WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Season 1 of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, now streaming on Netflix.
Out of all previous versions, Netflix’s new CGI He-Man and the Masters of the Universe does the best job of capturing the same adolescent escapism that helped to launch He-Man, almost 40 years ago. The show leans into its heritage and history by being what it was always meant to be: an appealing brand for children. It's a fun, escapist fantasy that kids can easily grab hold of. The people who made this show clearly channeled their inner-child (and then packed them full of sugar) to do it.
From the get-go, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe has great, energetic pacing without feeling frenetic or exhausting, which is a product of solid writing. The stories move along quickly, with just the right amount of humor that isn’t stupid or corny, a timeless rarity for many kids' shows. At the same time, it doesn’t overwhelm viewers with too many characters and too many plot points right out of the gate. While it moves along with the kind of efficiency kids shows can deliver, its layered but simple stories give the show the power to hook audiences. Plus, the fluid animation style and the great use of color, motion and sounds build the perfect template to lure in viewers.
Although He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is very clearly aimed at kids, adults with a connection to He-Man will still recognize many familiar events and characters. More than that, the show feels like it belongs in the wider He-Man universe, rather than trying to overwrite an old one. The show isn’t afraid to do things differently without feeling like it's transporting viewers away from the land of Eternia they know and love. The idea of making a young teenaged Adam a ”lost heir” who discovers his true self with help from his transforming friends, while also preserving traditional story elements like Skeletor’s relation to He-Man, provides a great mix for all fans.
Many of He-Man’s familiar companions are there, albeit fellow teenaged versions. As a result, the new show captures the ensemble feeling of the original, without having to push aside any iconic characters. Additionally, the series only seems focused on great stories, not agendas. With that in mind, its producers will likely avoid some vocal fans' accusations of putting politics before plot.
In July, Netflix launched Kevin Smith's Masters of the Universe: Revelation to mixed results. Many fans enjoyed the updated version, feeling it was long overdue, with a bold take on an old idea. But others felt that it turned away from so many core elements that helped build the brand. Whatever the intent was, capturing the magic of a children’s toy and successful kids cartoon for an adult audience didn’t garner the success many had hoped.
What the new He-Man and the Masters of the Universe does lack, just like all previous ones since the original, is the emotional, resonating impact of an amazing theme song. Like many great moments captured on screens, big or small, it is the blended union of pictures and sound that helps create touchstone moments in entertainment. While this latest version does have the franchise's coolest transformation sequences, it doesn’t deliver the same kind of emotional response the original did when that tune kicked in.
This is the second attempt this summer to woo viewers back into the legendary world of He-Man. This kid-friendly version arrived just in time for back-to-school, sporting a fresh new look, updated for today’s generation. But it does so comfortably alongside the much-loved original, rather than trying to erase older versions of it.
To see a fresh take on the He-Man franchise, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is now available on Netflix.
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