Coven Academy Review: The Craft Goes Full Disney In This Cheesy, Endearing & Surprisingly Charming Drama

Coven Academy throws magic, murder, and teenage chaos into a whirlwind that somehow makes its messy friendships the most enchanting part of the story.

Published Sep 30, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT

Rianna is the Movie News Editor for ScreenRant. After earning her BA in Film Studies, she began her career as an entertainment writer, contributing to several publications before joining ScreenRant. Her dissertation on the impact of streaming on traditional cinema sharpened her focus on the ever-evolving world of film and media. With 10 years in the industry, Rianna continues to cover the stories she loves while also advocating for awareness and representation of rare disabilities, such as Moebius Syndrome, which she lives with.

Mixing magic, murder, teenage hormones, and a love triangle brings you Disney's newest adventure, Coven Academy. In the new series, premiering on Freeform on October 1 and the next day on Disney+ and Hulu, the supernatural series shows Briar (played by Malina Weissman) taking on a whole new world that she seems to be thrust into in a whirlwind that almost gives you whiplash. As she struggles to come to terms with her mother's death, newfound powers, and a turbulent love triangle, the young witch faces her biggest challenge yet.

The series kicks off with an Olivia Rodrigo opening song that reminds the audience, yes, this is Disney, and no, they aren’t the least bit sorry about it. What might usually send a chill down a viewer’s spine instead serves as a deliberate callback, making it crystal clear exactly who the target audience is. One major point to note is that the series is anything but slow from the get-go, when the brief introduction shows a bloody vampire attack on three young girls. While it's subtle, the hint of the brutality is a welcome change from those who grew up with Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place.

Briar gets off the plane in New Orleans and doesn't realize her entire existence will change, but the news that she could be killed at any moment, has powers, and is enrolling in a high school built for witches isn't exactly a normal reaction for a teenage girl. Coven Academy follows the three teenage witches, including Briar, Sasha (played by Jordan Leftwich), and Tegan (played by Ora Duplass), as the elite magic boarding school is the least of their concerns, with forbidden love interests and a dark murder mystery looming on their doorstep.

The forbidden love triangle between Briar, Jake (played by Malachi Barton), and Ollie (played by Louis Thresher) begins almost instantly, and the raging hormones between all three, as well as the supernatural world, become a danger for all involved. Coven Academy also stars Tiffani Thiessen (known for 90210) as the glamorous yet mysterious head of the school, Miss Graves, with Hacks star Devon Sawa as the charismatic warlock professor, Mr. Cole.

Coven Academy's Supernatural World Becomes Secondary To The Friendships Formed

The supernatural series doesn’t shy away from the typical tropes often found in a show of this nature. However, what’s surprising is that the magical world Disney has created becomes almost entirely secondary to the true magic Coven Academy brings to the screen. The friendship and sisterhood between Briar, Sasha, and Tegan is the real heart of Disney’s series, portraying a flawed and messy friendship while highlighting how, despite their differences, they will always show up for one another.

Sasha’s initial hesitation toward Briar is entirely justified, given that the three are supposed to form a coven and a sisterhood, yet this new girl has suddenly been thrown into the mix and is clearly single-minded in her determination to solve a murder. Still, Sasha’s reaction feels like one of the more normal responses in a series that moves at such a breakneck pace that it can sometimes feel almost overwhelming for the average viewer.

Coven Academy throws magic, murder, and teenage chaos into a whirlwind that somehow makes its messy friendships the most enchanting part of the story.

Amid the multitude of twists and turns, one constant remains: the three witches continue to show up for one another as their relationship flourishes in spite of everything being thrown their way. Tegan’s instantly bubbly nature is particularly endearing, providing some much-needed respite from the darker storylines while also highlighting just how surprisingly dark the series can become for a Disney production.

While Briar and Sasha initially remain more stone-faced, their emotions are still carefully laid out, allowing the audience to gradually form an attachment to both characters. It may be difficult to break through their guarded personalities at first, but that only makes the moments when they finally let their walls down feel all the more meaningful.

Disney's Fast-Paced Formula Makes Coven Academy A Worthy Watch

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• Disney/David Astorga

Despite its obvious flaws and reliance on familiar clichés, the fast-paced chapters are refreshing, making Coven Academy season 1 incredibly easy to binge. It’s far from perfect or polished, yet there’s something oddly charming about the series, even with its cheesy dialogue and the supernatural stereotypes scattered throughout. While it may not become everyone’s favorite addition to the ever-growing Disney+ catalog, it will certainly appeal to viewers looking to scratch the itch left behind by shows such as Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Wizards of Waverly Place, as well as movies like Hocus Pocus.

Question 1 of 2

The final chapters of the first season feel even more fast-paced, packed with tension, intrigue, and just enough unanswered questions to leave you wanting more. While the opening episodes can feel confusing and somewhat messy, Coven Academy gradually finds its footing as viewers learn more about its characters and the world Tim Federle (known for High School Musical: The Musical: The Series) has created. By the time the season reaches its conclusion, the series has begun to feel far more confident in what it wants to be...even if it still has plenty of room to grow.

Coven Academy brings an impressive supernatural world to life, and while there has been no official announcement for season 2, it would feel like a waste of such a creative and inspiring setup if the series ended here. There are still plenty of storylines left open-ended, making a second season feel necessary to complete some of the stories that have only just begun. More importantly, these are the kinds of storylines I’ve been yearning to see either reach their conclusion or, at the very least, receive the deeper build-up they deserve.

With Briar, Tegan, and Sasha’s stories still far from finished, it seems entirely possible that Disney is far from done with Coven Academy and its delightfully endearing magical boarding school, Crescent Veil. If anything, the first season feels less like an ending and more like the beginning of something that could become even more magical.

The first nine chapters premiere October 1 on Freeform at 8 PM ET/PT, with Coven Academy season 1 fully debuting on Disney+, Hulu, and Freeform on Demand the following day.

Pros & Cons

• A charming young cast
• Perfectly entwined soundtrack
• Brings just enough intrigue to keep you going back
• Fast-paced episodes, perfect for bingewatchers