Engaging, quirky fantasy series has diversity, LGBTQ+ leads.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Cartoon-style violence, as one character hits another with a stick and several characters team up to subdue a villain by tying his arms together and sticking a bunch of fireworks in his mouth. Other incidents are more severe, including a beheading that's neither gory nor permanent (the witch reassembles herself soon after). Chase scenes, magical powers, prison guards, and verbal threats.
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Name-calling like "sucker," "fools," "creep," and "jerk." Also terms like "dumb" and "stupid" in describing objects and actions. "Freaks" and "weirdos" are used affectionately by characters to talk about themselves and their friends.
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The show champions diversity: LGBTQ+ characters play main, supporting, and minor roles, including Luz and Eda, who are bisexual; Luz' same-sex love interest, Amity; non-binary characters Raine Whispers and Masha; Willow's two fathers, etc. The series' creator, Dana Terrace, is also openly bisexual. All episodes center around women and teen girls, and racial diversity includes Dominican American Luz Noceda (who speaks Spanish with her mom), Willow Park (biracial Korean and Black), Augustus Porter (Black), etc. There aren't explicitly disabled characters, but metaphors include chronic illness via Eda's curse, mobility aids (a short-statured professor is carried by a taller creature), blindness (Principal Bump's small creature "helps him see"), and many other coded situations.
Be yourself, and celebrate what makes you unique. Challenge conformity, especially when it's being forced onto people. Accept, appreciate, and treat with compassion people who are different from you. Protect those you love. Found family is just as important as biological family.
Positive Role Models
some
Luz's self-confidence grows by leaps and bounds upon discovering other "weirdos" like herself in Eda's world, and she gets better at speaking her mind and not backing down from what she thinks is right. In doing so, she inspires others to do the same for themselves. Eda proudly lives life on her own terms, even as society tries to make her conform. Willow is a compassionate friend.
Educational Value
very little
Prominent social-emotional themes about being yourself despite others' expectations of you and celebrating one another's individuality while finding common ground in shared experiences.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Owl House is an animated fantasy series in which a teen named Luz (voiced by Sarah-Nicole Robles) aligns herself with a witch and a demon to fulfill her dream of learning witchcraft. The show has some complicated situations that parents should think about in determining whether their kids are ready for the story -- including the fact that Luz lies to her mother in order to follow her life's passion and befriends a rebellious witch who breaks society's rules to exercise her individual freedom. But most older kids and tweens will recognize the show's decidedly positive messages about self-esteem, compassion, and individuality. The Owl House has Disney's first lead bisexual character and first same-sex kiss, plus other characters who span gender, sexuality, and ethnicity. Characters have crushes, kiss, date, and talk about exes. Expect cartoon-style violence (hitting, slapping, capture, and the occasional sanitized beheading that's quickly remedied) and name-calling like "sucker" and "jerk."
This is one of those cartoons that's enjoyable for adults too! Both my 9 year old boy and 6 year old girl love it! So many fun and clever jokes and references in it!
An amazing show! After season 3 ended I felt like I had to make an updated review. I'd say this show is suitable for ages 12+. There's characters drinking alcohol, going into pubs, etc. Characters were also burnt, cut, and slashed. There's not that much blood or gore at all considering it's made for kids. A character is cursed causing her to slash her father's eye (even showing blood!). There's a scene in season 3 where a character is possessed. There's also some scary imagery across the entire series such as Belo's demon/monster form, the Collecter's puppet archives, and more. If your kids are mature, then this really is an amazing show! There is also a LOT of diverse representation. The main character Luz is confirmed to be neurodivergant, and bisexual. There's a non- binary character whom uses they/them pronouns, and a lot of Hispanic representation too. The whole theme of the show is that you don't have to fit in and can just be yourself. The main character Luz even quotes this, "Us weirdos have to stick together!" Overall one of my favorite shows of all time!
What's the Story?
When an imaginative teen named Luz (voiced by Sarah-Nicole Robles) accidentally discovers THE OWL HOUSE and a world of fantasy and magic, she knows life will never be the same again. Suddenly the idea of a dull summer spent at "reality check camp" fades to black, and Luz instead befriends a rebellious but kindhearted witch named Eda (Wendie Malick) and her small demon companion, King (Alex Hirsch). Alongside her new companions, Luz gets swept up into their quest for individual freedoms, challenging the conformist society of the Boiling Isles. With the whole summer ahead of her, Luz throws herself into the task of learning witchcraft as Eda's willing apprentice.
This engaging, inclusive, and visually intriguing show is part fairy tale, part graphic novel, and part classic kids' series with obvious -- and worthwhile -- social themes. Put the parts together, and you have The Owl House, a very likable, quirky story about an enthusiastic teen who doesn't let what others think she should be like dictate how she sees herself and her self-worth. Instead Luz seizes the opportunity to follow her heart and develop her passion even though it contradicts the norms of both her human society and the new demonic one into which she arrives.
Of course, in order to do that, she has to break some rules. She deceives her mom to stay in Boiling Isles and throw in with witches and demons. But the fact that her new friends hail from traditionally infamous types -- including a witch, demon, basilisk, and other fantasy creatures -- reminds viewers not to judge a book by its cover. Even so, these potentially confusing factors should be weighed in considering your kids' readiness for the show. The great news is that The Owl House is exceedingly well written and enjoyable to watch alongside your older kids and tweens, giving you the opportunity to discuss these kinds of themes as they come up.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Luz' decision to stay with Eda and King in The Owl House. What inspires her to do so? Are there repercussions for her decision? What risks would have to be considered in making a similar decision in the real world?
Why are individuality and self-expression frowned upon in the Boiling Isles? How does forcing everyone to act similarly make it easier to control them?
Is Eda a good mentor for Luz? Does the fact that she's a witch and/or rebels against the rules influence your opinion? In what ways can rebels be good examples of courage or integrity?
How do Luz and other characters in The Owl House demonstrate compassion? How have you demonstrated this character strength in the past, and how will you continue to work toward it?
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.
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.
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
