These new installments are all about ghosts—both literal and allegorical. For Ellie, her mother’s absence had already made her a specter in her life before she turned out to literally be one—and it’s that relationship and quest that becomes the emotional core of The Wild Batch. As for other ghosts, the season’s side stories include adventures with the ones of Bass Reeves, Calamity Jane, and Johnny Appleseed, among others. The change in scenery and mashup of East and West also affords the artists at Warner Bros. Animation the chance to gives this chapter a unique aesthetic and cook up the particularly well-designed town of Big Rock Candy Mountain, which has a giant saloon and multi-storied entertainment center where mythical figures, talking animals, and fantastical creatures meet for drinks and card games.
But where this second half of the season shines the brightest is in the relationship between Gizmo and Noggin, a Gremlin who escaped Shanghai and became a mob boss in San Francisco’s Chinatown. From the start of the season, we’ve seen Gizmo struggle with outbursts of evil energy that shake the Mogwai to his core. Is Gizmo, the iconic and purely good mascot of the franchise, turning bad—or has this always been in his nature? Likewise, can the Gremlin Noggin turn over a new leaf? Sure, he is extremely elegant and eloquent, but does that immediately translate to him being trustworthy? Their dynamic makes for some of the most fun and compelling arcs in this half season, which also manages to expand upon—without contradicting or retconning—the Joe Dante movies.
The writing and George Takei’s performance give Noggin a depth previously unthinkable for a Gremlins villain, adding layers and motivation to the character beyond just being unhinged. It may be a small thing on the surface, but the “father-brother” bond between Noggin and Gizmo is legitimately the best idea to come out of this franchise since that Key & Peele sketch about brainstorming Gremlins 2: The New Batch. This is still a show aimed at young audiences, and The Wild Batch doesn’t dwell too much on examining the existential nature of what a Gremlin is in connection to its Mogwai progenitor. Nevertheless, the series offers a poignant and valuable lesson to kids about not hiding their flaws but instead embracing what makes them unique. (It also gives Gizmo an actual character arc, which is no small feat.)
Of course, this is a Gremlins story. That means there is at least one bonkers descent into chaos. The finale is a large-scale fight that can only work in the medium of animation, one that channels the spirit of Gremlins 2 and its anything-goes attitude. A Gremlin synchronized swimming routine? Sure. A kaiju attacking a Chinatown-themed spot in the middle of a canyon? Why not. Gremlins: The Wild Batch ends with a satisfactory finale that could work as a series sendoff if the show isn’t renewed. But the way this season stands on its own while also broadening this world deserves new wild adventures elsewhere in the U.S.
The second half of Gremlins: The Wild Batch premieres April 10 on Max
