10 fantasy movies and shows like Netflix’s Shadow and Bone

Shows like Shadow and Bone: Fate: The Winx Saga

Media focused entirely on fae, or fairies, is unfortunately rare in fantasy. Fate: The Winx Saga, the live-action version of the popular children’s animated series The Winx Club, is one of the few expanded into a television adaptation.

The show takes Bloom’s story and spins it for an older audience, embracing a darker tone that has been criticized by fans of its previous iteration as falling prey to the Riverdale effect. Fate: The Winx Saga also came under fire in a whitewashing controversy that is a part of the show’s legacy now.

Still, like Shadow and Bone, the series features elemental magic. Bloom is a powerful wielder of fire but struggles with control. Aisha is skilled in water manipulation but smaller quantities of the liquid are difficult for her to shape. Terra’s talent is based in plant work and earth-based magic. Stella controls light but pressure from her mother the queen can cause her powers to be erratic. And Musa is an empath who can’t turn off her ability to feel everyone’s emotions.

They’re at Alfea College to learn how to control and weaponize their powers in order to work alongside specialists in their effort to defeat the Burned Ones and a dark force threatening their way of life. Though with spies among their fellow fairies, it may be too late to stop the destruction barreling their way.

Fate: The Winx Saga has been renewed for season 2. The first season is available to stream now.