#D:TNR review

[flowers-for-flamingos]

As I Promised: Dragons: the nine realms review

Episode 1: First Flight Part 1

Let me get over the big hills here before diving into the actual show.

1. The animation is kinda so so, I’ll admit but so has every single Dragons show based on this franchise ever. You guys remember Riders and Defenders right? Bushy eyebrow Hiccup still haunts my dreams sometimes.

Now some of you might be thinking about Trollhunters and the absolutely gorgeous animation for that show and movie, but this isn’t Trollhunters. It hasn’t taken almost a decade to create. I will assume that as the show progresses so does the animation (and you get used to it as you watch) and this will probably be the only time I bring it up (as an future animation artist it hurts me but can’t really do anything for it)

2. I have watched all the episodes already, so this isn’t an episode by episode blind react to the introduction of these knew characters, but I will do my best to tell you what I first thought of them and my opinion on them as we continue to get more info about them. I will tell you right now I like all of them, even if my first impression of them started out a bit rocky. There will be spoilers for the whole season in these reviews, so if you want to watch it for yourself before coming back go ahead.

So without further ado let’s begin...

So the very first thing we see in this whole show is what appears to be Hiccup’s sketch book. There’s the nightfury emblem on the cover and other sketches of each of the dragons. I’m hoping that someone has Hiccups sketches and notes as well as the Book or Dragons somewhere and hopefully the new gang get a chance to use it for guidance.

Okay, I kind of like the character design for Tom, he looks like what a descendent of Hiccup and Astrid would look like and his mom looks like Heather and Ruffnut mixed together. I’ve seen a lot of people complain that Tom is boring and bland as a main character and in some instances, yeah I can see it. But I don’t think he’s overall bland. He’s a kid that loves adventure and exploring, but also understands that, unfortunately, discovery and exploration have price tags. There are people who don’t care about what you find or how important it is pulling the strings up top. He has leadership in his veins and it’s apparent from very early on how loyal and protective of his group he is. My only complaint when is comes to blandness is his name...Tom? Why the most generic name in all of History?

From what little of a first interaction we get with Tom and his mom they seem to have a really sweet relationship (reminds me of Jim and Barbra) I’m really liking the whole single mom and loving son who don’t care about and don’t need the deadbeat father.

So, the design of the whole “Project Icarus” really put a bad taste in my mouth and, honestly, still kind of does. The building that Tom and Olivia are flying toward screams “we’re going to make a plastic look alike and sell it” Not a fan, but the fissure looks cool and I saw a little sparky sparky (Thunder) as they were flying over.

Edna Mode? I didn’t know you would show up?

In all seriousness I kind of dislike Director Wong. Her design is really good and I genuinely like it, but I dislike her character. The way she treats Tom as if he can’t keep his fingers off of important things (he can’t but that’s besides the point) and her daughter, Jun, as if her hobbies and interests are stupid and have no value. I feel like she has the potential to be a sort of obstacle for this new gang in later seasons.

I love her! It’s like Astrid’s and Claire Nunez’s personality were scrambled together. And, yes, it is kind of obvious that her and Tom are going to be the new Hicstrid, but I mean how can you not ship them immediately?

Go ahead and hate me but I have a soft spot for the recurring trope of “every time I want to spend time with you/tell you something important you get called away”

He’s adorable! It’s Snotlout but if his father genuinely loved him and encouraged him (but that’s an entirely different topic)

I didn’t really have a huge opinion of Alex in the first episode, but I instantly liked her character design. However, charging cables would not work as hair ties and don’t ask me why it took me 4 episodes to figure out that’s what they were.

I think it’s cute that already we have Tom sticking up for his future team. “She said here.” He could tell Alex was uncomfortable and decided to fix that problem without a second thought.

No, Tom, D’Angelo is right do not touch the dangerous cotton ball.

I don’t understand how adults still don’t understand that showing kids things and letting them explore it with supervision helps them not...I don’t know, sneak off and explore it alone?

Hiccup would too. The only difference, however, would be Astrid would 100% be telling Hiccup to go for it, or joining him. Couples who wreak havoc together stay together.

Sparky sparky flying by.

No cause when I first watched it I genuinely thought she died.

There is no possible way stick boy could hold a full grown woman up for that long. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.

So you’re mad that he wasn’t where he was supposed to be, but if he wasn’t there Linda would of died? Please, I hate when they do that!

The Hiccup Lean (tm)

Okay, I know this is supposed to be Hiccup’s old helmet but I can’t get over the fact that those horns on either side are NOT the same horns. They’re way too long.

The dialogue is cringe sometimes and I’m sorry to all my astrology people but so is Jun’s constant reference to that.

But they’re sooo cute it makes up for it

Okay, sheering the sheep is hilarious and the fact that it hates Tom, even though Jun crashed it , for the rest of the show is so funny to me.

“Something life changing” and then the notes of the HTTYD score really gave me chills.

That drone should be full of wool. There is no way it could still fly.

I will admit the score for this show is pretty cool, especially when Tom is climbing down the fissure.

Also on that note, there is no way that 15-year-old boy has enough strength to use a tiny pick and climb all the way down there. I get that it’s fictional and all that, but there are just some things that your brain just says “absolutely not” and this is one of them for me. Like, your telling me mans can climb back up only using a tiny pick axe and his finger nails?

I thought Tom was going to have to make a tail like how Hiccup did with Toothless and that was about to be my final straw and I was going to put the show to bed, but thankfully it wasn’t and I continued.

He looks like the Geico gecko. I’m sorry, but this first episode made Thunder look TERRIBLE. His movement is so glitchy I don’t know how to explain it. But the rest of the season is better with his movements so I don’t know. And I genuinely still don’t know how I feel about him. Sometimes he’s cute and other times I find him ugly. I can’t make up my mind.

Upon the first watch I thought this episode was absolute trash, but while I was rewatching it for screen caps I did realize that I had to come in with a more open mind. Still, though, not a great opening episode. 4/10 in my opinion, but I would love to hear everyone’s take on it, so please comment what you thought of episode 1.