Shadowhunters season 3: Harry Shum Jr. talks appeal of Malec
I feel like if you are reading this article, you probably already feel like Malec is at the top of the shipping list. The truth is that it’s hard to tangibly identify a single reason why any one wouldn’t be rooting for this couple. Their performances, their stories and how relatable they are to our own lives are just a few of the reasons why they are one of the best couples on television. That’s what makes ‘shipping such a great TV pastime: Everyone sees something different in the same couple.
So what does Harry Shum Jr. see in Malec? The actor behind Magnus Bane tells Entertainment Tonight that a lot of it has to do with the notion of sacrifice and how far they would go for the sake of helping each other:
“I think anyone who’s ever been in a relationship, or maybe haven’t, [have] felt that thing – that thing that you’ll fight to the death for … I think when you see this couple, especially with Magnus, [Alec] unlocks something in him and he wants to be able to – almost he would die for him in a way.
“When you see that — whether you want to call it soulmates, or you want to call them a couple that you yourself would die for them to still be together — I think the fans really react to that.”
It’s pretty easy to understand why fans would react to that, right?! It all comes back to the notion of viewers wanting to see themselves in the characters — with Magnus and Alec, you have two characters who are there for each other through thick and then. They’ve also got that star-crossed quality to them where they come from different walks of life, so it was an unexpected pairing in that way, and there are many people out there in life who have experienced something similar (myself included). It’s a couple that, despite all of the supernatural stuff, you want to celebrate because no matter what happens they rally for each other when the chips are down while on other shows other couples would have long been broken up.
While I enjoy the drama of Shadowhunters as much as the next person, there is something quite nice about some of the smaller, more intimate moments that put Malec at the center. They remind you of the normalcy amidst the chaos and how important it is to keep grasp of what makes them human. Magnus and Alec bring that out of each other.
Related – Be sure to get some more information regarding the future of Shadowhunters!
What is it about Malec that appeals to you the most as a TV viewer? Be sure to share some of your thoughts on that particular subject below!
Meanwhile, follow me on Twitter for more Mrs. Carter discussions or like CarterMatt on Facebook to get even more of the latest news! (Photo: Freeform)