'My Dad The Bounty Hunter' Review: A sci-fi tale of family ties and exciting joyride into space
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'My Dad The Bounty Hunter' is the latest addition to Netflix's ever-growing lineup of fun childrens' movies and TV shows. The series sets the bar for great animation and an even greater storyline, which is something sacred for an animated series. The creator's imagination is absolutely remarkable, as it's fun to watch people imagine something never seen before, which in turn is a great sight for the children.
Created by Everett Downing and Patrick Harpin, the series follows the story of close-knit siblings Lisa (Priah Ferguson) and Sean (JeCobi Swain), who barely get to spend time with their father Terry (Laz Alonso). With his packed schedule, Terry seems to waste a lot of time. It seems he has missed many big milestones and has even separated from his wife Tess (Yvonne Orji). But when the kids decide to secretly accompany their father on his latest work trip, the duo discovers that their father is actually an intergalactic bounty hunter - or, as he puts it, "a fugitive recovery specialist" - who takes on dangerous assignments for a shady agency to provide for them.
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'My Dad the Bounty Hunter': All you need to know about Netflix's new sci-fi animated series
Groundbreaking universal tale
When the children come along on a random bring-your-kids-to-work day and have a job that needs to be done before they land on Earth, Terry has a golden opportunity to be there for his children and dodge an alien in Bucky Quanto's Wings or Things (which apparently has the best wings in the galaxy) or deal with "bug" problems in a weird parody store that looks just like a 7-11. But jumping from one alien world to another is not the basis of the story, it's just the backdrop for a groundbreaking universal tale. The Bounty Hunter is, at its core, a family drama about a father trying to reconnect with his children and make up for all the days he was not there. Although the children love their father very much, they hold a silent resentment against their father. The series fits perfectly with the idea of struggling with internal resentment against the outside world.
A story told from different perspectives
The best part of the show is the wonderful narration that does not focus on just one character, but tells how different each character's perspective is. Emotions are not bottled up, but the writers and animators did a great job visualizing each emotion - to highlight how Terry and Lisa, in particular, even though they disagree on most things, are looking for a way to get through to each other. The actors have given voice to the characters as if they were themselves, making the story even more convincing and real. The series takes us on a journey that all parents go through at some point in their lives.
The plot of the series is unexpected (a multi-episode story arc has to do with the forced labor of a lovable alien species for the purpose of capital gain) and really something that most animated series don't pick up on. It's a great learning curve for children to see the world in all its color and glory. 'My Dad The Bounty Hunter will be released exclusively on Netflix on February 9, 2023. Until then, here's a trailer for you.
