# The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022)

> The son of a notorious witch, caught between two warring clans, struggles to find his place in the world and his powers.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/131839

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 8
- Episode runtime: 50 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: fantasy, action, drama
- Created by: Joe Barton
- Network: Netflix
- Cast: Jay Lycurgo, Nadia Parkes, Paul Ready, Isobel Jesper Jones, Karen Connell, Fehinti Balogun, Kerry Fox, Franc Ashman
- TMDB rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13649396/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: graphic
- Tone: dark, gritty, propulsive, brutal

## What critics say

Audience reception is mixed-to-positive on a small sample, with the single season rated modestly for its fantasy premise and coming-of-age story.

## Synopsis

The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022) is a British fantasy series created by Joe Barton for Netflix. Jay Lycurgo plays Nathan, the son of a notorious witch responsible for a deadly massacre, who is caught between two warring clans and tries to find his place in the world and his powers. Nadia Parkes plays Annalise and Paul Ready plays Soul, with Kerry Fox as Esmie among the principal supporting players. The engine of the series is Nathan's struggle to master his unruly magic while navigating the suspicion, loyalty and hostility of each clan, with every episode pushing him deeper into a conflict he did not start. The single season runs eight episodes of roughly fifty minutes each, a continuing story rather than a case-of-the-week format. It is set in a fantasy realm of rival factions, rendered with bloody, unflinching brutality and adult content in keeping with its TV-MA rating. Its tone is dark, gritty and propulsive, with coming-of-age vulnerability running beneath the violence. Fans of The Witcher and The Shannara Chronicles will find resonance in its blend of magic, factional strife and a reluctant young hero. The series was canceled after its first season, leaving its central story unfinished.

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