Summary
Magician Drummond Money-Coutts shows off his skills in Death by Magic, in an easy-to-watch Netflix Original Series.
What I most enjoy about magicians is not their ability to trick your line of vision, nor is it their claim to conduct magic, but they can produce such showmanship that you could not care less if the act was real or not. For years Derren Brown has delighted us with his breathtaking projects, yet he has interwoven his skills with his identity, mixing suggestibility with the ease of entertainment. I admit that I knew nothing of magician Drummond Money-Coutts, but Netflix’s Death by Magic will win him a lot of fans.
For the majority of the episodes, Death by Magic shows the magician travelling the globe, meeting different audiences from various cultures performing the simplest of tricks. Death by Magic is primarily about the last dangerous stunt he does, but Drummond Money-Coutts enjoys embracing different people and documenting the history before diving into a near-death experience.
If you have a weak heart, then each stunt gets more and more dangerous. Episode 1 is a sliver of what the entertainer can do. The magician decides to put himself in a straitjacket, locked inside a treasure chest, with an oncoming train heading his way. Drummond Money-Coutts has 60 seconds to get out of the straightjacket and vacate the chest, while his audience screams and nearly pass out. A famous magician died doing this trick, adding to the suspense.
Death by Magic is a decent easy-watch documentary series, and it helps that Drummond Money-Coutts gives off an enticing aura, forcing the audience to listen to every word. Is he as awe-inspiring as the likes of Derren Brown? Probably not, but I’d have to watch more of his material before making that judgement. What is clear is that this Netflix series was a good move and will surprise you with each instalment. Prepare to be shocked.
