Though their main slate of adult programming has yielded some of my favorite seasons of TV this decade, Netflix's children's programming hasn't exactly been turning anyone's head particularly. The first seasons of Jessica Jones, Master of None, and House of Cards, both seasons of Daredevil and BoJack Horseman, and the last two seasons of Orange is the New Black have been particularly effective, charming, and even groundbreaking in their use of imagery and the depth of their emotional narratives. The series-long continuation of Dreamworks' Turbo? Not so much.

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Image via DreamWorks Animation

I don't mean to pick on Turbo, since really nothing of their animated slate has been particularly alluring, with the lone exception of BoJack Horseman. This year looks to change that, however, as two animated series that will premiere on the streaming network have caught my eye. First is the Guillermo del Toro-backed Trollhunters, which would need little more than its pedigree to make me interested but also seems to have a pretty striking animation design from what I've seen. The other would be the reboot of Voltron, namely Voltron: Legendary Defender, which has a solid design and interesting narrative conception from what can be gleaned from the footage thus far. This would include the latest trailer for the series, which you can take a look at below, courtesy of EW.


The voice cast includes heavy hitters like Steven Yeun of The Walking Dead and Tyler Labine of Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, but the primary pull here is nostalgia for the salad days of children's animated programming, especially those that specialize in science fiction, which this story of a humongous intergalactic battle-robot made up of smaller robots would not-so-loosely fit into.

Here's the latest trailer for Voltron: Legendary Defender:

Here's the official synopsis for Voltron: Legendary Defender:

Five unsuspecting teenagers, transported from Earth into the middle of a sprawling intergalactic war, become pilots for five robotic lions in the battle to protect the universe from evil. Only through the true power of teamwork can they unite to form the mighty warrior known as Voltron: Legendary Defender.

voltron-legendary-defender-images
Image via DreamWorks Animation
voltron-legendary-defender-images
Image via DreamWorks Animation

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