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Review of "3 Below: Tales of Arcadia" 11/15/18 by Suzanne
airs on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. starting Nov. 12

I had no idea what this show was about before I watched it, but I was very happy and surprised to learn it's a really good scifi animated series from Dreamworks and Guillermo del Toro. It's the second part of a trilogy, the first of which was "Trollhunters," which was very good. The series has a lot of laughs and fun as well as serious scifi. People of any age should like it, although it's mainly tailored towards kids.

The first episode starts on the plant Akiridion-5, where unusual 4-armed beings live. The royal family is preparing some kind of ceremony for their children, Prince Krel and Princess Aja. Aja is a bit of a rebel, always getting in trouble. She chases her dog-like creature Luug all over the place. Their ceremony is interrupted by a villain, General Val Morando, who takes over the planet and kill their parents (I'm not too sure if they're really dead, though). The kids escape with their bodyguard, Varvatos Vex, and crashland on Earth, where they try to fit in with humans and avoid being detected by Morando's bounty hunters.

MORE INFORMATION:

Tatiana Maslany, Diego Luna and Emile Hirsch Join DreamWorks Trollhunters Part 3 from Guillermo del Toro

The Netflix Original Series Debuts May 25

Maslany and Luna Set as Leads in DreamWorks 3 Below

Tatiana Maslany, Diego Luna and Emile Hirsch have joined the third and final season of Netflix’s critically acclaimed, Emmy-winning original series DreamWorks Trollhunters, from Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro. They join an already star-studded cast from seasons one and two that includes Kelsey Grammer in his Emmy-winning role as Blinky, Mark Hamill (Dictatious), Lena Headey (Morgana), David Bradley (Merlin), Ron Perlman (Bular), Steven Yeun (Steve), Anjelica Huston (Queen Ursurna), Jonathan Hyde (Strickler), Amy Landecker (Barbara), Charlie Saxton (Toby), Lexi Medrano (Claire) and Fred Tatasciore (AAARRRGGHH!!!).

Aja and Krel, voiced by Maslany and Luna, are two mysterious new students who unknowingly come to the aid of the Trollhunters team in the fight against Morgana. The duo will also reprise their roles and serve as the leads of the next installment in the Tales of Arcadia trilogy, DreamWorks 3 Below, set to debut on Netflix later this year.

Hirsch steps into the role of Jim Lake, Jr., originally voiced by the late Anton Yelchin. Yelchin completed his work on seasons one and two and a considerable portion of season three before his untimely passing. Del Toro and his creative team found a unique way to incorporate a voice transition organic to the story and create a path for a dear friend of Yelchin’s to carry on his legacy and role. Yelchin’s performance has been left intact where possible and some portions have been merged with Hirsch’s performance to complete season three.

DreamWorks Trollhunters features a tale of two fantastical worlds that collide in an epic saga. Set in the fictional suburb of Arcadia, our unlikely hero, Jim, and his two best friends make a startling discovery that beneath their hometown lies a hidden battle between good trolls and bad, the outcome of which impacts their lives forever.

In the final season of DreamWorks Trollhunters the fate of troll and human civilizations hang in the balance. The Trollhunters are racing to stop Gunmar and the now resurrected Morgana from bringing about the Eternal Night and shrouding the world in darkness forever. To defeat them, the team must seek the help of the legendary wizard Merlin to unlock his ancient magic and unleash a powerful weapon that will alter the course of their lives forever.

Premiering in 2016 to critical acclaim, Trollhunters introduced audiences to the seemingly quiet town of Arcadia and an ordinary kid who embarks on an extraordinary adventure in a hidden world right beneath his feet. The first season lead the 2017 Creative Arts Daytime Emmys with six wins, more than any other program, including writing for an animated program (Marc Guggenheim), directing (Rodrigo Blaas, del Toro), casting (Ania O’Hare, Mary Hildalgo) and a voice acting win for Grammer. The second season received four nominations for the 2018 Creative Arts Daytime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Children’s Animated Series.

DreamWorks Trollhunters is created and executive produced by del Toro with Marc Guggenheim (Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow), Rodrigo Blaas (Alma), Chad Hammes (Dragons: Race to the Edge) and Christina Steinberg (Rise of the Guardians) serving as executive producers. Dan Hageman (The Lego Movie, Ninjago) and Kevin Hageman (The Lego Movie, Ninjago) serve as co-executive producers.

About The Tales of Arcadia trilogy:

On the surface, Arcadia appears to be a slice of timeless Americana, but it is no ordinary town. It lies at the center of magical and mystical lines that will make it a nexus for many battles among otherworldly creatures including trolls, aliens and wizards. DreamWorks Trollhunters, the first installment in the Tales of Arcadia trilogy, will be followed by two additional series 3 Below in 2018 and a final chapter Wizards set to debut in 2019.

Following Trollhunters, DreamWorks 3 Below will focus on two royal teenage aliens and their bodyguard who flee a surprise takeover of their home planet by an evil dictator and crash land in Arcadia. Now on the run from intergalactic bounty hunters, they struggle to blend in and adapt to the bizarre world of high school all the while attempting to repair their ship so they can return and defend their home planet.

DreamWorks Wizards brings together the three disparate worlds of trolls, aliens and wizards who have found themselves drawn to Arcadia. The final chapter of the Tales of Arcadia culminates in an apocalyptic battle for the control of magic that will ultimately determine the fate of these supernatural worlds that have now converged.Watch Trollhunters on Netflix.