In Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, intellectually advanced African-American teenager, Lunella Layafette, becomes concerned when a series of blackouts plague her Neighbourhood. The Lower East Side of New York is suffering from regular reductions in power, which in turn is causing local businesses to close down, and this is impacting some of her favourite places.
Worried that her family’s rollerskating rink will also close down if someone doesn’t do anything about the blackouts, Lunella decides to apply her science skills to the problem. Building what she believes is a power generator, Lunella gets to work on providing a solution to the energy crisis.
But Lunella soon discovers the power generator she has built is actually a portal generator, and after she activates the machine, it transports a dinosaur from the distant past to her present. The dinosaur – which Lunella later names ‘Devil’ – quickly imprints on the teen, and the two become friends.
This friendship then becomes a trio, when fellow teenager (and social media influencer), Casey Calderon sees the two together. Casey then works with Lunella and Devil to help turn them into heroes, under their new names, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
With new aliases, Lunella and Devil deal with the power problem, and the villain causing it, but come to realise the Lower East Side has more than one problem and more than one foe. Someone still needs to look out for the little guy and gal, and moving forward, they are the heroes to do it.
From its sharply written scripts, to its excellent voice cast, eye-popping colour palette, and funky soundtrack, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is a truly wonderful series. This animated show is a hoot to watch, it feels fresh and current, and it is a real gem in Disney’s Marvel portfolio.
Sure, it might be aimed at a young demographic, and its stories and themes certainly reflect this (all in a positive way, I might add), but this is a show that anyone can enjoy. Old school Marvel fans, newcomers, and those who fall somewhere in the middle would be wise to stick this on their playlist.
Although, if you’ve got kids in your household, and they are Disney viewers, then chances are Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is already saved to your favourites. Savvy youngsters will have no doubt binged the heck out of this show already, because it’s so much fun, so it’s probably you who needs to play catch-up.
There are many reasons as to why Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur stand out from the crowd, and you only have to look at the animation to see one of these reasons, but for me it begins with the writing. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is a superbly penned series, which never forgets who its target audience is and this becomes clear quite quickly.
Unlike many of its peers, which simply tell super hero stories about good versus evil, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur tackles issues and subjects that will be familiar to modern teens. Whether it’s online trolls (The Borough Bully), or the importance of learning some patience (Run the Rink), the stories reflect dilemmas that matter to young people.
Heck, even the villains are well-placed to match the stories. The opening episode, Moon Girl Landing, introduces an energy-sapping villain who is essentially a metaphor for oppression, while episode five, Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow, sees Lunella’s unruly hair turn into a living monster.
Other reasons this show shines include the impressive voice cast (Diamond White, Alfre Woodard, Laurence Fishburne); Moon Girl’s interest in science, which often helps her overcome her foes; and the super-slick visuals which cram humour, heart, and plenty of super hero action into each scene. This is a gorgeous-looking series, which really leans into its status as a cartoon, and at times feels somewhat reminiscent of past classics such as Dexter’s Lab, The Powerpuff Girls, Teen Titans, and Samurai Jack.
Then to add to all this you’ve got the simply delightful music which provides a consistent sprinkle of magic to the series; the show’s progressive stance which ensures it remains inclusive and representative of the 21st Century; and its uplifting tone which makes it enjoyable to watch. Plus, this series is mostly about street-level super heroics, rather than end-of-the world stuff, so it never loses its connection to the local community or to the teenager at the centre of the stories.
Whether you sit and watch this series with the kids, or you simply view it by yourself, there is much to like about Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. This is a carefully crafted show, which series developers Steve Loter, Jeffrey M. Howard, and Kate Kondell have put a great deal of thought into, and the end result is loud and clear for all to see.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is streaming on Disney+ now. Make sure you don’t sleep on this show.
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