X
- 2021
- TV-14
- Netflix
- 2021
- TV-14
- Netflix
- 2021
- TV-14
- Netflix
- 2021
- TV-14
- Netflix
Shadow and Bone
Season 1 Premiere: Apr 23, 2021
69
7.1
Where to Watch
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 31 Critic Reviews
69
65% Positive
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
35% Mixed
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 31 Critic Reviews
69
65% Positive
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
35% Mixed
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
That's the real magic trick a show like this has to pull off — creating a universe that feels fresh to newcomers, without alienating them or feeling too confusing. Like so many things in life, the key ingredient turns out to be the people involved. And in the case of both the fictional characters and the cast and crew, the people of Shadow and Bone deliver.
The success of “Shadow and Bone” Season 1 is that it works so effectively as the first installment of a potential trilogy. By the end, as the show is addressing ideas of hypermilitarization, class stratification, and the fraught nature of prophecy, it’s apparent that there’s more going on inside this season than is readily available on the surface. Here’s hoping there’s a chance for even more to shine through.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 202 User Ratings
7.1
65% Positive
131 Ratings
131 Ratings
19% Mixed
39 Ratings
39 Ratings
16% Negative
32 Ratings
32 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 202 User Ratings
7.1
65% Positive
131 Ratings
131 Ratings
19% Mixed
39 Ratings
39 Ratings
16% Negative
32 Ratings
32 Ratings
[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
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Shadow and Bone is good clean fun with a vengeance (with the potential exception of a coyly-shot gay sex scene). Those who watched Game of Thrones for the nudity and cruelty may find it lacking that spicy kick, but this is fantasy with heart, a towering imagination and a genuine new take on the genre. It could be a real phenomenon for Netflix.
Shadow and Bone Season 2 feels a bit crowded, but the writing remains strong, successfully merging stories from the books into one big picture.
Mei Li and Renaux truly give their all, imbuing Alina and Mal’s relationship with the right amount of earnest pining and steaminess. But the show still falls back on YA tropes, failing to ramp up the sexiness in the right way. ... Shadow and Bone accidentally lets The Crows snatch the spotlight, making every moment they’re off the screen — and there are a lot of them — annoying. ... Shadow and Bone isn’t great. But you can’t call it boring.
Complications ensue, super powers are wielded, all as you’d expect. Actors keep straight faces despite the silliness (possibly a real superpower) and the show maintains a young adult sheen. It flows by, which is all it intends to do.
Shadow and Bone fails to deliver any of the charm and emotional engagement of a Game of Thrones (when that show was at its best), or even a Winx Saga (which is objectively terrible, but in an enjoyably ridiculous way). Again and again, Shadow and Bone forces unearned story beats and melodrama. Its character-building is lackluster; its worldbuilding is mostly incoherent, and its script careens from one-liner to one-liner without much substance in between — all while the weak writing torpedos the efforts of its talented cast.
While there were plenty of entertaining aspects it was dumbed down to appeal to teenagers.
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The main character is awful. Boring, uncompelling, terrible acting on her part imho. The saving grace of this show is that, fortunately, a good chunk of it doesn't involve her. Most of the side characters are far more interesting. I guess the target demographic for this is girls because it is chock-full of idiotic lovey-dovey nonsense. Unfortunately, I'm not a girl and I don't care for silly romance jammed in everywhere. But if you're a female and/or really like romance stories, then this could be really good for you.
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I got midway through the 5th episode when I just gave up. The main character gets 'swept away' to live in a palace and wear fancy clothes, and doubt her former love while being wooed by the new guy who's twice her age. Utterly bland lines like, "We're going to change the world, you and I." Overall just another 'chosen one' plotline that every garbage author copies, believing that world-building is a substitute for story-telling. More Young Adult Novel, teen-drivel. How can anyone compare this to GOT? What are you on?
And how can the main character be so stupid that she doesn't once ask anyone: Umm, hey, how come I'm not getting any letters from my friends? Instead of asking this, or doubting these strangers who essentially kidnapped her, she doubts her lifelong friends. From there, I just started hating this idiot character. And of course the entire show is full of "pretty teen girl" tropes like giggling hand-maidens and jealous rivals and of course Every Single Female Character is in their 20s and gorgeous and perfectly made-up at all times.
Oh Yeah, the English Accents. The stupid, annoying, idiotic, ridiculous, get-out-of-my-face-with-this-bland-nauseating-crap: English Accents. Why? Why does everyone in this Russian Inspired world sound like a snob from Chelsea? Why? Why does English Accent = fantasy world? Why? From the first episode I was put off by the accents. The world is meant to be inspired by Russia!! Not One person has a Russian or Eastern European accent. Really tired of English accents in every fantasy show.
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Production Company:
- 21 Laps Entertainment
- Netflix
- Chronology Entertainment
- Loom Studios
Initial Release Date: Apr 23, 2021
Number of seasons: 2 Seasons
Rating: TV-14
Awards
ReFrame
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
Irish Film and Television Awards
• 1 Nomination
Dragon Awards
• 1 Nomination
