Skylanders Academy

I ain't a spring chicken, and next to grueling work my free time is limited. So I don't re-watch shows often. Amongst movies and series that I have re-watched more than twice are the likes of Better Off Ted, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, Hot Fuzz and Transformers Animated. But Skylanders Academy came, and I found myself watching it for the third time just last month. And the show only came out half a year ago! Heck, I subscribed to Netflix for a month just to watch it. If you never heard about Skylanders - don't worry. While I love the games, knowing about the universe isn't required for you to enjoy the show. Everything will be explained, the rest are nice easter eggs for us fans. The core characters are expertly chosen - we have the cocky and self-assured dragon Spyro, playful but top of her class Stealth Elf, stickler for rules veteran Jet Vac, dependable but easily angered Eruptor and slightly loopy Pop Fizz. Rounding up the cast are the wise yet quirky Master Eon and his faithful assistant Hugo, and on the villain side, the ever-plotting wannabee supervillain Kaos and his long-suffering butler Glumshanks. Each episode is expertly written and while moving along the main plot, devotes an equal amount of time for a one-episode story and character development. The humor is excellent and has its own style - it isn't typical slapstick or lowbrow stuff you would expect from many kids' cartoon. For example, Kaos berates Glumshanks for collecting colorful stones which are actually his anxiety medication. Or the whole episode dedicated to how a without his beard, Eon cannot hold the attention of anyone for his rousing speeches - when Kaos's spell ends up transplanting the beard as the bald Portal Master's new hair. I honestly can't wait for the second season, and hope that the show comes out on DVD/BR, as this is a series I want to own as a hard-copy.

I will admit first and foremost that while I personally have never played a Skylanders video game, I have played some of the older Playstation titles that some characters that appear in this show originate from.

So with this small knowledge of what the games are like, combined with the knowledge that most of Netflix's previous shows (even those made for kids) have been pretty decent in the past, I approached this cartoon with middle of the road expectations.

The first episode stole my interest right off the bat with some legitimately funny jokes, a musical earworm of a theme song and fantastic animation. At first the characters appear rather ordinary and uncomplex, but over the course of the show we learn more and more about them and they become far more compelling to watch.

After looking into the backgrounds of the creators; voice actors and writers of this show, it's obvious a lot of talented people have come into this show from all sorts of backgrounds, and that talent is not misguided or inappropriate, it all works in creating a special kind of animated children show that's elevated way above the level of quality we usually come to expect. Highly recommended.

Can't actually believe there won't be a series 4. Myself & my 8 year old son have really enjoyed watching this together. As well as been visually beautiful the storylines & characters were very enjoyable. Shame.

This Show Is A Masterpiece I Like All The Character I Like The Story I Like The Dialogue And The Sinario Of This Show And It's So Disappointing To See This Show Not So Famous Thanks Gives To all The Actor And The Crow👌🏻🔥

Why can't there be a season 4 i love the episodes it never gets boring and I hate how left it on a cliffhanger I want to know what happens please.my sisters love it my dog even watches it I really want a season 4 it will be amazing you could look up skylanders on tick-tock and find the comments asking for a season 4. Why was it cancelled Please add a season 4 in I don't care how long it tackes to make I just want a season 4 please and trust me I went mad when I went through every episode and found out that there isn't a season 4.you could add spyros parents in season 4 as well I love the game. Please season 4.