The animated origin story of the adorable mogwai, Gizmo, continues in Gremlins: The Wild Batch. This time around, the action crosses the Pacific as Sam, Elle, and their little furry friend find themselves in San Francisco where they encounter a new brood of evil gremlins.
The Wild Batch continues some of the enjoyable aspects of Secrets of the Mogwai. It is a fun mashup of fantasy, adventure, and a little bit of horror. It’s interesting to be exposed to the magic and mythology of Chinese culture, and with the new setting of the United States, the series begins to incorporate some Western influences. The scares are never anything too drastic, but something welcome as we see more and more of it in children’s programming. There is also something devilishly delightful seeing the evil mogwai turn into green piles of goo, especially with the sound effects.
The show also does an impressive amount of character work giving many of the cast added depth. It dives into Elle’s heartbreaking past along with her issues of abandonment and her parents. New addition, Chang (Simu Liu), provides some flair and charm as a companion to the main trio. He also serves as a comparison to Elle because of his own daddy issues. Sam has his own limitations to overcome, but he still remains the heart and soul of the team. Even Gizmo has recurring flashes to a darker nature that fuel a season long mystery.
But it’s not just The Wild Batch heroes that receive layers. Antagonist and intelligent gremlin, Noggin, shows there is more to him than chaos and destruction. His own journey reinforces the themes of love and family, whether blood or found. The all around character development adds a surprising amount of sophistication.
Unfortunately, at times this first part can feel repetitive. We already know how catastrophic the gremlins can be. The creatures wreaking havoc on a city is a rehash of last season, but changing the location from Shanghai to San Francisco. There isn’t much of a change visually because the setting is in the Chinatown area. At least some of the Gremlins receive cute costumes and accessories.
Another frustrating fact is The Wild Batch’s inability to build upon some of the narrative threads. Something cool and intriguing will be introduced, but then there will be no follow up leaving you hanging. There is still a second part, that will be released at a later time, that can address these, but it’s still unsatisfying. Why not plant the seeds and allow them to grow gradually rather than neglecting them.
Though some aspects can feel repetitive, the series retains much of what made last season enjoyable while further developing the characters we love and laying intriguing groundwork for part two.
Gremlins: The Wild Batch launches October 3 on Max.
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