FATE: THE WINX SAGA – REVIEW BY JAANVI NAYEE

Remember Winx Club? If you do then you know how magical and exciting the animated show was.

How you were always so eager to sit in front of the television and be whisked away to a land of fairytales and good triumphing evil.

Netflix created a modern version with real- life actors, recognising that their dominant audience has grown up since the initial show.

I can't help feeling that Fate: The Winx Saga doesn't quite live up to the magic of the original - even though it is certainly a strong, enticing stand-alone show in its own right and many old time fans agree.

The show is about a fairy called Bloom who lived in the human world until she turned 16. She had no idea she was a fairy until an incident happened which ignited her powers, allowing another fairy to find her and train her at Alfea, the school of magic. Both of Bloom’s parents are human so she begins to question her heritage as the show goes on.

Winx Club is the original cartoon version of this new Netflix adaptation. As former fans of the cartoon show, we all eagerly awaited the new show’s magic and land of fairies to be brought to life. However, many were disappointed.

For starters, the Winx Club characters had these amazing outfits and costumes that reflected the characters personalities. While it is understandable that this new show has a modern twist and the characters don’t wear the same clothes on each episode, it would have been nice to see the characters transform into their colourful outfits when the fairies use their powers.

Secondly, there is no transformation! Winx club was a children's show filled with magic and powers. While Fate: The Winx Saga does have a focus on each character's powers, the primary focus is merely on the suspense. The fairies don’t even have wings! The reason why was explained in the first episode but it was a huge let down for all Winx Club fans to find out. This new show almost feels as if all the magic has been zapped out and the audience is left with teen drama.

Bloom and her roommates are all supposed to be powerful women with an insane amount of magic who can fight their own battles. The fact that the new adaptation has made the fairies run to boys when they are in trouble is disappointing. In the current world we live in especially. Women have been fighting for equality for a long time, so to show the most powerful fairies on the show constantly running to men is undermining and hypocritical to see for an episode of today’s day and age.

Despite that, the male characters, particularly Riven, do live up to some expectations from the original show. His personality is witty and sharp as ever and very well adapted to an adult audience. Although again, much like the girls, it is upsetting to see that his hair and costume do not match the original cartoon or are anything remotely similar.

If one were to look at this show without having seen Winx Club then it is not as disappointing. The plot is enticing with a drawn focus toward the main character, Bloom who is trying to figure out not only her own powers but her family too and where she is from. It is still quite irritating to see her and her friends run to the boys for help when something goes wrong but with the romance elements between certain characters, it does make sense. It is actually quite refreshing to see the villain, Beatrix as a student in the school too. It makes it easier to stir up the plot while the others try to save the school.

The villains of Winx club were three sisters who always planned attacks on Alfea and failed, keeping the trope of heroes always winning in the children’s show.

While it is strange to see only one girl acting as the villain, the way the actor carries the role is enticing. As a student, Beatrix immediately becomes a part of the drama of school life but there is so much more to her in the way that she gives the audience slight hints to her inner evil.

Many of you may have enjoyed Fate: The Winx Saga on it’s own and rightfully so as the developing plot constantly keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. However, if you have watched Winx Club, and like me, were looking forward to re- living your childhood show as an adult, then some of the fairy dust may be lost in translation.