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Parents' Guide to

Willow

By Polly Conway, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Ensemble shines in fantasy quest; romance, peril, violence.

TV Disney+ Action 2022
Willow TV Show Poster

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

age 13+

Based on 8 parent reviews

age 15+
Disney once again pushing an agenda. I love that they have brought diversity into the show. But they need to keep the romance out. Disney has lost focus on family friendly. I don’t like watching people make out on a “ what seems to be” kid friendly show. I don’t recommend this show I was super disappointed, the original was such a better version.
age 18+

Common Sense did not describe well

We are such fans of the original Willow, but this series is a huge disappointment. We were also frustrated with the common sense review, which did not talk about the make out scene in bed between two lesbians in the first episode. It caught us by surprise with our children watching. Overall, the first episode seemed highly sexualized, both heterosexually and homosexually. Artistically speaking, it was weirdly full of modern vernacular interspersed throughout that kind of threw off any sense of the original film’s vibe. We won’t be watching more, and we won’t be renewing our Common Sense membership, either. The whole point was to know ahead of time issues we might need to discuss with our kids before watching or even be able to choose not to watch with them.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8 ):
Kids say (7 ):

This charming, swashbuckling series isn't perfect, but it's a fun fantasy adventure and an excellent companion to the 1988 cult classic movie. Willow brings back some beloved characters while introducing a sparkling young ensemble cast that works quite well together. Revolori and Amar Chadha-Patel (as Madmartigan stand-in Boorman) bring the most comic relief, though zingers are distributed throughout. But Davis is the heart of the series, offering a flawless blend of gravitas and playfulness.

As in the original movie, there's a mix of accents in play here, which brings up some questions about why a British-sounding queen's daughter sounds fully American and uses modern slang. Maybe she inherited her vibes from her father, Val Kilmer's Madmartigan, whose roguish spirit prevails despite his not appearing in person here. But that's Willow in a nutshell: a flawed flight of fancy you can't help but love.

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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