FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE YET TO SEE THE BASTARD SON & THE DEVIL HIMSELF, THIS IS A NON-SPOILER REVIEW.

Lost in the Reel’s video review for The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself

Netflix has become notoriously known for greenlighting intriguing projects and then canceling them without much remorse… or explanation.  They also have been pumping out so much original content in the last couple of years, that all of their shows and films start to blend together… And sadly, the quality of a lot of their projects has also begun to diminish.  Nowhere more so is this apparent than with their young-adult fantasy shows, which seem to come and go in the blink of an eye… with little to no fanfare and are axed mere weeks after premiering. This leads me to when I saw the trailer for The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself… all I could think was, that it looked like a CGI mess.

Full of shameless queer baiting and that it was going to be dealt the same exact fate as others like Cursed, The Order, Tribes of Europa, The Irregulars and so many more.  But, I decided to give it a shot, just to see if I might be at all wrong about it.  So, what’s the verdict?  Honestly, I didn’t just like this show… l absolutely loved it.

And even though I didn’t have this on my calendar to review, I knew by the end of Season One… that I had to.  Because I would be gutted if this didn’t catch on and I never said my piece about it.  The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself is way too great of a show, filled with so much further potential… that Netflix would be committing sacrilege if they disposed of it, like all of those other poor series’.

WHAT IS THE BASTARD SON & THE DEVIL HIMSELF ALL ABOUT?

The series follows sixteen-year-old Nathan, who is the illegitimate son of the world’s most feared witch. He’s spent his whole life being monitored for signs that he may follow the same destructive path as his father. But as tensions escalate between warring clans of witches, the old boundaries between “good” and “bad” begin to fray.  In need of familial blood to gain his powers on his seventeenth birthday, he treks across Europe with two unlikely companions to find the mysterious blood witch Mercury.  Along the way, he begins to uncover who he really is, and that just might be “Half bad”.  

HOW ARE THE SPECIAL EFFECTS AND ACTION SCENES?

I’d like to dissect my thoughts on the trailer, first.  Because it didn’t do a great job of differentiating this series at all.  It would have liked to make you believe that this entire show is full of second-rate CGI and non-stop action.  Luckily, the visual effects are sparingly used.  And while there are some moments when they look shoddy, the times that they are dazzling, far outweigh the bad. 

The special powers that the witches have; like the Undoing, as well as the Incognito spell where moments from the past are recreated with only the objects in the room… are wonderfully creative and brought to life in eye-popping ways.  It’s only the powers like fireballs and lightning blasts, that are a little more underwhelming.  And as for the action… while this series has its share of car chases, shootouts, fist fights, and magic battles; it is all balanced beautifully with more quiet, restrained moments and outstanding character development. 

A CASE OF QUEER BAITING?

And then there’s this whole debacle about queer baiting, which many online have already accused this show of.  The thing is, I wouldn’t have been surprised by it, from the looks of the trailer… and because it feels like Netflix has been pulling this card in almost all of their programming, as of late.  And it’s getting really irritating.  But, while I thought The Bastard Son was going to go that route, especially in Episode 7… I think it steers clear of it.  This show, while quite sexy and full of romanticism… is, at its heart, all about the friendship and love between three friends.  While fans are inevitably going to be stanning over Nabriel or Nannalise… I was far more concerned about the relationship the three of them share together, and I think the writers are, as well.  

HOW IS THE ENSEMBLE CAST?

This all leads me to this fantastic ensemble… all of whom I am completely unfamiliar with, but the performances here really blew me away.  Leading the way is Jay Lycurgo, who is able to juggle so many different character traits at once, with such ease.  Nathan can be at once goofy and sensitive, and then a terrifying beast, the next.  And while he is so good in this role, I don’t think the show would be the same without his two other leads. 

Nadia Parkes as the vulnerable, yet extremely powerful Annalise and Emilien Vekemans as the French rebel without a cause, Gabriel… are both such fascinatingly flawed and lovingly-crafted characters.  Their chemistry with one another is also fantastic.  The banter they have back and forth feels so authentic, you would think the three have been friends their entire lives.  I also have to give a huge shout-out to Karen Connell as the towering, no-nonsense Ceelia… who really blossoms into such a deeply felt character.  

WHAT HAS THE CREATOR WORKED ON BEFORE THIS SERIES?

The creator and writer is Joe Barton, who penned David Bruckner’s The Ritual and created the horribly underrated Netflix show Giri/Haji, which was also unceremoniously axed after one season.  Barton brings the same level of creativity, nuanced writing, vast world-building, and intimate character development that he did with those projects and then some, with The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself.  While some will try to write this off as a rip-off of so many other YA fantasies… Barton and his team have crafted something far more unique and special here.  

CAN THIS SHOW BE COMPARED TO ANY OTHER?

I kept trying to rack my brain, to come up with some comparisons for this show.  So many different series came to mind, like Buffy, The Magicians, and even The 100… but, none of them felt like a proper likening.  And that’s because, while there are a lot of other shows like it, whether it be in the horror, fantasy or sci-fi genres… The Bastard Son feels 100% in a class by itself, in the best possible way. 

HOW VIOLENT IS THIS SHOW?

First and foremost, this is one gruesome, gory blood-fest.  Hearts are being eaten, bodies explode, people are dismembered every which way and so many damn wrists are slit.  It is also gracefully able to balance a multitude of different tones.  It’s horrifying, it’s whimsical, it’s sexy, it’s adventurous, it’s strange, it’s poignant, it’s extreme, it’s serious and full of pitch-black wit… and the crazy thing is, is that much of the time it is all of those things, all at once.  And it never feels overstuffed or convoluted.  Now, that is what I call a miraculous juggling act.

ANY ISSUES WITH THE BASTARD SON?

If I were to harp on anything, it’s that I found the first couple of episodes to be the weakest.  There is a plot line where Nathan is imprisoned and forced to train, that should have been a short segment, but is dragged along for an episode and a half.  The Halloween party and scenes at school, also make it feel like its going to be more of a typical, been-there-done-that YA narrative.  Which is a shame because I hope audiences give it the time to develop into what it actually is… because, once Gabriel is brought into the picture and the quest begins, this season never once lets up.

THIS IS A MUST-WATCH SHOW…

By the season finale, I had chills, goosebumps, heart palpitations and I even teared up at the very end.  Which means to me, that this show was really able to hit on all of the feelings and emotions I yearn for, in television like this. If you are a fan of horror, fantasy or both… The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself is an absolute must-watch.  Forget the Young-Adult descriptor, if that’s what’s holding you back… because this show is definitely for everyone, at least anyone over the age of sixteen. 

 I implore you all to check this series out and share it with friends, family, acquaintances and hell, even strangers on the street.  This is the type of show that’s going to need a lot of love, a steady spot in the Top 10 and a die-hard fan-base to get it renewed… and The Bastard Son deserves to see its story continued. 

The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself is Streaming on Netflix Now.

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