REVIEW: ‘FATE: THE WINX SAGA’

Everyone knows syllabus week is a joke. My roommate and I took that a little too seriously at the start of the spring semester when we decided to binge the entire season of Fate: The Winx Saga. We didn’t move from our cozy spots wrapped in blankets for more than six hours.

We have both been obsessed with the series since we were mere pre-teens, and it became a pivotal part of our friendship and roommate-ship when we were first getting to know each other. When we realized that Netflix was releasing a live-action adaptation, we knew it was Fate (see what I did there). At that point, we had already become insanely close, so getting to watch the show wasn’t about bonding anymore, it was about creating memories. And those six hours of binging sure did create lasting memories.

Unfortunately, the show did not live up to my expectations. My favorite character Flora, a sweet but powerful flower fairy with impeccable style, was cut and the internet spiraled into a buzz. Then even worse, one of the most important aspects of the show—its trendy fashion—was also missing.

I was not alone in my disappointment. Netflix’s move was seen as whitewashing characters that helped make The Winx Club one of the first racially diverse animated TV shows of the early 2000s.

As for the plot itself, it was loosely connected to the original cartoon. It seemed to follow the angsty teen and coming-of-age tropes rather than the action-packed magical show I expected.

The story follows Bloom’s (Abigail Cowen) arrival to the Otherworld and her attendance at the boarding school Alfea College for the magical. A fire fairy, Bloom was discovered and recruited by Headmistress Farrah Downing (Eve Best) after she accidentally set her house on fire. At Alfea, Bloom works to learn more about her past, tries to form friendships with her roommates, and tackles her feelings for Sky (Danny Griffin), a second-year specialist.

The show's plot can at times be described as all over the place, and almost every character has some infuriating trait about them that irks me. If it wasn’t an adaptation of a beloved cartoon show, then maybe I would have liked it better, but it just fell flat to its predecessor. If I were to recommend this show to anyone, it would be to those who still love Riverdale.

Do I regret the time I spent with my roommate binging the show? No. It makes for a great story, but I sure wish that the show we were binging was just as amazing as the show we first bonded over in the fall.