The Worst Witch review

The Worst Witch is a Netflix show based on the delightful British novels by Jill Murphy, the first being published in 1974. She started writing and illustrating her books at a young age, basing Mildred’s adventures on her own friends…with a magical twist of course.

Mildred is a normal English girl, making her mother breakfast when she spots a witch crash landing on her balcony. She hitches a ride with her new friend to the Selection Day at Miss Cackle’s Academy and manages to win a spot among the first years.

There are definitely similarities between these stories and Harry Potter, from a wise headmaster who has a devoted grumpy potions teaching sidekick and a fondness for lemon drops, to a child who grows up normal and is sent to a magical boarding school.

I just like how Mildred looks like she could be Snape’s daughter. If only, right?

But similarities aside, this show is adorable. Mildred is clumsy and curious and creative. She means well, gets into numerous scrapes, and learns what it truly means to be a witch. She befriends Maud, the intelligent girl from a very long line of witches, and Enid, daughter of witch celebrities.

She also finally gets her dream pet, a cat…though it is a tabby instead of a classic black cat.

I love her constant missing stocking and crazy braids. She loves magic and is so happy to be a witch. For the other girls, everything they’re learning is normal but Mildred approaches everything with a fresh perspective.

This delightful show is full of exploding potions, magic mirrors, broom crashes, and frog transformations. It has a light hearted humor and classic British charm. Mildred, or Millie, is a true heroine. She overcomes her nonmagical background, charges into a new adventure, and genuinely tries to help everyone around her. And she does it all with an endearing clumsy charm and knack for mischief… but that’s what makes a good story.