The Mysterious Benedict Society is live on Disney+, and the series is peculiar in all the best ways. The show, based on the best-selling book series of the same name by author Trenton Lee Stewart is the latest venture into original programming by the streaming behemoth.
The show’s synopsis gives a sense of why it’s so appealing:
The Mysterious Benedict Society is the tale of four gifted orphans who are recruited by an eccentric benefactor (Hale) to go on a secret mission. Placed undercover at a boarding school known as The Institute, they must foil a nefarious plot with global ramifications while creating a new sort of family along the way.”
Source: https://deadline.com/2020/02/tony-hale-cast-star-the-mysterious-benedict-society-hulu-series-based-on-ya-novel-mr-benedict-curtain-1202868480/
Based on a hit book series
Trenton Lee Stewart wrote four books about this world – where gifted kids must save the world from an evil villain intent on brainwashing everyone. They’re adventure stories geared toward children that are heavy on puzzles and morality lessons. Friendship and cooperation between the children are at the core of the stories.
If you’re worried about whether or not this season sticks to the first book, don’t fret. From what I’ve seen so far, the adaptation is spot on, and any differences can be explained by the change from page to screen. After all, television is a different medium than books and has different creative limitations. The core elements that made the first book so lovely are all still there.
I will note that in a recent interview with The Wrap, show creators said that any future seasons (fingers crossed) would take way more creative liberties.
“The subsequent books are all wonderful, and they’re very different, too,” Hay said in an interview with TheWrap. “So if we were lucky enough to continue and get another season, I think it would likely draw from a lot of them in different ways, as opposed to being very, very specific.”
Hay and Manfredi said they hope to draw from all of the sequels (as well as Stewart’s prequel novel) for future episodes, mixing and matching elements rather than doing a straight adaptation.
Source: https://www.thewrap.com/mysterious-benedict-society-showrunners-say-future-seasons-may-not-follow-the-books/
The journey to a green light
The show’s been in the works since at least 2019 when it was developed initially by Hulu. When Disney+ came around, the streamer programmers snapped the show up as a perfect fit. If you consider that the programming on Disney+ is more family-friendly than the shows on Hulu, this makes total sense.
Tony Hale was cast last year in the dual role of twin brothers Nicholas Benedict and Mr. Curtain. Mystic Inscho, Seth Carr, Emmy DeOliveira, and Marta Kessler play the rag-tag group of gifted orphans. In addition, Kristen Schaal is Number Two, and Gia Sandhu is Ms. Perumal.
My thoughts on The Mysterious Benedict Society
The Mysterious Benedict Society is entertaining and thought-provoking. It is a story about the power of intelligence, the importance of friendship found family, and the courage to do the right thing and help the world. The show will resonate with viewers of all ages, and it is a must-watch for fans of mystery, adventure, and coming-of-age stories.
The acting and the writing in The Mysterious Benedict Society are fantastic – both pleasing and full of personality. But what truly sets the series apart is the other parts of the storytelling – the production design, the costumes, and the makeup. All those things make the retro (but not really) world come alive.
How to watch
As of this article’s writing, three episodes of The Mysterious Benedict Society are available to stream. Last week, the show dropped on Disney+ with a double-episode premiere. Episodes are expected to drop weekly on Friday until the finale with episode 8. There’s been no word from Disney about whether the show will get a second season yet.
Your thoughts
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You can read all of our reviews about children’s and family movies and TV shows here.