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Fate: The Winx Saga is based on Nickoleon’s 2011 series Winx Club, and begins with spooky stuff in the woods as a farmer is attacked by something unseen, while some magical twinkly stuff is going on. Yep, that’s about as descriptive as I can get.
Then move forward to the day when 18-year-old Bloom (Abigail Cowen) is starting at a college just for fairies. When I was at school in the ’80s, if someone admitted they were a fairy, that would mean something else altogether. However, here, she’s a fire fairy, even though her parents are human, thanks to a fairy somewhere in her family’s bloodline.
Most of the people there, at the college in Alfea, are from the Otherworld, while she is from California, and she’s travelled there, not via plane because Greta Thunberg wouldn’t be happy with that, but instead, via a rather inconvient portal. I presume that’s a symptom of Brexit, because everything else is.
The portal is referred to as a gateway, and after going there for the first time, she learns she’s not the only one who’s done that. Not many others know about the real world, while another student she meets has a Gateway ring which helps her get home whenever she fancies.
Bottom: Aisha (Precious Mustapha), Musa (Elisha Applebaum), Bloom (Abigail Cowen)
The college takes dorm-sharing to new heighs, since she has to stay in a rather spacious room alongside four other fairies, Stella (Hannah van der Westhuysen), Musa (Elisha Applebaum), Aisha (Precious Mustapha) and Terra (Eliot Salt) – the token slightly overweight girl, it’s like staying in a YMCA hostel. However, since I’ve only seen the first episode, I haven’t yet seen the bathing and catering facilities, so I don’t know whether or not you can get yourself clean, have a good meal and do what ever you feel.
As I mentioned, Bloom is a fire fairy, so learns to shoot fire from her hand, which looks rather cool, but what can you actually do with it other than set fire to things? And what led to the mysterious fire in the family home?Hmm… I wonder who was to blame? And are her parents hiding a secret from her? Oh, the suspense… not.
A few random observations:
- There are seven realms in the Otherworld. This wasn’t touched upon in episode one, so maybe it will in the following five.
- Despite being fairies, no-one has wings any more, and Bloom is told to use her magic slowly, but safely… yeah, good luck with that.
- When the student start training, the college is like a school for ‘young adults who want to take part in the Hunger Games‘.
- There’s a barrier to protect the school from The Burned Ones… so, yes, another fantasy place cut off by an impenetrable barrier. I came across that just the other day when watching The New Mutants for the first time, along with scores of other films and TV dramas.
- Everyone acts way too serious. Geez, lighten up!
- Bloom is yet another teenager who doesn’t get along with her parents – what a shocker!
Naturally, secrets will be uncovered as elements unfold, but will you be bothered?
Overall Score: Probably great if you’re a 12-year-old girl. Less so if you’re male and/or older.
Fate: The Winx Saga is not available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but is on Netflix now.
Series Directors: Lisa James Larsson, Hannah Quinn, Stephen Woolfenden
Writers/Creators: Iginio Straffi, Brian Young
Producers: Jon Finn, Macdara Kelleher, John Keville
Music: Anne Nikitin
Cast:
Bloom: Abigail Cowen
Stella: Hannah van der Westhuysen
Musa: Elisha Applebaum
Aisha: Precious Mustapha
Terra: Eliot Salt
Beatrix: Sadie Soverall
Sky: Danny Griffin
Riven: Freddie Thorp
Dane: Theo Graham
Sam: Jacob Dudman
Silva: Robert James-Collier
Ben Harvey: Alex Macqueen
Farah Dowling: Eve Best
Vanessa: Eva Birthistle
Mike: Josh Cowdery
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.