The Wingfeather Saga: Season One
Summary
The Wingfeather Saga (Season 1) is an animated show produced by Angel Studios, based on a book series of the same name by Andrew Peterson. This middle-grade fantasy series takes place in the land of Skree, where humanity is subjected by the ruthless, lizard-like Fangs. Three siblings — Janner, Tink, and Leeli — along with their mother Nia and grandfather Podo enjoy their not-quite-idyllic life under the Fangs’ control…that is until things are turned completely upside down by whispers of rebellion, a quest for legendary jewels, and family secrets finally revealed. In a world filled with familiar yet wholeheartedly strange creatures, a few, small sparks ignite the path to destinies far greater than anything the Igiby family could’ve imagined.
Assessment
The Wingfeather Saga, Seasons 1 is a beautifully animated show with rich worldbuilding, loveable and engaging characters, and an intriguing plot. The overall quality of the show is incredibly high from the animation to the acting to the storytelling. While there are a few brief, noticeable issues with the animation, most are hidden by the bold, painting-like art style that adds a layer of depth to the story and sets a distinctive aesthetic. Similarly, there are minor issues with some of the storyline editing, but these can be easily explained or ignored in favor of the series’ overall value.
The show is incredibly clean. There are a few episode depicting conflicts and battles, as well as plenty of fantasy peril, but all is presented in a suitable-for-children sort of way without blood or gore. The episodes with combat have a disclaimer leading them explaining that there is fighting, but it is being used not to glorify but as a way to depict the struggle of good against evil.
Light-o-Meter
Overall — 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Story: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Voice Acting: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Animation: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Music: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Quality: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Theological Message: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Age Appropriateness — Appropriate for intended audiences.
Talk
I am pretty blown away by this series! It is absolutely amazing and delightful, with plenty of humor, action, worldbuilding, intrigue, loveable protagonists and despicable antagonists, a rollercoaster of plot twists, and plenty “secrets revealed”. The story immediately pulls the audience — whether adult or child — into its world and doesn’t really let go through the course of the entire first season. I know that I, personally, am hooked and have been since Episode One.
This series is also a shining example of what I mean when I say “kids need high-quality stories”. So often I’ve heard the argument for either part or all of a kids’ story that it can be lower quality because “kids won’t notice”. Even if they don’t notice, story quality is still going to shape and mold who they are and what they expect out of life. It is okay to teach children to diligently pursue beauty and quality in the media they intake; that kind of discernment can branch out into other aspects of their lives, including work and romantic relationships. This show has the potential to do exactly that.
The story is fairly light in terms of overt theology right now, but I think that suits it very well. It references “The Maker” — i.e. God — and covers a lot of really strong, Biblical topics for both children of all ages and genders. Characteristics such as nobility, self-sacrifice, perseverance, the pursuit of good, listening to trusted elders, and so on and so forth.
Additionally, something I really, really like is that each of the three kids are — no spoilers — given key responsibilities that go beyond “keep your room clean”; they are given a purpose in the wider community in a way that reflects the purpose that we are given in Christ. Each has a unique role and each is learning how to fulfil that role to the best of their abilities.
Overall, I think this is an amazing series for kids, especially those that want a bit of fantasy, and I am looking forward to Seasons 2 & 3!
P.S. for parents that may be concerned about this kind of thing, Season 1 of The Wingfeather Saga did not have any magic in it that I could tell. There are artifacts that have power — such as water from the “First Well”, which has the ability to heal — but these are not presented in a magical way.
Where to Enjoy
Check out The Wingfeather Saga now streaming on Angel Studios!
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