Wizards combines buildup of Arcadia mythology till now and goes further. This series is more mature approach in the tales of Arcadia series. The animation is so cool and detailed. Amazing new characters, especially Douxie. The character arcs are so beautifully handled. I just can't gush enough. The problem I have with this is, it feels too rushed. This season alone contains 2 different story lines which could have made another much explored season. Also the main villain of story 'The Arcane Order' lack depth. I think the producers are making a big mistake by abandoning usual series format for a movie, as this ends on a cliffhanger. Instead 'Wizards' would have made an amazing 3 season Conclusive series.
Either way, Master Del Toro managed to give the characters satisfying conclusions.
48 Reviews
Great Show. Beautiful. But rushed.
autumnbakes8 August 2020
This is a great addition to the Tales of Arcadia shows. It is on par with Trollhunters. The story telling and lore are amazing. And it is visually beautiful. The only bad thing is that is is very rushed. I feel that so much more could have been explored. This season could of easily been expanded into two seasons. But I love it. All in alll it is an amazing show.
Pacing is horrendously fast
gaily_daily9 August 2020
An otherwise wonderful conclusion to the ToA trilogy is almost ruined by the pacing. The story and characters are all great but my god is it FAST! I had to take a breather after each episode! I felt like my head was spinning just to keep up with everything! It really shouldn't have been 10 episodes. Would have been better split up into two seasons.
Awesome Sauce....
Nishank_Yarlagadda9 August 2020
Netflix, Dreamworks Animation and Guillermo Del Toro and all others, I thank you all for creating such a great animation series. And I hope it may continue forever. I have loved every episode from Trollhunter, 3Below and Finally Wizards. Please continue Tales Of Arcadia Forever.
So much plot...so little character.
dadings14 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Yeah, on the surface it seems to be a worthy end to the Tales of Arcadia.
And yeah, the show thunders through tons of plot in ten short episodes.
But in my opinion it really falls flat - even more so than 3Below - in what made Trollhunters so exceptional in the first place: Great, believable characters, with well fleshed out - and often surprising - development.
New characters have half-hearted high-speed arcs with blunted emotional impact (Arthur, Douxie) or don't get much of anything at all (e.g. Nari and the rest of the Arcane Order)
And well-known characters are well...it feels like "going through the motions", like e.g. Claire, but my biggest disappointment would be Steve. We were given a brilliant subversion of the "sports jock bully" trope with *real* growth in the original series. Since then he has regressed to the bumbling comic-relief sidekick. (There *were* a few well-done character arcs, Callista for example: Simple, but believable and effective. And I found Morgana somewhat fine as well.)
And the plot itself...well, some nice ideas there, but when there's such a high pace, it would have been nice if the plot points themselves were crafted a bit more carefully. To give just an example - the ruse to get Jim back from the Arcane order. Going in with a flaky illusion, some sweet talk and no backup/escape plan whatsoever?! Jeez, the world is at stake, it's a big risk to even try it, and *that's* your brilliant plan? From the Wizard Merlin finally trusted as an equal? Honestly, this extremely cheapens Merlin's sacrifice.
And what makes it so grating: so much time is wasted with worn-out antics (and it's not just Steve), even when available running time is so scarce.
But in my opinion it really falls flat - even more so than 3Below - in what made Trollhunters so exceptional in the first place: Great, believable characters, with well fleshed out - and often surprising - development.
New characters have half-hearted high-speed arcs with blunted emotional impact (Arthur, Douxie) or don't get much of anything at all (e.g. Nari and the rest of the Arcane Order)
And well-known characters are well...it feels like "going through the motions", like e.g. Claire, but my biggest disappointment would be Steve. We were given a brilliant subversion of the "sports jock bully" trope with *real* growth in the original series. Since then he has regressed to the bumbling comic-relief sidekick. (There *were* a few well-done character arcs, Callista for example: Simple, but believable and effective. And I found Morgana somewhat fine as well.)
And the plot itself...well, some nice ideas there, but when there's such a high pace, it would have been nice if the plot points themselves were crafted a bit more carefully. To give just an example - the ruse to get Jim back from the Arcane order. Going in with a flaky illusion, some sweet talk and no backup/escape plan whatsoever?! Jeez, the world is at stake, it's a big risk to even try it, and *that's* your brilliant plan? From the Wizard Merlin finally trusted as an equal? Honestly, this extremely cheapens Merlin's sacrifice.
And what makes it so grating: so much time is wasted with worn-out antics (and it's not just Steve), even when available running time is so scarce.
Majestic
lokieshut7 August 2020
Well, for starters the animation on this show is absolulty beautiful, I mean the details on certain character and the way they gave creatures and such texture BRILLIANT! Second, the script, depth and character grow certain character get are so well done that even a show made for kids can reach a much older audience because of the cleverness of the show and the way they wormed certain uncertaintes some adults get, into the story is a job well done by the writers. Its just amazing! So give it a go. And it helps that the 2 shows before this: Trollhunters and 3Below were'nt half bad as well. And third, the cast is full of a-lister and the only way you'll figure that out is if you google the cast! Amazing!!!
Amazing but too short
alishossaini8 August 2020
I just want to say that I am a huge fan of this show. It brings back the quality of Trollhunters (in a good way). We have (most of) the original characters back, and we get to see history from Arcadia's perspective. This helps us understand the other series better.
Overall a very good show, just feels a little rushed. As others have pointed out, this could've been expanded into at least 2 seasons instead of one, because there is just so much to explore!
Overall a very good show, just feels a little rushed. As others have pointed out, this could've been expanded into at least 2 seasons instead of one, because there is just so much to explore!
Great continuation of Trollhunters
danguneratne7 August 2020
This is very much in the same vein of Trollhunters. All of the main characters are back (well most of them) and it is much closer to the original series than 3 below. Talking of 3 below, they only mention it in passing, but the character development is definitely still there. Although there are a couple of plot points from Trollhunters that were ignored.
Merlin as Saucy Old Fart
BabelAlexandria19 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Despite the many rave reviews, my kiddos and I thought that this was the worst of the Arcadia trilogy. Again, as others have noted, the plot is hopelessly fast. Time travel features as a central element of the plot, but it's not as well thought out as in, say, Dark, though I think it aspires to be. But it's still epic in its own way, with a healthy mix of satire. For us, the satire was encapsulated in Merlin's imperfections, short temper, and taste for satire, in short, the somewhat non-traditional portrayal of the Arthurian mage as a saucy old fart.
A good conclusion to the story but terrible pacing
rs-romaine11 August 2020
This was obviously designed to be 2 seasons long, and would've thrived better as 3. It's very disappointing considering what a masterful ride Trollhunters was (and was a show that I got into accidentally as I only picked it out initially as something to watch with the kids).
The story is still the same great story, only this time time around I felt like I got fed the abridged version. Oh well.
The story is still the same great story, only this time time around I felt like I got fed the abridged version. Oh well.
Awesome!!!!!
accformovies9 August 2020
Not the best, but still great!
ajzeg6 September 2020
Wizards is the third and final series in the Tales of Arcadia trilogy. If you don't know what that is, it is a collaboration between Netflix, DreamWorks Animation, and Guillermo Del Toro. The other two series were Trollhunters and 3Below. The first series follows Jim Lake Jr. and his friends, and enemies, as he becomes the first-ever human Trollhunter, destined to protect all trollkind from the evil trolls who seek to destroy them, and the world. The second series follows Krel and Aja, royal heirs to the throne of the planet Akiridian 5, and their guardian Varvados Vex as they flee to earth to escape a coup and get caught up with the characters and events of Trollhunters. The third series, Wizards, follows Douxie, the ancient yet somehow still teenage apprentice of Merlin, being sent back in time along with some of the main characters of the other series to medieval times, tasked with finding out how to preserve the past and save the future from Morgana and the evil sorcerers of the Arcane Order. All three series have really good animation and character designs, great voice acting from an all-star cast, and really investing stories and characters. You grow to love every single one of them. The dialogue is very 2010s, but aside from that I think it's one of the best things Netflix has to offer. They are kids shows, but they can be enjoyed by anyone, very similar to the How to Train Your Dragon movies. But that's the trilogy as a whole. How was Wizards specifically? If I'm being honest, it's my least favourite of the three. It's just too short. Trollhunters had 4 seasons (It was released as 3 but is actually 4.) and 3Below had a shorter but still healthy run of 2 seasons. Wizards is just 10 episodes and there won't be any more. Kind of, but I'll get to that later. This makes for a much faster-paced series than the others. Part of what makes the other series so great is the slice-of-life aspect. There's an overarching plot with fantasy, action, and lore, sure, but there's also lots of time to cool down and just let the characters interact and hang out. Trollhunters has Jim trying to balance his life as the Trollhunter, a high school student, and the caretaker of his overworked mother. There's lots of great character drama there. There's also his friend Toby's relationship with the giant troll Aaarrrgghh!!! (Yes, that's his actual name.), a love triangle with Jim, his crush Claire, and the school bully Steve, Steve's budding friendship with the school nerd Eli, and a TON more. It's not all fantasy stuff, it's also grounded in reality. 3Below also had a lot of character drama, there was Varvados' relationship with Toby's Nana, Aja's relationship with Steve, Toby and Krel making a movie, and more PLUS a bunch of continuing storylines from Trollhunters. Wizards, on the other hand, is all plot, all action, and all lore. It really suffers from the lack of slower, more character-driven episodes like the other 2 series had. You don't get any "filler", but it goes by way too quickly for you to really process what's going on sometimes. Having more episodes to slow down the pace really would've helped. I also don't think this series uses enough from 3Below. Krel shows up near the end but doesn't really get to do much and Aja gets, like, two mentions (You'd think her absence would affect Steve more.), but that's pretty much it. It feels like it mostly forgets about 3Below and focuses mostly on the Trollhunters characters. I'm also not impressed with who they chose to send back in time, which takes up the bulk of the series. They went with Jim, Claire, and Steve, which I feel was a mistake. Steve is really annoying and useless without Eli or Aja to ground him. They should've sent back Toby instead so the original trio could be back together again. Toby's one of the best characters and he's really underused in this series, along with Krel. Okay, so with all that complaining you might think I hate this series. Nah, it was great! You can't really think of it as its own series like 3Below mostly was, it's more like another season of Trollhunters. It expands on the backstory and the lore of the series and continues the story in a lot of interesting ways. I liked seeing the creation of the Trollhunter amulet, the Battle of Killahead Bridge, Aaarrrgghh!! when he was still working for the evil troll Gunmar, Claire's continuing relationship with Jim now that he's part troll and lost the amulet, and so much more. It also turns Morgana, who I thought was a kind of boring antagonist in Trollhunters, into a really compelling and sympathetic character. Again, all this stuff goes by really quickly, but it's still really interesting. Douxie was also a really interesting protagonist, I love how these series take minor characters and make them really important later on. There is also some really interesting sound design in this series. I don't normally pick up on stuff like that, but it really stood out here. Overall, while it definitely could've been a lot better with more episodes and a slower pace, Wizards was a well-done semi-prequel to Trollhunters and setup to the finale of the Tales of Arcadia trilogy. That's right, it may be the third show in the trilogy, but it's not the end! There's going to be a movie in 2021 to wrap everything up, and I'll be back right here to review it! Overall, I highly recommend Tales of Arcadia to any fan of animated series like Avatar: The Last Airbender or Steven Universe, DreamWorks movies like Kung Fu Panda or the aforementioned How to Train Your Dragon, or Guillermo Del Toro films like Pan's Labyrinth or the Hellboy movies. I think you'll get a kick out of it, and there's no better time to catch up! Stay tuned!
An epic end to a trilogy
jtcc-050908 August 2020
Finishing off Guillermo Del Toro's trilogy, Wizards explores the combination of existing plots and new characters that captivates both human eye and emotion.
Before watching, Douxie seemed to be a character whom just joined at the last moment just for the sake of it. But he proved to be the crucial character in the series, exploring his past and present life. The developing complexity of such a character seamlessly weaved him with the Trollhunter cast.
One thing Guillermo Del Toro excels at is targeting the audience's emotions. The build-up and destruction of relationships between characters doesn't feel forced and the plot follows a natural progression. Combining this with unexpected twists and turns that fuel the excitement, Guillermo Del Toro strikes fellow fans with a mind-bending and emotive story.
Despite only consisting of 10 episodes, Guillermo Del Toro's final instalment is sure to please audiences at any age. Combining plenty of action, complex character builds and moving moments, Wizards defines the art of storytelling.
Before watching, Douxie seemed to be a character whom just joined at the last moment just for the sake of it. But he proved to be the crucial character in the series, exploring his past and present life. The developing complexity of such a character seamlessly weaved him with the Trollhunter cast.
One thing Guillermo Del Toro excels at is targeting the audience's emotions. The build-up and destruction of relationships between characters doesn't feel forced and the plot follows a natural progression. Combining this with unexpected twists and turns that fuel the excitement, Guillermo Del Toro strikes fellow fans with a mind-bending and emotive story.
Despite only consisting of 10 episodes, Guillermo Del Toro's final instalment is sure to please audiences at any age. Combining plenty of action, complex character builds and moving moments, Wizards defines the art of storytelling.
High Quality Animation, Emotional Roller-coaster Plot
rannynm25 August 2020
Guillermo del Toro's new series Tales of Arcadia: Wizards will enrapture its viewers because of its high-quality animation, detailed emotional rollercoaster plot and strong script. The eight-time Emmy award-winning team behind this production creates a whole new fantasy world to dive into with the intricate CGI in this show-the mesmerizing floating castle of Camelot, incredible flying contraptions and futuristic technology complete the look. Designed with the utmost care, the many characters of this show are illustrated with clear lines and realistic coloring for skin, whether human or monstrous, hair, fangs and even fingernails-now that's detail-oriented!
Now to the plot of Tales of Arcadia: Wizards. The main character in this TV show is Hisirdoux or Douxie, our favorite clumsy wizard-in-training. After a stand-off with the Arcane Order - an evil band of magicians led by the wily Morgana - goes wrong, the group of do-gooder wizards (Merlin and Hisirdoux, along with the Guardians of Arcadia: Claire, Toby, and Steve, as well as Archie and Jim) set off on a time-twisting adventure to the times of 12th-century Camelot. The control of magic, the nature of all the supernatural worlds, and Hisirdoux's status in his mentor's eyes all lie in the balance.
The plot is intricate and crafted carefully - there are several plot twists along the way, and all of the characters are nuanced and lifelike. Well, the ones that aren't monsters are lifelike. I found it very hard to peel my eyes away from the screen throughout the ten episodes! Surprisingly, for a fantasy series, I was unable to predict what would happen next!
A highly talented and vaunted figure in television series lore, Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, one of the many executive producers of the film, is well-known for his expertise in the industry. It shows in this TV series as well. Throughout the series, I found myself going through tears of joy and sadness, and cracking a super-wide smile at several parts. The script of Wizards, written by Andie Bolt, Ian Rickett and Lila Scott, was truly feature-film quality.
Colin O'Donoghue plays Hisirdoux; I found "Douxie" to be possibly the most nuanced of all the characters, and O'Donoghue is excellent at portraying all the facets of his personality. Steven Yeun plays Steve on the show, and he portrays the clumsy jock with comedic genius. Lena Headey plays the conflicted Morgana with finesse. Those are my three favorite characters on the show, with Archie as a runner-up - you have to love the cat/dragon's sarcastic commentary and incredible portrayal by Alfred Molina. Toby seems like an accessory character in this show and does not have much importance in lines or scenes.
There are several sweet messages incorporated throughout the show-messages of acceptance, perseverance, camaraderie and believing in yourself. The emotional development and maturing of Hisirdoux surely will cause you to shed a few tears as well, and you can't help but be proud of Callista, a troll with an interesting secret, for stepping up and casting aside what other trolls thought of her.
I rate Tales of Arcadia: Wizards 4 stars out of 5 and recommend it to children aged 10 to 15. Reviewed by Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST!
Now to the plot of Tales of Arcadia: Wizards. The main character in this TV show is Hisirdoux or Douxie, our favorite clumsy wizard-in-training. After a stand-off with the Arcane Order - an evil band of magicians led by the wily Morgana - goes wrong, the group of do-gooder wizards (Merlin and Hisirdoux, along with the Guardians of Arcadia: Claire, Toby, and Steve, as well as Archie and Jim) set off on a time-twisting adventure to the times of 12th-century Camelot. The control of magic, the nature of all the supernatural worlds, and Hisirdoux's status in his mentor's eyes all lie in the balance.
The plot is intricate and crafted carefully - there are several plot twists along the way, and all of the characters are nuanced and lifelike. Well, the ones that aren't monsters are lifelike. I found it very hard to peel my eyes away from the screen throughout the ten episodes! Surprisingly, for a fantasy series, I was unable to predict what would happen next!
A highly talented and vaunted figure in television series lore, Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, one of the many executive producers of the film, is well-known for his expertise in the industry. It shows in this TV series as well. Throughout the series, I found myself going through tears of joy and sadness, and cracking a super-wide smile at several parts. The script of Wizards, written by Andie Bolt, Ian Rickett and Lila Scott, was truly feature-film quality.
Colin O'Donoghue plays Hisirdoux; I found "Douxie" to be possibly the most nuanced of all the characters, and O'Donoghue is excellent at portraying all the facets of his personality. Steven Yeun plays Steve on the show, and he portrays the clumsy jock with comedic genius. Lena Headey plays the conflicted Morgana with finesse. Those are my three favorite characters on the show, with Archie as a runner-up - you have to love the cat/dragon's sarcastic commentary and incredible portrayal by Alfred Molina. Toby seems like an accessory character in this show and does not have much importance in lines or scenes.
There are several sweet messages incorporated throughout the show-messages of acceptance, perseverance, camaraderie and believing in yourself. The emotional development and maturing of Hisirdoux surely will cause you to shed a few tears as well, and you can't help but be proud of Callista, a troll with an interesting secret, for stepping up and casting aside what other trolls thought of her.
I rate Tales of Arcadia: Wizards 4 stars out of 5 and recommend it to children aged 10 to 15. Reviewed by Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST!
8 episodes in
subwmn15 September 2020
I was looking on Netflix and found another part of the Arcadia series. I was quite surprised about all of the series. I liked it so much and hope there will be more after this. There is more to do for this series and ample paths to take. It is a great series and incorporates many characters from Troll Hunters.
(A little too) fast-paced, but enjoyable
alex_moerke1 October 2020
Hell was I excited to hear that there's a sequel to one of my favorite shows, especially since the low storytelling quality of 3Below was such a disappointment to me.
The whole time travel thing really messes with the show's continuity (though it gives it a kind of Avengers Endgame appeal), but it's easy to ignore that with all the stuff happening at such a quick ate. Frankly, Wizards can be a little TOO fast-paced at times, cramming as many plot points and characters into an episode as possible, most likely due to the short run time of the miniseries. But at least this way, they leave out most of the cringier humor that I disliked about Trollhunters. A negative side effect is that they have almost no time to cautiously prepare those more epic and emotional sequences that really sold me about the original show.
With Douxie, they surprisingly succeeded to add a protagonist similarly empathic to Jim. The other characters do their part, but many fan-favorites are missing.
The whole time travel thing really messes with the show's continuity (though it gives it a kind of Avengers Endgame appeal), but it's easy to ignore that with all the stuff happening at such a quick ate. Frankly, Wizards can be a little TOO fast-paced at times, cramming as many plot points and characters into an episode as possible, most likely due to the short run time of the miniseries. But at least this way, they leave out most of the cringier humor that I disliked about Trollhunters. A negative side effect is that they have almost no time to cautiously prepare those more epic and emotional sequences that really sold me about the original show.
With Douxie, they surprisingly succeeded to add a protagonist similarly empathic to Jim. The other characters do their part, but many fan-favorites are missing.
FANTASTIC
malechn3 September 2020
Definitely the creation of Tales of Arcadia, this show shows the kindness of the villains, and also shows the evil side of people in the main side. The series is moving. It will make you have to think and think a lot aboit the world around you, seems like a philosophy film right? NO. It convey the message of loving family, love, friendship, peace in a very gentle and subtle. MUST WATCH
Del Toro's Rocker Wizards
nightringer-7684011 August 2020
The third installment of Guillermo Del Toro's Tales of Arcadia showcased a rocker wizard main hero, literally. This time, it went off tracks and took liberty to mixed it up and spit out a fun snd exciting ride of adventure.
Badly written. One cliche after another
habore-121 August 2020
Amazing ! Mind blowing !
varun_lambo-730199 August 2020
Really Loved it.
armidrg-522679 August 2020
Such a great serie, on pair with troll hunters. Some are complaining for Jim being decimated, but hey, this is Douxie's story not Jim's. He got three seasons were he was the main character, don't letting Jim to shadow Douxie was A great decision. We don't know, maybe Jim gets back as a powerful character but this series needed to focus on Douxie, what a charming great character they created. I really loved Douxie. People say it feel rushed, maybe, but thats what I like the most. I'm sick of 8-13 episode series dragging a plot that could have been solved in 5-6 episodes. Each episode is great, with something important happening. Les quedó genial la serie.
A great saga to a continuing story
m_k_wilson25 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I've been so excited to see Wizards after watching the previous series. I like how the story is easy to follow and enjoyable for both children and adults. It also doesn't shy away from hard topics. There is death here. A lot of the characters are complicated and you find yourself having conflicted feelings over their actions.
The animation is also beautiful. A must watch for fans of animation and fantasy stories.
My only complaint is how much it changes certain legendary tales, but in a way that is a very entertaining aspect as the show tries to keep you guessing.
A fun watch
kevin_robbins7 May 2023
Wizards (2020) is a series that my daughter and I recently watched together on Netflix. The series picks up perfectly after season 3 of Trollhunters with Jim and friends combined with the characters in 3 Below to face a new menace and hopefully safe Jim from himself in the process. Can all of the events of the Arcadia series be reset so our friends can return to a "normal" life?
This series was created by Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) and contains the voices of David Bradley (Harry Potter), Colin O'Donoghue (The Rite), Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2), Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead) and Kelsey Grammer (Cheers).
The storyline for this picture was a perfect way to wrap up the series. The animation is top notch and it's easy to get wrapped up in the characters and universe. The villains are very good and I adored the infusion and transition of Merlin. The side characters returning too, and how they impact the storyline, brought a smile to my face. There's also some great lessons in here about teamwork, trust and the benefit of the doubt. The ending unfolds dramatically and has a rewarding conclusion.
Overall, this was a fun watch for my daughter and I that I would strongly recommend. I would score this a 8/10.
This series was created by Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) and contains the voices of David Bradley (Harry Potter), Colin O'Donoghue (The Rite), Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2), Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead) and Kelsey Grammer (Cheers).
The storyline for this picture was a perfect way to wrap up the series. The animation is top notch and it's easy to get wrapped up in the characters and universe. The villains are very good and I adored the infusion and transition of Merlin. The side characters returning too, and how they impact the storyline, brought a smile to my face. There's also some great lessons in here about teamwork, trust and the benefit of the doubt. The ending unfolds dramatically and has a rewarding conclusion.
Overall, this was a fun watch for my daughter and I that I would strongly recommend. I would score this a 8/10.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
