Gary Hill

Renegade Nell is a fantasy series set in what seems to be an alternate version of 1700s UK. Nell Jackson, widow of Army Captain Jackson, has to make her way in the world to using her experiences as a army camp follower. She and her sisters are forced out of a good life and Nell finds herself responsible for not only looking after her younger sisters but clearing her name as well, accused of crimes she didn't commit. It is a story of female empowerment and liberation which is not only heart warming but also fairly accurate to how women would have had to go about achieving anything more than being a mother or a wife in the 1700s, namely, by disguising themselves as men. It's plausible, if a sad statement of the culture of the time. Oh and she has super powers thanks to a sprite and has to fight Hern the Hunter, and a couple of dark wizards, that's what makes it a fantasy. All the above make the show an enjoyable watch, even if some of it is lacking in substance, there is no real character growth or discovery for the heros beyond the first episode that doesn't feel forced and rushed. If you have nothing else to watch, give it a try, it's got some light hearted moments and some good action scenes. I can recommend it on the above alone. Below however, I must now relate my dislikes about this show. And my it's a big one. The fact that I say this is an alternate version of the 1700s is not only because of the supernatural parts of the show but also because of the behaviors and social norms displayed in the show. I am British, I am proud of it, we were among the first to denounce and outlaw slavery. This did not happen, regrettably, until 102 years after Renegade Nell is set. As a result, the inclusive cast doesn't represent the period it is supposedly set in. Good for a fantasy of another world, bad if you are styling a 'period drama/ fantasy '. There is some references to how bad this period was, one character talks of how he was purchased, his name and family taken away and how he was kept as a plaything for the children of an aristocrat, being treated as more a pet then a person. But even his awful experiences are no where near the worst behavior that was exhibited in the 18th century and I don't think Renegade Nell shows enough of dark side of the slave trade to convey the horror that slave owners inflicted onto their fellow human beings. Worse, Disney seems to be going out the way to make it not seem as bad as it was by casting the phenomenal Adrian Lester as the Earl of Poynton. In 1700s UK, there was no conceivable way that anyone with Adrian's skin colour would be part of the gentry, several other nameless lords and nobles are also from diverse backgrounds and that wouldn't happen until the Victorian era, 150 years after Renegade Nell. It seems Disney is trying to rewrite history to fit modern sensibilities. However I think it is important that we remember, we have to understand we have not always been as accepting and inclusive as we are now. If we don't remember how bad we can be, how can we hope to become better then we were? How can we become better then we are now? All in all, I can recommend this show. It's got good action and an ok plot. There are 1 or 2 moments I found cringy (like the 2 musical numbers, hey it's Disney) but they didn't stop me enjoying the show. As long as you remember that this is NOT a period drama and is NOT an accurate representation of the times and is in fact, an ideal Disney fantasy land, then you will probably be able to enjoy it.