The Owl House (2020 — 2023)

The Owl House (2020–2023), created by Dana Terrace for Disney Channel, has garnered widespread acclaim from both critics and viewers. Its stunning animation, clever humor, well-developed characters, and poignant themes have all been praised, along with its groundbreaking LGBTQ+ representation. In fact, the show has made history as the first Disney property to feature a same-sex couple in leading roles and to depict a same-sex kiss with its main characters. It also received recognition at the 2021 Peabody Awards for its impact on children’s and youth programming. Terrace’s journey of conceptualizing the series began in late 2016 with her idea of a young girl learning witchcraft. Fueled by a desire for artistic and emotional fulfillment, she turned to her college influences, namely artists like Hieronymus Bosch and Remedios Varo. This led her to create the visually surreal world of The Owl House for Disney. While initially pitching the concept to both Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, Terrace ultimately found success with Disney.

The tale revolves around Luz Noceda, a 14-year-old Dominican-American girl who accidentally discovers a portal to the Demon Realm. She arrives at the Boiling Isles, an archipelago formed from a deceased titan, where she befriends Eda Clawthorne, also known as ‘The Owl Lady’, and her charming demon companion King. Despite lacking magical abilities, Luz pursues her dream of becoming a witch by apprenticing under Eda at the Owl House and ultimately finds an unconventional family. In season two, which picks up immediately after season one’s conclusion, Luz attempts to return to her human world while Eda grapples with her curse and King seeks answers about his past. All the while, they must contend with Emperor Belos, ruler of the Boiling Isles and his preparation for the enigmatic ‘Day of Unity’. In the final season (labeled as specials), Luz and her comrades embark on a quest to save the Boiling Isles from Belos and his ally, the Collector.