Picture this: the leaves are turning brown, and you’re curled up on the sofa, desperate for something to watch that will distract you from the beginning-of-university stress. Of course, Harry Potter (2001-2011) seems like the obvious choice for this type of autumn night, but why?  

The surface-level answer is that the franchise’s endearing, warm colour palette and cosy academic settings aptly encapsulate an ‘autumn aesthetic’. However, the true seasonal magic of the Harry Potter films lurks deeper than their visually appealing frames. The real cleverness of this film series attests to its skilful balance between childhood nostalgia and intense themes, ensuring so-called ‘Harry Potter Children’ graduate into ‘Harry Potter Adults’, thereby securing the franchise’s popularity across generations.  

Perhaps the most charming aspect of the films is their quintessential, childish British humour. Phrases like “bloody hell, Harry” and the unintentionally hilarious Wizard’s Chess scene from 2001’s The Philosopher’s Stone (I know you know it by heart) take us back to the hilarity of our school days. At the start of a busy university year, an immersion into the simpler days of childhood is a welcoming hug of relief and one that is sure to warm you from the cold weather.  

As well as evoking an enchanting back-to-school nostalgia, the Harry Potter films also secure their popularity among older generations by juxtaposing darker themes against these lighter moments. Fascism, warfare and discrimination are highly prevalent throughout, not to mention the extortionate amount of character deaths. Though these topics are intense for children, they allow us adults to fully appreciate the films’ emotional severity, allowing us to grasp their hidden depths that we didn’t quite understand as children. The films’ occasional gloominess also perfectly reflects the moody autumn weather and provides the best environment for a good cry about a certain character’s demise in The Order of the Phoenix (2007).  

It is safe to say the true magic of the Harry Potter films is its incredibly immersive balance between nostalgia and darkness. The films grow with us; they allow us to see beyond childhood’s rose-tinted glasses whilst allowing us to return to that if we so wish. Though this escapism often toes the fine line between comfort and distress, it ultimately serves as an engaging distraction from the busy start of a new semester, thus making Harry Potter the ideal autumnal watch.  

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