The Netflix Voltron reboot is everything you could possibly hope for.
DreamWorksVoltron Legendary Defenderis the show youve been waiting your whole life for.
Weve had the chance to watch the opening episode and it runs nearly the length of a TV movie.
On paper it might seem like the show is trying to do too much in its initial outing.
Thats the biggest strength of the opening episode.
Especially the characters humor.
This show is actually far funnier then youd expect it to be.
The comedy is very situational based thats organic to the story and the characters.
Its all summed up that when the team first forms Voltron, Hunk hilariously proclaims, Im a leg!
Its taken seriously, sure, but even he gets to have a few laughs.
That comedy warms us to the characters very quickly.
Lance is a ladies man without being creepy in the real world sense.
And oh boy, Coran.
Remember how in the original series Coran was just this kinda stuffy mentorish character to the original pilots?
Now hes completely overhauled.
Hes wacky and a clown shoes who thinks hes way cooler than he actually is.
Not everything has shades of humor, however.
The villain characters are deadly serious, with Emperor Zarkon being particularly threatening.
Speaking of actors, this cast is perfect.
There is not a bad or miscast actor in the bunch.
Oh yeah,Voltronalso has a ton of great action.
This should be no surprise, coming from theLegend of Korrateam.
Our characters get involved in quite a few hand to hand fights that are varied and complex.
If youve checked outthe bios on Voltron.com, youve noticed the characters all have some kind of hand weapon.
Sure, piloting the lions is super cool.
But lets not undersell those giant Lion fights.
Voltron is a lean mean fighting machine.
So, the show is able to cover your mecha needs solidly.
What about if youre a classicVoltronfan?
Is this show going to deliver?
Well, it depends on how die hard you are.Legendary Defenderisnt concerned with making references to the past.
There isnt a single moment where they stop to make some kind of reference only dedicated fans will know.
It captures the spirit of the original series without being beholden to it.
Which is all the better.
You know, the whole, dynotherms connected thing.
To that I have to say, Really?
Thats what youre getting bent out of shape about?
Not the changes in characters or backstory?
Its the fact they dont say, Infracells up!
Sven, now Shiro, doesnt have a Swedish accent because there was no need for it.
Pidge doesnt sound like a muppet because, shocker, that makes him less relatable as a human being.
The distinctive formation sequence isnt there because… who cares if a mega thruster is go?
Thats been the problem with all the other incarnations ofVoltronand why they havent caught on.
They were too concerned about paying homage to the old series without trying to be something completely new.
I know after loving the hell out of this premiere Im interested in checking out the old show.
If the series were too stuck in the past, it would stay there.
Its embracing that delightful mix of sci-fi and fantasy thatStar Warshas brought back into the popular consciousness.
Its everything Ive wanted out of television.
Not just kids TV, but television in general.
Its got an incredible lore and fun characters that make the action scenes feel all the more powerful.
Basically, itsGame of Thronesbut better.
Yeah, I went there.
Also, it doesnt have the problem nearly all of your favorite geeky properties do.
That being the you have to wait for it to get good!
When the show drops June 10thon Netlflix, check out the opening episode if youre skeptical.
Itll blow you away.
The show has such a great energy to it and that comes from the cast and crew.
They have a real pride for it.
Theyre all ecstatic the series is finally seeing the light of day after working on it for so long.
Even the people behind the marketing are jazzed.
This isnt just a job for them.
Thats what Ill be doing when the show drops for sure.Voltronlives up to the hype.
Its your new favorite show.
Youll fall in love.
And oh yeah, the Space Mice are back and they are amazing.
Want Legendary Defender?
Check out our interviews with theexecutive producersand our chat with the actresses forAllura and Pidge!
Rating:
5 out of 5
