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Parents' Guide to

Alchemy of Souls

By Stephanie Morgan, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Campy and misogynistic saga has sorcery but fails to soar.

TV Netflix Action 2022
Alchemy of Souls TV show: Poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • Alchemy of Souls TV show: screenshot 1
  • Alchemy of Souls TV show: screenshot 2

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 6 parent reviews

daisyw
daisyw Adult
July 9, 2022
age 13+
I like queer stuff..so this series works for me
Lucy S.
Lucy S. Parent of 11-year-old
May 5, 2023
age 10+

Part One Awesome

I love the first part. I love the romance between the main two characters. I liked it was no nudity; however, the two main characters lack intimacy of closeness, not sex but closeness. I did not like the second part, Bu Yoen was vain, and not as pretty as Mu Dox. How did she have the assassin face. When it was burned up. Even though I was not asked, I could have made part two awesome. I'm watching part one again but will not be watching part two.
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In ALCHEMY OF SOULS powerful sorcery allows a few gifted "soul shifters" to jump from body to body. One such sorceress, who is currently in a blind women's body, encounters a man from a prestigious family who wants her help to change his destiny.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6 ):
Kids say (3 ):

This larger-than-life tale has elaborate fight scenes, deadly villains, and plenty of impressive special effects but the characters lack chemistry, due largely to how unlikeable they all are. The idea behind Alchemy of Souls, to blend the genres of fantasy, romance, and comedy in a historical setting, is a good one. Unfortunately, the storyline is utter silliness and doesn't leave anyone for the audience to root for -- kids will especially be confused about whether the main character is good or bad. This could all still work if the show was simply seeking to subvert the fantasy genre. But juxtaposed with the snarky and powerful female main character is the series' reinforcement of archaic gender and class roles. Her romance with an entitled male lead is also deeply un-swoonworthy. The result is a series confused about a lot of things, including which emotions it seeks to evoke in its viewers as well as its message about morality and female power.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the way the mage treats his wife and son. Why does he cast a spell on his son? Is it because he's afraid of continuing the king's bloodline? Does he want to spite the king? Does he want to punish his wife? Is that fair?

  • What types of power do the women in this show have and not have? What happens to them if the men in their life do something wrong? Point out instances where consent isn't present, e.g., the brothel and when the king is occupying the mage's body.

  • Do the special effects during the fighting scenes add to your enjoyment of the show? Or would you prefer they be more realistic? What else makes this show unique from other action series you've seen?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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