Season 1 |
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Episode Guide
Episode 1 – | Review Score – 1.5/5
Episode 2 – | Review Score – 2/5
Episode 3 – | Review Score – 1.5/5
Episode 4 – | Review Score – 2/5
Episode 5 – | Review Score – 1.5/5
Episode 6 – | Review Score – 2/5
Episode 7 – | Review Score – 1.5/5
Hulu’s fantasy drama Spellbound serves as a sequel to ‘Find Me in Paris’ as the stunning Paris Opera Ballet School serves as the backdrop. But instead of focusing on the complications of time travel, the story in this one sets off on a new adventure with a brand new cast of characters and centres on the appeal of magic.
Spellbound starts off strong with a solid character introduction. We are presented with Cece, a young girl aged 15, who sets out on a life-changing adventure. Inspired by her unshakable love of dance, she decides to leave her little American hometown for the glitz and glamour of Paris. Having said that, the show’s opening is built on shaky ground.
Nevertheless, it gradually builds on its foundation and reveals its mysteries. Creating suspense and maintaining it should be the focus of a show like this. Unfortunately, that goal isn’t accomplished as it doesn’t take itself seriously, so neither can the audience. The supernatural elements are the main focus and it’s clear that the writers had some ideas, but they’re not engaging.
Spellbound is difficult to sit through because of the poor writing and much worse execution. The supernatural beings in the show are similar to the mystical beings in The Vampire Diaries. But it doesn’t provide anything new—we’ve seen witches and mystic hunters before—and the show also lacks solid characters.
Its characters are similarly one-dimensional. Cece, the protagonist, isn’t fascinating. As a character, she falls short of eliciting compassion from the audience. In this respect, Amy and Lola, the two wizens, are entertaining and intriguing. Aunt Ginger’s dramatic flair borders on obnoxious. In the production, Aunt Ginger portrays the witch. But the contemporary spin doesn’t seem to advance her story arc. She reminds me of kids playing a witch in school plays.
If there’s another thing the show fails miserably at, it’s portraying emotional nuances. The central protagonist Cece’s inability to convincingly portray emotions is a major flaw of Spellbound. For instance, after discovering that she is a wizen she shows no signs of perplexity, denial, rage, or happiness.
Additionally, the portrayal of Benoit’s dislike and then attraction towards Cece is problematic, as well. And since the characters themselves appear unconcerned, the audience loses interest. The show is supposed to centre on Cece, who is said to be the Wise One but it mostly centres around supernatural occurrences, accompanied by a touch of humor.
Having said that, the characters in the show appear to perform below par, giving the show a rather flimsy feeling. The content likewise fails to grab the attention of the viewers. In terms of story, capacity to engage, and performance, the Hulu show is below average.
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Verdict - 3/10
3/10
You do realize this is a show for TWEENS right??! So 8 & 9 year olds will be watching this show. Comparing Spellbound to Vampire Diaries, a show meant for a much older audience is ridiculous.I blame Hulu for not really making this clear; although the opening credit music should have been a big clue. Imagine comparing the opening credits sequence of Vampire Diaries or Stranger Things to Spellbound’s. Makes no sense. A sophisticated review of this show, in my opinion, is overkill. I don’t think you were the target audience.