Daniel Spellbound
Daniel Spellbound
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Daniel Spellbound is an animated TV series about a seedy magical community in New York City. Violence and scariness are ever present. The main character is in constant danger at the hands of other characters, and mentions concerns about dying frequently. Characters use swords and other non-gun weapons to slay magical creatures (though deaths aren't gory or graphic). There are scary fantastical creatures throughout. While characters don't curse, there's quite a bit of threatening language and insults like "dummy," "stupid," and "buffoon." Main character Daniel isn't exactly a bad role model but his work involves sourcing illegal magical ingredients. At least at the beginning of the series, he is primarily motivated by the idea of becoming rich by selling these ingredients to characters with questionable moral compasses.
What's the Story?
DANIEL SPELLBOUND, the titular character of this CG-animated series, is an orphaned teen making a living in New York City by sourcing hard to find ingredients for spell makers. Daniel doesn't have any magical powers himself, but instead works as a "tracker," engaging in wheelings and dealings with magical New Yorkers hiding in plain sight. He begins the series finding ingredients like the Fugu Rose -- a flower that can grant its bearer immortality -- for the evil Pie Maker witch. Daniel gains a sidekick in the Pie Maker's pet pig Hoagie, who Daniel rescues from her clutches. One day, he is recruited by Primus Camilla Thomas, head of the Bureau of Magic Enforcement. She wants him to use his tracker skills to find the Gryphon's Egg, before it is acquired by the dangerous Dark Mage. Daniel agrees to the mission, and is accompanied by a Bureau employee named Lucy to make sure he stays on task. Can Daniel and Lucy find the Gryphon's Egg and save the magical and non-magical world?
Is It Any Good?
Tween fantasy fans may be interested in this series, but it's a bit disappointing. The story and world-building in Daniel Spellbound is lackluster, and the Daniel character seems kind of flat. There are a lot of exciting action sequences and fun fantasy characters that kids will enjoy, but the story is unlikely to hook them. Grown-ups also will be less enthusiastic about the violence and mean characters, as well as the overall negative motivations of many of the characters. Since the subject matter is about a secret magical world in a major world city, on the surface it may seem like it would appeal to Harry Potter fans. However, there's a dark undercurrent to this series, as if all of the characters never leave Knockturn Alley. Fantasy and magic lovers can find better content elsewhere.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why Daniel does the work that he does. Is it okay to sell illegal magical ingredients to people with questionable motives? Or is it justified because Daniel needs to have money to survive? Do you think Daniel redeems himself?
What do you think about Daniel's pig sidekick Hoagie? Is he funny, mean, or somewhere in between?
Do you think it's more or less scary that the evil characters in the series are fantastical (i.e. not just regular humans)? Does this level of scariness and suspense feel fun to you, or too much?
TV Details
- Premiere date: October 27, 2022
- Cast: Deven Mack, Chantel Riley, Alex Barima
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures
- TV rating: TV-Y7
- Last updated: December 1, 2022
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