Like it or not, Netflix’s new show, Fate: The Winx Saga, is a success.
The teen drama follows a girl named Bloom, played by Chilling Adventures of Sabrina's Abigail Cowen, who just learned that she's a fairy and is off to Alfea, a magical boarding school to learn how to use her powers. However, her heritage is a bit more complicated than she originally thought. She makes friends with a badass group of fellow fairies but one of the other students isn't who she seems. She has to juggle teenage rivalries and romance all while being chased by monsters who exist outside of the school's magical barrier.
Image credit: Netflix
Like others, when I first saw the trailer, I was really over the dark and gritty tone of the trailer. I blame Riverdale for this trend in Hollywood for taking everything and making them dark, especially something like Winx which is lively and full of color. But I thoroughly enjoyed myself while watching season 1 and am pretty excited for season 2. Technically, a second season hasn't been confirmed yet but the show is sitting in Netflix's Top 10 despite pretty negative reviews.
I feel like many reviewers maybe forgot the show is for teens? Is it a perfect work of art, no...far from it. Is it something I think and can understand teens enjoying? Absolutely. In that regard, it does its job better than most. The show is basically Pretty Little Liars with superpowers. It's instant fandom fodder with "ships" for the stans to make fancams for. Of course, it's doing well.
Now it can definitely use a lot of work in the graphics and fashion department. The original Winx crew from the animation was too stylish for the clothes to be this dark. I know Netflix can do better than that. Also without spoiling the show, the ending left much to be desired in terms of graphics. There's a scene in the final showdown moment in the last episode that's supposed to be a "transformation" of sorts but really looks like something out of 2002. Bloom is a badass and they completely failed at making her look like one. Something else to do better in season 2.
Grade: B-