The Lion Guard (Season one)
May. 7th, 2016 03:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
When Disney first announced The Lion Guard, no one thought it would be good. People billed it as The Avengers in the Pridelands (which, considering that statement now, wouldn't that be a good thing?). People said it would ruin Lion King. People said it would be awful and not worth watching.
They were all wrong.
Though aimed at preschoolers, I've very much enjoyed all 13 episodes of the show's first season. While a couple fell a little flat for me, even then I still more enjoyed the episode than not, and there were many more episodes that I loved than didn't work for me.
The show wasn't 100% perfect for an adult viewer -- how could it be, when the target audience are preschool kids? But I was surprised at how much enjoyable-to-adults stuff Disney was able to include. Also, I liked all of the characters except one (I bet that one was the most popular with preschool kids).
Everything about the show was believable as happening in the Lion King world.
Every episode had at least one song, and most of them were a big addition to the episode, only twice did I wish they had not included the chosen song.
My favorite song was We're the Same (Sisi ni Sawa), which also happens to come from my favorite episode, one that told us that in the Lion King world, not all hyenas are evil. The song:
In the beginning of the series, I really disliked the new hyena design. I assume they changed them to make them less scary for the young viewers. However, by the end of the season, I didn't even notice it anymore.
One thing that I didn't like and only grew worse as the season went on, was that each animal character had a catchphrase, but it was in some African language. Catchphrases never work for me in general.
There was an odd thing about the show's canon -- the non-main character animals were sometimes just "dumb animals" and other times could speak/were as intelligent as the main characters. So in one episode the zebras grazing in the background might act like normal animals, and in the next episode they'd talk between themselves and to the main characters. In one episode, there was a big plot about antelope migrating, and all of them spoke and had opinions through the whole event, then the next episode some antelope were stuck in a mudhole and never spoke and couldn't seem to help themselves escape, the main characters had to physically pull them out and yell at them to try to direct them.
Unfortunately the last episode was all about the character I disliked (and now hate). Bunga, the honey badger. He's one of those "so stupid he's (supposedly) funny" characters. Incredibly annoying, though I suspect little kids like him best. I'd like to run him over with a lawnmower. Add in that Timon and Pumbaa were guest stars in the episode, and it was by far my least favorite of them all. Sad note to end the season on for me, but as I'm in the minority opinion on Timon and Pumbaa, other people might think it's ending on a high note.
All in all, I really enjoyed this show, and I can't wait for season two!
If you don't get the Disney Junior channel, or would rather watch it online, you can view the whole thing here.
They were all wrong.
Though aimed at preschoolers, I've very much enjoyed all 13 episodes of the show's first season. While a couple fell a little flat for me, even then I still more enjoyed the episode than not, and there were many more episodes that I loved than didn't work for me.
The show wasn't 100% perfect for an adult viewer -- how could it be, when the target audience are preschool kids? But I was surprised at how much enjoyable-to-adults stuff Disney was able to include. Also, I liked all of the characters except one (I bet that one was the most popular with preschool kids).
Everything about the show was believable as happening in the Lion King world.
Every episode had at least one song, and most of them were a big addition to the episode, only twice did I wish they had not included the chosen song.
My favorite song was We're the Same (Sisi ni Sawa), which also happens to come from my favorite episode, one that told us that in the Lion King world, not all hyenas are evil. The song:
In the beginning of the series, I really disliked the new hyena design. I assume they changed them to make them less scary for the young viewers. However, by the end of the season, I didn't even notice it anymore.
One thing that I didn't like and only grew worse as the season went on, was that each animal character had a catchphrase, but it was in some African language. Catchphrases never work for me in general.
There was an odd thing about the show's canon -- the non-main character animals were sometimes just "dumb animals" and other times could speak/were as intelligent as the main characters. So in one episode the zebras grazing in the background might act like normal animals, and in the next episode they'd talk between themselves and to the main characters. In one episode, there was a big plot about antelope migrating, and all of them spoke and had opinions through the whole event, then the next episode some antelope were stuck in a mudhole and never spoke and couldn't seem to help themselves escape, the main characters had to physically pull them out and yell at them to try to direct them.
Unfortunately the last episode was all about the character I disliked (and now hate). Bunga, the honey badger. He's one of those "so stupid he's (supposedly) funny" characters. Incredibly annoying, though I suspect little kids like him best. I'd like to run him over with a lawnmower. Add in that Timon and Pumbaa were guest stars in the episode, and it was by far my least favorite of them all. Sad note to end the season on for me, but as I'm in the minority opinion on Timon and Pumbaa, other people might think it's ending on a high note.
All in all, I really enjoyed this show, and I can't wait for season two!
If you don't get the Disney Junior channel, or would rather watch it online, you can view the whole thing here.
no subject
Date: 2020-07-13 03:15 am (UTC)Did you watch seasons 2-4 also? how was that?
no subject
Date: 2020-07-13 04:05 am (UTC)I can't remember the details of most of the storylines, but I believe there weren't any that I was unsatisfied with (except a couple story-of-the-week minor ones).
Hmm I wonder if the honey badger stands on two legs so kids will identify with him even more?
no subject
Date: 2020-07-13 11:58 am (UTC)I like the idea that the characters continue growing! So many programs for kids characters just stay static
no subject
Date: 2020-07-14 12:07 am (UTC)Okay, wow. Apparently I never watched the last ep (and maybe the one before that). I was trying to see if there was going to be a season four or not. (Couldn't find an answer to that.)
Edit: Wow, apparently I missed the whole second half of season three. Well, lots of new eps to watch at least!
no subject
Date: 2020-07-18 10:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-07-18 10:55 pm (UTC)I wish I had had the option of fast forwarding though the songs. Sometimes they were important to the plot (rare), sometimes I didn't mind listening to them (even more rare) but most of the time it was just filler I tuned out.
I'm glad you're enjoying it so far!