Web Series Wednesday – Juju: The Web Series

By: Spring Marie Cullen

WHAT? Juju: The Web Series

BY: Moon Ferguson

WHY SHOULD I WATCH?

Moon Ferguson grew up watching supernatural shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Charmed,” falling in love with the mix of magic and wit. However, she still longed to see someone who looked more like her on the screen. Juju: The Web Series is Ferguson’s way of changing the landscape of fantasy shows; telling stories and featuring black artists with the goal of opening the door for other diverse creators to get their own stories told and for young people of color to see themselves represented in one of the most popular genres of television today. There’s lots of magic and spirituality throughout African history that isn’t often touched upon in modern shows, but Ferguson is using it to weave into her characters’ stories in her own series.

When Ally (Cydni Jenkins) finally turns twenty-eight years old a centuries old curse is broken, unveiling the previously dormant powers of the series’ stars. Along with Ally, her best friends Yaya (Cassandra Borgella) and Gigi (Nedge Victome) are also thrown into this new world. As things around them start to change, they’re forced to deal with the reality of who they truly are. Luckily, Ada (Deirdra McDowell) was sent by the ancestors to protect them, help them master their newfound powers and introduce them to their new world. As their bodies, minds and souls change they only have each other to lean on.

The first season of Juju: The Web Series is strong. The actors have amazing chemistry and play off each other well, achieving that Halliwell sisters (“Charmed”) vibe right from the start. They’re all different, which leads to snarky one-liners at the others expense. However, their bold personalities also complement one another and they raise each other up throughout the episodes. The season’s arch is fascinating and I was thoroughly impressed by the timing and pacing of everything. The girls’ powers are introduced slowly and you can see everything from their confusion to their denial as they attempt to cope with the massive transformation in which they’re smack dab in the middle. The episodes are a good mix of mysterious and lighthearted, making each episode even more enjoyable than the last as the story unfolds.

As successful as the first season was the second promises to be even stronger. With plans to dive deeper into each lead’s lineage and specific culture, Season Two sounds incredibly promising. And the Juju team are currently fundraising to try and make that dream a reality. Their Seed and Spark campaign is currently ten percent of their production goal, so I urge fantasy fans to give this series a watch and throw whatever you can donate their way. Juju: The Web Series proves how much representation matters and I hope they get to keep telling their stories because they deserve to be told. I know I’ll definitely be watching.

WHERE CAN I WATCH? Episodes are available on YouTube.

Follow on Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jujuwebseries

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jujuwebseries/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jujuwebseries

Fundraiser: https://www.seedandspark.com/fund/jujuseasontwo#story