Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Aged-up fantasy reboot has teen fairies, violence, drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Fate: The Winx Saga
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 11 parent reviews
Based on 44 kid reviews
Kids say the show is entertaining and captivating but contains mature themes such as strong language, excessive smoking, drinking, and sexual references, making it more suitable for older teens rather than younger children. While some viewers appreciate the storyline and character development, many express concern about its deviation from the original animated series and deem it inappropriate for audiences under 12-15 years old.
- mature themes
- appropriate for older teens
- mixed reviews
- differs from original
- entertaining storyline
- strong language
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
The young adult fantasy series FATE: THE WINX SAGA is a live-action reimagining of the 2004 animated series Winx Club. When 16-year-old Bloom (Abigail Cowen) discovers that she has fiery powers, she is summoned by headmistress Farah Dowling (Eve Best) to Alfea, a magical boarding school in the Otherworld of Solaria to study among other fairies. There she meets water fairy Aisha (Precious Mustapha), earth fairy Terra (Eliot Salt), mind fairy Musa (Elisha Applebaum), and Stella (Hannah van der Westhuysen), a light fairy who comes from a legacy of magical royalty. She also meets specialists like Sky (Danny Griffin) who are training with warrior Saul Silva (Robert James-Collier) to serve as the first line of defense against the powerful enemies in their realm. While Bloom learns more about her powers and where she comes from, the dangers lurking around the school continue to grow.
Is It Any Good?
This loose adaptation of the kids' fantasy series offers the wizarding-type boarding school fun of the Harry Potter franchise with the darker teen themes featured on shows like Riverdale. Bloom's story is both interesting and complicated, and the interactions between the young women, though occasionally melodramatic, often show the girls empowered and strong.
Fans of the original animated series might be disappointed by all the adolescent angst. Some may also take issue with the fact that this version isn't as diverse as the original. But despite these issues, Fate: The Winx Saga offers a story world that is easy to escape into, and easy to get caught up in, if you're looking for a fantastical universe to explore.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Bloom and her roommates. They each have magical powers, but what really makes them strong young women? How do they support each other when things get tough?
Why do you think the cast of Fate: The Winx Saga looks so different from the characters in the original series? What message does this send about diversity on TV? What do you think would make it more inclusive?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 22, 2021
- Cast : Abigail Cowen , Eve Best , Robert James-Collier
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School ) , Fantasy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate