Netflix's Voltron: Legendary Defender

I finished up the second season of Netflix and DreamWorks re-vamp of the 1980's cartoon series. If you've been without internet for the last year and a half, welcome back. Now go watch this show.

Why?

To the review.

First, a little background. I'm a fan of superheroes, a fan of sci-fi action, and I'm old enough to have some nostalgia for the old Voltron cartoon. (You're all shocked, I'm sure.) So I'm in the ten ring of the audience for a reboot.

My daughter is also a fan of superheroes, sci-fi action, and cartoons. (Can't imagine where she got it.) 

DreamWorks gave a us a show we can watch together. And despite the fact that it's generally marketed as a kids show, they did it right.

Pros

One of the problems with the original show is the budget. There's a lot of stock footage, some ah...problematic voice acting, and some of the action shots were done in simple line work to save money.

The new show did not skimp. 

The voice acting is top notch. I cannot think of a single voice actor that does a bad job. The art is bright and clean, with clear references from Japanese anime in the character designs and faces. (This is a good thing). Characters are archetypal and color coded for easy identification. The alien character designs are less scary and more cuddly. And with the exception of the obligatory Voltron transformation sequence, very little art is recycled. 

The writing is top notch. DreamWorks hit the sweet spot between slapstick kid's show and grittier Battlestar-style space opera. The show is clean, mostly bloodless, and maintains a sense of humor that younger viewers can enjoy. 

But, the action is also constant. There are large-scale ship battles, gladiatorial combats, knife fights, Mission-Impossible-esque infiltrations, and of course giant robot versus space monster. Ships explode, a couple characters are electrocuted, one loses a hand, and some characters die. Nearly all the more gruesome elements are handled off screen, but the emotional impact remains. 

All the major characters have multiple facets to them. The main characters try, fail, learn, grow, and become the leaders and heroes you want to see them become. Tragedy isn't wasted, but is the motivation for future success. 

Cons

Um....the music is not that memorable.

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You're still here? It's over. Go home.

Conclusion

  

This is a great show for sci-fi fans of any age. I cannot say enough good things about it. Looking forward to Season 3 when it hits in a few days.