The Owl House marked Disney Channel’s inaugural animated series of the 2020s and was the studio’s inaugural work featuring an LGBTQ+ protagonist; Dana Terrace confirmed that Luz was bisexual; other works had featured LGBTQ+ characters subtly.
The Art
Visually stunning, this show boasts stunning animation. Smooth and fluid motion capture gives each character life-like qualities while details add texture to their characters. Creators drew much inspiration from European painters like Remedios Varo and Hieronymus Bosch while mixing these styles with Russian architecture and medieval church art for maximum impact.
The series takes advantage of color theory by mixing hues of blue with shades of red and orange to create a warm and welcoming environment. It adds an eye-catching visual style and provides it with more of a fantasy atmosphere than other animated shows can.
Finally, this show successfully illustrates that people are complicated beings who don’t always behave the way we think they should. This is done through not punishing its characters for their actions: Lilith curses Eda but then spends most of the season trying to cure her; Amity bullies Willow but soon mends her relationship; Hunter rounds up Palismen, knowing he may die; etc.
One of the show’s most vital qualities is its treatment of its queer characters, such as Luz and Amity’s powerful scene in episode 12 when Amity offers Luz the light glyph she needs to awaken the Collector – it was a heartwarming moment and recognized one of mainstream animation’s groundbreaking queer couples.
This aspect of the show is one of its major selling points and shows there are still people pushing boundaries of representation in media. I commend The Owl House team on what they have achieved and hope more shows can follow suit and do something similar.
The Story
The Owl House is an exceptional animated show. Always captivating and captivating to watch, its story resonates deeply with anyone experiencing difficulties or feeling like they don’t belong in society. Additionally, The Owl House does an exceptional job of depicting different family dynamics and being inclusive to LGBTQ+ communities as well.
Through each new episode, it has been amazing to watch how each character evolves and grows with every new episode. Their journeys and continued group friendship are truly inspirational to see unfold before our very eyes! Dana Terrace and Disney have done an excellent job of crafting an immersive world that both engages viewers and warms our hearts.
I’ve never witnessed such fantastic attention to detail in an animated TV show as I’m convinced with The Incredibles! This is particularly noticeable during important action scenes and story points; when they take place, the animation will really jump off the screen! Additionally, every character has a distinct voice and personality that allows audiences to connect with them genuinely.
Another aspect of the show that works exceptionally well is that there’s no lengthy setup without a payoff – one of the critical ingredients of a dull television show if not handled well. Furthermore, its characters have been intricately developed, and their arcs provide very satisfying payoffs.
Writing in this show can be contentious when seen through a corrective lens. Characters get away with things which, in most other shows, would likely result in punishment more severely – Lilith cursing Eda, Hunter gathering up the Palismen knowing they will all be killed, Amity taunting Willow for years, etc are examples of behaviors which would typically have been dealt with more harshly.
However, it should be acknowledged that this show is highly progressive in its representation of LGBTQ+ people. Luz and Amity’s relationship stands as an early example of queer representation in mainstream media; additionally, this marks Disney’s first work to feature an openly bisexual lead character.
The Characters
This show is unique because of the large cast of diverse characters featured. At its core are two main witches, Eda and King, along with their diminutive demon companion, Owlbert. Luz is Eda’s apprentice, an assertive young lady eager to learn her mentor’s magic ways from her mentor; her character development includes making wise choices while learning trust both internally and externally.
Eda’s character is more nuanced, and she has her distinct arc. She is an influential woman who can be intimidating while being highly motivated to achieve her goals. This can make her bossy or overbearing at times, though overall, she remains good-hearted and wants only what is best for those around her.
Notably, this film marks the first Disney work with an LGBTQ lead character as its primary cast. Dana Terrace confirms that Luz is bisexual while Amity is gay in previous Disney works that didn’t explicitly reference their sexualities in their characters.
The show does feature some representation of minority characters; I wish Willow received more screen time, given her intelligent, talented, and likable nature. Willow’s development in Season Two has improved dramatically, but she remains mostly an undeveloped secondary role alongside Amity and Hooty.
I was disappointed that this series so heavily relied on the “Character A doesn’t want to come clean because they feel insecure or scared, but eventually lies and it worsens” plot. While character development must occur at some point, this plot was repetitive and could have been handled more smoothly.
I found it frustrating that the series didn’t include any black characters among its main cast (other than Lilith & King). A more diverse cast would have added depth and created more balance in terms of race and gender representation in its narrative.
The Animation
Dana Terrace’s animation of The Owl House is both stylized and detailed, drawing inspiration from artists like Remedios Varo and Hieronymus Bosch for its visual design. She also took ideas from Russian architecture and medieval church art for its character design and animation style – showing that a small-budget series can make an impactful statement about society and human behavior.
The Owl House is an animated fantasy-comedy series that began airing on January 10, 2020, and ended four years later on April 8, 2023. It follows Luz, an ambitious teenager, as she finds a portal into another realm where magic exists and becomes Eda’s apprentice; King serves as her sidekick who wants his former titles back.
Critics and fans have given The Owl House glowing reviews, many lauding its animation, humor, characters, voice acting, themes, and emotional weight. Furthermore, it has garnered attention as being among the first Disney works with LGBTQ+ representation, becoming both the first DTVA series overall as well as the first Disney Channel series featuring an openly gay character (Luz) as well as having an onscreen same-sex kiss between two lead characters.
