Dragons: Rescue Riders

If you go into this expecting a similar vibe/story to How To Train Your Dragon, you're going to be disappointed, because that's not what this show is. Nor is it trying to be. It's a show loosely based upon the Dreamworks world of HTTYD for a younger audience with a Paw Patrol-esque vibe, and if you go into it expecting that, then it's good.

I wasn't keen on their decision to make the dragons talk at first, but as I kept watching and got used to the vibe the show was going for, it started to grow on me. It's not like HTTYD, and I don't think it was really trying to be, but personally I like it for what it is. It has good enough stories and humor for even someone as old as me to enjoy it when I just want to turn my brain off and watch a safe and cozy show where most people are friends, nothing that bad really happens, and when it does, you know that everything will be okay in the end. Some people don't like that sort of entertainment, and that's alright. But there will always be a place in my heart for kids' shows no matter how old I get. (Plus, it's far less annoying than Paw Patrol. Although Burple can be a little annoying at times. But I think that's just because I'm too old for his brand of humor.)

Absolutly brilliant for 4 to 8 year olds. My kids absolutely love it. I hope they make more!

My kids (and me) were big fans of the movies.

This is a great series and good fun (although being Scottish, I find the accents a bit tough to swallow :0).

Just finished all the episodes with my family. So great to have something new to watch. Loving the cute dragons. Can not wait for more. Need toys too, can't watch season 2 without fun toys to play with!

The Sick Day episode is our favorite. Very clever and fun episodes we all enjoyed.

If the How to Train You Dragon movies were Michelin Star restaurants (which they aren't but let's use that as the ground-level tier we're striving for here), this is a gas station microwave burrito.

This cheap offshoot bares only the most superficial resemblance to the How to Train Your Dragon movies. At no point are the movies or the characters in them referenced. This series connects to them only in that it has dragons and what passes in US culture for "vikings" in it. The morals are heavy handed, exposition is overused, and the stories are retread.

However, if your child likes talking dragons and vaguely Norse characters, they will love it. It's cheap but easily digested fare with generally uplifting themes and messaging.