Taking on a darker, more mature approach, the new Netflix series “Fate: The Winx Saga” attempts to distance itself from the original lighthearted animated cartoon, “Winx Club.” With very different plotlines, it seems as though the only similarities the two share are their characters. However, even some of the characters in the live-action version have been modified: Flora, a central character in the cartoon show has been replaced with Terra in the new series, a sweet earth fairy. Additionally, the Netflix adaptation diluted the diversity of the original cast (“whitewashed”), as Flora and Musa, who served as Latinx and Asian representation, were ultimately replaced by white characters. As opposed to new viewers who may enjoy the more dramatic storyline in the Netflix series, fans of the original animation may not enjoy the live-action adaptation as much, due to their stark differences.

Though decidedly dissimilar, “Fate: The Winx Saga” has a compelling plot and is very visually immersive. Immediately upon its release, the show reached number one on Netflix’s top ten list. This more sinister take on the original cartoon follows 16-year-old Bloom, who arrives at Alfea College, a magical school for fairies and specialists, or well-trained fighters. After recently discovering her powers through a disastrous incident, Bloom is contacted by Alfea’s headmistress and taken there. At the school, she meets other fairies, particularly Aisha, Terra, Musa, and Stella, and the five, over the course of the season, become friends. Throughout the first season’s six episodes, viewers see the girls face creatures called Burned Ones, who have begun attacking the school following Bloom’s admission. These intense conflicts culminate to a final battle between Bloom and the Burned Ones, and a sudden twist is thrown in at the end of the season.

I enjoyed the show and in my opinion, I felt that all of the characters had well-developed backgrounds. A lot of arcs have been introduced, but as the season was only six episodes, I believe many of them will likely be further developed in succeeding seasons. If all of these storylines are able to continue on from where they left off, I am certain that future seasons have the potential to be jam-packed with excitement and action and am looking forward to keep watching.