diff --git a/youtube_dl/extractor/escapist.py b/youtube_dl/extractor/escapist.py
index b1242f6bc..272dfe1f6 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/extractor/escapist.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/extractor/escapist.py
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-import json
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
 import re
 
 from .common import InfoExtractor
 from ..utils import (
-    compat_str,
     compat_urllib_parse,
 
     ExtractorError,
@@ -11,70 +11,68 @@ from ..utils import (
 
 
 class EscapistIE(InfoExtractor):
-    _VALID_URL = r'^https?://?(www\.)?escapistmagazine\.com/videos/view/(?P<showname>[^/]+)/(?P<episode>[^/?]+)[/?]?.*$'
+    _VALID_URL = r'^https?://?(www\.)?escapistmagazine\.com/videos/view/(?P<showname>[^/]+)/(?P<id>[0-9]+)-'
     _TEST = {
-        u'url': u'http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-escapist-presents/6618-Breaking-Down-Baldurs-Gate',
-        u'file': u'6618-Breaking-Down-Baldurs-Gate.mp4',
-        u'md5': u'ab3a706c681efca53f0a35f1415cf0d1',
-        u'info_dict': {
-            u"description": u"Baldur's Gate: Original, Modded or Enhanced Edition? I'll break down what you can expect from the new Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition.", 
-            u"uploader": u"the-escapist-presents", 
-            u"title": u"Breaking Down Baldur's Gate"
+        'url': 'http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-escapist-presents/6618-Breaking-Down-Baldurs-Gate',
+        'md5': 'ab3a706c681efca53f0a35f1415cf0d1',
+        'info_dict': {
+            'id': '6618',
+            'ext': 'mp4',
+            'description': "Baldur's Gate: Original, Modded or Enhanced Edition? I'll break down what you can expect from the new Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition.",
+            'uploader': 'the-escapist-presents',
+            'title': "Breaking Down Baldur's Gate",
         }
     }
 
     def _real_extract(self, url):
         mobj = re.match(self._VALID_URL, url)
         showName = mobj.group('showname')
-        videoId = mobj.group('episode')
+        video_id = mobj.group('id')
 
-        self.report_extraction(videoId)
-        webpage = self._download_webpage(url, videoId)
+        self.report_extraction(video_id)
+        webpage = self._download_webpage(url, video_id)
 
         videoDesc = self._html_search_regex(
             r'<meta name="description" content="([^"]*)"',
-            webpage, u'description', fatal=False)
+            webpage, 'description', fatal=False)
 
         playerUrl = self._og_search_video_url(webpage, name=u'player URL')
 
         title = self._html_search_regex(
             r'<meta name="title" content="([^"]*)"',
-            webpage, u'title').split(' : ')[-1]
+            webpage, 'title').split(' : ')[-1]
 
-        configUrl = self._search_regex('config=(.*)$', playerUrl, u'config URL')
+        configUrl = self._search_regex('config=(.*)$', playerUrl, 'config URL')
         configUrl = compat_urllib_parse.unquote(configUrl)
 
         formats = []
 
-        def _add_format(name, cfgurl):
-            configJSON = self._download_webpage(
-                cfgurl, videoId,
-                u'Downloading ' + name + ' configuration',
-                u'Unable to download ' + name + ' configuration')
+        def _add_format(name, cfgurl, quality):
+            config = self._download_json(
+                cfgurl, video_id,
+                'Downloading ' + name + ' configuration',
+                'Unable to download ' + name + ' configuration',
+                transform_source=lambda s: s.replace("'", '"'))
 
-            # Technically, it's JavaScript, not JSON
-            configJSON = configJSON.replace("'", '"')
-
-            try:
-                config = json.loads(configJSON)
-            except (ValueError,) as err:
-                raise ExtractorError(u'Invalid JSON in configuration file: ' + compat_str(err))
             playlist = config['playlist']
             formats.append({
                 'url': playlist[1]['url'],
                 'format_id': name,
+                'quality': quality,
             })
 
-        _add_format(u'normal', configUrl)
+        _add_format('normal', configUrl, quality=0)
         hq_url = (configUrl +
                   ('&hq=1' if '?' in configUrl else configUrl + '?hq=1'))
         try:
-            _add_format(u'hq', hq_url)
+            _add_format('hq', hq_url, quality=1)
         except ExtractorError:
             pass  # That's fine, we'll just use normal quality
 
+        self._sort_formats(formats)
+
         return {
-            'id': videoId,
+            'id': video_id,
             'formats': formats,
             'uploader': showName,
             'title': title,