Welcome!!
I write this guide because there is a lot going on in this podcast that is very confusing or difficult to keep track of as a first time listener, and because every time I recommend this podcast to people they get very lost around season 2.
I will have webpages for character lists, updated every few episodes as we know more or new characters are introduced; and I will dedicate a full webpage to certain episodes or events when they are important or just very confusing.
Some general information about the podcast and the fandom:
The Magnus Institute, London, is an institute dedicated to academic reseach into the isoteric and the paranormal. The building consists of the following departments: Artifact Storage, where strange and/or dangerous artifacts are stored; the Archives, where people's statements are taken, researched and stored, and where the majority of Magnus Archives takes place; the Library, which houses a large quantity of books on the supernatural (only accessible if you have the right credentials or someone can vouch for you); the canteen.
Elias Bouchard is the head of the Magnus Institute, Jonathan Sims is the Head Archivist, and Tim Stoker, Sasha James and Martin Blackwood are Archival Assistants.
You listen to Jonathan Sims (this is the name of the main character but also the writer. Most people refer to the character as Jon or Jonathan, and to the writer as Jonny) as he records audio versions statements given to the Magnus Institute, in order to organise the insane mess Gertrude Robinson, the previous archivist, left behind.
The podcast has a total of 200 episodes, divided over 5 seasons of 40 episodes. A spin-off series named the Magnus Protocol is currently ongoing. You can listen to that one without listening to the Magnus Archives, but if you don't want any spoilers for Archives and want to understand Protocol better, I recommend listening to all 200 episodes of Archives first.
I am currently listening to tma for the 3rd time and updating as I go. If you have any questions or would like to see something added, please don't hesitate to send me an ask on tumblr @firelife14. I have a tma sideblog @spirallingdark, but please beware of spoilers for Archives and Protocol :)