The Worst Witch
(Netflix)
When a young witch crashes her broomstick on Mildred Hubble’s balcony, the two fly over to Mrs. Cackle’s Academy where Mildred discovers she really is magical.
Starring: Bella Ramsey, Meibh Campbell, Jenny Richardson
Genre: Kid’s TV Show, Fantasy
Series Summary: In a classic underdog story, Mildred Hubble is finding her place at a school for witches after the shock of finding out she’s magical, too.
Show Title: Selection Day
Viewer Appeal: 8-12
I’m the type of person who’s constantly counting down the days until fall. Chilly nights, hearty food, and cozy sweaters. What’s not to love? And although it’s still summer, the cool, rainy weather has been tricking me into believing fall’s already here. I’ve flipped the calendar to October and my TV to all the cheesy children’s Halloween episodes. So this is how I found myself watching Netflix’s “The Worst Witch”.
This show was exactly what I was looking for to help curb my Halloween cravings. Based on Jill Murphy's beloved books, it was overly sweet and delightfully magical. It brought me back to the days of watching Halloween episodes of Disney Channel shows and let me relish in the idea of an early autumn, even if only for an hour.
Mildred Hubble is living a normal tween life until she finds herself as a landing pad for Maud Spellbody and her out of control broomstick. After helping her new friend make it to Cackle’s Academy for Witches, she sticks around to uncover her own magical abilities. Although she massively fails both of her entrance exams, Mildred becomes a hero when she helps everyone survive the day.
What I adore most about this show is how relatable it is. More than just being witches, these tween-age girls are looking for friendship, battling bullies and insecurities, and are trying to figure out where they belong in the treacherous world that is middle school. Plus, it gives parents a great way to ask their kids about their friends at school and about classmates that might not be so easy to get along with.
Despite how much I loved the juvenile appeal, I found the acting and storyline to be a bit weak. I just feel like this show doesn’t leave a memorable impression on me as a parent, although I wouldn’t mind watching it with my girls. Honestly though, I’m sure my mom thought the same about the shows I enjoyed when I was seven.
Parents, the theme of witchcraft is the only thing that might be of concern to your family; however, on the witchcraft scale, this series is more like “Matilda” than “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”. It’s a very cute series and one you might want to consider starting as fall approaches!
Let's Talk About It
Use these questions to spark discussion among family members who are interested in this show:
• How do you think Mildred feels when she discovers she’s magical? How would you feel?
• Do you have any very serious, and maybe not so kind, classmates like Ethel Hallow? How do you treat this classmate?
• If you could have magical powers for a day, what would you do?
--LV
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