

"Nothing about humanity is binary" my nonbinary ass be like

Damn listening to them arguying is really horrible Tim I'm so sorry you deserve so much better

This calm, but terrifying tone of voice of Jons gives me a weird feeling in my chest. Something about how he switches from being an erratic guy with paranoia to a horrifying man who knows too much to stay sane is freaking me out... But that girl made the point, nothing about humanity is binary *non-binary fingerguns* :D

Is it a neat detail how Jonathan is very patient with the statement giver even though her statement is virtually impossible to follow up on and doesn't have any useful leads? He just _really_ wants that laptop unlocked and the possibility of angering the statement giver by being doubtful is too much of risk to take

I think I’m too afraid to look at the tv screen or opening my laptop at this moment

This one sounds like a refreshing oneshot horror story. Also its the right mix of creepy and hilarious, like "mukbang went too far"

Martin deserves his tea party

Listening to this at past 1am was a terrible idea and i had to take several breaks. Oh boy. Also i feel very sad for Tim

this is just Cabinet Man: Cronch Edition

Ooh. OOH this was GOLD. The whole thing. HOO BOY.

But like... our brains do work in binary? A neuron is either firing or it isn't. Sure there's a lot we don't understand about the brain but to say we're as far from a computer as possible seems a bit off. I've taken too many philosophy of the mind courses

I’m about a couple years late, but Tessa’s opening statement brings up a strange question. If tape recorder is digital, just like the software it’s supposed to supplement, then why does it work and not the laptop?

Theres a lot to like about this episode, but my favorite is tessa going on an adhd rant about computers while john just sits there wanting to finish his formal introduction to the statement

My theory from this episode and what we know so far: I was intrigued by the long talk of the witness about the digital and the analog, thinking of it being a forshadowing for something in the future, so I was trying to figure out of what and then it hit me; right here they vaguely explain to us why the supernatural doesn't work with digital machines! The reason is because they work so well! Basically the witness said about the tapes being also digital but they're an older version of digital so we consider them analog, while humans are analog, and now it all makes sense. Digital machines can comprehend the supernatural, they can see it and, most importantly for us, they can hear it! That's why all these cases cannot be recorded in a computer, because, just like with the tapes, there are disturbances while doing the recordings, but because the modern computers are far more able to "catch" all these supernatural sounds, the audio ends up being unrecognisable! While with the tapes, because they're less capable of the modern machines, they can't catch the sounds with the same magnitude as the computers so, in the end, the people talking are still hearable over the weird sounds. That also explains why, in a previous episode about the tunnel under the church, the photographer couldn't see the shadows but his camera could capture them in the photos. And why in that youtuber episode, the witness only saw that woman with the skin off her hand, while in the video John could see two figures. And also why the supernatural can change digital images or videos or audios when the not-people take the place of a person but they couldn't do it in those polaroids, 'cause they couldn't "sync" with that technology that well for them to manipulate it. While the modern digital, because the supernatural can "sync" with them is also why the digital machines can capture the supernatural. I'm sure they'll explain the reasons better in future episodes, but I strongly believe that this episode is forshadowing for this aspect of the story. As for the fight with Tim, so not only there is something that makes people tell their stories how it wants them to be heard, but it also makes the archivists not being able to leave the archives. Interesting how this is only true about the archives, since we've heard other times of people leaving their position (that it wasn't the archive) in the institute for another one. So, it's like with the spider's web manipulation thing, and only way to break free is with the help of something else supernatural.

Timothy please, please don't take that tone with Jonathan.

I'd recommend checking out "eating my computer" it's a song and that's all I heard in my head the whole time she was talking about him eating his

Kids traumatised by their parents arguing start watching a podcast, that reminds you of your parents arguing, fun times. And I was eating cereal while listening to this, and sometimes you just gotta keep crunching because it's so good even tho you're full, cronch cronch

Digital spookums...

An urban legend of a man transferring his mind into a machine? Hmmm... Reminds me of a certain arcade cabinet.