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What if magic — real magic, not illusions — existed in 19th-century England? Well, it would have been convenient when it came to the ongoing wars against Napoleonic France.
As strange as that sounds, that's the premise behind "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" (Saturday, 11 p.m., BBC America). It's not only weird, it's weirdly entertaining.
Based on the novel by Susanna Clarke, this seven-part miniseries opens in 1806 England. Segundus (Edward Hogg) is looking for real magic, and soon finds the persnickity Mr. Norrell (Eddie Marsan), who quickly and clearly demonstrates that he's the real deal when it comes to magical powers.
Norrell is quickly off to London to help the British forces, where he encounters a stree magician named Vinculus (Paul Kaye), who introduces him to Jonathan Strange (Berti Carvel), another real-life wizard with powers greater than anyone imagines.
"Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" looks sort of like a "Masterpiece" drama with a whole lot of Harry Potter mixed in. It's fun.
Exactly where the new series "Dark Matter" (Friday, 11 p.m., Syfy) is going is as mysterious as the first episode. The good news is that the Syfy Channel has actually added a show set in space, and those are few and far between on what's supposed to be the home of science fiction.
This comes to us from the producers of "Stargate," who conjured up the idea and turned it into comic books — always planning to make it as a TV series.
The story begins as six people wake up from suspended animation on a really cool space ship. They don't have a clue who they are or what they're doing there. They retain the skills they had, but the have no idea what they're supposed to be doing.
There's also an android, who knows what's going on. There are lots of answers in Episode 1 … leaving open the question of what's going to happen in succeeding episode.
Friday on TV ...
Women's World Cup soccer: Australia vs. Nigeria (3 p.m., Fox Sports 1); Switzerland vs. Ecuador (5 p.m., Fox Sports 1); USA vs. Sweden (6 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13); Cameroon vs. Japan (8 p.m., Fox Sports 1)
"Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (7 p.m., CW/Ch. 30): Vernon Davis and Keegan-Michael Key are the guests.
"The Messengers" (8 p.m., CW/Ch. 30): Amy's drawings foreshadow the arrival of someone who can alter destinies.
"HitRecord" (8 p.m., Pivot): The Season 2 premiere features a short film about black magic; and a music video about the transformation of a victimized boy.
"Defiance" (9 p.m., Syfy): In the Season 3 premiere, enemy forces are marching on the town of Defiance.
Saturday on TV ...
Women's World Cup soccer: France vs. Colombia (11 a.m., Fox/Ch. 13); England vs. Mexico (2 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13); Brazil vs. Spain (2 p.m., Fox Sports 1); South Korea vs. Costa Rica (5 p.m., Fox Sports 2)
Golf (1 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5): Third round of the Women's PGA Championship
"AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Steve Martin" (8 and 9:30 p.m., TBS): Martin receives the American Film Institute's 43rd Life Achievement Award. (Taped June 4)
"Hannibal"(9 p.m., Ch. 30): An Italian investigator suspects that Hannibal is the killer who got away 20 years ago.
"Orphan Black" (10 p.m., BBC America): The Clone Club heads to London to track down the Castor original.
"Power" (10 p.m., Starz): Tommy signs on with Ghost; Kanan gets out of jail.
"Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" (11 p.m., BBC America): This series about a pair of magicians – not illusionists, guys who actually use magic — who use their powers to help England in its wars against Napoleon and France sounds crazy. And it kind of is. But it's not only weird, it's weirdly entertaining.