GameSpot gave Willow an 8 after two episodes. Disney later deleted the entire show.
The Original Review
“Willow makes a strong first impression, recapturing the spirit of the 1988 film while passing the torch to a new generation of adventurers.”
First of all, this is a review of TWO episodes. Two. Out of eight. GameSpot slapped an 8/10 on a season of television after watching 25% of it, which is like a home inspector signing off on a house because the doormat seemed sturdy. 'Strong first impression' is not a review, it's a horoscope. You don't get to grade the whole meal off the complimentary bread and then act surprised when the entree is a live raccoon.
Second of all — and I need everyone to sit down for this part — the show no longer exists. Disney cancelled Willow after one season and then REMOVED IT FROM DISNEY+ ENTIRELY as a tax write-off. Deleted. Gone. GameSpot's 8/10 now points at an empty shelf like a price tag for a product that was recalled, incinerated, and legally declared a business expense. I marched up to the customer service desk holding this review as my receipt, and the manager informed me the item was never technically stocked. I have been on hold with the Mouse ever since.
Let's check what's actually in this bag, because I always check the bag. 'Off to a promising start.' 'Feels like coming home.' Sir, you reviewed a handshake. Every sentence grades potential, not product — the pacing concerns get a polite nod and then it's straight back to nostalgia, like a car salesman waving you past the check-engine light because the cupholders remind you of your childhood. An 8/10 goes on the box, the box turns out to be empty, and GameSpot never issues a correction, an update, or so much as a shrug. That's not criticism, that's a store credit policy written in crayon.
So here's my question, the only question, the question this review never once asks: does it actually WORK? Can a viewer, today, use this 8/10 to watch this show? No. They cannot. GameSpot achieved the rarest feat in criticism — a review with a longer shelf life than the product, a glowing recommendation for an item that was repossessed by its own manufacturer. I want a refund on this opinion, and I am absolutely leaving a review of my experience. It's this one. One out of ten. But does it actually WORK?


