Those who know me, a teenage boy would not expect me to enjoy a show such as this. And in most cases, they'd be right. Not so with Amazon's Just Add Magic.
Story: Three best friends, Kelly, Hannah, and Darbie, discover a mysterious cookbook that belonged to Kelly's grandma. Once they try cooking its recipes, it isn't long before they discover that these recipes have some weird side effects, and that they have been chosen to be the book's current generation of Protectors. One mystery after another (usually involving the history of the book and previous generations of Protectors) quickly unfolds as the girls protect the book as well as their family, friends, community, and selves from anyone who might want to use the magic in less-than-desirable ways.
It's rare to see a show such as this. A completely clean family friendly show, and yet, one that adults will enjoy as well as children. In fact, my parents saw this show by themselves before me or any of my siblings did. To get into it may take an episode or two, as there is some degree of cheesiness to it. However, it's a ridiculously small degree (most of the time; there's a couple particularly cheesy moments), and the story is complex and suspenseful, so it won't take long to get hooked.
To call it complex is not to say it's difficult to follow, though. Personally, I don't do well with mystery stories, but for whatever reason I had no trouble with this one. Perhaps it could be because, since it's technically a kids' show, they explain everything much more clearly. Whatever the reason, I had no trouble keeping track of which character they think is the one causing trouble. And in most cases the presumed identity of the villain keeps bouncing about from one character to another, so their true identity isn't revealed until late in the season. (Side note, I have to say I LOVE the choice of surprise villain in the fourth season!)
Speaking of villains, there's much to say about the morality of the show. Most villains are given redemption and/or made to be sympathized with (eventually). The lead characters are not perfect either; "They make mistakes and disappoint each other, but they own up to it and take responsibility for their actions." (For lack of a better choice of words, that's a quote from another review on this site) And did I mention it's completely clean? Not one bad word is spoken, even a mild one, and not one bit of the slightest off-color humor or anything. This is a show that parents can let their kids watch without fear of anything.
Something interesting of note: the show is five seasons long; the first four focus on Kelly, Hannah, and Darbie, and the last is a sequel/reboot starring a new generation of Protectors, with the original cast in supporting roles. It's similar to the Spy Kids movies. In any case, I think it worked well this way. The original Protectors were held in just the right balance to be immensely helpful while not detracting from the new cast and setting. Also of note is that this last season was a little less mystery and more of a treasure hunt. Anyway, the fifth season (with a new title: Just Add Magic: Mystery City) is almost as good as the rest.
Favorite part: Any scenes involving time travel or flashbacks where we see younger or older versions of the characters. Other actors are cast in these roles and they look exactly as they should at those ages, and it's incredible. (One exception, a scene in S4E1 taking place in the '70s where we see the father of a present-day adult character. His appearance is not realistic at all, but instead is absolutely hilarious, and I still love it!) If if had to pick one scene to be my favorite, it's a scene in the season 4 finale. You'll know the one.
Long story short, Just Add Magic is an excellent show that can be enjoyed by all ages. Don't let that TV-Y deter you; I highly recommend checking it out, whether you have kids or not!
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