Hannah Just Add Magic is a popular American television series that first premiered on Amazon Video in 2015. The show is based on the book of the same name by Cindy Callaghan. It revolves around the story of three friends - Hannah, Kelly, and Darbie, who discover an ancient cookbook in Hannah's attic that has magical powers. Throughout the series, the girls embark on various magical adventures as they try to solve mysteries and help others using the enchanted recipes from the cookbook. Each recipe they cook has a unique power, and they must follow the instructions carefully to avoid any unintended consequences. The girls must also keep their magical activities a secret from their families and the rest of the world.
Kelly: Cooking�s in my blood.
Fallen Heroine She turns into an insecure, evil mastermind bent on keeping the cookbook forever, thanks to being the victim of the downside used to restore the magic spice garden and save magic from the last season s antagonist. Many of the things she wears are bright and patterned, and she usually pairs her outfits with headbands of all shapes, styles, and colors; or bright,chunky necklaces.
The girls must also keep their magical activities a secret from their families and the rest of the world. Hannah Just Add Magic is a blend of mystery, fantasy, and coming-of-age themes. It explores the power of friendship, teamwork, and the importance of honesty.
Characters / Just Add Magic: The Girls
The chosen protectors of the Cookbook through Seasons 1-3 who also happen to be incredibly great friends.
- Character Development: All three of them have evolved greatly throughout the series' run thanks to each other's influence.
- Expy: The trio is awfully similar to the main trio from Charmed (1998). bonus points for both girl trios finding the magic book in an attic.
- Fatal Flaw: One of the key reasons the girls are all so relatable to audiences is that they all have major common flaws that define their characters which they often try to overcome.
- Kelly: Her desire to take charge and not listen to her peers, stubbornness, overreliance on magic, and insecurities over losing her closest friends.
- Hannah: Her constant extreme paranoia over everything, desire to be proficient in everything including her classes
- Darbie: Her inability to take charge, her clumsiness
Kelly Quinn
Played By: Olivia Sanabia; Sam Sonnett (young)
- Addictive Magic: She quickly becomes addicted to the use of magic in Season 2. Her friends even stage an intervention for her.
- Big Sister Instinct: Despite their constant arguments and differences, Kelly truly does love her younger brother Buddy, and will defend him from harm without hesitation.
- Character Development: She spends the first two seasons as a self-centered protector who's not only addicted to cookbook magic and perfectly willing to do whatever it takes to solve the mystery, not caring about who he hurts, she was also overly independent, and often viewed herself as superior to others, turning down their sides of the story. These points were even lampshaded when Kelly goes full baddie in Season 3. However, she does get over it and learns how to properly work with others, and even gives up her magic addiction after some time.
- Control Freak: Kelly can be pretty controlling with the magic.
- Fallen Heroine: She turns into an insecure, evil mastermind bent on keeping the cookbook forever, thanks to being the victim of the downside used to restore the magic spice garden and save magic from the last season's antagonist.
- The Hero: Technically, all three of the main girls can be considered this, but she's the one who gets the most focus.
- Hypocrite: She yells at Mama P for using the cookbook's magic for her own self-gain, even though she herself has also used the book for selfish desires — not as bad, but still.
- The Leader: She prides herself as being this, considering she's the one who obsessed with the cookbook and the magical mysteries the most.
Kelly: I taste chicken. mushrooms. serrano. ooh, and tarragon. No, not tarragon. it�s roasted cumin.
Jake: Nice.
Kelly: Cooking�s in my blood.
Hannah Parker-Kent
Played By: Aubrey Miller; Reagan Kraemer (young)
- The Ace: She's shown to be very smart when it comes to schoolwork. In fact, she once stated the lowest grade she got was a B, and that was in a dream.
- Brainy Brunette: Has brown hair and is the studious, organization-driven one of the trio.
- Character Development: She starts off as an academic Control Freak, who was determined to get straight As in each of her classes, is always stressed out over the littlest things, and would constantly overwork and didn't always get along with her teachers. But later on, she stops being so overly paranoid with her surroundings and begins to mellow out and adjust to any changes that may occur
- Control Freak: Hannah takes her schoolwork very seriously. A little too seriously.
- Nice Girl: Serious and nerdy moments aside, she's very friendly, loyal and would occasionally goof off with her friends.
- Only Sane Woman: Falls into this whenever Kelly's too obsessed with the Cookbook magic and Darbie's not taking things seriously enough.
- Race Lift: She was of Hispanic descent in the book the series was based off, her last name being Hernandez, but is Caucasian in the series.
Darbie O'Brien
Played By: Abby Donnelly; Lenore Brown (young)
- A Birthday, Not a Break: In Just Add Birthdays. Not only does Darbie have to keep a half-their-aged Kelly and Hannah out of trouble, but she also had to break into Mama P's pantry to get the ingredients for the cure. Doing it at night also helps.
- Brilliant, but Lazy: She's a pretty nice girl, but she's quick to turn to the magic cookbook every time something goes wrong, for all she knows, the side-effect could make the problem worse. Hannah calls Darbie on this in one episode. Plus, she hates math and tried to put her math teacher under an itch spell, which Hannah quickly rejects. In one episode she said that if they taught magic in school she wouldn't sleep in class. Except. yes she would.
- Character Development: She used to be The Load of the trio, who didn't serve much of a role aside from being the comic relief. Not to mention she was an absolute pushover and could never stand up for herself. This changes dramatically in the later seasons where she not only displays Hidden Depths and starts to actually contribute and support the gang in helpful ways, she also Grew a Spine and becomes a true independent hero in her own unique way.
- Does Not Like Spam: One episode stated that Darbie doesn't like Jell-O.
- As a matter a fact, there's quite a bit of food Darbie doesn't like, and only eats because of the magic that comes with it.
Hailey is the older sister of Hannah, and the two have lived with each other for as long as they were alive. Hailey tends to boss Hannah around a lot, and constantly gets annoyed with her. However, despite their frequent arguments, Hailey and Hannah love each other very much and, as Hailey is her older sister, she cares a lot about Hannah's health. Although she rarely shows it, Hailey always wants to make sure her little sister is okay, and that she's never in danger. Hailey even loves to hang out with Hannah, but she rarely shows it. Hailey is a big fan of Trudith Winters.
The show also includes strong female protagonists who are intelligent, resourceful, and courageous. Apart from the magical elements, the series also tackles relatable real-life issues that young viewers can resonate with, such as friendship problems, family dynamics, and the ups and downs of growing up. It teaches valuable lessons about responsibility, determination, and the consequences of one's actions. The show has gained a considerable fanbase since its release and has received positive reviews for its engaging storytelling, well-developed characters, and entertaining mix of magic and adventure. It has also been praised for its diverse cast and its ability to tackle important themes in a relatable and accessible manner. Overall, Hannah Just Add Magic is a captivating and heartwarming series that combines the allure of magic with relatable coming-of-age experiences. It appeals to both young and older viewers and continues to captivate audiences with its charming blend of mystery, friendship, and enchantment..
Reviews for "The Allure of the Magical Portals in Hannah Just Add Magic"
1. Sarah - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "Hannah Just Add Magic." The storyline was predictable and cliché, and the characters were one-dimensional. It lacked the originality and depth that I was expecting from a show aimed at kids. The acting was subpar, and I couldn't relate to any of the characters. Overall, I found it to be a forgettable and uninspiring series.
2. Mark - 3/5 - "Hannah Just Add Magic" didn't live up to the hype for me. While the concept of magic recipes sounded intriguing, the execution fell flat. The pacing of the show was quite slow, and I found myself losing interest in the story. The dialogue was also lacking and felt forced at times. I think it had potential, but the execution and writing didn't deliver.
3. Jessica - 2/5 - I found "Hannah Just Add Magic" to be incredibly repetitive and formulaic. Each episode followed the same pattern, with the girls stumbling upon a recipe, solving a mystery, and then predictably using the magic recipe to save the day. It quickly became monotonous, and I lost interest in the show. The characters were also not very compelling, and I couldn't connect with any of them. Overall, I think it lacked originality and failed to captivate its audience.
4. Adam - 2/5 - I couldn't get past the cheesy and predictable storyline of "Hannah Just Add Magic." The plot was incredibly formulaic, and it felt like I had seen it all before. The acting was mediocre, and the special effects were underwhelming. I was really hoping for a more unique and engaging show, but unfortunately, it fell short. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a truly captivating and original series.
The Evolution of Characters in Hannah Just Add Magic: From Ordinary to Extraordinary