Animation
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord
‘Maul – Shadow Lord’ is darker than previous animated Star Wars fare. It’s still clean, but it may be best suited for older viewers.
By definition, mysteries can be hard to uncover. But amateur detectives, known as the Inbestigators to their clients, work hard to sleuth out these secrets—even as they try to keep up with their homework.
The team consists of four kids with complimentary talents: the inquisitive, awkward Maudy; silly, athletic Kyle; calculated, factual Ezra; and kind and dramatic Ava. Together, these fifth-grade besties work together to uncover everyday conundrums both at school and around the neighborhood.
Crime-solving kids have been popular since Nancy Drew first picked up a magnifying glass, and they’re still popular today.
Originally airing on the Australian children’s channel, ABC Me, and now landing on Netflix, The InBESTigators offers a new wrinkle on the genre—one with a little less spy glass and a little more teamwork.
What happened to the cheese? Who misplaced the tickets? Why exactly does that chair seem so much bigger today than yesterday? There isn’t an issue that’s too big, or too little, for these kiddos. And they figure out more than mysteries along the way.
Two seasons in, this TV-Y kids show, with each episode split into two, 15-minute mini-segments, focuses on friendship, kindness, moral responsibility and problem-solving skills. Sure, some kids might lie or say mildly hurtful things, but each error is resolved, and every feeling mended by the show’s end.
In the first half of this series premiere, Maudie searches for lost concert tickets. In the second half, Maudie and Ava uncover a secret during a soccer game.
Ava calls her dad “annoying.” Kyle says that he often lies about brushing his teeth. A few kids fall during a soccer match. Ava says, “oh my goodness.”
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
‘Maul – Shadow Lord’ is darker than previous animated Star Wars fare. It’s still clean, but it may be best suited for older viewers.
Fox’s ‘The Faithful’ explores stories from the Bible through the eyes of biblical matriarchs, highlighting these women’s incredible faith.
Despite a new protagonist, this ‘To All the Boys’ spinoff continues many of the sensual elements its previous entries contained.
What if the Russians had landed the moon first? This Apple TV+ drama imagines how that alternate reality might have played out.