"I grew up thinking everything was an opportunity to justify existing, but there are people out there who won’t make you feel worthless. You just have to let yourself meet them.”
I've been watching animated content for over a decade now, and I have got to say in all honesty that no show has had its hooks in me like this one (except maybe Infinity Train, although that story went unfinished). The Owl House isn't perfect; most of its flaws being blamed on its production troubles. But that's not to say the impact of this show is incredibly significant, personally and for the medium as a whole.
When Amphibia had concluded its story last year, premiering shortly before The Owl House had, it was clear that the two were perfect contrasts to each other. While Amphibia was a fantastical comedy with dark undertones, The Owl House was continuously a dark drama with slivers of teenage comedy throughout. This show is much more heavy in its tone and nature, some of which have honestly never been seen in a Disney television original.
The Owl House shines in its balance with telling a suspenseful tale alongside various pieces of serious commentary. For kids and teenagers, it's simply an isekai-inspired story about a girl who wanders into a fantasy world filled with creatures of fun design and magic of cryptic nature. But underneath, it's a story about self-identity, finding your purpose when no one else sees your potential, loss of family and friends, and even guilt. The lessons are fit perfectly, the romance is relatable and natural, and no theme that is typically "shoehorned" into other media is felt that way here. This show also manages to keep the depression to a low when it can, with several moments of fun jokes and jabs to go around. And alongside all that, gorgeous background and character art, action-packed moments of animation, and a damn good soundtrack.
The pacing of everything here though is both the show's strength and weakness. While The Owl House's short length (similar to Gravity Falls) helps it be much more binge-worthy and less filler-heavy, it hurts the plot by rushing certain pieces of character building and forgetting about holes to be filled by its conclusion. Obviously this is more to blame on the executive decisions to cut the show shorter than anticipated, as the writers did do a great job working around most of these holes using time skips and the like.
The Owl House may not be a perfect show, but it is one hell of a send-off for serialized animated content on Disney Channel, and an important one that manages to push certain themes further than any I've seen in all of my years of watching cartoons, especially from Disney. I'm really glad that a story like this exists for kids and teens, one that teaches the complexity of humans and to embrace being a "weirdo". And with its short runtime and episodes that keep you wanting more, it is absolutely worth the watch.
If you're looking for one of the best animated shows to watch this generation, The Owl House is it.
9.75/10
