WesternAnimation Watch Four Episodes Before You Judge It...
The Secret Saturdays is one of those shows that will grow on you. I saw a few episodes and thought it was decent, but didn't really feel like getting into it back when it was on Cartoon Network. Recently I started watching it again on Boomerang and really got into it. Each episode is packed with action, and there's a ton of witty one-liners. The plot manages to throw a major curve ball now and then, both on a show-wide scale, and per episode. It's also really easy to feel bad for the Saturdays considering they're a family in a highly dangerous business, and there's plenty of heartwarming moments that show how deeply they care for each other. Also, Argost is one of the creepiest villains I know of besides Slade. His insect motif really makes him a villain that you'll love to hate.
When it comes to flaws, some noticeable ones are that there's basically no romance, the art is really only so-so and the pacing is a little too fast. Also, the fanbase is very small so if you get attached, there really aren't that many fan materials to ease the pain.
It's definitely worth watching though, if only for the fact it's one of the only adventure shows that doesn't have Parental Abandonment in play and still works. Overall, at least an 8/10.
WesternAnimation Worth Your Time (Please Watch This Show)
First, the cons: The Secret Saturdays is deserving of its Red-Headed Stepchild status, because the premise is honestly just a little out-there. The shots that it tries to achieve are far too ambitious for its TV budget, the writing is too subtle for its intended age demographic, and my conspiracy theory is that their second season was intended to last 26 episodes but they were forced to squeeze the plot into 10. There's an awkward forced romance that I'm almost sure was Executive Meddling, and the voice acting oscillates between stellar and questionable.
Now for the pros: The Secret Saturdays has some of the best writing I've ever seen in this medium, bar none. The jokes and banter that fell flat for its target audience are wonderfully witty if you're watching it as a late teen or young adult; the character writing is absolutely stellar - even minor characters feel fleshed-out, not to mention the arcs undertaken by the main cast. This show has the best usage of a Foil that I've ever seen, not only in children's media, but in anything I've ever watched. And the plot...even if you can predict the major twists, I guarantee something will catch you off-guard.
On a more meta level, the Genius Bonus and Shown Their Work is incredible - of the dozens of cryptids that appear on the show, maybe two of them aren't based on a real-life cryptid/mythological creature/prehistoric animal. There are references to extremely esoteric myths or historical locales, including Kumari Kandam, the Library of Alexandria, Tetzcatlipoca...the list goes on. The show is no slouch in the representation department, either, featuring a First Nations character, a character in hijab, and a mixed-race protagonist. All this without crowing about its achievements - it doesn't pat itself on the back for being so diverse; it simply presents the diversity as if it's a matter of course.
Finally, the show doesn't pull its punches, nor does it talk down to the audience. The writers are aware of the tropes of the genre, and it's interesting to see the small ways they subvert them, almost always in the service of greater themes or characterization. The characters aren't just smart because the plot tells you so, they're smart because they do smart things. The villain isn't dangerous and cunning because the characters say he is, he's dangerous and cunning because he's actively winning against the protagonists, scheming to be one step ahead. It's a show that asks you to think, to step outside your comfort zone. This show is excited about history and diversity and mythology and science, and it asks you to be excited, too.
It's definitely not a show for everyone, and the flaws it does have may genuinely render it hard to watch. However, if you're looking for a character-driven, plot-heavy cartoon to binge, there's hardly anything I recommend more.