The latest in a string of reboots nobody asked for, Netflix has revived The Worst Witch! 🔮 Based on the popular YA book series by Jill Murphy, the show recounts the misadventures of Mildred Hubble, the worst pupil at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. Mildred fits nicely in the traditional canon of lovable & spunky misfits alongside characters like Pippi Longstocking, Pepper-Ann, and Ramona Quimby.
The first Worst Witch screen adaptation was a 1986 made-for-TV movie... and it is a fabulous bucket of crazy. Brimming with girl power, the movie stars a young Fairuza Balk, fresh off Return to Oz, future star of another bewitching cult classic, The Craft. National treasure Diana Rigg, then famous for The Avengers/now famous for Game of Thrones, serves up her best Anjelica Houston impression as Miss Hardbroom. Rounding out the cast is Charlotte Rae, best known as Mrs. Garrett on The Facts of Life, as both Headmistress Ada Cackle and her diabolical twin sister Agatha.
What truly elevated The Worst Witch to cult classic status was the genius casting of Tim Curry as the Grand Wizard. Curry's flair for the dramatic turned the original song "Anything Can Happen On Halloween" into a holiday staple; I, for one, rock out to the awesomely bad music video every year. 🎃 Charlotte Rae's hilarious musical number, "Aggie's School," comes in a close second.
Even though Fairuza has undoubtedly left some big shoes to fill, I was very happy to see Bella Ramsey cast in the titular role. For those not in the know, Ramsey became an instant fan favorite on Game of Thrones as fearless child-ruler Lady Mormont. 👑⚔️ As expected, she does a great job at portraying Mildred, the unpopular klutz who always manages to rescue her overconfident classmates from otherworldly threats.
Unlike the 1986 film, the Netflix series provides more backstory on Mildred and her non-magical family. There's also more diversity this time around, with the addition of an Asian student, a Hispanic student, and two Black characters, one being a professor and the other Mildred's best friend. 👏👏 Each episode has a new threat looming over Cackle's Academy and ironically it's always up to the "worst witch" to defeat it, whether it's the headmistress' evil twin Agatha or just the class bully, Ethel Hallow.
The Worst Witch is an extremely breezy TV series; I finished the whole first season in a weekend. The extra exposition, specifically the parallel backstories of the Cackles vs the Hallows, serves its purpose and actually adds value to the narrative. And unlike the 80s classic, the visual effects are jaw-dropping in a GOOD way! The entire ensemble of child actors is very talented and the show would be right at home on the Disney Channel. 📺 I'm looking forward to Season Two!
