Juniper Moureau

I'd like to consider myself an unbiased opinion because I had zero knowledge of the original film and only sat down to watch this because my dad put it on. I think if you go into this remembering it's a Disney show (and without being the type of person that whines whenever shows are "too woke"), you'll probably enjoy it enough. Cons: The characters can be a bit annoying (Kit, I'm looking at you). But seeing as how most of them are TEENAGERS that haven't yet had any real responsibility or real-world experience, it's to be expected and 4 episodes lets them begin to grow up a bit more and understand.... empathy? That they don't, in fact, have the answers to everything? That the things they need to do can actually be very difficult? It does feel a bit episodic in that there's a smaller plot within each episode that doesn't seamlessly weave into the overarching plot or reason they set off on a quest to begin with. But again, it's a show for teens and it's episodic, not a film, so I think this is a normal problem to have. Not a con for me, but I know it bugs some fantasy fans: It's not "ye old" fantasy. The characters are teens. The show is released in 2022. The credits music is modern music. The dialogue doesn't have 2022 slang, but it definitely doesn't feel "old". It feels forced at times when they do try to keep the language PG (which I don't quite get because there is still cursing and people die???), but otherwise it sounds a lot like things you'd expect to hear people say if you went out on the street. Cons aside, it's an interesting story if you like quest-based media and magic. The characters are funny and interesting, and it's fun to watch the bonds between them grow while also realizing the wise old wizard is not gonna be able to fix everything. I voiced annoyance with Kit, but I already see growth in her character that I hope sticks. It's nice to see strong female leads and queer characters where the trope isn't the only thing giving the characters dimension. They have other layers and motivations, it's clear they have growth planned out for them individually and I am rooting for them romantically, too. I'm excited to see where these characters end up in their development and in the plot by the end of the season, and I would keep watching this show.