Review - ‘Fate: The Winx Saga’ is not at all what you’d expect it to be

Netflix have taken one of our favourite childhood cartoons and have given it a live-action, Vampire Diaries-esk new lease of life.

Filmed right here in Ireland around some truly stunning locations in Bray, Co. Wicklow, Fate: The Winx Saga follows the coming-of-age journey of five fairies attending Alfea, a magical boarding school in the Otherworld where they must learn to master their powers while navigating love, rivalries, and the monsters that threaten their very existence.

Think of it as a cross between The Vampire Diaries and Harry Potter.

From creator Brian Young (The Vampire Diaries), Fate: The Winx Saga is a live-action reimagining of the Italian cartoon series WINX CLUB by Iginio Straffi, however don’t be fooled, this series is certainly not for kids.

Upon watching this brand new Netflix series, I was quite intrigued to see how they would take a cartoon which I remembered fondly from childhood, and make it suitable for a young adult audience.

Gone were my beloved cartoon fairies, with sparkly wings and ponytails which reached past their waists, and instead we have pot-smoking, demon hunting, rule-breaking, angsty teenaged fae.

Fate: The Winx Saga follows the origins of a female friend group, including five fairies with different powers. Bloom, played by Abigail Cowen (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) is a fire fairy, who only just discovered her powers after an unfortunate incident with her parents.

Stella, played by Hannah van der Westhuysen is a light fairy, Aisha, played by Precious Mustapha (Endeavour) is a water fairy, Terra, played by Normal People’s Eliot Salt is an earth fairy and Musa, played by Elisha Applebaum is a mind fairy.

This six-part series is full of teen angst, love triangles and unrequited affection, making it a sure hit with their targeted teenaged audience. However the show also has quite a dark side too, delving into some eerie and disturbing storylines about the school and it’s staff’s mysterious history.

With how fast the show is paced, as well as the heavy plot points, there’s no doubt that you’ll be glued to the screen, itching to find out more each time the credits roll around. Also, with the way they’ve left things, there’s certainly scope for a second season, plus lots more.

Make sure to tune into Fate: The Winx Saga, on Netflix now.

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