Much like Nick’s Penguins of Madagascar, Dragons: Riders of Berk proved to be a wonderful addition to the How to Train Your Dragon family.
Let’s get right into it.
Dragons: Riders of Berk picks up right where the first film left off. Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) has convinced his father and the village of Berk to befriend the dragons instead of fight them. The next step? Train them all to help Berk instead of hinder it. The problem, of course, is how it’s all going to be done.
What you get with the first set of episodes is Hiccup and his team of Dragon riders putting together an academy and a plan to help integrate the dragons into Berk society. It ranges from actually training the dragons to find a purpose inside of Berk, to using the dragons to form such things as a search/rescue party. What’s particularly neat about the first part of the two part collection is that the development of the dragons’ story, as well as the individual dragons, is done so slow and methodical that you start to understand the personalities much better. Shows like this have such an advantage over their film counterparts because they can take things as slow/fast as they want. What this equals out to be is a lot of great character development, which makes the show worth its weight in gold. Nothing in the world can beat a good story with strong characters, which is what comes out of the first part of the first season of the show.
Anyway, here are some of my favorite episodes from the first part of the series:
How to Start a Dragon Academy — This is the first episode on the disc and a great bridge with the first film. You get to see how Berk manages all the mess the dragons are causing in the town. It’s a great starter and sort of brings up good points about allowing dragons to live amongst humans. It’s also establishes more of Hiccup’s role and dedication to getting the dragons trained and organized.
In Dragons We Trust — Dragons are being accused of vandalism in Berk, mainly by the ever awesome Mildew. Hiccup and crew must form together to prove who is behind the vandalism, though if you’re familiar with these types of plots then you can pretty much figure it out. Fun and suspense filled (to an extent — enough for kids), it’s one of the better episodes in the bunch.
Dragon Flower — Want to strike fear into the hearts of How to Train Your Dragon fans everywhere? Put together an emotional episode where dragons are falling mysteriously ill. The cure for the disease? It rests within the venom of a scary beast that resides in the sea called a scauldron. While the idea of the episode is terrifying until the very end, the solution is hilarious. A great episode that tips/balances the emotions of the viewers. By this point in the season, you can really tell how attached to you are with the characters.
All in all, the first part of the season is a strong one, as you get to establish everyone. It’s strong in story, sometimes slow in pace, but on purpose. it’s definitely a good place to start if you’re trying to connect the film with the show.
The second part of the series begins with complete focus on adventures rather than development. You get a lot more creative stories instead of development. It’s like getting the origin story out of the way in a first film and making room for the fun in the second (think X-Men and X2), that’s how the second part of this season feels. The writers/directors take a bit more creative liberty with the Dragons canvas, and just do a great job with expanding the universe.
Here are a few of my favorite episodes from the second part:
Thawfest — Anytime you put competitive sports in a cartoon, it’s always fun to watch. The dragon riders compete in an annual gaming competition called Thawfest. It’s a great episode about gloating and being humbled by one’s success (and arrogance). Who says that cable cartoon shows can’t be educational/informational? It’s a great episode for kids that is done very well.
Defiant One — I really like this episode, as it creates a story of hopelessness and fear. When Snotlout gets caught in a violent waterspout on the way to a search/rescue (well, the wrong way), Hiccup and Toothless have to go in and rescue him. Along the way, Toothless damages his prosthetic tail, which strands them on Outcast Island with outcast vikings. Hiccup, Toothless, Snotlout and his dragon must find a way off the island before the outcast vikings find them and kill them. It’s a cool episode that really turns on the stress.
We Are Family Part 1/Part 2 — This is so good, and sort of mean, that I won’t begin to explain. Let’s just say you get to hate Mildew a lot more. A really solid way to end a series.
Not a bad way to end the second part of the DVD set, and create some solid excitement for the second season of the show. It certainly deserves a second season because this show is more than just a reminder that How to Train Your Dragon exists. It’s a labor of love that can be firmly placed up their with Penguins of Madagascar and other cartoon spin-offs of its type.
Now, with that said, my only complaint with this release is that it’s in two parts. I’ve seen many cartoons do that, mostly with anime, and I don’t necessarily agree with it. I think having one solid release with all episodes makes for a better purchase. Parents will buy seasons of their kids’ favorite cartoons, even if it means dropping $30 in the process. Spongebob and other cartoons of that type have had full season releases and went on to be successful. Trust in the product and marketing power will get this type of cartoon sold. It’s much better as a single package than two separate ones.
Having said that, I know that purchasing 11 episodes on the first disc is cheaper entertainment for budgeted families. Right now on Amazon, you can pick up the first part of this duo for $12.96. That’s not a bad price for what you’re getting, and if kids haven’t seen the show before then it’s a fair price to take a chance on. For collectors out there, the separation might be a bit much (but still cheap).
Anyway, the show as a whole is pretty darn good and I’m sure somewhere kids will absolutely love this.
As for the added bonuses to the two parts, here’s what you’re getting on the discs:
Part 1
– Dragon Tracker (pt1)
– Evolution of Thunderdrum
– ‘Heavy Metal’ Dragon Mash-up
– World of Dreamworks Animation
Part 2
– Dragon Tracker (pt2)
– Evolution of Whispering Death
– ‘Fly High’ Dragon Mash-up
– World of Dreamworks Animation
Considering what you’re getting with the price you’re getting them at, the special features are solid on both parts. The Dragon Tracker (pt1/2) and both Evolution features are pretty darn good. The mash-ups are entertaining and will certainly entertain the kiddos. Again, not bad for what you’re getting with both parts at the price they come with.
