Season 1
25 episodes Nov 20, 2018 8.5
Overview
Imaginative boy Ben transforms his city by bringing colorful street art to life, armed with a magic paintbrush -- and the classic sounds of Motown.
Seasons
2 listed- Status
- Returning Series
- Seasons
- 2 seasons
- Episodes
- 51 episodes
- First aired
- Nov 20, 2018
- Last aired
- Sep 28, 2019
- Episode length
- 15m
- Network
- Netflix
Latest episode: S2 E26 Episode 26 (Sep 28, 2019)
Season 2
26 episodes Apr 6, 2019
Reviews
4 min readPaint, Song, and the Quiet Rebellion of Childhood
I’ve been thinking about Motown Magic for days—not because it’s some towering achievement in animation, but because it does something so simple and so rare: it trusts children to feel the weight of music before they understand the words. That’s not nothing. In fact, it might be everything.
The premise is straightforward enough. Ben, a young boy in a city that looks like Detroit if it were dipped in a crayon box, discovers a magic paintbrush that brings street art to life. A mural of a dancing couple steps off the wall when he traces their outline; a spray-painted dragon unfurls its wings and takes flight.
The catch? Every transformation is set to a classic Motown song. The Temptations’ “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” accompanies a chase scene; Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” underscores a moment of quiet reflection.
The music isn’t just background noise—it’s the engine of the story, the emotional shorthand that lets the show skip past exposition and land straight in the heart.
What’s striking about Motown Magic is how little it talks down to its audience. There’s no condescension in the way it handles its themes—community, creativity, the power of art to transform not just spaces but people. The show doesn’t explain why a song like “Dancing in the Street” makes Ben’s neighborhood feel alive; it just lets the music do the work.
Audience Opinions
Audience 6.5/10
"A colorful, music-filled animated series that charms younger audiences but struggles to stand out for older viewers."
The series wins praise for its vibrant animation and nostalgic Motown soundtrack, which many find engaging and fun for kids. latestnetflix.com's view is that however, some viewers note the storytelling feels simplistic and lacks depth, making it less appealing for adults or those seeking more complex narratives.
What viewers praise
- Vibrant animation The visual style is frequently described as bright, colorful, and appealing to younger audiences.
- Nostalgic Motown soundtrack The use of classic Motown songs is a highlight, adding energy and familiarity to the series.
- Kid-friendly appeal Younger viewers enjoy the simple, upbeat storytelling and musical elements.
Common complaints
- Simplistic storytelling The plot and character development are often seen as too basic, lacking depth for older audiences.
- Limited adult appeal Older viewers and parents find the series less engaging due to its straightforward, child-focused approach.
Recommended for
Young children Motown music fans Parents seeking kid-friendly content Animation lovers
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsHe already spent his own money. Then he told Smokey he would scrap the show.
Josh Wakely had already won a Daytime Emmy for Beat Bugs, the Netflix insect cartoon built on Beatles songs. He did not need another series. Rolling Stone found him in 2018 still talking like a man who would walk. "The Beatles' catalog is legendarily hard to get. But Motown it turns out is a little harder." He also did not initially have Stevie Wonder's songs. "So we had to go get his blessing." And he had already spent a bunch of his own money. He told Rolling Stone he would not do the show unless Smokey Robinson signed on. latestnetflix.com's take is that Robinson sat down, watched animation, hugged him, and said, "This really matters to me."He took the job of executive music producer. 
Wakely's pitch, from a 2016 New York Times interview while the show was still untitled, was "Banksy for children as done by Pixar." Eight-year-old Ben Love finds a magic paintbrush and walks into the street art of a fictional city called Motown. Avia Fields voices Ben. Marissa Buccianti voices little sister Ella. Wikipedia lists 51 episodes across two seasons, about 15 minutes each except the half-hour opener, from Grace, a Storytelling Company, Beyond Entertainment, Polygram Entertainment, EMI, and Sony/ATV. Netflix dropped season 1 worldwide on 20 November 2018. Season 2 arrived 28 June 2019. IMDb's trivia line calls it Netflix's first animated series from Australia. It also ran on 7TWO there. , , 
The Jackson 5 song he kept naming.
Wakely told Billboard the idea started every time someone asked him for the best song ever written for children. His answer was the Jackson 5's "ABC." Eleven-year-old Zacary James of the Melisizwe Brothers sings the theme with the cast. Melodia/Motown Records put out a 13-song soundtrack on 16 November 2018. Smokey recut "My Girl" and "I'll Be Doggone." Becky G took "For Once in My Life." Ne-Yo did "Superstition." BJ the Chicago Kid, Skylar Grey, Calum Scott, and Trombone Shorty filled other slots. In the Capitol studio, Don Was, Ray Parker Jr., and Michael Bearden, once musical director for Michael Jackson, rebuilt the tracks from original sessions. When they got lost on a chord in "You Really Got a Hold on Me," Wakely turned to Smokey, who had written the song more than 50 years earlier. "I was wondering when you guys were going to ask me!" ,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26a5I7dvi5I
Netflix Jr posted the official trailer a week before launch. Ben, the brush, the murals, the covers. Common Sense Media later scored the first season 5 out of 5 for self-confidence. There was no season 3. Two drops, 51 shorts, a hug from Smokey, and a catalog that almost did not clear. , ,
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.