Parents' Guide to

Wizards: Tales of Arcadia

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Dark, engrossing continuation of "Trollhunters" saga.

TV Netflix Drama 2020
Wizards: Tales of Arcadia Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Mikkyp123
Mikkyp123 Adult
January 15, 2022
age 4+

Don’t Bother

Lot’s of cartoon violence. Very fast-pacing. I say it is not a good show, but good for ages 4+

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
scarlettthedragonmaster
scarlettthedragonmaster Adult
October 14, 2020
age 9+

tales of Arcadia

as the third show to this fantastic this one is about where Claire Steve troll Jim and douxie get trapped in the past where King Arthur ruled and being a troll is a sentence to death it full of action and adventure and it can get a little dark at times and my favourite character is Archie a shapeshifting dragon who chose the form of a cat and there also going to be a movie to the fantastic on Netflix
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

WIZARDS: TALES OF ARCADIA opens as Merlin's (voiced by David Bradley) assistant, Douxie (Colin O'Donoghue), is champing at the bit to practice magic in 12th century Camelot, but to no avail. Instead, Merlin issues stern but vague instructions for Douxie to "master life" before expecting magic to be a reliable tool for him. Fast-forward several millennia to modern day, and Douxie is working at a coffee shop in Arcadia, flanked by his feline familiar, Archie (Alfred Molina). When Merlin reaches out to him for help, Douxie gathers what forces he can before getting swept up in a time-traveling adventure that takes him back to Camelot, places him alongside long-standing Arcadia allies, and drops him into the raging conflict involving the magical and human worlds.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (8 ):

Guillermo del Toro's acclaimed Arcadia trilogy continues to unfold in this fast-paced third installment that brings Douxie front and center. Like the two series before it, Wizards is a visual treat, and the masterful storytelling follows suit. As the Arcadia saga builds, the epic struggle between good and evil -- and the tenuous definition of each -- unfolds in the characters' loyalties and actions.

This sharply written story's complexities and its sometimes perilous action make it a heady watch and better suited for tweens and teens than for youngsters. Fans of the franchise can settle in for an engrossing continuation of the tale, but those who are new to it definitely won't want to jump in feet first with Wizards. This isn't a series that divulges much of its prequels' secrets, so you'll feel lost from the start and even more so as the story jumps millennia and drops in new (but familiar to those in the know) characters. Better to start from the beginning to fully appreciate all that del Toro's masterful work has to offer.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Douxie finds the courage to step up into a leadership role. Given how long Wizards: Tales of Arcadia suggests he's had to wait for his chance, does he make good use of it? What character strengths does he bring to the position?

  • Is Douxie's story that of a hero? If so, is it a role he relishes? What defines a hero in today's real world?

  • Why is the idea of there being magic in the world so, well, magical? Have you ever experienced something you couldn't explain that set your imagination running wild about magic? What other fantasy stories do you enjoy?

TV Details

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