Television series

The Worst Witch

Name: The Worst Witch
Genre: Adventure, Children, Supernatural
Released: 2017
Cast: Bella Ramsey, Lydia Page, Meibh Campbell, Megan Hughes, Jenny Richardson

Other titles called The Worst Witch: the 1986 film, the 1998 series (ITV1).

Fantasy
Light-hearted

A charming British adaptation of Jill Murphy's beloved books. Mildred Hubble stumbles through witch school with endearing clumsiness, surrounded by vivid characters and genuine warmth. It's got the cosy chaos of found family, the comfort of magical mishaps, and enough heart to make you root for the disaster of a protagonist. Perfect for kids who like their fantasy grounded and funny.

TVMaze rating

3.4

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you still have a soft spot for gentle school stories where the magic is mostly mishaps, jokes and a warm friendship that carries the day.

Skip it if you want sharp peril or a story that raises its stakes steadily, since this stays cozy and its episodes rarely build much pressure.

What it asks of you: Half-hour episodes, a run of four seasons, and a light touch throughout: quick to dip into, brisk when it comes to jokes, rarely demanding.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone2001

The gold standard of magical schools: wonder, mystery, and a protagonist who doesn't quite fit. Shares that same sense of arriving somewhere wondrous and dangerous for the first time.

But It's a different era of filmmaking—slower pacing, more reverent tone. Lacks The Worst Witch's lightness and humour.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone poster

Heartstopper2022

British teen ensemble with genuine warmth and chemistry. Both shows nail that feeling of messy, loyal friendships and characters you want to protect. Sweet without being saccharine.

But It's contemporary and grounded rather than fantastical. If you're watching for magic, this won't scratch that itch.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power2018

A clumsy, good-hearted protagonist learning magic among complicated friendships. Gorgeously animated, funny, genuinely moving. The found-family core is as strong as it gets.

But Animated rather than live-action. Darker and more serialised than Worst Witch's episodic charm, with real stakes that don't always feel playful.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Worst Witch

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Alan Garner's The Owl Service1969

Both are British children's fantasy rooted in the supernatural. Owl Service shows what the tradition looked like before modern adaptation; Worst Witch is what it became with warmth instead of dread.

A BBC cult classic about teenagers stumbling into ancient magic. Made in 1970 but still feels fresh—eerie, literary, genuinely strange. That same British craft, but from when children's television could be properly unsettling.

But Black and white, deliberately paced, and quietly creepy rather than fun. It's an ancestor of Worst Witch, not a sibling—far more archaic and strange.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina2018

A witch navigating two worlds with humour and heart. Early seasons especially capture that same balance of genuine peril and comedic disaster. Charming 90s vibes.

But Feels dated now. Tonal shifts can be jarring—it swings between broad sitcom and darker territory in ways that don't always land.

The Owl House2020

An American-made animated series with a protagonist learning magic in an unfamiliar world. Clever writing, genuine character development, and that same blend of chaos and belonging.

But Very much a modern American show with its own sensibilities. The animation style and humour may feel too different from British live-action fantasy.

Descendants2015

Young people at a magical school figuring out who they are. It's lighter and more bubbly than Worst Witch, but shares that DNA of misfits finding their place among peers with power.

But Heavily musical and more plot-driven than character-driven. The tone is significantly more Disney Channel than the quieter British charm of Worst Witch.

The Magicians2015

A magical academy story with real heart beneath the darkness. Older characters, higher stakes, but that same journey of discovering you belong somewhere you didn't expect.

But Significantly darker and grittier, aimed at adults. The tone is nothing like Worst Witch—it's melancholic and often grim where Worst Witch is warm.

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels2020

Supernatural ensemble cast with gothic atmosphere. If you loved the characters and world-building, this offers richer production and deeper mythology in the supernatural space.

But An entirely different register—adult, dark, violent. No humour or warmth; it's all dread. Completely different from what makes Worst Witch special.

Coraline2009

Both centre on a girl protagonist who doesn't fit the mould arriving in a magical place. Where Worst Witch offers belonging, Coraline offers a dark mirror—what if that magical place wanted to keep you?

Stop-motion dark fantasy about a girl in the wrong place learning to save herself. It has Worst Witch's found-family warmth, but filtered through genuine horror. A masterpiece of tone—funny and frightening without contradicting either.

But It's unsettling and sometimes scary in ways Worst Witch never tries to be. The visual style is deliberately uncanny; this isn't comforting escapism.

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts2020

Both celebrate protagonists who are accidents, disasters, and misfits—but surrounded by people who love them anyway. The setting is completely different, but the emotional core is identical.

American animated series about a girl navigating an alien world with her ragtag found family. Buoyant, visually stunning, and genuinely joyful without ever being naive. That same loyalty-to-weird-friends energy, but sci-fi and post-apocalyptic.

But Animated, American, and set in a far-future wasteland rather than a magical school. Tonally brighter and more adventure-focused; lacks the cosy institutional chaos that makes Worst Witch special.