The Spiderwick Chronicles
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Now Showing

The Spiderwick Chronicles

"Look closer."

6.9
Yr 2024
Status Returning Series
Action & Adventure Family
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

The coming-of-age story of the Grace Family, as they move from New York to Michigan and into their family's ancestral home. Upon arrival, the family not only uncovers mysteries hidden inside their great grandfather's Spiderwick Estate, but also discovers a secret, fantastical world around them.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 62 /100

Critical reception for the 2024 television adaptation of The Spiderwick Chronicles was mixed to moderately positive. Favorable reviews commended the series for offering a slightly darker, young-adult spin on the source material, praising its rich world-building, creature design, and detailed set pieces. Outlets also appreciated its grounded focus on family dynamics, character struggles, and mental health themes.

The cast also earned positive mentions, particularly the ensemble of young newcomers and Christian Slater's energetic villainous performance. Reviewers who enjoyed the show felt it served as an engaging urban fantasy with enough ominous suspense to appeal to fans of the original books and kids who enjoy spooky adventure.

However, a significant portion of critics found the execution lacking. Skeptical reviews pointed to slow pacing, dull dialogue, and repetitive plotting that undermined the show's excitement. Other reviewers noted a lack of energy and wonder, feeling the series struggled with narrative momentum and offered little new ground for uninitiated audiences.

“a terrific young adult fantasy-adventure series”

“repetitive plotting, lumpy pacing, underdeveloped characters making inexplicable decisions”

“an exciting fantasy story rooted in family, mystery, and a darker feel than the usual Disney fare”

“delivers a fine enough first episode that fans of the books will probably enjoy but is nothing amazing that new audiences should rush to check out”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Club Illico
CA
Why fans love it

The 2024 adaptation of The Spiderwick Chronicles leans into the darker side of a classic fairy tale. While many family adventure stories keep their wonder safely sequestered, this version forces the Grace family to confront a hidden world that feels genuinely intrusive and tangled with the history of their own ancestral home. The shift from a New York life to a Michigan estate serves as a grounded anchor for the supernatural elements that begin to bleed through the floorboards.

Christian Slater provides a sharp, menacing presence that elevates the stakes beyond standard young adult fantasy. By focusing on the friction between a mundane family transition and a encroaching magical threat, the series creates a tone that is moody rather than saccharine. It treats the source material as a foundation for a broader, more ominous narrative about heritage and the secrets lurking in the periphery of rural life.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 53
Regulars 8
Longest run 7 eps
Joy Bryant
Joy Bryant
as Helen Grace
Noah Cottrell
Noah Cottrell
as Simon Grace
Lyon Daniels
Lyon Daniels
as Jared Grace
Mychala Lee
Mychala Lee
as Mallory Grace
Jack Dylan Grazer
Jack Dylan Grazer
as Thimbletack (voice)
Christian Slater
Christian Slater
as Mulgarath / Dr. Dorian Brauer
Alyvia Alyn Lind
Alyvia Alyn Lind
as Calliope
7 episodes
Charlayne Woodard
Charlayne Woodard
as Lucinda Spiderwick
5 episodes
Show 45 more
Aria Mia Loberti as Valentina 5 episodes Patty Guggenheim as Stacy Varnow 2 episodes Hunter Dillon as Hatcher 6 episodes Momona Tamada as Emiko Noizumi 6 episodes Mellany Barros as Bree Kent 6 episodes Dylan Bruce as Tanner Kent 5 episodes Keith Arbuthnot as The Ogre 3 episodes Dylan French as Fencing Attendant #1 1 episode Genevieve Lam as Gas Station Attendant 1 episode Sophia Noella as Young Melvina 1 episode Jazlyn Onaba as 6-Year-Old Helen 1 episode Favour Onwuka as Young Lucinda 1 episode Skovensky Moline Valeus as Orderly 1 episode Teagan Vincze as Snooty Saleswoman 1 episode Nicholas Zhang as Fencing Attendant #2 1 episode Albert Jones as Arthur Spiderwick 4 episodes Jed Rees as Hubert 2 episodes Adina Insley as 6-Year-Old Lucinda 1 episode Newsha Richards as Yalda 2 episodes Arlene Duncan as Melvina 1 episode Jack Irwin as Aiden 1 episode Mack Gordon as Husband 1 episode Margarita Iturriaga as Injured Mom 1 episode Dylan Colton as Chris 3 episodes Emma Leduc as Thalia 2 episodes Tate Ennis as Hind 2 episodes Winson Won as EMT 1 episode Terry Chen as Zao 1 episode Jeff Sanca as Mustached Bus Driver 1 episode Sari Mercer as Cobweb 1 episode Jericho Cabinas as Peasblossom 1 episode Jared Ager-Foster as Mustardseed 1 episode Cindy Piper as Mahjong Lady #1 1 episode Jasmin Dring as Mahjong Lady #2 1 episode Ricky Lee as Shopkeeper 1 episode Medina Hahn as City Council President 2 episodes Rhys Coiro as Richard Grace 3 episodes Ethel Pitchford as Barbara Hatcher 1 episode Janet Gigliotti as Nurse 1 episode Joshua Pak as Bruce 1 episode Aaron Paul Stewart as Server Staff Shroomer #1 1 episode Vicky L. Lambert as Server Staff Shroomer #2 1 episode Corina Akeson as Server Staff Shroomer #3 1 episode Simon Chin as Server Staff Shroomer #4 1 episode Navid Charkhi as Server Staff Shroomer #5 1 episode
Signal Match

Similarity

Where The Spiderwick Chronicles overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

based on novel or book dark fairy tale fantasy fairies
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
April 19, 2024
Status
Returning Series
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
77