DreamWorks Dragons (2012)

I watched this show as a kid and loved it, so I was curious how it would hold up on a rewatch. Surprisingly, it did pretty well. While it’s not groundbreaking, it was absolutely worth revisiting, especially as a big fan of dragons. The show also never felt that childish. There were moments which felt a bit too silly, but they luckily don't stay too long. The dragons always took the spotlight, which I did love. They were really diverse and well-designed, and learning about them really kept me engaged. Every episode brought something new about them, the world, or the characters. I feel like with the time and resources they had, they made the most of it. The show was held back by the episodic format, but it was probably one of the better episodic shows I have seen. Many episodes tie back to earlier ones, and there are plot threads that carry through the seasons. The biggest problem I have with the show is the inconsistent character growth. The twins and Snotlout got episodes to deepen their character. Sadly, by the next episode, all that character growth has disappeared. Their characterization is also what makes them slightly annoying. Their lack of competence is supposed to be there for comedic element. However, those jokes get old pretty quickly. Hiccup was interesting to watch, but like the rest of his cast, he doesn't change much. However, I still enjoyed seeing them deal with the dragons and the Outcasts/Berserkers. They were always different problems with different solutions. The 3D animation works well here. This isn’t my favorite animation, but I liked it here. There are many beautiful shots in the series, and it was a lot of fun to watch. Overall, it was a consistent show, which offered an interesting view into the world of Berk and their dragons. I would recommend this to any other dragon lovers. It has its flaws, but it's worth a watch.