It's me. Hi. As someone who watches WAY too much TV, I always find it important to share when I've found a show that I really love that seems to be pretty underrated. So, that brings me to this post, where I need to talk about Netflix's Warrior Nun.
I recently binge-watched both seasons of the series in three days, after devoted fans on Twitter were telling me it would be so extremely my vibe, and they weren't wrong. The show's second season also has a rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, so the people who have found the show are really digging it.
So, to celebrate this incredible show, here are 17 reasons why Warrior Nun needs to be your next binge-watch:
There are only some mild spoilers ahead. I've gotta get you to watch it somehow, LOL.
1. First, Warrior Nun follows Ava, an orphaned teen who suddenly wakes up from the dead after a holy artifact gives her supernatural abilities and literally saves her life. Soon, she becomes the unwilling champion of a secret, centuries-old group of demon-fighting nuns. Yes, it is as cool as it sounds.
2. Behind the scenes, the series was adapted from Ben Dunn's Warrior Nun Areala comics by Simon Barry, who has worked on shows like Van Helsing, Ghost Wars, Continuum, and more. Speaking about what inspired Warrior Nun, he told Uproxx in 2020, "I really liked the idea that we could do this feminist superhero show that had its mythology rooted in a little bit of the typical good, evil, heaven and hell, angels and demons."
3. Like any show, Season 1 uses a lot of the episodes to really get audiences up to speed on this world, which includes the Order of the Cruciform Sword and the Halo, the artifact that is now embedded in Ava's back and gives her powers. So, Season 1 can be a little uneven at times, but once the show leans into its strengths, it's a perfect Netflix fantasy series.
4. I'm someone who is all about giving a show time to grow into itself, and Warrior Nun is one that does it perfectly. While Season 1 has great moments that'll make you fall in love with these characters, it's Season 2 that really harnesses some powerful storytelling while leaning into the incredible ensemble the show has assembled.
5. In terms of cast, Alba Baptista, in her first English-language series, leads a team of amazing up-and-coming and diverse talent, including Kristina Tonteri-Young, Lorena Andrea, Meena Rayann, Toya Turner, Olivia Delcán, Jack Mullarkey, and more.
6. Aside from the younger cast, the series also showcases some amazing established international talent, including Sylvia De Fanti, Tristán Ulloa, William Miller, Thekla Reuten, Joaquim de Almeida, and many more.
7. I could really give an entire TED Talk about how amazing Alba Baptista is as Ava on this show, but I'll keep things short and sweet here. From the start, she portrays Ava with such charisma and toughness, it's hard not to immediately fall in love with the character, which is important considering she's the lead.
8. I don't want to give too much away, but over the course of both seasons, Ava's character growth is already substantial, as she learns to trust others and fulfill this destiny that has now been thrust upon her. She deserves to be added to the list of characters like Buffy Summers and Wynonna Earp, which is high praise in my book.
9. Going hand-in-hand with Alba's performance is her chemistry with Kristina Tonteri-Young as Sister Beatrice. While Season 1 showcases Ava and Bea's bond, it's Season 2 that really amplifies the emphasis on Alba and Kristina's natural chemistry together.
10. The duo creates some of the best moments from the show, and it's once again refreshing to see an LGBTQ+ romance take center stage in a fantasy series.
11. In fact, the chemistry between all of the actors is so good, it makes every pairing of characters perfect. Outside of romantic relationships, the friendships between the Order of the Cruciform Sword members helps highlight the importance of showcasing friendships in fantasy stories as well.
12. What's refreshing is although Warrior Nun boasts a pretty big ensemble, each character feels incredibly fleshed out, especially in Season 2. It's great to watch characters who are complex and don't necessarily see the world in black and white up against the Catholic church setting for the series.
13. Speaking of setting, the show is filmed throughout Spain, which gives it some of the most gorgeous sweeping landscapes that help the storylines and setting feel epic. It reminds me a lot of how Killing Eve utilized filming on location extremely well.
14. If action sequences are your thing, Warrior Nun is filled with them, especially in Season 2. The stunt team behind the show really deserves a round of applause, as well as the cinematography team and the directors, because their ability to put you into the middle of the action is incredible.
15. I hate that I even have to say this, but at a time when LGBTQ+-centered TV shows are being canceled so often — in 2022 alone, we lost The Wilds, Batwoman, Legends of Tomorrow, First Kill, Gentleman Jack, and more — spending some time to binge-watch a show like Warrior Nun is so important for showing that these stories on TV matter. Representation matters.
16. So, is Warrior Nun perfect from minute one of the pilot? No, it's not. But as I've said before, LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and even female-driven shows should not seemingly be held to a much higher standard and have to be perfect right at the start in order to ensure a renewal. Give a show time to grow, let them be campy and fun. That should be enough.
17. Finally, if everything above isn't enough to convince you, then how about if I say that Warrior Nun has a similar vibe to Buffy the Vampire Slayer mixed with some of the brilliant storytelling and re-inventing of Catholicism stories like Netflix's Midnight Mass.
