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Things Only Adults Notice In The Owl House

"The Owl House" follows Luz Noceda (Sarah-Nicole Robles), a fantasy-obsessed teenager sent to a disciplinary summer camp by her concerned mom. Her plans change dramatically when she accidentally stumbles upon a portal to another world. There, Luz meets Edalyn Clawthorne, the Owl Lady (Wendie Malick), a rebellious witch on the run from the law. She also meets Eda's companion demon, King (Alex Hirsch), and promptly befriends them both.

Through some serious persuasion, Luz convinces Eda to teach her magic. This is unprecedented — as Luz is told over and over again, humans can't do magic. But Luz is determined to prove everyone wrong. As the series winds on, Luz befriends other teen witches, establishes a rivalry with a powerful peer, and becomes a pillar in Eda's tiny inner circle. 

Although "The Owl House" is aimed at kids, there are several moments aimed at any adults who might be watching along. These are the things only adults notice in "The Owl House," from its Bob Dylan references to the Emperor's eye-popping topiary.

Luz asks if she's in the bad place

After she stumbles through the portal in Episode 1, "A Lying Witch and a Warden," Luz asks, "Am I in the bad place?" Any adult in the room will get a chuckle out of this — it's not often a cartoon character on the Disney Channel wonders if she's receiving divine punishment. This question will also be familiar to fans of NBC's "The Good Place," a series aimed at a very different audience than that of "The Owl House."

"The Good Place" explores a social experiment conducted in the afterlife, in which a group of morally reprehensible people are made to believe they've gone to Heaven, a.k.a. "the good place." They slowly discover they've been in the bad place all along, and work to overcome their eternal fate. The show continues to play with perception and reality for the rest of its tenure.

It seems unlikely that kids or even teens watching "The Owl House" will have seen "The Good Place," since it plays with some pretty grown-up themes. But adults watching this animated show will certainly spot the reference. 

Warden Wrath is a plague doctor

When Luz meets Eda in "The Owl House, she's shocked to discover she's a witch — and she's even more surprised to learn that Eda is a wanted criminal. A prison guard attempts to arrest Eda at her market stand, stating that she is wanted for "misuse of magic and demonic misdemeanors." He attempts to take Eda and Luz to the Conformatorium, which is this realm's version of a high-security penitentiary. Eda isn't so easily arrested, though, and she and Luz make a narrow escape.

Eventually, they do end up at the Conformatorium, in order to retrieve a crown belonging to King. There, they encounter Warden Wrath, whose design is eerily similar to a historical plague doctor. Although cultural opinion on plague doctors varies , they are often seen as omens of death and disease. In "The Owl House," predatory Warden Wrath won't take "no" for an answer when Eda rejects him. He might not be unpleasant because of his association with bubonic plague, but he definitely inspires the same sort of unease. Adults who grasp the association will be extra creeped out.

Principal Bump is a classic art reference

In Eda's world, young witches and warlocks are educated at Hexside School of Magic and Demonics, which is a major setting in "The Owl House." The head of the school is Principal Hieronymus Bump. As art-savvy adults will notice, his name is a reference to Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch. Bosch is perhaps most famous for the triptych "The Garden of Earthly Delights," which he painted around the turn of the 16th century. This piece depicts both the Garden of Eden and the Last Judgment. The Last Judgment panel features all kinds of terrifying creatures, including strange demons mingling mysteriously with humans.

In "The Owl House," Principal Bump wears a hat that covers his eyes. The garment looks like a small, red demon with an open mouth that encapsulates Bump's head. It is unclear if Bump's own eyes see through the sockets in the demon's face, or if the demon sees for Bump, implying a deeper sort of connection. Regardless, the character would be right at home in the far right panel of Bosch's "The Garden of Earthly Delights."

Eda sells literal snake oil

For centuries, self-proclaimed healers sold "snake oil"  that claimed to solve any number of health problems. The term has since become synonymous with treatments that aren't scientifically backed and might provide a placebo effect, but not much else. "The Owl House" puts its own twist on this bizarre tidbit of medical history that adults are sure to chuckle at.

After agreeing to take Luz on as an apprentice, Eda reveals that her magical practice is less education-focused and more centered on, well, making money. She shows Luz a few of the items she sells in her various "businesses," including a bottle of snake oil. "No one wants an unoiled snake," Eda proclaims, which paints a funny picture audience members of any age can enjoy. However, adults who've heard the term used more sneeringly will get an extra laugh out of it. It's a clever literalization of a common phrase, and it establishes Eda as a bit of a con woman. Of course she sells snake oil.

Several episode titles reference classic songs or movies

"The Owl House" features tons of pop culture references, especially in its episode titles. For example, the pilot is called "A Lying Witch and a Warden," which is a play on the beloved C.S. Lewis novel "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Another example is Season 1's "Hooty's Moving Hassle." The episode itself follows Luz and her friends Willow (Tati Gabrielle) and Gus (Issac Ryan Brown) as they attempt to beat Luz's rival, Amity (Mae Whitman) , by having the best Moonlight Conjuring ever. Things get out of hand when the kids make Eda's house grow legs and walk around. The episode title and content are an obvious reference to "Howl's Moving Castle," which is both a 1986 novel by Diana Wynne Jones and a 2004 animated movie from Studio Ghibli.

References in episode titles continue to be a feature throughout the series. Season 1, Episode 11 is titled "Sense and Insensitivity," referencing the Jane Austen novel "Sense and Sensibility." Season 2, Episode 8 is titled "Knock, Knock, Knockin' on Hooty's Door," which references Bob Dylan's classic ballad, "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." Other episode titles, like "Something Ventured, Someone Framed" and "Witches Before Wizards" invoke clichés like "nothing ventured, nothing gained" and variations on "hoes before bros."

Satirizing the gig economy

"The Owl House" isn't afraid to satirize society — just look at the way it critiques the economic strictures of the modern world. Eda's multiple small businesses reflect the difficulties of surviving in a "gig economy," and episodes like Season 1's "Once Upon a Swap" focus on how ridiculous consumerism can be. In the latter episode, Eda, King and Luz all swap bodies to prove who has the hardest life. Of course, shenanigans ensue, but when Luz-as-Eda accidentally breaks a lamp and uses magic to fix it, she creates a multi-light fixture with real human legs. Picture a more grotesque version of the infamous leg lamp from "A Christmas Story."

Immediately, a customer runs up and calls the lamp "unnecessarily extravagant" ... then purchases it. After it sells, Luz starts using magic on all the "human collectibles" in Eda's booth, and customers swarm. The commentary is razor-sharp: The more absurd an item is, the more people want it — which "The Owl House" suggests isn't necessarily a good thing.

King suggests inventing the Disney Channel to entertain kids

Disney is one of the largest media companies in the world, so naturally, its properties occasionally get meta. In Season 1's "Lost in Language," Eda and King find a basketful of bat babies on the doorstep, along with instructions to watch them until morning. In exchange, they'll receive a handsome reward from the Bat Queen herself, which they just can't pass it up. However, babysitting wreaks havoc on Eda, King, and Hooty, all of whom are ill-equipped to handle children — especially ones that can apparently clone themselves.

At one point, King asks, "What silences children? What if we invent a TV network for ages 6-11?" Eda shoots down the idea, but he's definitely onto something. The Disney Channel itself is, of course, aimed at kids within that very age bracket. And it's definitely successful — King and Eda wouldn't exist without it! This is one self-referential gag adults — especially those with kids who watch nothing but the Disney Channel — definitely appreciate.

King's publisher forces creative burnout

After Luz enlists King to help her write a book for a contest in Season 1's "Sense and Insensitivity," the pair discover they don't see eye to eye on the creative process. To make matters worse, King decides to take all the credit for their shared work and becomes a best-selling author. Immediately, his publisher begins pushing him to write a new book, and the quality diminishes significantly. "The Owl House" uses this plot line to comment on the predatory nature of certain industries, and also call out the dangers of creative burnout. When Luz confronts the publisher for his borderline abusive behavior, it's a win for creative professionals everywhere.

The serious undertones of this plot are likely lost on kids watching "The Owl House," but adults in the audience — especially any working in a field like publishing — will be struck by how well the series handles these topics. Not only does this episode tackle plagiarism, it also examines how talented people can be mined for content, then left to rot if they can't keep up with unceasing demand.

The Emperor's castle features hunky trees

When Willow and Gus try to convince Luz to go on the field trip to the Emperor's castle in Season 1's "Agony of a Witch," they break out a brochure to show her what she'll be missing if she stays behind. Willow points out the Emperor's collection of relics, including one called the Green Thumb Gauntlet. According to the brochure, this allows the user to grow anything they can imagine — including trees that look like buff, naked human bodies, apparently.

This is quite the eye-catching moment, but it happens pretty fast. Aside from Luz squinting at the page, none of the kids react to the shape of the trees, and Gus moves onto the next thing in the brochure immediately. Either these trees are commonplace in the magical realm, or the creators of "The Owl House" knew very well they were making a cheeky joke. Either way, it's hard to unsee.

References to the Salem Witch Trials

"The Owl House" is all about magic and witchcraft, but it doesn't ignore the controversial real-life history of these subjects. In fact, it satirizes witch hunts, with Eda commenting at one point that "witches eating babies is so 1693" — a.k.a., when the Salem Witch Trials were happening . Later, when Luz goes on a field trip to the Emperor's castle, she sees a painting that depicts several witches dancing around a fire at night. This is exactly the kind of imagery used to persecute women for allegedly cavorting with the devil.

This isn't the only way "The Owl House" interacts with stereotypes about witches. Eda herself flies in the face of most of them, while Luz confronts in-world ideas about what a witch can be, as a human who learns to use magic. Furthermore, the magic system in "The Owl House" is a lot less rooted in dancing with demons in the woods than it is in the realities of our own world. Hexside students follow specific tracks to learn and use certain types of magic , and though some are able to join the Emperor's Coven and use any kind of magic they want, many are not. Just as the series mocks predatory industries and the gig economy, it also examines problematic fantasy lore and the real-world impact of witch trials.

Multiple PlayStation 1 references

Clearly, someone who works on "The Owl House" had a PlayStation 1 as a kid, because the show is littered with references to Sony's debut gaming console. In Episode 2 of the series, "Witches Before Wizards," Luz embarks on a strange adventure with a hunky warrior named Nevareth, who ends up being an illusion. However, before this sad revelation, Luz becomes pretty enamored with him — especially after he asks her the swoon-inducing question, "Do you think love can bloom on the battlefield?" This is a direct nod to the PS1 video game "Metal Gear Solid," in which the character Otacon asks lead protagonist Solid Snake the same infamous question. It's one of the franchise's most well-known and meme-able lines, and fittingly, Nevareth has an eyepatch like many incarnations of Snake. 

Half a season later in "Adventures in the Elements," Solid Snake makes an even more overt cameo via one of Eda's treasure hauls from the human realm. The first scene shows her dump out a pile of soon-to-be-sold goodies, including a body pillow with Snake's likeness emblazoned upon it. In yet another Season 1 episode, "Enchanting Grom Fright," Luz is presented with a rack of weapons to choose from for her upcoming battle with Grom. Most of the options are general medieval fare, but one stands out: a perfect replica of the iconic Buster Sword from "Final Fantasy VII," another PS1 classic.

Eda's curse is an analogy for chronic illness

Like many fantasy stories aimed at younger audiences, "The Owl House" explores a lot of its more serious themes through analogy and metaphor. One such example is Eda's curse, which can be read in a number of different ways. Perhaps most notably, Eda's condition parallels real-world chronic health conditions and STIs.

While Eda is unable to find a way to permanently cure her curse, she emphasizes repeatedly that she can manage it with the help of her potions. Combined with a recurring storyline in the early parts of the show in which Eda tries to figure out who "gave" her the malady, this curse specifically sounds a lot like an STI. Eda's family treats her curse like an all-consuming thing, and it's clearly stigmatized in the world of the Boiling Isles. But she shows repeatedly that it can be managed, and that it doesn't define her. 

Of course, the analogy doesn't map perfectly, since it's Eda's sister Lilith who curses her in the first place. It might make more sense, then, to interpret Eda's curse as a broader metaphor for chronic illness. Numerous viewers have discussed this reading at length, analyzing how Eda's struggle to accept her condition mirrors the journey many people in the real world experience. Of course, for younger fans, the curse likely reads as just a curse.

Camila is a Trekkie

Much of "The Owl House" centers around Luz accepting her quirks as things to be proud of, rather than ashamed. As a nerdy girl with a predilection for the macabre, she faces bullying and pressure to conform. Early on, her mother Camila seems to also want Luz to be more "normal." But we learn later that her feelings are more complicated than they seem.

In the Season 3 episode "Thanks to Them," we learn that Camila was also bullied for being nerdy as a kid, and that she never fully grew out of it. Gus discovers a science fiction novel in Camila's basement entitled "Cosmic Frontier." Though it was apparently published in the 1990s, it's clearly meant as an homage to older sci-fi franchises from the '60s and '70s. The story of human space travelers trying to find their way home specifically evokes the original "Battlestar Galactica," an early hub of sci-fi fandom. There are numerous nods to "Star Trek" as well. Captain Avery seems like a clear parallel for Captain Kirk, and Chief Engineer O'Bailey is an obvious reference to the Enterprise's Scottish engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott. 

These are more than clever references, though. By invoking "Star Trek," the show that practically created modern fandom as we know it, "The Owl House" engages with all the ways nerd culture has evolved over the years. This show has always been in conversation with fan culture, and making Luz's mom a Trekkie fits perfectly within that metatextual layer.

Luz struggles with her mental health

Luz is a quirky, lovable, and generally optimistic protagonist. However, as the story continues, there are numerous clues that Luz isn't nearly as happy as she seems. In the "Owl House" Season 2 episode "Reaching Out," Luz tells Amity that it's the anniversary of her father's death. Being away from her mom on this day is particularly hard, but Luz downplays her grief. "It happened, like, a long time ago, and it's, like, totally not an issue anymore," she says. Clearly that's not true, but Luz refuses to accept the validity of her own feelings. Later on, in Season 3, Luz shows an incredible amount of guilt over what's happened to Eda, King, and her other friends. She blames herself, even though it's clearly not her fault and no one else holds her accountable.

These moments can be read as signs of what's sometimes called "smiling depression." Luz doesn't want to burden other people with her feelings, despite the fact that her loved ones clearly want to help her. "She's so determined to make herself sad," Camila says of Luz in the Season 3 episode "For the Future." Luz's story is all about learning to love yourself, but doing so isn't always easy. Fortunately, she has a great support network to help her.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website .

Eda's many vices

Eda the Owl Lady is a witch of exotic tastes. She's a fierce believer in the gig economy, anti-establishment philosophy, and flipping items found in the garbage. She also has a few more adult vices, the significance of which may go over the heads of younger viewers.

To start, there's Eda's favorite beverage: apple blood. Not to be confused with apple juice, this mysterious drink is difficult to fully understand with what the show has revealed. On the one hand, it seems akin to coffee, as Eda seems lethargic in the mornings before having her first cup. However, there are also clear parallels to alcohol, as Eda views the drink as a kind of relaxant at other times of day. In the Season 3 episode "Thanks to Them," we see that Gus has mentioned apple blood to Camila, saying that she can get it from an "apple butcher" (yikes). This suggests that the drink is appropriate for children, though that may just be a witch thing.

In the Season 1 episode "Hooty's Moving Hassle," Eda also reveals something of a gambling habit. She loves playing the witch card game Hexes hold'em — a pun on the popular poker variant Texas hold 'em — though her skill is up for debate.

A dig at military spending

In the Season 3 episode "For the Future," Luz and the crew return to Hexside to find it ruled by queen mean girl Boscha. In one scene , Jerbo asks Boscha to organize a group to keep track of supplies and perishables, saying that it would stop students fighting over food. A disguised Kikimora argues against this move, however. "This would take valuable resources away from your guard," she says. "You don't want to be collected like the others, do you?" Boscha finds the argument persuasive and denies Jerbo's request.

This could be read as just a passing line, but in a show with as much subversive rhetoric as "The Owl House," it feels more pointed. Specifically, it can be interpreted as a jab at the United States military spending budget. Historically, the U.S. has spent an enormous amount of money on its military — more than the nine next-highest countries combined, as of 2022 (per the Institute for Policy Studies ). This spending has often been criticized as exorbitant, especially in light of healthcare issues, widespread hunger, and the ongoing climate crisis (per Scientific American ).

In a show that's commented on everything from institutional corruption to pyramid schemes, it isn't hard to imagine this is an intentional dig. Kikimora's role in Boscha's "court" also seems like a direct allusion to the Wormtongue character from "The Lord of the Rings." Of course, younger audiences aren't likely to get that joke.

The real history of the witch hunter storyline

As is slowly revealed throughout "The Owl House," Emperor Belos is none other than Philip Wittebane, the human whose journal Luz uses to figure out how to get back home. Philip traveled to the Boiling Isles in the early 17th century in pursuit of his brother Caleb, who left after falling in love with a visiting witch named Evelyn. Of course, as a witch hunter, Philip wasn't exactly set up to enjoy his time in the demon realm. After a confrontation led to the death of his brother, Philip embarked on a long, dark quest to destroy all witches forever.

The show grounds Philip's motivations in personal events, but those with knowledge of actual 17th-century witch-hunting will know there's more historical context at play. Gravesfield — the town where Philip and Luz are both from — was founded in Connecticut in the early 1600s. According to the state itself , that's right around when the first permanent European settlements were established by English Puritans. Puritanism was a driving ideological force in witch-hunting, and played a huge role in the Salem Witch Trials of the 17th century (which "The Owl House" also references).

This real-world history might be lost on younger viewers, but it adds an extra layer to Philip's arc. As the whole series is about how divergent lifestyles should be celebrated, it also makes witch hunters into ideal villains.

The whole show is about LGBTQ+ experiences

It's no secret that "The Owl House" has been groundbreaking for LGBTQ+ representation in children's animation. Luz and Amity's intertwined coming-of-age arcs are central to why the show works so well, and they're far from the only LGBTQ+ representation on the screen. But the show's queerness goes beyond a couple sweet canonical relationships. The overriding message of "The Owl House" — that all people are worthy of celebration and joy — echoes the same idea.

To be fair, this theme goes far beyond LGBTQ+ issues. In the very first episode, when Luz is locked up in the Conformatorium, there are lines about how being a "weirdo" is a good thing. But even these more general messages of acceptance are often queer-coded. Take Season 1's "The First Day," in which Luz fights for her right to party and study all forms of magic at Hexside, rather than just one. When her wish is granted, her uniform turns from one drab color into a literal rainbow. This colorful symbolism is also present in the larger coven system, which was created by Belos as a way to weaken witches and isolate them from one another. And of course, we can't leave out Luz's love of shipping and fanfiction, both of which have long, storied histories in the queer community.

The Owl House: Thanks To Them Review - This Mama Wasn’t Ready For Trauma

The start of something very special.

Light spoiler warning - While this review doesn't go into narrative specifics, it does touch on some smaller scenes, character moments, and themes to expect.

Grief is one hell of a thing. We can express it by running from the ones we love, closing ourselves off before embracing our own inner turmoil, or by doing all in our power to protect the people we have left. It’s an emotion that can manifest itself in myriad ways, and there is no right or wrong way to experience it. When you lose a parent, an entire family is torn apart, and with one as small as the Nocedas, keeping it together is paramount.

The Owl House has always performed a delicate dance with these themes, teasing tragic revelations on the narrative periphery as Luz Noceda embarks on magical adventures away from her normal life. She has an excuse to briefly forget the trauma holding her back, but always knew that deep down the music would eventually need to be faced, whether she was ready for its crescendo or not.

Related: A Deep Dive Into All The Things On Luz Noceda’s Desktop

As the first of three specials set to make up the final season of Dana Terrace’s beloved animated show, Thanks To Them is a bittersweet reminder that we should never judge a book by its cover, and always keep those that mean the most to us close, even if invisible voices are begging us to push them away.

Disney has forbidden me from talking about major spoilers until the premiere, otherwise Hooty will haunt my nightmares, so I’ll try and tiptoe around the biggest twist and turns while still providing a solid idea of exactly what this first special does so well. Coming in at 46 minutes, not a single moment feels wasted as we spend the entire episode in the Human Realm. Luz returns to high school in order to restore a sense of normality to her existence, while Amity, Hunter, Gus, and Willow turn the once abandoned portal cottage in the midst of the forest into a personal hideout. Previously tattered walls are now adorned with nerdy posters and doodles of lost relatives, as personal touches scattered about the place hint at how much these characters have grown in just a few short months.

The opening montage also acts as a fairly significant skip forward in time. Amity’s hair dye is fading, Hunter gives himself a haircut, and Gus now has an unrivalled fashion sense. Their respective bonds have grown stronger too, whether it be Hunter bursting into tears after Luz welcomes him to their family, or Amity and Willow briefly reconciling their controversial past after making a summer filled with memories in a world previously unknown. The Owl House doesn’t have a lot of time to close off its character arcs, but the writers have done a wonderful job condensing this ambition down into digestible chunks and nuanced exposition that never once feels ham fisted. I even have hope for some of my dream pairings getting together, and no, I refuse to mention which ones. Like I said, Hooty nightmares are a thing.

Everything has a purpose, with even the smallest occurrences adding weight to character dynamics or the final battle that awaits us on the horizon. Given its current trajectory, I also admire the restraint shown across the first special, and how it understands the importance of fleshing out backstories and establishing emotional foundations even when so frighteningly set against the clock. Luz’s brief return to education allows her friends a chance to explore the human world on their own terms, and it’s an incredible selection of scenes. We see them hit up the local library as Amity awkwardly tries to charm an old piece of furniture before falling flat on her face, while a giraffe at the zoo reminds them why they were all banished in the first place. Turns out those things can recognise witches from a mile away.

Dilemmas that might have taken up entire episodes in a more conventional season are brushed over here, making it more akin to the opening act of a feature film instead of a serialised television show. The stakes to come are established beautifully, while perception of characters we thought we knew are challenged time and time again as new revelations come to light and the doomsday clock ticks forward. My personal favourite is the growth of Camila Noceda - the MVP of this entire episode. Not only does she wear a Pride badge as a permanent part of her design now, she becomes a passionate mother of six to a load of teenagers who showed up on her doorstep with nowhere else to go.

She takes it in her stride though and quickly embraces the idea of her daughter spending months in the Boiling Isles and having to save the world because it represents everything she has always wanted for her family. In the past, we’ve often painted Camila as a flawed parent because she was so quick to cast her daughter off to a camp for out of place children, but we never knew the context behind that decision. In our eyes, she saw Luz’s behaviour as strange, or believed it held her back from pursuing a future more befitting of her potential. The truth is far more heart-wrenching, and cemented in a poignant exploration of grief.

The cyclical nature of familial trauma and wanting to protect your offspring from experiencing the same derision you felt is a natural thing for a parent to strive for, even if it goes against their inner feelings. Or in Luz’s case, drives them apart for months at a time as our heroine falsely believes she isn’t wanted anymore. Camila was also potentially bullied in school, lost her husband, and is trying everything she can to stop her daughter from making the same mistakes. It’s hard to watch, yet is a tremendously executed arc that redefines both these characters in fundamental ways. It could have been brushed over to get to the meat of things, but we’ve come to love these people and view them as so much more than drawings on a screen, and the creators are treating them with a level of respect equalling such admiration. Luz is like so many queer, neurodivergent, and lonely kids out there going through so much bullshit, and not once is that reality ignored in spite of all the magic.

Dana Terrace was likely forced to take some beefy risks when wrapping things up across three extended specials, mentioning in the past how she and her team ended up creating something quite special given the limitations, and I can’t help but feel that this thematic deepening is a core part of that vision. Mature, introspective storytelling that understands the universal plight of young people going through grief and how they hope to navigate it. I won’t go any further, but the end result is spectacular, and a few surprising reveals will have fans wiping away tears and cheering in relief. It only made me cry three and a half times, which ain’t half bad.

Spoiling anything about the wider narrative would be awfully devilish of me, but I promise it’s incredible. The town of Gravesfield is a hauntingly autumnal locale ready to celebrate the spooky season, with the dawn of Halloween and all the things that come with it acting as a perfect springboard for our crew to nerd out and don their homemade Good Witch Azura cosplay. Hunter becoming obsessed with a bootleg version of Star Trek is especially adorable, and a welcome moment of levity for a character who has been through so much.

There’s also the animation to talk about, which borders on feature film quality during certain sequences. The Owl House might be coming to an end, but it isn’t going down quietly. Each frame is gorgeously detailed, packed with intricate little Easter Eggs and slivers of lore that make the world feel so much richer. A side character’s nails are painted a certain colour to establish their non-binary identity, while a few flirtatious comments with a certain sluggish shapeshifter will no doubt cause the fandom to lose their minds at all the shining potential. And of course, the first special is relentlessly fruity. These witches gay. Good for them.

I think I finally figured out why I love this show so much. It has been through hell and back, yet still keeps on trucking and standing for something in spite of adversity. This is the beginning of the end for Luz Noceda and company, but the closer we come to saying goodbye, the more I’m convinced the spirit at the centre of it all will never fade away.

The Owl House returns to Disney Channel on October 15 at 9pm PDT.

Next: Jon Stewart's The War On Gender Stands Up For Trans Kids

The five TV shows you should be watching this week

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The dog days of summer are traditionally TV’s silly season, but there’s no shortage of series tackling more challenging subject matter at the moment. In addition to Netflix’s harrowing peek inside the machinery of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, “Immigration Nation,” and the discussions of abortion, gender violence and other topics in Diego Luna’s “Pan y Circo” (Amazon Prime) — both streaming now — Misha Green and Jordan Peele’s upcoming “Lovecraft Country” (HBO) situates the Black experience of postwar America within the realm of horror. Even the frothy reality show “Selling Sunset” (Netflix) handles one subject’s surprise divorce with uncommon care.

And if you need a chaser for the above, you have options: Netflix’s “Umbrella Academy” turns family strife (and superpowers) into a whole lot of apocalypse-averting fun. “Saturday Night Live” alumna Paula Pell tried her hand at a short-form “Murder, She Wrote.” And there are more than enough good vibes to go around in this interview with “Wynonna Earp” star Melanie Scrofano about directing her first full episode of the sci-fi western.

Still not enough? As always, here are five more titles that the Times TV team is watching this week — and that you should be watching too.

The five TV shows you should be watching — week of August 3

“Moesha,” newly streaming on Netflix, leads this week’s TV recommendations from the Los Angeles Times.

Aug. 3, 2020

“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)

Hulu’s dystopian drama “The Handmaid’s Tale” is a dark journey into where the nation could end up if democracy went totally sideways due to a medical crisis, authoritarian leadership and deep political divisions. Imagine! Though close to the bone, this beautifully crafted series, based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel and starring Elisabeth Moss as an enslaved breeder, paints a picture so bleak that it’s a poignant reminder of how good we have it. 2020 America is swelltastic compared to the future where the country is split into two states, and the bad one, Gilead — yes, just like the pharmaceutical company — is dismal. The oppression, however, is met with a rebellion that, like everything is this series, speaks to the times. “The Handmaid’s Tale” is gripping, fast-paced, deep and yes, even humorous. The future revolution is being televised, and you’ll find it on Hulu. — Lorraine Ali

“Star Trek: Lower Decks” (CBS All Access)

“Star Trek” has always had a streak of comedy running through its star-cruising drama, and this animated series — the third in the current CBS All Access franchise revival, fourth if you count the featurette anthology “Short Treks” — reverses the ratio. Set among the support crew on a starship that specializes in “second contact” — it less boldly goes where some have gone before — the series focuses not on the usual top brass but on the lower-rank dorks and geeks and troublesome slackers who actually make things run: the extras who populate the corridors and cafeterias of the live-action shows. But this is a “Star Trek” series at heart, not a spoof, in which the day is always saved and every comical humiliation leads to a reconciliation or redemption, and it honors the franchise with studiously canonical callbacks and name-drops. (“Circled by spears — this is classic. What am I, Kirk? Is this the 2260s?”) Like “Futurama,” it’s real science-fiction rooted in the absurdities and self-seriousness of the genre. The animation is not especially elegant, but the acting (drawn and voiced) is effective, so that much of the time you’re conscious only of the characters, not the cartoon. For some excellent animation (and tense silent comedy), check out “Ephraim and Dot,” a beautifully designed episode in the “Short Treks” anthology, in which an adorable tardigrade — “Star Trek: Discovery” viewers will recognize the species — looks for a place to lay its eggs as a starship droid gets in the way. — Robert Lloyd

“Homeland” (Showtime)

One glaring snub of the recently announced Emmy nominations was the lack of recognition for Showtime’s espionage drama “Homeland.” The series scored only one nomination — directing — in its eighth and final season when it would not have been out of place in the drama series and acting categories. The show’s concluding season ranked as one of its best, and the excellent performances of Claire Danes as emotionally troubled CIA agent Carrie Mathison and Mandy Patinkin as her conflicted but devoted mentor Saul Berenson reached new levels of rawness and poignancy. Though it had a few awkward seasons after its triumphant debut, “Homeland” deftly nailed the landing as a gripping international thriller and as a pointed examination of the ramifications of mental illness. The show definitely deserved a more celebratory curtain call in its farewell. — Greg Braxton

“The Owl House” (Disney Channel)

I am the first to admit that I am terrible at keeping up with TV shows as they are running weekly, but “The Owl House” is one of the few exceptions. Created by Dana Terrace, this Disney animated series follows Luz Noceda, a human teenager who accidentally stumbles through a portal to the demon realm where she meets an older witch named Eda and the tiny demon King. This new world is a dream come true for the fantasy-loving Luz, who decides to stay and train to become a witch herself. Some episodes include fun nods to familiar books and games, and overall, the show embraces that feeling of being a fan regardless of what other people might think. For me, “The Owl House” has found its stride as Luz has started exploring magic school and meeting other teen witches. The latest episode was prom-themed and featured a memorable dance/fight sequence; its revelation that one of the show’s main characters is bisexual was a bonus, and a significant milestone for LGBTQ representation on a Disney show. — Tracy Brown

“The Other One” (Acorn TV)

This British sitcom, available to stream starting today, follows a pair of half sisters who learn of one another’s existence after their father keels over and dies at his surprise birthday party. Both named Catherine Wolcott and born just five days apart, the women grew up 13 miles apart as their father maintained a double life for decades. Cathy (Ellie White), daughter of the Wife, is a tightly wound re-insurance agent engaged to a doctor, while Cat (Lauren Socha), daughter of the Mistress, is a free-spirited food truck worker.

While they couldn’t be more different, the sisters form an unexpected bond amid their shared grief. Like the similarly named “The Other Two” — which you should most definitely catch up on — “The Other One” is an acerbic but heartfelt comedy about mismatched siblings and embarrassing parents. The cast is full of Actors You’ve Seen in Other British Shows, including Socha (the surly babysitter from “Catastrophe”) and the always excellent Siobhan Finneran (O’Brien from “Downton Abbey”) hamming it up as Cat’s lusty mother. — Meredith Blake

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The Owl House

• Animation , Kids , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

• Sarah-Nicole Robles as Luz; Alex Hirsch as King; Wendie Malick as Eda; Tati Gabrielle as Willow; Issac Ryan Brown as Gus; Mae Whitman as Amity; Eden Riegel as Boscha; Cissy Jones as Lilith; Zeno Robinson as Hunter; Bumper Robinson as Principal Bump; Matthew Rhys as Emperor Belos; Mela Lee as Kikimora; Elizabeth Grullon as Camila; Avi Roque as Raine Whispers; Fryda Wolff as The Collector
• Disney Channel; Disney+

TV Series Review

Fourteen-year-old Luz Noceda is a bit  different  from other kids her age. While other kids are content to put their book reports on paper, Luz reenacts them with action figures and live snakes. And instead of doing backflips for cheerleader tryouts, Luz flips her eyelids inside out.

Luz doesn’t mind being a “weirdo,” but unfortunately, her love of all things strange and fantastical has caused a lot more trouble than it’s worth, especially with her exasperated mother. Hoping to encourage a bit of normalcy in her daughter and with no other options, Luz’s mom arranges for her to go to a “Reality Check” summer camp, hoping that it will help Luz learn the distinction between fantasy and reality.

However, before she can even board the bus, Luz is waylaid by an owl stealing her favorite book. She follows the owl through a mysterious door and finds herself transported to the magical realm of the Boiling Isles.

Reality check? Check reality at the door.

WELCOME TO THE OWL HOUSE

The Boiling Isles, located in the Demon Realm, are full of magical creatures: vampires, griffins and especially,  witches . It’s everything Luz ever dreamed of.

After meeting Eda, a witch who sells novelty human toys such as googly eyes and retro television sets, Luz started training to become a witch herself (something that no other human had ever done before.

Since then, she’s made friends with other young witches; helped stop the evil Emperor Belos from draining all the witches in the Boiling Isles of their power (which would have killed them); and even reconciled with her mom (who is now in the Demon Realm, too, helping her daughter tie up some loose ends).

Those loose ends, unfortunately, have completely unraveled into chaos.

Luz may have stopped Belos, but it came at a terrible price. The only being strong enough to stop Belos’ spell was the Collector, a godlike entity who was imprisoned by Belos his entire life.

Granted, that life has been rather short: The Collector is just a kid, after all. But once he was set free, the Collector took over the Boiling Isles, turning the inhabitants into literal toys for him to play with.

Luz and her friends escaped because King (Luz’s dog-like titan companion) saved them, subjecting himself to the Collector’s fury in the process.

Luz is back now to return the favor. But stopping the Collector is going to be somewhat akin to stopping a toddler from throwing a tantrum.

CLEARLY NOT A PG FANTASY WORLD

Luz is at first frightened by the monster-filled world of the Boiling Isles, and it stands to reason that some kiddos will be frightened, too. Some monsters are big. Some are small. Some have fangs and claws. Some have too many eyes, and some don’t seem to have enough. (And a defeated Belos transforms into a creature that gives off Spirited Away meets Fern Gully monster vibes.) But Luz’s desire to become a witch and finally belong helps her to overcome her fears. And that, of course, comes with its own set of problems.

Luz, Eda and King often team up with other “weirdos” to defeat the dastardly forces that would like to see them conform (or destroyed—they really don’t seem too picky). And though the magic used by Eda is mostly harmless in this show, it still carries the taint of being demonic. (Hexside states quite plainly that it’s a school of demonics and Eda and the other witches bear a distinct resemblance to vampires with their tapered ears and fanged teeth.)

Additionally, the show has multiple LGBT storylines. Luz befriends Amity, a rich girl at Hexside, and the two eventually start dating and even share a kiss. One of their friends has two dads. And an ex-paramour of Eda’s uses “they/them” pronouns (and is voiced by a transgender, nonbinary actor).

And all of these factors feel like a lot of content for a TV-Y7 show. So while  The Owl House  carries the message that being different is a good thing, it celebrates this by going down a troubling path into a realm of magic—as well as embracing the LGBT worldview and agenda—that many parents would probably rather their youngsters  didn’t  explore.

Episode Reviews

Jan. 21, 2023 – s3, ep2: “for the future”.

Luz and her friends seek a way to reach King at the Collector’s palace. Not knowing Luz has returned from the Human Realm to save him, King conspires with Eda to defeat the Collector (who knows of their betrayal).

The Collector uses his powers to turn people into toys. He then forces them to act out stories from King and Luz’s adventures together. Elsewhere, Belos’ spirit takes over the bodies of corpses, allowing him to travel throughout the world. However, those host bodies quickly decay, so he eventually possesses the toy-body of one of the Collector’s victims, using it to manipulate the Collector against King. Witches use their powers for a variety of tasks. We see a variety of monstrous beings. Some characters use their powers to save or help others.

Characters use their powers to duke it out (and some have powers that let them blast lethal holes through several hundred feet of landscape). Luz’ mom is horrified to learn that skulls are a normal phenomenon in the Demon Realm. Belos’ lair is covered in the skeletons of bodies he previously possessed. We see that a woman lost her arm in a battle. A butterfly is squashed by a monster. Luz’ mom wields a baseball bat and whacks a girl in the face when she attacks Luz. We hear many violent threats. Teens taking refuge in a school tell the story of how their teachers saved them from death and disaster before being taken captive by the Collector. These same teens express that the kindergartener witches are violent and out of control. Baby monsters are taught to tear their enemies apart (and a stuffed animal is ripped to shreds in a demonstration). A demon bites a witch’s hand. A boy is stuck in a full body cast from previous injuries (he fell in a well).

King tells the Collector that he can’t send people to the moon, since they won’t be able to breathe (and the Collector responds they should learn to hold their breath). Soon after, however, we learn that the Collector has actually been quite merciful in his deeds since his race normally kills anyone who resists them.

Luz and her girlfriend, Amity, share several tender moments. Luz’ mom sports a rainbow heart badge to support her daughter. We hear that a girl has two dads and see a picture of the family together.

A girl learns that she doesn’t have to pretend to be fearless in front of her friends. A boy gains the courage to tell his friends how much they mean to him. Luz’ mom impresses upon her the lesson that messing up is OK, and the mother-daughter duo find new understanding between each other.

Someone exclaims, “Oh my titan!” We also hear uses of “gosh” and “heck.” The insult “loser” is lobbed several times, too.

Jan. 10, 2020 – S1, Ep1: “A Lying Witch and a Warden”

After accidentally getting transported to a magical realm on her way to summer camp, Luz meets Eda, a witch who needs her help. Luz agrees to help Eda retrieve King’s crown from the devious Warden Wrath in exchange for help getting back home.

Several monsters inhabit the land of the Boiling Isles, including a troll-like creature that enjoys eating its own eyeballs and witches with pointy ears and fangs. Warden Wrath wears a creepy mask with a pointed beak and button eyes throughout most of the episode, and when he removes it, he is revealed to be a fire-breathing monster with lots of large, sharp teeth.

Eda flies on her staff like a broomstick. She uses her magic to light fires, fight Warden Wrath and create portals to other worlds and places. She is also able to remove parts of her body without dying or even bleeding (at one point, her head is cut off and later reattached). Warden Wrath can morph his hands into hammers and scythes, which he uses to smash and slice things. We also see mysterious flashes of light and items moving on their own because of magic.

Several characters are beaten up with magic and brute force. One character is blown up (offscreen) with fireworks.

People are attacked by snakes. Luz creates a taxidermized “griffin” using the bodies of a pigeon and a squirrel and filling the mouth with live spiders. In a school play, she uses real animal guts to make her character’s death more realistic. She also flips her eyelids inside out to gross out her classmates. King talks about drinking the tears “of those who mocked us.”

A prisoner at the Conformatorium shows a drawing of two characters from her fanfiction work lovingly embracing. Another prisoner spews her conspiracy theory about being “playthings for a high being.” Someone blows a raspberry in Warden Wrath’s face.

Emily Tsiao

Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.

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Ode to the happy weirdos: fans of The Owl House say 'Thank you' at San Diego Comic-Con 2023

At the first day of SDCC 2023, cast and fans of The Owl House gathered to celebrate their favorite show.

Last fall I reported on the Owl House panel at New York Comic Con . Prior to that panel I didn’t know of this animated Disney show about a bisexual Latina girl who ends up in a magical fantasy world, nor of the stories behind it—the diversity of its characters, the boldness of its storylines, Disney’s sudden decision to shudder the show, forcing the creator Dana Terrace and her team to wrap the series up in three extra-long episodes.

More importantly, I wasn’t aware of the kind of fandom that The Owl House has. At NYCC I attended the last Walking Dead panel, where people went quite literally crazy to see a clip of Norman Reedus’ Daryl Dixon stabbing some dude in the hand. ( It was A LOT. ) I also attended one of a very expensive weekend of events for hundreds of fans obsessed with Outlander star Sam Heughan .

But believe me when I tell you those groups didn’t hold a candle to the Owl House fans.

But believe me when I tell you those groups didn’t hold a candle to the Owl House fans. Near the beginning of their panel (and the one this weekend, too), the MC asked anyone cosplaying Owl House to stand up. Dozens and dozens (and dozens) stood to serve the stunningly visual lewks of the Owl House characters. The same is true at san Diego.

But there’s something else about Owl House fans. In a world where most fandoms have at least a soupcon of toxicity (and usually more like a garbage truck-full), the Owl Housers are so genuinely nice. In the fall they had plenty of reason to be angry about what Disney had done to their favorite show. This weekend a dad at the Con decked to the nines in Owl House cosplay along with his partner and children (pictured above) told me Owl House was the first time his children were confronted with the ugly reality that a network can suddenly cancel a beloved show without warning.

But outrage is absolutely not the Owl House vibe. Soon after I sat down in the room this weekend someone came and sat next to me, and immediately began talking to me like we were old friends. Then someone else sat down between us and everyone around her did the same. The title of this weekend’s panel was “Us Weirdos Have to Stay Together,” a key line from the show, and that same joyful combination of laughter and welcome seems to be present anytime the Owls are in the House.

But the panel after a show has ended is a very strange thing. Where in October everyone was so excited about the promises of the final three eps—main character Luz finally back at home reuniting with her mother, and bringing her new friends with her; and then the resolution of so many big storylines—now it had all been done. There was no new trailer to drive fans wild, no more plot twists to dissect or guest stars to announce.

Much of the early part of the panel in fact had production associate Rebecca Rose asking cast members about their broader experiences in voiceover work and auditioning. The crowd listened attentively, but it felt off-topic, like the warm-up before the real panel.

About halfway through the panel Rose gave fans the chance to ask their own questions, and the cast—which included Sarah-Nicole Robles (Luz), Cissy Jones (Lilith) and Avi Roque (Raine, Disney’s first canonical nonbinary character)—answered a ton, way more than your typical Comic-Con panel. Because that’s what weirdos do for each other, and probably also because this is it. The last Owl House panel.

Because that’s what weirdos do for each other, and probably also because this is it. The last Owl House panel.

There were moments when trans and nonbinary fans shared how much it meant to them to see themselves represented onscreen, and you could feel the shiver of that truth in the room, the sense of something important being shared. But still, I had the sense of waiting for something else to happen, something that would truly tap into the love of this happy community.

And it never did. Time ran out, the panel ended, and we all went home.

Maybe that’s appropriate for a series that got shut down before it should have. There’s a sense of a gift interrupted.

But I wonder if it’s also just the way of con panels for a show that has ended. We come to those moments having been on a journey that while shared is also so personal. And having reached the end of that path, what is left to say? It’s fun to hear which character each of the actors wish they could have played if not theirs—Robles saying King, Owl House’s adorable tiny Titan , got a huge response—or which element of the series they wish could be real—honestly, I was waiting for someone to say, “The part where the world accepts transgender and nonbinary people as a fabulous and enormous gift to the universe.” But in retrospect it feels like this should have been a chance for the cast to sit back like Sam Heughan before his devoted and listen to fans express to them what that journey was for them—where it took them, what they learned, and where they’re going.

In a sense that wouldn’t just be a gift for the cast, either. I think maybe we come to post-show panels hoping someone will be able to put into words what happened to us, too, that someone else’s experience might be able to add another, last and beautiful layer to our own. I don’t even know the show very well, and yet I found myself pining for that.

And maybe I found it, too. Before the panel Annika Miller and their mom were standing in line outside on the stairs behind the convention center, far from the panel room, waiting in line with the hopes they’d get in. The two were in Star Trek uniforms, and they looked amazing; Annika’s mom was serving fantastic Number One, and Annika was giving me so much Tilly from Star Trek: Discovery I wanted to ask how teaching at the Academy was going.

As we sat under the hot sun, I asked Annika how they discovered Owl House and what it meant to them. “There was just an evening in college where we started watching and I immediately related to Luz so much. I very much feel the desire to be fully immersed in the fantasy world that you dreamed of and to have the powers that you experience in media,” they said. “And then all of the additional characters were just so interesting and relatable, and every single character arc was so fulfilling. I could not get enough of it.”

I expressed a little surprise to hear this animated show about a middle school kid that was clearly marketed for children was a favorite among college students. “There’s a lot to say about where media is today,” Miller told me, “and how different kinds of media relate to different audiences. From what I have seen, younger audiences are not interested in a lot of the shows that are being marketed to them. They have a lot of drama that we already get in the real world, and we don’t necessarily want more of that stress.” Owl House, they said, was a show that “tackles important things that so many different people relate to and can find comfort in.”

“So many of my friends are trans and nonbinary,” Annika explained. “It’s something really special to see characters like Raine, older queer people who are like you. The AIDS epidemic wiped out a large portion of adult gay people; seeing that representation of adult queer people shows us that there is a future for us.”

In the classic arc of the hero’s journey, the hero finishes their quest and then goes home and uses what they’ve learned to save their own community from disaster. Miller says the journey of the character of Willow, who goes from being shy to holding everyone together at the end, really spoke to their own transformation this year. “I wasn’t necessarily picked on as a kid, but I was very much not anyone’s favorite person, not anyone my age,” they confided. “Before I went to college this year I wouldn’t be here wearing a Star Trek uniform in public, I would not have had the confidence to do that. But I found the things I’m interested in, and I found the things I’m good at that inspire me to do better, just in the way that Willow did.”

The Owl House not only imagined a reality in which fans could live in their favorite fantasy, but revealed that its community of friendship and acceptance was something they could find in their real lives.

It’s clear they found a community, too. Maybe that’s the enduring legacy of this short-lived, much-loved show: much as Miller identified in Luz, The Owl House not only imagined a reality in which fans could live in their favorite fantasy, but revealed that its community of friendship and acceptance was something they could find in their real lives.

Reflecting on my experiences with what may be pop culture’s nicest fans, I find myself hoping that they have many more events like this, big and small, to keep that Owl House spirit alive in them. Maybe their experiences can help them to make braver, happy, loving weirdos of us all.

Watch the full Owl House panel from New york Comic Con 2022 for free .

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• The Inventory

The Personal Story Behind Owl House's Magical New Disney Heroine

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• Released episodes
• Episodes animated by Sugarcube

Thanks to Them

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" Thanks to Them " is the first episode of the third season of The Owl House , and the forty-first and antepenultimate overall.

It premiered on October 15, 2022. [1] [2]

• 3.1 Additional voices
• 3.2 Non-speaking cameo
• 3.3 Mentioned
• 3.4 Pictured
• 3.5 Other characters
• 4 Title in other languages
• 5 Transcript
• 7.1 Revelations and significant events
• 7.2 Continuity
• 7.3 Production notes
• 8 Allusions
• 11 Memorable Quotes
• 12 External links
• 13 References

Luz and her fr ie nd s make a daring attempt to return to the Demon Realm . [9]

As King forces Luz, Amity , Gus , Willow , and Hunter through the portal , it closes on the five, leaving them cut off from the Demon Realm . Luz takes her friends to her house and tearfully greets her mother . Gus, Willow, and Amity help Camila clean up and give her some tea while Luz and Hunter meet in the bathroom privately. Luz and Hunter talk about Luz's fear of the others learning that she unknowingly helped Belos bring forth the Day of Unity as Hunter expresses his fear of how they will learn he is a clone of Belos' potential witch-hunting partner . They agree to withhold the information for the time being as the others explain current events to Vee and Camila. Camila sets the boys up in the basement and places two extra beds in Luz's room for Willow and Amity. After setting the her newfound gets up, Camila finds her daughter, depressed, looking at their family pictures in the hall. Distraught over the recent events, Luz apologizes to her mother for leaving in the first place and attempts to explain her reasons for being away, but Camila is angry and instead hugs her daughter, expressing her relief that she is finally home. Unfortunately, this causes only Luz’s sorrow to grow as she says that while she is finally home, her friends are not.

Over the following few months, as Luz and her friends get situated in the Human Realm , they make multiple attempts to create another portal back to the Demon Realm, but with each ending in failure. During this time, Luz comes out as bisexual to her mom and reveals she is dating Amity, which an overjoyed Camila happily supports. Vee adopts a new human form when Camila takes the witches shopping for new clothes. Hunter cuts his hair with Willow's help after it grows out and he sees the resemblance between himself, Belos, and his “ old friend ”. Additionally, the four witchlings also come to enjoy being in the Human Realm, as they take great joy in several activities and oddities to their species, such as the rain not boiling like it does in the Demon Realm . At the same time, however, Luz starts growing increasingly depressed and self-loathing the more time passes, with her previously free-spirited personality having completely faded away, due to the group’s constant failures with the portal, missing Eda and King, and her secret guilt over helping Belos in the past .

In late October, Luz goes to school as her friends struggle to learn Spanish. Camila comes in to check on them before picking up Luz from school. After she is leaving, the kids notice how Flapjack is still pecking at the floor of the old house . When Amity suggests they do more, the others suggest helping around the house. Instead, Amity says she wants to explore the town for answers while Luz is in school, and Gus backs her up, believing that other witches could have arrived in Gravesfield before them and Eda. Amity's foot suddenly gets caught in a hole Flapjack pecked, and she finds a small box containing a map. They analyze the map and believe it could lead to something related to the portal. They decide to keep it from Luz as she feels responsible for the failed attempts to return home.

At school , Luz's teacher is discussing The Plight of the Mariner , and, seeing the similarities between herself and the novel's hero, an angered Luz lashes out at her failures with her friends veiled as criticism for the hero's naivety, much to her class’s shock and confusion. After class, Luz walks past the art room as the teacher inside glares at her in contempt, much to her solemn acceptance. At her locker, which has been filled with memorabilia of Kinga Dan Eda, two new students praise her for her words in class and express admiration for her reputation before inviting her to the upcoming Halloween festival and its feature the Haunted Hayride. After school, Luz is driven home by her mom while picking up food for her friends; as they drive, Camila thinks of things their house guests could eat while Luz points out police investigating a car crash. As they leave, the woman behind the wheel says she almost hit a deer, while her daughter says it was a monster. In the woods nearby, a deer skeleton lies by the trees as green goo leaves it.

That night, as Gus goes to bed, Hunter is sewing and accidentally cuts himself. Gus patches him up, and Hunter excitedly shows him a wolf shirt he made. Gus is glad Hunter is happy and asks about being in the Emperor's Coven . Hunter describes his life in the coven and promises Gus they will get back. Gus shows Hunter a science fiction book he is reading, Cosmic Frontier , and unknowingly describes a character in a situation similar to Hunter. Upstairs, Luz cannot sleep and leaves the room and takes her palisman egg, waking Amity, who notices the flyer for the Haunted Hayride. As Camila thinks of things for their guests to eat, she falls asleep. She starts dreaming about events involving Luz, first seeing Luz showing other kids a snakeskin as they run away. Although she thinks it is cute, nearby mothers say wolves raised Luz, and she defends Luz before ending up in the audience of the production of Romeo and Juliet Luz is in. She laughs when Luz pretends to gut herself but gets furious when people behind her say her daughter ruined the show. She then appears in the guidance counselor's office as he tries to convince Camila to control Luz's tendencies by sending her to Reality Check Summer Camp . Camila wakes up to find Luz in her doorway and allows her to sleep with her after comforting her. Unknown to them, skeletons rest outside, and a figure morphs into a horned rabbit.

The following day, Amity, Vee, Willow, Gus, and Hunter, who cosplays as a character from Cosmic Frontier , get ready to explore the town while Luz and her mom are at the vet clinic. Hunter decides to stay behind as they will miss the bus waiting for him to change clothes, and after they leave, he finds a small piece of green goo and realizes Belos is with them in the Human Realm. He touches it with his unbandaged injured finger. As the other four explore the town, they ask about the map they found and inadvertently cause mischief in a magic shop, with Gus and Willow unknowingly harassing other customers, and the library, where Amity freaks out upon seeing a child open a card catalog. At the zoo, they face a giraffe and are terrified by its actual appearance, with Gus understanding why the giraffes were banished from the Demon Realm. As a last resort, Vee takes them to the Gravesfield Historical Society . Upon arriving, they see Masha working there, who informs them Jacob Hopkins was fired for making unauthorized edits to the exhibits so they stroke his ego and gives them a pamphlet. They tell the visitors their map is a rebus. The group looks around and after decoding the rebus they realize it shows where Titan's Blood is hidden. Vee compliments their friendship, and they reveal they only became friends a few months ago. The four take a picture in front of a framed map of Old Gravesfield and Vee realizes it matches the rebus, and they decide to tell Luz on Halloween. At the clinic, Camila is finishing up, and Luz taps a plant glyph she drew. After moving her hand, she realized there was a slight reaction.

Back in the basement, Hunter is fearful that Belos might be back and inadvertently scolds Flapjack. He apologizes before promising the bird he will protect him. After Luz and Camila return, he tells the former about Belos. The two go to the house, and after Luz gives Hunter a pep talk, they search it. After only finding a possum, they think they are in the clear, but Hunter's shadow sprouts antlers unbeknownst to them. The others work on their Halloween costumes when they return to the house. Gus decides he and Hunter will go as their favorite Cosmic Frontier characters. Camila is shocked they found the books. Amity decides she and Luz will go as Hecate and Azura , respectively. Amity plays one of the movies where Azura gets betrayed by a character that dramatically resembles Luz, causing Luz to feel more guilty. After everyone goes to bed, Luz takes her laptop and heads to the kitchen to record a diary entry. She explains how living her greatest desire ruined the lives of her friends and makes a decision.

On Halloween, Camila drops everyone off, with Vee staying behind to handle trick-or-treaters. Luz speaks with her mother as everyone else goes over the plan to reveal the blood to Luz. Hunter hears something in the distance but dismisses it, unaware of the green path growing on his neck. As they explore the festival, they come across a mock witch trial. Gus joins in, saying the prosecutor is guilty and uses an illusion to give him cloven hooves and a tail. The actor runs away, and the other actors and the crowd applaud Gus. However, Jacob arrives and says Gus is a real witch who wants their teeth. He pulls off the boy's ear covering, but no one believes him, and he is subdued by security. At the haunted hayride, Masha explains the story of the Wittebane brothers, Philip and his older brother, Caleb, surprising the group. They explain how the brothers came to Gravesfield in 1613 and became witch hunters to fit in. One day, Caleb met a real witch named Evelyn , who spirited him away to another world, with Philip vanishing looking for his brother.

The story sets Luz and Hunter on edge. After the ride, Hunter reveals the plan about the rebus and the Titan's blood. Luz is skeptical, and Hunter requests Flapjack to retrieve the rebus. When Flapjack hesitates, Hunter's voice turns distorted, his eyes turn blue, and he repeats his request angrily. Meanwhile, Camila cleans up the house and finds the laptop. She sees Luz's entries from when she was very young after they moved to Gravesfield, detailing her feelings about her father's death and his introducing her to the The Good Witch Azura , her book report gone wrong actually being an attempt to reach out to her mother and Luz's most recent one, discovering her decision to permanently stay in the human realm. Hunter and Luz run through the woods when Hunter suddenly winces in pain and runs off into a swamp. Amity, Willow, and Gus learn Luz and Hunter are missing and go searching for them, realizing later that the rebus is gone as Camila and Vee show up and join them.

Meanwhile, Luz notices her glyphs are working and realizes it's because of the titan's blood, so she sets off several glyph combos and finds Hunter at the center of the graveyard. She notices the ripped-up rebus, and Hunter asks Luz to find Flapjack. As Luz finds Flapjack shaking behind a tombstone, Hunter reveals himself to be possessed by Belos, and they begin to fight. Belos then discovers a vial of Titan blood, and Luz knocks it out of his hand. Amity, Willow, Gus, Camila, and Vee find Luz, and Belos reveals that Luz helped him meet The Collector . Amity, Willow, Gus, Camila, and Vee are shocked by this revelation. Luz claims she didn't know and only thought she was doing something good. Belos mocks her statement and attacks the witches. They begin an all-out battle, but Belos gains the upper hand. Flapjack desperately tries to get through to Hunter, but Belos grabs Flapjack and severely wounds him. Before making any sudden movements, Hunter starts to fight back and declares that he no longer wants Belos' approval for how he lives his life and to ensure he never harms anyone again, he throws the vial of Titan Blood into the lake; Belos dives in to retrieve it, and Hunter loses consciousness. Camila saves Hunter, and Belos separates from Hunter, taking on the monstrous form he had before. He smashes the vial against an arch, a portal opens to the Demon realm, and he vanishes through the portal, leaving the others to tend to Hunter. Willow tearfully says that Hunter won't wake up, and Luz also reveals the secret about Hunter being a grimwalker .

Flapjack settles on an unconscious Hunter and gives a few tearful chirps. Using his life force, Flapjack gives his life to save Hunter and leaves everyone crying. Hunter wakes up, with his magenta eyes becoming brown. He says he knows about Flapjack and becomes very upset. Luz tells everyone about her encounter with Philip and starts to announce her decision, but Camila quickly interrupts and announces that she will join them in the Demon realm. Luz's friends comfort her, saying they do not blame her as Belos manipulated her. Hunter even states even if it weren't Luz, Belos most likely would've used somebody else instead and declares it's time to fight back against him. The portal starts to close so Hunter, Gus and Willow go through. Before Amity goes in, she tells Luz she wants her to be part of her future and makes her promise not to hide anything from her anymore. Once Luz gives her word, Amity kisses her cheek before stepping through. Vee stays back to keep up appearances for the Nocedas, and Camila gives Vee a quick rundown of what to do. Assuring Luz she's ready for what comes next, Camila takes her daughter's hand, and they go through the portal together right before it closes. Vee then prepares to leave and realizes that Camila still has the car keys.

• Sarah-Nicole Robles as Luz Noceda
• Alex Hirsch as King (reused dialogue)
• Tati Gabrielle as Willow Park
• Issac Ryan Brown as Gus Porter
• Mae Whitman as Amity Blight
• Zeno Robinson as Hunter
• Matthew Rhys as Emperor Belos
• Elizabeth Grullon as Camila Noceda
• Michaela Dietz as Vee
• Grey DeLisle as Masha

Additional voices

• Kimberly Brooks as Car Crash Girl, Unhygienic Flashback Mother
• Matt Chapman as New Student
• Noshir Dalal as Flashback Play Dad
• Grey DeLisle as Car Crash Mother
• Michaela Dietz as Mrs. Smith
• August Forman as Piercings Teen
• Alex Hirsch as Judge
• Anairis Quiñones as Azura, Owl Translator
• Stephen Sandoval as Mr. Sandoval
• Roger Craig Smith as Jacob Hopkins , Counselor, Zoo Dad, Prosecutor
• Dana Terrace as Magic Circle Cashier, Flashback Boy
• Kari Wahlgren as Villainous Lucy , Zoo Son
• Fryda Wolff as Wolves Flashback Mother, Flashback Play Mother

Non-speaking cameo

• Principal Hal
• Vee's friends
• Unnamed Sheriff's Deputies
• The Collector
• Darius Deamonne
• Manny Noceda
• Caleb Wittebane
• Eda Clawthorne (drawing)
• Hooty (drawing)
• Owlbert (drawing)
• Lilith Clawthorne (drawing)
• Edric Blight (drawing)
• Emira Blight (drawing)
• Alador Blight (drawing)
• Perry Porter (drawing)
• Gilbert and Harvey Park (drawing)

Other characters

• Emmiline Bailey Marcostimo
• Giraffe (debut)

Title in other languages

• Viewership: This episode was watched by 0.349 million viewers on its premiere (0.260 million viewers on Disney Channel and 0.089 million viewers on Disney XD ) [6]
• This is also the first episode of the series to have a duration of 44 minutes.
• However, the video was made private when " For the Future " was uploaded, but was made public again one day before " Watching and Dreaming " was uploaded.
• There is also a flag of the Dominican Republic, hanging on the wall of the basement in the same scene.

• Luz's English teacher, Mr. Sandoval, is a caricature of Stephen Sandoval . [11]
• The two students seen talking to Luz in the hallway are caricatures of Mike Austin and Bridget Underwood . [12] [11]
• The employee at The Magic Circle is a caricature of Kenzie Holmquist . [11]
• The librarian at the front desk of the Gravesfield Library is a caricature of Hayley Wong . [11]
• One of the guests at the Gravesfield library is a caricature of production manager Arsine Avedissian. [11]
• The father at the Gravesfield County Zoo is a caricature of line producer Jason Evaristo. [11]
• Eden Rousso , Arsine Avedissian, Lindsay Diamond, Seanna Duong , Inbal Breda , Emmy Cicierega , Ben Holm , King Pecora , Daun Han , and Rian Borland are all caricatured as attentants to the Gravesfield Halloween Festival. [11] [13]
• Shawn Responts and Vesela Stamenova are caricatured as the police officers who arrest Jacob. [11]
• Matthieu Cousin is caricatured as the driver of the Haunted Hayride. [11]
• Hooty is depicted as graffiti on the door of the old house as a substitute for the real one, since the gang misses him.
• While searching for Belos in the old house, Luz and Hunter wear masks which closely resemble King and Hooty, respectively.
• This is also the only season premiere in which Willow, Gus and Amity appear and the only one in which Eda, King, Hooty and Owlbert do not (though King appears in reused footage from the previous episode and all of them are either pictured or alluded to many times throughout the episode).
• Throughout the episode, Luz's eyes are near constantly portrayed as half-lidded and tired-looking, conveying her depressive and guilt-ridden emotional state.
• Hunter's wolf shirt is based on a shirt which exists in real life. [14] [15]
• The license plate on Camila's car is "450H-399". "450H" is the production code used for all episodes of the series.
• This episode aired on the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month.
• Throughout the episode, Luz is never seen directly speaking to Vee, Willow, and Gus, only to Amity, Hunter, and Camilla.
• The flashback scene to when Luz accidentally taps on the Plant Glyph, which causes it to smoke, is slightly different from how it actually happened. This could indicate that Luz is recalling the event differently.
• In Willow's bag, there is a snack that have high resemblance to the snack, Pocky.
• This is the final episode and the only one for Season 3 to air in 2022.
• The Spanish word for "great-grandmother" is bisabuela .
• From this episode onward and for the remainder of the series, Camila is designed with brown eyebrows.
• The title card for this episode is the only one of the Season 3 title cards that Luz does not appear in. (In "For the Future", Luz appears in the liquid of the In-Between Realm , and in "Watching and Dreaming", she appears on top of the Rubix cube-like structure.)
• This is the only episode of the series to be set on a holiday, the second half of the episode taking place during Halloween.

Revelations and significant events

• Luz and the gang tell Camila and Vee everything that happened in the Demon Realm , with the witches meeting Camila and Vee for the first time.
• The gang stays in the Human Realm for a few months and return to the Demon Realm on Halloween.
• Luz reveals her bisexuality and her romantic relationship with Amity to Camila, who happily accepts both.
• Giraffes are shown to have monstrous forms that briefly appear.
• Vee takes on a new human appearance.
• The gang have remodeled the old house .
• She is also the most knowledgeable in Human Realm culture, technology, and so on for the same reason, and has been helping out her ex-compatriots with that.
• Due to the immense trauma from learning that she played a role in Belos' rise to power, Luz's mental state is at its lowest in this episode.
• Luz's palisman has yet to hatch, but she has been incubating it under a heat lamp.
• Camila was bullied as a teenager. This caused her to fear the same thing happening to Luz and make the decision to send Luz to Reality Check Summer Camp .
• Mr. Noceda's first name is revealed to have been Manny.
• Flapjack finds a map under the old house, which turns out to be a rebus leading to a hidden vial of Titan's Blood. This vial was buried within Gravesfield Cemetery, implied to be by one of the Wittebanes.
• It is implied that Belos began his possession of Hunter after he touched the green goop in the old house, as Hunter has his first hallucination of Belos immediately after touching it with the bare skin of his injured finger. The next time Hunter appears, his finger is wrapped in bandages again, suggesting that the possession reopened the wound somewhat. Just before Belos possesses him entirely, pain shoots through Hunter's wound, and he unwraps it to reveal further green goop.
• The scene where Luz and Hunter leave the basement of the old house they investigated contains a foreshadowing: Hunter's shadow seems to have horns just like Belos' mask, indicating that Belos' green goop already began subverting him.
• Belos seems to be in a semi-lucid state, where he occasionally thinks Hunter is Caleb .
• Their fingernails are painted with the colors of the non-binary pride flag .
• Despite this, Masha is neither addressed by name nor third-person pronoun in this episode, as in "Yesterday's Lie".
• Jacob is later arrested for disrupting the peace at the festival.
• Camila is a closeted fan of Cosmic Frontier (a hobby she shared with her late husband).
• The boy seen in his memories was his older brother, Caleb.
• The two brothers were orphans who moved to Gravesfield, eventually becoming witch hunters to try and fit in with the townsfolk.
• The witch they encountered was named Evelyn, who might have become romantically involved with Caleb, causing Philip's anger and hatred for witches.
• In the first, Luz reveals that her family moved to Gravesfield in hopes of a better hospital for her father, implying that her father succumbed to illness.
• It is implied by the shading and by the dress and shoes that the second entry was recorded shortly after her father's funeral.
• In the fourth and fifth, it is revealed that Luz cut her hair with a sword she got at an Azura convention.
• It is implied that Luz's great fanaticism for Azura was developed as a coping mechanism.
• Luz confirms to her friends Belos' revelation of how she helped him meet the Collector, and also reveals that Hunter is a grimwalker .
• The healing gives Hunter body scarring from Belos' possession and turns his eyes from magenta to brown.
• The gang and Camila cross the portal into the Demon Realm before it closed, while Vee stays in the Human Realm to cover for Camila.
• Camila has been reading many books, including Always My Child , Life Ain't Binary , Parenting LGRTQ , [ sic ] Feeding Your Manatee and Vampire Diet .
• This episode takes place immediately after the previous episode .
• The photo of the Nocedas from "Yesterday's Lie" where Manny's face was obscured appears in its entirety.
• The events of "Yesterday's Lie", " Elsewhere and Elsewhen ", " Any Sport in a Storm ", and " Hollow Mind " are referenced.
• Odalia Blight is absent from Amity's drawings of her family , reflecting Amity disowning her mother in " Clouds on the Horizon ".
• Gus, Willow, Amity, and Hunter trying their hand at Human Realm cuisine and producing something not really palatable is likely a reference to Amity's pie with living faeries she made for Luz as a back-to-school gift in " Escaping Expulsion ".
• Amity references " I Was a Teenage Abomination ", mentioning that she was once a "top student."
• The art project and book report are also alluded to in Luz's last video message before she was sent to the Demon Realm .
• The costume Luz wore during the theater presentation from "A Lying Witch and a Warden" appears in the basement of the Noceda residence .
• Luz has the newspaper with the picture of Eda in her locker room, which Vee found in the old house in " Yesterday's Lie ".
• The previously unnamed character Masha , who debuted as a friend of " Luz " in " Yesterday's Lie ", was named the first time in this episode.
• Renditions of The Owl House End Credit Theme play when Camila views Luz's video messages and during their discussion before heading back to the Demon Realm.
• Flashbacks from " A Lying Witch and a Warden " and " Young Blood, Old Souls " are shown.
• When investigating the old house in search of Belos, Hunter also repeats part of what he said in his first confrontation with Luz and Eda in " Separate Tides ".

Production notes

• In development, Matthieu Cousin designed Villainous Lucy to match Luz's Hexside uniform. The crew liked the idea for the outfit that they kept it in the final version. [16]
• The logo for the Hades videogame in Luz's computer was originally meant to be the version featured in Disney's Hercules , but the idea was abandoned due to copyright issues. [17]
• In the rough animatics, gravestones for Hunter and Philip were originally going to appear in the basement when Hunter and Luz find the opossum. This was based on the basement of a church Dana walked by to school in New Haven. [18]
• Although Belos taking over animals was only alluded to in the episode, early versions of Belos-possessed animals were designed by Marina Gardner. [19]
• According to Sam Kestin , Rebecca Bozza , and Andy Garner-Flexner , the pajamas Amity wears throughout the special were borrowed from Luz. [20]
• There was a plotline regarding Vee not being comfortable around Hunter after learning he was the Golden Guard, but was cut for time.
• Anne Boonchuy's picture in the headline from the previous episode reappears.
• A snail similar to Bessie appears in the intro. Dana Terrace confirmed on Twitter that it is indeed a reference to Bessie. [21]
• At the Happy Pets Clinic, Hop Pop Plantar (while wearing a mask) can be seen on a poster. Luz also has a drawing of Polly Plantar in her notebook of ideas of what her egg palisman will turn into.
• A person can be seen dressed up as Captain Grime for the Halloween event in Gravesfield.
• In the intro, the shirt for Willow's roller-skating outfit has the shooting star of Mabel Pines' sweater and is colored in the same shade of pink.
• According to color designer Dresden Douglas , the colors of the box Flapjack found are an homage to the Jo urn als from the series. [22]
• Lumity - The "producer" of Luz's coming-out presentation is called "Lumity Studios," referring to the series' fandom nickname for the Amity Blight–Luz Noceda relationship.
• Rocko's Modern Life - In the opening montage, Hunter wears Rocko's lucky shirt. At New York Comic Con , Terrace admitted she was a fan of the series. [23]
• Jurassic Park - Hunter's jean jacket has a "Dino Land" patch which is an homage to the film series.
• Hooty was previously attributed in art with Duo on the app's Twitter page. [24] [25]
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Hunter and Gus' Cosmic Frontier costumes are specifically meant to evoke this particular Star Trek series. [26] [27] The name of "Chief O'Bailey" is based on Chief O'Brien , while "Captain Avery" was inspired by Avery Brooks , the actor for Captain Sisko . [27]
• Star Wars - In an allusion to the famous " Galaxy far, far away " tagline, Cosmic Frontier bills itself as taking place "in a galaxy not very far away".
• Blade Runner - Hunter mentions "duplicants", which is a parody of this franchise's replicants .
• Little Witch Academia - While Gus and Willow were fooling around in the Magic Circle store, a uniform from the anime series can be seen in the background.
• Night in the Woods - Cat ears and a black t-shirt with the same design as Mae's sweater can be seen in the Magic Circle store.
• EarthBound - A set of clothes identical to Ness ' outfit can be seen in the background of the Magic Circle store.
• Moomins - A calendar found inside the old, abandoned house has a picture showing the central character of the book series.
• Hocus Pocus - The "Summer Memories" scrapbook features a photo of the group having a movie night, with the characters onscreen closely resembling the Sanderson sisters from the film.
• Untitled Goose Game - An image of a goose holding a bell in its bill is spotted on the fridge at the Happy Pets Clinic.
• Soul Eater - A poster in Luz' room from one of her old videos says Spirit Devourer , which is a parody of the anime series.
• Fullmetal Alchemist - When Luz creates the ice bridge, she slaps the glyph page between her hands before placing both her palms on the ground. The typical action the titular alchemist to transmute materials for whatever he needs.
• Resident Evil - A poster in Luz's room from one of her old videos says Domicile Sinister 4 as a reference to Resident Evil 4 .
• Stardew Valley - Moonfarm Valley serves as a direct stand-in for this game.
• Hollow Knight - Holler Knight serves as a direct stand-in for this game.
• The trailer for Hades was storyboarded by Spencer Wan , animation supervisor for the first season of The Owl House .
• Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - Amity's hat during the time skip montage is a reference to Vivian . [28]
• Nintendo Switch (Splatoon 2 bundle) - In the Noceda living room, a game console called 'Swap' can be seen by the television, when Amity shows a Luz a scene from a Good Witch Azura movie, while prepping for the Halloween-festivities. The console even looks like a Nintendo Switch , down to the colored joy cons from said bundle at the sides and the docking station.
• PlayStation 4 - Underneath the Noceda's television is a console called a "BS4", a spoof on Sony's fourth-generation gaming console.
• Mad Max - There is a VHS tape in the Noceda living room called "Rage Ron", which may be a reference to the 1979 action film and media franchise.
• The Nightmare Before Christmas - Vee's phone case has an illustration of a smiling skeleton figure that resembles Jack Skellington.
• Animal Crossing - Willow's shirt has a leaf that resembles an Animal Crossing Leaf.
• In this episode Amity is initially afraid of the Human Realm's rain before Luz reveals it's safe, when in the previous episode she (Amity) had no aversion to being under it whatsoever.
• When the gang attempts to reactivate the portal door with battery cables and glyphs, Hunter is seen wearing a pair of brown gardening gloves. However, after the door catches on fire as a result of the attempt, he no longer has them on.
• Commenting on the issue, storyboard artist Hayley Wong explained how she had initially forgotten about Luz's lactose intolerance when first boarding the scrapbook. Additionally, though she had tried to justify the milkshake date with Luz's lactose intolerance, it was too late to change it. Wong ended by asking viewers to assume the milkshakes were a soy or vegan version. [29]
• Amity also has her ears uncovered, since this is a public place, people can see her ears.
• At the start of the episode in a close up of Amity, her pupil has the same color as her iris for a split second.
• Just as Luz and Hunter are leaving the old house after their failed search for Belos, there is a single frame in which Hunter's right eye is miscolored, appearing tan or off-white, rather than its normal magenta.
• However, it is possible that they belong to different film series.
• The glyph that Luz touches on her notebook begins to burn, despite it being a plant glyph as opposed to a fire glyph as shown in her flashback of " Young Blood, Old Souls " later on.
• When Willow tells Vee that she knows about Jacob, the edge of Vee's sclera still has blue lines remaining from the Uncolored line art.
• This is also a historical error, as Europeans wouldn't colonize New England until 1620, seven years later. There is also the fact that the first Europeans to explore the Connecticut area were the Dutch in 1614 , while the first English settlers arrived in 1633.
• Gus' eyebrows and mouth disappear for a frame when Camila and Vee arrive at the festival to check on Luz.
• When Belos/Hunter approaches Luz, his lips don't move when he speaks. However, his face is hidden in shadow, mitigating the error somewhat.
• When Hunter wakes up in the graveyard after Flapjack healed him, the scar on his ear is missing, but is back two instances later.
• When Vee, Amity, Willow and Gus take the photo in the Gravesfield Historical Society, Gus is wearing a dinosaur pin, but in the photo the pin is missing.
• On Disney+, when Luz's friends are trying to find some clues about the portal, the captions credit Luz for saying "First Stop, The Magic Circle." when it was actually Amity who said it.
• In the credits, in the last picture, the wolves on Hunter's shirt are absent.
• Right before Hunter enters the portal to return to the Demon Realm, the scar on his right arm is on his lower arm, rather than his upper arm.
• In their scrapbook, there is a caption under a photo that reads "In the Human Realm, firefies don't actually catch fire!", misspelling 'fireflies'.
• When Luz is at school, she slams her fist onto the desk, knocking off a pencil. The pencil disappears after it is obstructed from view by another students desk.

Memorable Quotes

External links.

• ↑ 1.0 1.1 Terrace, Dana [@DanaTerrace] (September 14, 2022). "Hooty hoot we're back, October 15. 🦉 #TheOwlHouse #theowlhouseseason3" (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Clark, Noelene (September 14, 2022). The Owl House Exclusive: Premiere Date Revealed for First 44-Minute Finale Special . TV Guide . Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved on September 14, 2022.
• ↑ Humphrey, Julia (November 22, 2022). The Owl House Season 3 Premiere Sets Disney+ Release Date . Collider . Archived from the original on November 23, 2022.
• ↑ Thanks to Them - Concept by Tristan Yuvienco 3.jpg
• ↑ Thanks to Them - Concept by Andy Garner-Flexner 3.png
• ↑ 6.0 6.1 Metcalf, Mitch (October 18, 2022). Saturday 10.15.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals . Showbuzz Daily . Archived from the original on October 18, 2022.
• ↑ ディズニー・チャンネル公式 [@disneychanneljp] (March 15, 2023). "＼＼最新情報／／ 🌸4月の注目番組_② 新展開！「#アウルハウス」 ルースが仲間とともに人間界へ…。待望の新エピソードとあわせてこれまでのお話を特別編成でおさらい連続放送！ 4月8日（土）11:00～ #Owlhouse" [\\latest news// 🌸April's featured programs_② New development! "#Owl House" Luz and her friends go to the Human Realm... Along with the long-awaited new episodes, we will be continuously broadcasting a special recap of previous stories! April 8th (Sat) 11:00~ #Owlhouse] (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ " Willkommen im Haus der Eulen Finale Promo - 15. Juli 2023 (Disney Channel Deutschland) ". GrasshalmClips . YouTube (July 3, 2023). Retrieved on January 4, 2024.
• ↑ " TV Passport ".
• ↑ SEASON 3 PREMIERE FULL EPISODE | Thanks to Them | S3 E1 | The Owl House | Disney Channel Animation (Video) (English) . YouTube . Disney Channel (October 16, 2022). Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved on October 16, 2022.
• ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 Bozza, Rebecca [@HeyRebeccaRose] (November 15, 2022). "Since Thanks To Them has been out for a bit now, I figured I would make a thread on all of the crew member cameos in the episode! 🧵🪡 #TheOwlHouse" (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ Austin, Mike [@MikeCatSU] (October 16, 2022). "tiny me and bridget…" (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ Bozza, Rebecca [@HeyRebeccaRose] (October 16, 2022). "This is actually a crew cameo of one of our storyboarders, King Pecora! There were some other crew members too, I'll probably make a thread later pointing them out!" (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ Yuvienco, Tristan [@trisketched] (Oct 22, 2022). "Graphics and posters! Also had the pleasure of working with @/emmyCic's Cosmic Frontier design" (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ " Tie Dye T-shirt Wolf Wolves Men's Graphic Tee ". Walmart . Retrieved on October 17, 2022.
• ↑ Bozza, Rebecca [@HeyRebeccaRose] (October 16, 2022). "TOH SPOILERS So glad people caught this! @insidematthieu did the design for Lucy and provided a color test. He thought it would be cool to have Lucy's outfit match Luz's school uniform. The team liked it so much we stuck with it and Lucy's final color was done by @samkestin!" (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ "Owl House Fan Celebration and Exhibition" Twitch Stream (October 29, 2022). Archived from the original on October 29, 2022.
• ↑ Cissy Jones (April 28, 2023). " The "watching and dreaming" PostHoot with the one and only Dana Terrace! (33:22) ". Instagram .
• ↑ Cissy Jones (April 28, 2023). " The "watching and dreaming" PostHoot with the one and only Dana Terrace! (34:20) ". Instagram .
• ↑ [[Sam Kestin|Kestin, Sam [@samkestin]]]; [[Rebecca Rose|Rose, Rebecca [@HeyRebeccaRose]]]; [[Andy Garner-Flexner|Garner-Flexner, Andy [@oh_heyyy_andy]]] (October 26, 2022) "It's my headcannon that Amity is borrowing Luz's pajamas cause the kids haven't had a chance to buy their own pj’s yet." (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ Terrace, Dana [@DanaTerrace] (October 7, 2022). "🐌" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 7, 2022 – via Twitter .
• ↑ Douglas, Dresden [@dresdoodles] (October 21, 2022). "The Mystery Box & Rebus! As a longtime fan of Gravity Falls, the mystery surrounding the box reminded me of Journal 3. I chose those reds + golds as an homage to The Journals while also linking Eda's color scheme as a Clawthorne. Awesome design details by @chrishinpalacio!" (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ The Owl House panel at NYCC 2022 (37:59) (October 6, 2022). Archived from the original on 2022-10-06.
• ↑ Duolingo [@duolingo] (January 10, 2021). "Happy 1 year to The Owl House! Sunday plans 100% entail rewatching the first season. 😌 Artwork by @meganbarkerart" (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ Duolingo [@duolingo] (June 12, 2021). "Duo's visiting Hooty in the Boiling Isles to watch the new season of #TheOwlHouse! We've been ready, @DanaTerrace. 👀 🍿" (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ "Owl House Fan Celebration and Exhibition" Twitch Stream (1:44:31) (October 29, 2022). Archived from the original on October 29, 2022.
• ↑ 27.0 27.1 Terrace, Dana [@DanaTerrace] (December 26, 2022). "Yeah! I watched DS9 during the most isolating months of lockdown. It was a comfort during an unfamiliar and unsettling time and me and the writers (the ones who pushed it on me in the first place) loved the idea of an equivalent being a comfort for some of the kids as well." (Tweet) – via Twitter .
• ↑ "Owl House Fan Celebration and Exhibition" Twitch Stream (37:04) (October 29, 2022). Archived from the original on October 29, 2022.
• ↑ Wong, Hayley (November 15, 2022). " Samples of boards from The Owl House s3e1 "Thanks to Them" 4/4 ". Destructive Little Pieces  — via Tumblr. "[I]t didn't make it into the final version, but I TRIED to justify the milkshake date and Luz's lactose intolerance. When I made that fanart I didn't know she was lactose intolerant, guys! Give me a break ToT so let's just assume they're soy milkshakes or something vegan. lol"
• 1 Luz Noceda
• 3 Amity Blight

Why David Shin’s Disney+ Crime Thriller ‘House of the Owl’ Is a Test Run for Hollywood-Style Recurring Series Made in Japan

By Patrick Frater

Patrick Frater

Asia Bureau Chief

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• Why David Shin’s Disney+ Crime Thriller ‘House of the Owl’ Is a Test Run for Hollywood-Style Recurring Series Made in Japan 2 days ago
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While multiple Korean TV series have connected with global audiences, Japan ’s production committees, terrestrial broadcasters and talent agencies have kept their TV industry tightly focused on a local market.

Anime and variety have long remained the Japanese TV industry’s best-known exports, while the premium end of the spectrum has largely escaped Japanese producers. That is despite multinational shows like Hulu’s “Shogun,” HBO’s “Tokyo Vice” and Netflix’s “ House of Ninjas ” underscoring the potentially substantial overseas interest in Japan-set live-action drama.

Popular on Variety

A crime thriller about a behind-the-scenes political fixer and his chafing rivalry with his son, “House of the Owl” was conceived as a five-season ride along the lines of “House of Cards” or “Succession.” But overcoming the obstacles on the way to bringing “House of the Owl” to the screen has been a 10-year journey for the series and its showrunner, former executive David Shin .

Korean-born but U.S.-educated, Shin worked for 10 years in Japan as the president of Fox Networks Group. From 2019 to 2023, he headed Disney’s content sales and streaming businesses in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

Problems he faced included: the show’s central theme of a shadowy political power broker, which was considered toxic by risk-averse local channels; a per episode budget double that of most Japanese TV; and assembling a team of writers, directors and actors willing to make the lengthy – but potentially lucrative – commitment to working in a western fashion on a recurring series.

Directed by Ishii Yuya (“The Great Passage”), Matsumoto Yusaku (“Noise”) and Mori Yoshitaka (“Space Brothers”) and starring veteran Tanaka Min (“The Twilight Samurai”) and Mackenyu (“Rurouni Kenshin: Final Chapter”), “House of the Owl” releases on April 24.

Below, Shin speaks with Variety about bringing “House of the Owl” to life.

Japanese shows can be very slow, plodding and not even very well-lit. Asia just never does recurring seasons, they only do miniseries. And this was deliberately done as a recurring season ensemble piece, like all the big shows in the U.S.

There were a lot of challenges to doing that. Actors don’t sign up for those kinds of projects. Getting people to script it was very hard, with a season of 10 episodes and all these characters. Getting three directors, who are all film directors, to start operating like staff directors was incredibly hard.

Why do you think the miniseries model dominates in Asia?

Everything is a miniseries. And even if there is a Season 2, it’s a miniseries with a second season. It’s not recurring. And whenever I tell this to people in L.A., they’re shocked and want to know how anyone makes money or builds a sustainable business.

Film has traditionally been a director’s medium. And television in the U.S. has always been a writer’s medium. But in Asia, television has always been an actor’s medium. They jump from show to show. And everything is greenlit based on who the actor is. That in turn is controlled by the talent agencies.

It is incredibly hard to do a recurring series, because they don’t want to give that kind of power to someone who owns them and locks them in for multiple seasons.

And when actors [in Japan] sign up to do dramas, their fees are actually really low. They make their money on TV commercials. They’re incentivized to show their face in a TV drama that highlights their personal appeal and then get, say 10 commercials from Toyota. Most of them are not simply actors, most of them are what the Japanese call “talentos.” They sing, they dance, they act, they emcee, they sports emcee, they do everything.

Was screenwriting an issue too?

To the Korean companies’ credit, they have a lot more focus on production values and a lot more focus on writing. Series are a writer’s medium in Korea. They’re paying top dollars for writers, when Japan and the rest of Asia barely pays writers. As a screenwriter in Japan, there’s no way to make a living unless you’re doing five dramas a year, working for TBS and just cranking out shows.

When did you decide to try to break the rules with this show?

Netflix has been the only company who’s been trying quite so hard in Japan [to take the recurring series route]. “Alice in Borderland” is probably the closest they’ve got to achieving that. It’s got that horror game element to do recurring seasons with. But I doubt it was ever actually intended to be that. [The underlying IP for ‘Alice’ was exhausted after two seasons. Its third season was original material.]

Many companies loved it, but it was a very Japanese thing that they didn’t want to adopt someone else’s theories. [Eventually, after he worked at Disney, Shin got a season order for the show that he would produce through his new Iconique Pictures.]

Now that “House of the Owl” is completed, are you still confident that the Hollywood approach can work in Asia?

People are going to have to see the show. And the question will be, “Is it compelling?” But structurally, it’s got all the elements necessary to go five seasons. And that’s one of the major reasons Disney greenlighted it.

The other thing is that we have this plethora of Japanese content: “Tokyo Vice,” “Shogun.” And we’ve seen samurai and yakuza and ninjas. But we’ve never seen a Japanese show with a main character, a fixer, the power behind the power. Japanese even has a word, “kuromaku,” for this kind of person.

What is Iconique doing next?

We are working actively on two projects: one film, one series. The film is like “The Shining,” but set in Japan, where we have these people stuck in the Japanese Alps. They’re in this beautiful ancient “ryokan” [guest house] and they find out it’s haunted. We’re doing it in the Blumhouse style, bringing back J-horror a little bit, making it look really beautiful and getting into the psychology too. That one we are fully financing ourselves and taking out the indie route.

The other thing is a totally fictionalized samurai epic. It’s more like “Game of Thrones” with Shakespearean drama; speed up the acting [compared with conventional Japanese performances]; good, real actors; speed up the editing; match it with operatic music and world class VFX; and make it look like “Gladiator.” And, having seen “Shogun” do so well, I think this could potentially capture global audiences.

We’ve written the first episode and drafted the first season. I’ve already got a Japanese streamer very interested. But I want to keep international rights. And so, I’m trying to bring in an investor who will take international rights with me, and we’ll do it the way that they did with “Tokyo Vice” where Endeavor [now known as Fifth Season] came in, took part in the rights and resold them globally.

I want to keep making tentpole types of shows. Like “Game of Thrones,” but with Asian IP. I think that’s my sweet spot.

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'House of the Owl' brings Hollywood values to Japanese TV

Japanese live-action streaming series have struggled to match the global impact of South Korean rivals such as “Squid Game” and “Crash Landing on You.” However, the recent Japan-based shows “Tokyo Vice” and “Shogun” have become popular with international streaming audiences. Both are made by multinational production teams that reject the nearly exclusive domestic focus of the usual drama series backed by consortiums of media companies that have little interest in the overseas market.

Currently CEO of Singapore-based Iconique Pictures, which produced the series, Seoul-born and U.S.-raised Shin worked in Japan for 10 years as president of the Fox Networks Group. From 2019 to 2023, he was in charge of Disney’s content sales and streaming businesses in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

Speaking to The Japan Times over a coffee in Tokyo’s Kanda neighborhood, Shin says that, despite his industry experience and contacts, moving “House of the Owl” from the concept stage to production took the better part of a decade. And his creative ambitions date back even further: “My entire career I've always been thinking about whether to do this film or this series,” he says. One product of this itch was the 2012 indie horror film “The Room,” which he scripted and directed.

After graduating from the University of Southern California’s prestigious film school in 1992, Shin began a climb up the corporate ladder that took him all over Asia while he worked on his own projects. “I currently have like seven scripts that are coming along,” he says with a grin.

The influence of kuromaku on Japanese politics and business is hardly new. The most notorious such influence peddler, Yoshio Kodama, rose to power in the 1950s with the backing of the CIA and various yakuza gangs, and played a key role in the Lockheed bribery scandal of the 1970s. Tanaka’s kuromaku, Ryutaro Ogami, is a more urbane type than the thuggish Kodama, however, and the series’ story of behind-the-scenes machinations, which involve a sitting prime minister and leading members of her ruling party, have present-day echoes.

“The characters are composites, with none based on any one present-day or historical figure,” Shin says. That includes Ryutaro’s family, from the talented youngest daughter, who aspires to be professional singer, to the scapegrace oldest son, who is anxious to get back into his father’s good books.

“House of the Owl” is riding on a wave of overseas interest in Asian content in general and Japanese content in particular. “The streamers all want Korean live-action and Japanese anime,” Shin says. “Those are the two main pillars of content out of Asia for streaming.” The potential is also there for Japanese live-action, he believes, “but it never developed.”

One reason is that, Japan’s terrestrial networks, with their laser focus on the domestic market, have long controlled TV drama production here. A Japanese version of U.S. cable giant HBO, whose signature series like “The Sopranos” and “Game of Thrones” found fans worldwide, never emerged. “So Japan lagged behind in creating premium content for the international market,” Shin says.

Now, however, interest in Japan among foreign production companies is strong, but always focused on “the samurai and the shogun and the yakuza,” Shin explains. He wanted to do something different — and hit on a show about kuromaku. “They’ve been incredibly influential in Japanese society, but no one knows about them,” he says. “I thought it was a fascinating topic.”

Selling the show to Japanese networks, however, “would have been impossible, no question,” he adds. “The subject matter would have been risky for them — and the Japanese hate risk.”

Also, Shin wanted to pitch the project elsewhere due to what he described as “the lower production values” of Japanese TV and its tendency to cast “the most popular actor, whoever it is, not necessarily the most appropriate actor.” Thus his decision to take “House of the Owl” to Disney+.

Another way the series stands apart from the general Japanese TV drama run is Shin’s hiring of three directors with feature film credits — Yuya Ishii, Yusaku Matsumoto and Yoshitaka Mori — to shoot the 10 episodes instead of TV veterans. “They all have their own identities as directors, which I liked,” he says.

But Shin describes the “challenges” of working with them: “They have a good eye, they have good aesthetics and all of that, but they're just not used to working as a team.” As the showrunner — the executive producer who steers a series from conception to completion — he had to make sure they “shared my vision” for the show, he says. The result is a series with a polished, cinematic look that also has a unified feel.

The U.S. showrunner model doesn’t exist in the Japanese TV industry, though, where the scriptwriter’s vision typically prevails. Shin sees “House of the Owl” as a possible game changer.

“There’s a tremendous opportunity in Japan for serialized drama,” he says. “The country is so rich in potential story ideas. But what the industry needs to do, and what the streamers want, is employ Hollywood storytelling techniques.”

“Honestly, I hate to use the term ‘Hollywood storytelling techniques’ because it wasn't Hollywood that invented them,” he quickly adds. “The three-act structure, all of these things, go back to Aristotle. Hollywood just perfected them for film and television. And you can find them in the storytelling of (Juzo) Itami and (Akira) Kurosawa. The techniques are universal. They’re what the industry here needs. You could have something amazing in terms of content traveling abroad and in terms of content that resonates with the Japanese.”

Trying to prove that has taken Shin on a long, uncertain journey, beginning with a pilot episode that he spent years shopping around.

“You have to just go out and do it,” he says. “Because if you wait around, hoping someone else will do it, it’s never going to happen. Never.”

“House of the Owl” premieres April 24 on Disney+. For more information, visit iconiquepictures.com.

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