Ep. 50: Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia

For our 50th episode (and first of Season 2!) the ladies begin with a revisit to a previous episode: Stranger Things. Is it possible Kara has changed her review? Tune in to find out! The hosts then move onto their review of Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia. Available on netflix ages 8+SummaryThis Guillermo Del Toro produced animated fantasy series follows a teenage boy, Jim, and his friends as they explore a mysterious realm of trolls and other fantastical creatures. Ultimately, the teens are tasked with protecting the world. The PositivesWe loved Kelsey Grammer!  His contribution to the show created an engaging experience for us as viewers. The show is very plot-heavy, so be prepared to put your phones down or else you will miss important details that are sometimes shown in blink-and-you-miss-it moments. For us parents, this is an exciting shift from many kid’s shows available right now that are fun for kids, but mind numbing for their caregivers.   Valuable messages of personal growth, loyalty, honor, and the pressures of being a teen.  We loved the goofy names of the trolls.Potentially ProblematicWe thought they were too hard on Toby with the fat jokes and tropes. It eventually just turned into bullying.  The bad guys would definitely be scary for younger kids.  There is some violent language. The bully calls the main character a “Buttsnack,” which almost sounded flirtatious to us? We’re not 100% sure. Will parents like it?Yes. Should They Watch It?Both: YesSide ConversationsKara has changed her opinion on Stranger Things. She put aside her role as a mom to a six-year-old and realized that it’s a fit for older tweens (and up) because of the role models and themes of teamwork and heroism.  Both ladies have fallen in love with Eddie Munson along with the rest of the world. Joseph Quinn is overwhelmed by his newfound fandom and even broke down in tears at Comic- Con out of appreciation. They love what the show did with Max, and Laura points out the grief journey that the show took her on including the symbolism in the lyrics of Running Up That Hill.  The girls fawn over the genius of Guillermo Del Toro, but would he be a better dinner guest or a better partner during a game of Pictionary?  Discussion ensues. If you enjoyed this podcast, give us a five star review on your favorite platform and check us out on Instagram. Thanks for checking out Should They Watch It!