KIDS FIRST! News

Eureka! tells the story of a young girl inventor who is way ahead of her time. Utilizing creative out-of-the-box thinking, she designs inventions and contraptions in the hopes of making the world a better place and moving her prehistoric community into a more modern era. With the help of her supportive parents, teacher, best friends — Pepper and Barry — and beloved pet mammoth Murphy, Eureka is learning to embrace that she is not ordinary … she’s extraordinary.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Tiana S. comments, “Eureka! Coming your way is a new animated, music-filled series full of life lessons, adventures, and “thinkering!” Eureka! is the perfect show for kids to learn more about the world of S.T.E.A.M. and problem solving.” See her full review and interview with star Ruth Righi below.

Eureka! 
By Tiana S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11

Eureka! Coming your way is a new animated, music-filled series full of life lessons, adventures, and “thinkering!” Eureka! is the perfect show for kids to learn more about the world of S.T.E.A.M. and problem solving. This show has a diverse cast of characters, endless entertainment, and relatability, and is perfect for the whole family to watch.

Eureka! follows a fearless, young girl inventor named Eureka (Ruth Righi) who lives in Rocky Falls with her parents and pet Mammoth, Murphy (Fred Tatasciore). Eureka is always designing new inventions and contraptions in her prehistoric community to help make it more modern. From finding a way to get Murphy into the house when he couldn’t use the door to creating a one-person band of instruments, whenever she “thinkers” she is sure to solve whatever issue she comes across.

Eureka as the lead character is the perfect role model for younger girls. It’s amazing to see a young female like Eureka showing other kids that they aren’t too young to be in the world of S.T.E.A.M. I love the support Eureka gets from her family, friends, teachers and the rest of her community. It really encourages her to be confident even when she doesn’t always fit in. One of my favorite scenes is when Eureka and her mom Roxy (Renée Elise Goldsberry) are singing about the Rubber Tree Soup, and she shows that her mom doesn’t give up when the soup doesn’t come out the way she expects it to. While this series is set in a prehistoric time period, viewers will love watching Eureka modernize her community. An example is when Eureka redirects underground steam to create an oven for her mom’s restaurant. It gives the show a unique twist that will draw viewers to it.

There are multiple messages throughout the series, like never giving up on your goals, and that even when you fail it’s important to try again. Eureka also teaches young viewers about responsibility by taking care of her pet Mammoth, Murphy. Overall Eureka! teaches kids all about the world of S.T.E.A.M., being fearless when solving problems, and creating inventions even as kids.

I give Eureka! 5 out of 5 stars. This is definitely a kid-focused, family-friendly series, so I recommend it for kids 2 to 8. Eureka! debuts on Disney Junior June 22, 2022, and on Disney+ the same day.

Season Six, titled Bunk’d: Learning the Ropes, begins as Lou, Parker, Destiny and Noah arrive at the soon-to-be Kikiwaka Ranch in Dusty Tush, Wyoming, where Lou must convince the surly owner, a.k.a. “The Marshal” to officially sell the property to her. In the meantime, counselors Noah and Destiny have their hands full with the newly arrived campers, including Bill, a no-nonsense descendant of famous cowboy Bill Pickett who prefers roping cattle to hanging out with friends; Winnie, a fearless girl who’s earned the nickname “Wild Winnie” by breaking the rules and occasionally blowing things up; and Jake, a laid-back, easy-going boy who also happens to be a video-gaming fanatic.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Carlee S. comments, “Bunk’d is back for Season Six with many exciting surprises. Bunk’d: Learning the Ropes welcomes familiar faces along with new campers to Kikiwaka Ranch in Dusty Tush, Wyoming for a Wild West experience.” See her full review below.

Bunk’d: Learning the Ropes
By Carlee S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 17

Bunk’d is back for Season Six with many exciting surprises. Bunk’d: Learning the Ropes welcomes familiar faces along with new campers to Kikiwaka Ranch in Dusty Tush, Wyoming for a Wild West experience.

The first episode starts off in a new setting called Kikiwaka Ranch where we learn that Lou (Miranda May, who is also director and executive producer) has opened a new Wild West camp to campers. However, Lou later reveals she isn’t exactly the legal owner of the camp, yet. This is a problem that she asks Parker (Trevor Tordjman) to help her with since new campers are arriving.

Meanwhile, Destiny (Mallory James Mahoney) and Noah (Israel Johnson) are the camp counselors at the new camp. They are eager to meet their new campers, but soon realize that three new campers — Jake (Luke Busey), Bill (Alfred Lewis) and Winnie (Shiloh Verrico) — are not who they were expecting.

My favorite scene is when the new campers Winnie, Jake and Bill set off on an adventure alone.  Bill is distracted and falls deep into an abandoned mineshaft. Without hesitation, Winnie and Jake jump in to try and save Bill. Alone in the cave they realize that no one is around to save them. The suspense of the scene and getting to see the new campers work together to try and escape before the cave collapses is entertaining.

The Wild West setting is a new refreshing addition to the series. The décor of the camp and the addition of the mine help viewers get a sense of the Wild West without being overdone. The new campers are relatable to many viewers. Each one has a personality that adds interest to the show.  

Their outfits fit perfectly with their personalities. Bill is a young cowboy trying to uphold a family legacy whose clothes fit perfectly the theme of the show. Luke is a laid-back gamer trying to find enjoyment at camp without video games. Winnie is daring, yet kind- hearted and wears edgy clothes. In contrast, her counselor, Destiny, is affectionate and very stylish. Her bright clothes and curled hair display that she is really into fashion.

The messages in the show this season are about building friendships and accepting others for who they are helps people grow. The campers each have their own style and their own strengths, which make them unique. Despite their differences, the bonds they create working together as a team help them form friendships.

I give Bunk’d: Learning The Ropes, Season Six, 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 14. Season six premieres June 10, 2022 on Disney Channel.

Welcome back to Equestria, where pony magic is everywhere. With friends Zipp, Sunny, Izzy, Pipp and Hitch leading the way, adventure is sure to follow! The series will center on the adventures of Sunny Starscout and her friends after the events depicted in the film. Created with a dazzling 3D CG animation style evocative of the recent film, the special and series will follow the MANE 5 on a journey of self-discovery told through action-packed, hilarious, and heartfelt stories.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Giana N. comments, “My Little Pony: Make Your Mark is an entertaining, full-length episode that will have audiences counting the days until the release of the upcoming series. This show doesn’t really require you to watch the My Little Pony movie beforehand, and that is a good thing.” See her full review below.

My Little Pony: Make Your Mark
Giana N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 11

My Little Pony: Make Your Mark is an entertaining, full-length episode that will have audiences counting the days until the release of the upcoming series. This show doesn’t really require you to watch the My Little Pony movie beforehand, and that is a good thing. You’ll be entertained watching this show either way.

This show focuses on the new characters that were first presented in the previous movie, My Little Pony: A New Generation. In Maritime Bay, it’s now normal for Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi to interact with each other and to be friends. But lately things have been tense between some of the ponies, and their friendship has been off. Zipp Storm (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) has noticed this tension has caused the unity crystal’s power to fade. Now Zipp and her friends have to figure out a way to stop it before it gets out of hand.

In My Little Pony: Mark Your Mark I like that the five ponies’ friendship is so strong it’s the only thing needed to keep the power of the crystal from fading. They don’t do it individually—they do it together. My favorite characters in this show are Sunny (Jenna Warren) and Izzy (Ana Sani). I like Sunny and Izzy because they both have positive attitudes no matter the situation, and they are nice, genuine ponies. I think that was one of the key factors in saving Maritime Bay. I also like Zipp because she is funny and confident. Another thing I like about this show is that it includes everyone’s differences, which sends the message that even if you are different, you can still be friends and work together.

The message of My Little Pony: Mark Your Mark is that you have to do what is right and good for you and not what’s good for other people. Throughout the show, this is shown through Zipp’s character. She doesn’t know whether she wants to go back home and become a princess, or stay in Maritime Bay with her friends. In the end, she does what is right for her. My Little Pony: Mark Your Mark is family friendly and has a really good message that everyone, no matter who they are, will take away

I give My Little Pony: Make Your Mark 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 4 to 8. You can watch this show on Netflix starting May 26, 2022. Be sure to check it out!

Experience the wonders of our world like never before in this epic docuseries from Jon Favreau and the producers of Planet Earth. Prehistoric Planet combines award-winning wildlife filmmaking, the latest paleontology learnings and state-of-the-art technology to unveil the spectacular habitats and inhabitants of ancient Earth for a one-of-a-kind immersive experience. The series is produced by the world-renowned team at BBC Studios Natural History Unit with support from the photorealistic visual effects of MPC (The Lion King, The Jungle Book) applied to concept art created by Jellyfish Pictures (The Book of Boba Fett, Spirit: Untamed). Prehistoric Planet presents little-known and surprising facts of dinosaur life set against the backdrop of the environments of Cretaceous times, including coasts, deserts, freshwater, ice worlds and forests. Travel back 66 million years to when majestic dinosaurs and extraordinary creatures roamed the lands, seas and skies.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Madeleine H. comments, “I love this series!  The scenery in the docu-series Prehistoric Planet is breathtaking and majestic with a musical score composed by Hans Zimmer to match.  The rich narration by Sir David Attenborough tells the stories about dinosaur life based on the latest discoveries from paleontologists.” See her full review and talent interviews below.  

Prehistoric Planet
Madeleine H. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 9

I love this series!  The scenery in the docu-series Prehistoric Planet is breathtaking and majestic with a musical score composed by Hans Zimmer to match.  The rich narration by Sir David Attenborough tells the stories about dinosaur life based on the latest discoveries from paleontologists.

One could say Prehistoric Planet is “natural history meets wildlife adventure meets stunning visual effects” in a story about the inhabitants of our planet 66 million years ago.  The wildlife adventure takes place over five episodes featuring five regions of our planet in prehistoric times. You get to see dinosaurs living in their natural habitats, tending to their young, finding food and water and fighting for survival.  You will learn about these ancient relatives of creatures that exist today and how they interacted with each other and their stunning environments: coasts, deserts, freshwater, ice worlds and forests. You will discover your “new” favorite dinosaur each episode as they come to life with expression and emotion in a way you have never seen them do.

Producer Jon Favreau brings to Prehistoric Planet his talent for visual effects from such films as The Lion King and The Jungle Book, together with pioneering stories about the natural world from Mike Gunton, a producer at BBC Natural History, along with the talents of adventure and wildlife filmmaker Tim Walker.  It’s an immersive series that draws you in with its beautiful scenery and life-like dinosaurs, giving you a view of how they lived on Earth.  I had to remind myself that the dinosaurs are animated. 

With each episode we learn so many fascinating facts about dinosaurs, grow to love new ones and not like the behaviors of others.  Just like wildlife, there are prey and predators.  Yet each is majestic in its own way.  As with many wildlife natural history films there are scenes of aggression and violence that may be difficult for some audiences.

I give Prehistoric Planet series 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults.  Prehistoric Planet debuts globally on Apple TV+ from Monday, May 23 through Friday, May 27, 2022 with a new episode each day.

Inspired by the blockbuster DreamWorks Animation film The Croods: A New Age, The Croods: Family Tree continues the ever-evolving story of the Croods and the Bettermans as they learn to live together on the most idyllic farm in prehistory. The journey from sparring rivals to unlikely friends is fraught with hilarious misadventures as the two families slowly overcome their differences to turn a tree house divided into a tree home united. In Season 2 Grug, Eep and Sandy enjoy a Crood-ific Daddy Daughter Day while Thunk, bored with the window-TV viewing options, creates a bit of real life drama. Even Gran rocks the boat when she declares it’s time to choose a new Thunder Sisters’ Queen! Meanwhile, pushed to their limits and ready to relax, the parents set out on separate staycations. But with the kids in charge, only prehistoric time will tell if the treehouse will still be left standing.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Giana N. comments, “The Croods: Family Tree is back for another season with even more excitement. With more adventures and more of the Croods and Bettermans, there’s a lot to love about this new season. In each episode, many important lessons are learned, and they are all delivered in such a fun and entertaining way.” See her full review and interviews below.

The Croods: Family Tree

By Giana N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 10

The Croods: Family Tree is back for another season with even more excitement. With more adventures and more of the Croods and Bettermans, there’s a lot to love about this new season. In each episode, many important lessons are learned, and they are all delivered in such a fun and entertaining way.

Season two continues from the previous season focusing on the story of two families, the Croods and the Bettermans, living together in a treehouse on the Bettermans’ farm. Because each family is different, learning to live together has its ups and downs. And in each episode, we see them overcome their differences and remember what really matters, like many families do. The show highlights different members of the family in every episode, so it makes for good variety in the storylines.

Even though The Croods is set in fictional prehistoric time period, it shows situations we currently experience and go through, always in a hilarious way. We also see different games and activities we play now. For example, in episode 6 Grug (Kiff VandenHeuvel), Ugga (Amy Landecker), Hope (Amy Rosoff), and Phil (Matthew Waterson) are playing a game of beach ball; however, the game is kind of like how we play volleyball. And in episode 3 where the Croods, Bettermans, and Punch Monkeys are playing throw-go-nut, it is very similar to how we play football today. My favorite characters are Gran (Artemis Pebdani) and Sandy (Dee Bradley Baker) because they are fierce and funny characters. They are alike in many different ways, which makes them the perfect duo—you could say Sandy is a mini Gran.

The message of The Croods: Family Tree is that even when times get tough, you can work together to figure things out. Because teamwork “makes the dream work.” This is a completely family-friendly show.

I give The Croods: Family Tree 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 12, plus adults. This show is available on Hulu and Peacock, starting April 5, 2022. Go check it out!