5 animated shows worth catching up on
With the amount of television available at our fingertips, it’s nearly impossible to stay on top of every new series as it premieres. For animation fans looking to add new or new-to-you shows to your streaming queue, the latest gems include a cozy spin-off of a beloved show and gateway horror from one of the best-known filmmakers in the genre. The target audiences of the titles below range from preschoolers to teens, but in this reporter’s humble opinion, they are all worth checking out at any age (as long as you are old enough to have navigated to this article on your own).
‘Fright Krewe’ (Hulu, Peacock)
Just in time for spooky Halloween season, DreamWorks Animation has dropped a new horror series this week aimed at (slightly older) kids that’s created by horror auteur Eli Roth and YA author James Frey. Set in New Orleans, “Fright Krewe” follows a group of teens who are bestowed supernatural powers after accidentally releasing an unspeakably evil demon back into the world. They soon learn that the various creatures from their local legends are not only real but they also live among them. Of course, for at least one of our teen heroes, that discovery is not as horrifying as the thought of being seen in public with their new crew. The mysteries and mythologies within the show’s world are plenty engaging, but it’s the show’s core characters that are the main draw. The series is a solid choice for anybody who enjoys seeing the metaphorical horrors of our teenage experiences be manifested into actual monsters.
Executive producer Matthew A. Cherry discusses ‘Young Love,’ the animated Max series that follows the family from his Oscar-winning animated short ‘Hair Love.’
‘Jessica’s Big Little World’ (Cartoon Network; Max)
One of the many highlights of “Craig of the Creek” is the way the series captures the magical way kids can see the world around them as they play. That the show’s spin-off, “Jessica’s Big Little World,” carries on this signature trait in its own style is a welcome delight. The new Cartoon Network series follows Jessica, Craig’s capable younger sister, as she aspires to be a big kid like her older brothers. Each episode offers clear lessons and encouragement geared toward the show’s younger audience, but they’re good reminders for older viewers too. Are we ever really too old to appreciate a gentle and whimsical family show that also features the occasional banger about things like bedtime routines? “Jessica’s Big Little World” is now on Cartoon Network and hits Max on Oct. 7.
‘Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire’ (Disney+)
A 10-part anthology series, “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire” is a vibrant collection of Afrofuturistic stories inspired by the mythologies, histories and perspectives of its African animators. Produced by Triggerfish (a studio that also created a short for Season 2 of the standout “Star Wars: Visions”), each vignette offers a distinct take on a future that blends different elements such as aliens, cultural traditions, spirits and even time travel. The possibilities of science fiction and fantasy stories should be endless, but oftentimes the most mainstream TV shows and movies in these spaces share a similar aesthetics. That’s not an issue in “Kizazi Moto,” which premiered in July.
‘Mech Cadets’ (Netflix)
This one is for the action and sci-fi buffs. An adaptation of a comic book series by Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa, “Mech Cadets” is set in a future where teenagers train at an elite military academy for the chance to become pilot partners of giant alien robots to help defend Earth. The Netflix series follows Stanford Yu, a young janitor who is given an unexpected chance to follow his dreams when he bonds with a stray sentient mech he names Buddy. An action series with coming-of-age themes, the show at its core is about being true to who you are and who you want to be. It also touches on some weightier themes such as grief, duty, expectations and doing the right thing. The first season of “Mech Cadets,” which hit the streamer in August, also features rivalries, romance and mysterious alien invaders.
‘My Adventures With Superman’ (Adult Swim, Max)
Yes, there have been plenty of Superman adaptations, but this coming-of-age version of his origin story is a standout. “My Adventures With Superman,” which launched in July, features an awkward, earnest and kind Clark Kent who is a new newspaper intern and budding superhero. Whether this version will stray from Kal-El’s familiar backstory is yet to be seen, but what helps this series soar is the friendship among the show’s core trio — Clark, Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane. While their place in the Superman canon is also well known, this Jimmy and Lois are more than just Superman’s pal and gal sidekicks. While Clark is still trying to figure out his place in the world (and why he has superpowers), Lois and Jimmy are similarly trying to figure out how to become the people they want to be. For those more interested in the show’s superhero bona-fides, rest assured that the series includes big action, mysterious government agents, alien technology and even an evil tech-savvy billionaire.
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