Animation
Shape Island
Shape Island may charm little viewers and won’t bend their parents out of shape. But the show can also feel surprisingly flat.
Whenever there’s a problem around Adventure Bay, the Paw Patrol is ready to solve it. But this time, its members are leaving their hometown to travel overseas at the request of royalty.
The members of the Paw Patrol have adventured quite a bit over the years, while mostly staying local. But things have changed in their new five-part series, Paw Patrol: Mission PAW, found on both Paramount+ and Nick Jr.
In this series, the pups have crossed the ocean to Barkingburg to help the princess. She’s supposed to be establishing her place in her kingdom as she plans to one day become queen. But her plans are continually foiled by one sneaky, royal pup who is convinced that she is the rightful heir. The only people, er, dogs for the job are the nifty, problem-solving members of the Paw Patrol itself.
This series, the entirety of which clocks in at nearly an hour and half, is filled with your typical Paw Patrol themes, just in a different place. The pups get to utilize some fun new gadgets and problem solve in and around a palace. Oh, and in part three, the pups think a ghost has infiltrated the castle, but Ryder assures them ghosts aren’t real.
The villain here, the princess’s royal dog named Sweetie, never seems to receive proper discipline. She’s quick to concoct distractions, to whine and to lie a whole lot.
Yet, the pooches of Paw Patrol always figures out how to unravel her woven wiles by working together, encouraging one another, practicing bravery and solving every problem that comes their way.
Sweetie is determined to take the princess’s crown for herself.
The pups crash land a few times and Sweetie is quick to set traps and distractions, as well as to lie and steal.
Sweetie plans to steal the royal throne and build her kingdom elsewhere.
Sweetie uses a stink bomb to distract the Paw Patrol, is conniving and lies to the princess.
The Paw Patrol helps the princess debunk her belief that real ghosts are roaming her castle halls.
The pups say that they’re scared of ghosts, but Ryder tells the pups that ghosts don’t exist and encourages them to be brave.
Sweetie tries to force zoo animals to become her royal subjects.
Sweetie tries to ruin the castle’s royal concert night, but the pups save the day just in time.
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).
Shape Island may charm little viewers and won’t bend their parents out of shape. But the show can also feel surprisingly flat.
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