Comparative Analysis: Dreamworks Dragons vs. Avatar the Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a television program which aired on 2005 in Nickelodeon. It focuses on Avatar Aang’s quest in mastering all four elements in order to defeat the main antagonist, the Fire Lord. The reason why I chose this show was that it too is an animated tv series and falls under the fantasy genre. This blog post will compare the world building, animation styles, and narrative structure of Avatar and Dreamworks Dragons.

In terms of world-building, both programs borrowed the cultures of real life people. For Dreamworks Dragons, the vikings are the main characters of the show. Similar to real-life Vikings, they are known for their skills in combat and navigation. They also live in islands which have freezing temperatures, thus the characters mostly wear fur clothing and boots. As for  the Avatar universe, the world is divided into 4 nations, water, earth, fire, and air. Similar to Dreamworks Dragons, the world of Avatar is inspired by real-life influences, specifically Asian and Inuit cultures. For example, the water tribes resemble the Inuit or Ekimos, with they way that they live in igloos and wear animal skins to protect against the cold. As for the Earth Kingdom, it is based on China. The walls of Ba Sing Sei, the capital of the Earth Kingdom, was inspired by the Beijing wall of China as a line of defense, and so on.

From architecture and clothing, to food and grooming, the screenwriters borrowed the cultures  of communities today and put it in a fantastical, mythologized lens. I believe the reason why both Dreamworks Dragons and Avatar used real-life influences is so that viewers would be able to easily understand and connect to the world even though the tv shows fall under the fantasy genre. These cultures are popular and therefore familiar even to young children, which make the worlds more convincing, and engaging to its audience.

Another similarity between the shows is that the world building approach is done in a manner wherein the main protagonist and the audience learn and understand the world at the same time. For example, in Dreamworks Dragons, it is through the experiences of Hiccup and his friends that they are able to constantly update the Book of Dragons. In other words, while they find new things about the dragons, the audience does as well. In the case of Avatar, this approach is done by letting Aang not know the current condition of the world because he was frozen in a block of ice for a hundred years. Due to his state, he explores all four nations and understands the inner workings of the world the same time the audience does. This approach allows the screenwriters to present a new world without it feeling forced nor overwhelming upon viewers. In this way, viewers learn about it in the same pace and point of view as the main character. I believe this strategy was a good move executed by the both screenwriters of the shows since the  age of the main characters are more or less the same as that of the target audience. This then makes it easier for the viewers to learn about the world because it is presented in a language or speech they can understand.

One difference between  the Avatar universe from all the other worlds crafted is that the people are able to bend elements. Unlike in Dreamworks Dragons wherein the magical element is rooted in the concept of dragons, the ability for people to manipulate elements is what makes the world  of Avatar magical and original. The world building is developed not in the introduction of dragons, but the new techniques on how to manipulate the elements. For instance, it was only in the latter seasons when the concepts of blood bending and metal bending were used, which are natural extensions of water bending and earth bending respectively. Overall, it is demonstrated that the way magic and fantasy are used dictate the world building of the shows.

Moving on to animation styles, it is evident by simply watching the first few scenes of the show  that Dreamworks Dragons is a  3D animation series while Avatar is a 2D animation series. The first season of Dreamworks Dragons was aired in 2012, seven years after the release of Avatar’s pilot episode. This is why it is fitting that it used newer and more improved technology. The show also involves lots of movements and depth due to the flying done by the dragons. On the other hand,  Avatar is heavily influenced by anime which I believe is the reason for its 2D animation style. For example, the exaggerated facial expressions and emotion of characters reflect the visual attributes of anime. More importantly, Avatar is mostly hand drawn due to the integration of martial arts in bending. For every action sequence, it is important to place attention on each position and pose to create movement. Every key frame needs to be precise and sketches are made to to make the animation move more fluidly. Overall, both shows used different animation styles because of different purposes.

In terms of narrative structure, both television programs have twenty or more episodes in a season, and each episode lasts a little over 20 minutes. However, while the episodes in Dreamworks Dragons are mostly episodic, Avatar is a mixture of both episodic and continuous. In the former, it is noticeable the the characters do not learn from their mistakes. They commit the same offenses and their behavior does not change.  Moreover, the problems the villagers encounter are solved by the end of the episode, which is seen especially in the first season. It is usually only when the villains appear that the plot becomes continuous. Similar to the show, Avatar also had an episodic structure in some episodes. However, most episodes were continuous because there was a clear and distinct plot: defeat the Fire Lord. All the subplots in Avatar contribute to the main plot of the entire show.  Each season corresponds to a nation that Aang visits in order to find and train with a teacher. For example, the first season is entitled  “Water” which entails his adventures in the Water Tribes and training with a water bending master. Once a new season begins, Aang still remembers all that he has learned from his previous master. Unlike Avatar, Dreamworks Dragons has a more general plot which focuses on the lines of training dragons and stopping enemies. Consequently, so many problems are tackled in just one season. Because it has a less specific overall plot, the show is then more open to what happens next. It’s astonishing to see what people can do differently given the same time length.

Furthermore, while Dreamworks Dragons has a more linear structure, Avatar follows a non-linear narrative. More specifically, Avatar invests some episodes on flashbacks to fully explore the main characters’ past. In a single episode, viewers learn which events of a  characters’ past affect them and their decision making in the present. With a backstory, viewers are able to emotionally connect with the characters as well as find out their motivations. Once we understand their past mistakes, the characters become more relatable since we see ourselves in their flaws. Development of character comes into place when characters realize and confront their mistakes. One they succeed in doing this, they are able to grow and change, which will ultimately captivate the audience to the characters and their story. A backstory or character development may not be so obviously seen in Dreamwork Dragons, but this is mainly due to the targeted audience: young children. Young children do not require to seeing character development which is why most of the characters in animated television shows are static. However, Avatar is also intended for those outside the 6-11 year old demographic as seen in the themes discussed in the show such as war, genocide, and even mental illness. It may have some comic relief, but I believe it tackles more serious issues compared to that of Dreamworks Dragons. This, I believe, is the purpose of establishing a non-linear narrative by the creators of Avatar.

Overall, both shows may have differences, but it is because each has a different purpose or plot. Watching them side by side, I’ve also noticed that they have similarities especially in terms of world building. I don’t think I could decide which show is better since it really depends on the person. However, I think both shows are more than worth watching and I’m glad I had such a fun experience watching them.

Brooklyn & Berk

Nine-nine! Snotlout Snotlout Oi Oi Oi! Cool. Coolcoolcoolcoolcoolcoolcoolcoolcool. For the love of Thor!

Whenever I watch something, I always recall what some characters say with emotion. I guess it’s my way of retaining information about that show/series/movie. When it comes to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, whenever I hear the cast say their famous catchphrases, it kind of gives me the satisfaction that somehow translates to “hey, I know that! It’s from Nine-Nine!” Since I finished watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine right before starting Dreamworks Dragons: Riders & Defenders of Berk, most of the memorable events in the series were still fresh in my memory. But now, after finishing (bingewatching) the two seasons in like a month, I felt like I kind of messed up and I’m thinking about how am I going to compare these two shows? I’ll give it a try.

Well, if I’m gonna compare a reality sitcom to a cartoon, maybe I’ll look out for the qualities that make a cartoon realistic. I’d have to say, the visuals of Riders & Defenders of Berk doesn’t really capture the fullness of human emotion of its characters. Although, the budget you have when making an animated series after a movie can be seen as an excuse.

Next, both shows appeal to different audiences. Brooklyn Nine-Nine definitely appeals to a more mature audience while Dreamworks Dragons goes for the younger ones, but it doesn’t mean that the mature ones couldn’t enjoy watching it. We might just have a little difficulty adjusting our viewing experience and expectations, but we can manage it. Nine-Nine uses some strong words that may not be appropriate for young viewers, but as long as they are being guided by adults while watching, I guess that’s okay(?).

One thing that I noticed is that in every episode they (the characters) start a problem, either a petty or a pretty serious one, then one character shines the most out of that problem. In both shows, the main character does not have to be the one outshining the rest. By the end of the show, they somehow manage to resolve the said problem. I sometimes don’t get why producers or directors compress one problem in 20 to 22 minutes, when it can be explained further in like two or three episodes. I guess it’s just a consumer habit that TV networks tend to abuse. I don’t know.

Also, what I noticed is that when it comes to scenes that require exaggeration, Brooklyn Nine-Nine tries its best to reach that somewhat “luck or skill” theme, while Riders & Defenders of Berk can freely do anything they want, because cartoons allow them to do so. By having characters that really don’t feel anything or doesn’t feel that much when experiencing life-threatening situations, they are somehow expendable. Real actors couldn’t afford doing such, even though they have acting doubles.

Fine, I’ll go with what I really think about the two shows. I’m not gonna try and be technical in this one.

I only liked Dreamworks Dragons: Riders & Defenders of Berk because they have dragons. That’s it. Even though their graphics aren’t really my type as I prefer more of the Japanese animations, because they tried creating a show that has dragons as one of the important characters in it, is amazing. Maybe some of the scenes wherein they got me teary-eyed because they triggered my family issues could be considered. But as a typical television show consumer, I wouldn’t really suggest my younger cousins to binge watch this. I’m going to recommend Riders & Defenders of Berk to them of course, because maybe they like dragons too, but to binge watch the show? I don’t think so.

Now, don’t get me wrong – I love Brooklyn Nine-Nine so much, but there are a few things I noticed about the show that makes me feel things. Negative things. First, it’s that sometimes, in an episode, a lot of things happen at the same time. It’s like I don’t know where to focus because Jake either does his hero ball way, or Rosa acts like the mean girl that she is, or Captain Holt dismisses everything then suddenly reverses his decision or something like that. Sometimes it’s hard not to watch the show and focus on one single character because of the numerous events that take place in a single episode.

Also, I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’m not quite sure whether they really give the New York Police District a different take. I think some, if not most of the characters somewhat give off a different energy than that of a typical detective in Brooklyn. I don’t know, maybe I just haven’t been to Brooklyn that’s why I’m saying this.

Lastly, I think that having several characters in a show helps in the plot of the story. I know, I might sound like I’m contradicting myself. In both of the shows, of course there is the main actor, but the supporting actors/actresses don’t really look like supporting actors/actresses. The shows give them enough limelight so that they can build a story of their own as the show progresses. I think that’s the best thing I can say about the two. I like how sometimes Ruffnut or Tuffnut can save the day with their stupid or borderline crazy antics, while Charles’s dad moves and Terry’s macho maneuvers actually solve a crime. It’s a good thing when you give the viewers a different taste per episode.

I guess watching a TV sitcom and using it to compare an animated series isn’t the best thing to do, especially since they’re two completely different entities. You can’t just boil it down to how unrealistic one is while the other is true to life. If you love both, then good for you. If you’re just a casual consumer just like me, who doesn’t really analyze what I’m watching, good for you as well. I mean, these shows sure give us a lesson or two about life, but it’s all about entertainment. And by watching them, we somehow relate to a more personal level than what we really think. And I guess that’s one thing we cannot compare.

Defenders of Berk Synthesis

“The first rule of Dragon Flight Club is that there is no Dragon Flight Club.”

Dreamworks Dragons: Defenders of Berk revisits your favorite characters from the How To Train Your Dragon film, chronicling the further adventures of Viking teenager Hiccup, his friends, and their dragons. This release picks up right where the first season left off. Hiccup and his gang have just returned from Outcast Island, where Alvin, the leader of the Outcasts, has amassed a his own collection of dragons and is attempting to train them.

While the first season of Dreamworks Dragons (Riders of Berk) concentrated on the Viking teenagers learning about dragons and learning how to fly, the second season (Defenders of Berk) finds Hiccup and his friends concentrating their efforts on training and being ready to protect Berk from outside threats.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the DreamWorks Dragons series thus far, and this season is no different. While the episodes can be enjoyed individually, it also makes for great binge-watching. I really like how the series progresses as the season goes long, with each episode building off of the previous ones. There is an interesting ongoing story arc and character development, while each episode also provides a mini problem-of-the-week for the riders to overcome.

The series seems to have really kicked up the humor for these final ten episodes of the season. I found myself laughing an smiling even more than usual while watching this batch of episodes—Fishlegs, Snotlout, and Ruffnut & Tuffnut all get some hilarious scenes! It’s like they’re having their own spotlights in some of the episodes, which is great not only for their character development but also for the show.

The series does a great job at recapturing the same spirit and fun of the original film, and even brings back many of the original voice cast from the movies, including Jay Baruchel (“Hiccup”), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (“Fishlegs”), T.J. Miller (“Tuffnut”) and America Ferrera (“Astrid”). The animation is really well done—the 3D environment and characters come to life on the TV screen. The dragons look amazing as they fly around, shoot fire, and attack their targets.

For the most part the video quality is really great, with lots of detail. However, there is the occasional scene that has a bit of a dull, blurry look—these are usually scenes that take place on rocky terrain. I also found that text—like the credits or episode titles—have some ghosting. All in all, if I were to watch the second movie of the series, I would understand more and would have really been a fanboy myself – which I did but I’m not really that much of a fanboy after.

Oh, one last thing. I liked the drama in this season. I guess it’s the main difference between the first season and this one.

Relatable Rhetoric: Defenders of Berk Ep. 13-20

Let’s get things going.

For Free Scauldy, I guess it’s just that sometimes, the person you expect the least from does the unimaginable. It happens. Not all the time, though. But when it does, you just couldn’t believe it. Who would’ve thought? An example I can relate to would be when it comes to drinking. Everyone has their own level of alcohol tolerance. You can only know how “strong” a person is when he/she is put to the test. After a while, when everyone’s either sleeping, crying, vomiting, singing, throwing bottles, or doing crazy stuff somewhere, you’ll see that person finishing the bottle of whisky you guys bought.

In the case of Frozen (not the ice princess movie), all I can think about is how wonderful nature is. In terms of animals, we are blessed to see how Mother Nature has given these creatures different abilities in order to protect themselves from predators or from any kind of threat when exposed to. For me, it’s the very reason that I chose Environmental Science as my degree program upon entering Ateneo. Sadly, I had to shift out to Interdisciplinary Studies because of academic reasons. Still, my love for wildlife never changed.

In the episode entitled A Tale Of Two Dragons, the main problem usually happens among groups of friends: when two of your buddies don’t get along, and there is something that you guys have to work on together. Sometimes, people around you get pressured and choose sides. Some try to avoid the drama, while others love even the tiniest of sorts. Sadly, being in the war zone gives you this opportunity to make ends meet, and in by doing so, you put back what has been torn apart. LOL. Although not all friendships could be fixed. Some just serve as learning experiences, some remain to be your support systems.

In The Eel Effect, I really feel that this episode is like the ‘calm before the storm’ episode, and because it’s a light episode, I guess what you can learn from this is that some random stuff lying around you might be the cure to some random thing you might experience in the future. In my case, because I had asthma and occasional cough, my mom would boil oregano leaves and make me drink the mixture. It tastes awful, but it works. Nature really has its own ways of giving us weird but helpful ingredients, but we still do not utilize their potential to the fullest.

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes just tells us that one way or another, karma will come to you eventually. But sometimes, I really wish that there would be creatures that would get scattered scrap metal and create their habitat from it. For example, I know that when a ship sinks into the bottom of the sea, the metal gets rusty after quite some time, like 50 years or something and corals start to grow on it, thus making them a habitat for a lot of fish. That’s a good way of making use of scrap metal.

Bing Bang Boom shows us the importance of maternal/paternal leave. Sometimes, we have to sacrifice our work in order to do our duty as parents. It’s already hard to grow one kid, what more if it’s three of them? That’s why when Stoick did what he had to do, I almost teared up. Being raised by a single mom, I learned the hard way that she couldn’t sacrifice her work so that she could be with us. That is why I made a promise to myself that my future family will never experience what I experienced. I will make sure that work will never be a hindrance to me in terms of time management as a parent.

Cast Out Parts 1 & 2 really mirrors to me the Parable of The Prodigal Son. Everything that was told in the story was acted out in both episodes. If there’s one thing I picked up from watching the two episodes, it’s that tarnished friendships can still be saved. Sometimes it just happens. Just like what happened in The Tale Of Two Dragons, some serve as a memory and lesson, but what happened in these two episodes show otherwise. It really made me think about my past friendships, and how I dealt with them. I guess for me losing friends along the way didn’t give me much of a problem, because I knew that I’d be making more in the process. But, I never really thought about making peace with those that I lost. I guess it’s just a part of growing up. When you realize that you’re better off without them, and you know for yourself that you deserve better, you start to attract better people who in turn become your new friends. But hey, if those friends you lost along the way start to show up and do something crazy that would make you think that giving them another shot is okay, then go for it! I mean, having new friends is okay but regaining old ones would be better! Isn’t it?

Season 2; Episodes 4-12

(Some of the episodes here were weird because I used to see Stoick and Gobber in the series but in one of the episodes I did not see both of them and for me it was weird. Also, I noticed that in of the one episodes, the outcasts and Alvin were not mentioned. (this was the first time I noticed it))

Watching or doing new things are the stuff sthat I want to do because I can share and teach these things to other people Not only that, but I can also notice my mistakes in my life because learning new things is wonder full. Like my friend said, “Mistakes are always learnings”. in these episodes, there were many new things I saw and some were weird but funny.

Watching these episodes were amazing. I experienced and saw many new things and many new dragons. Because of these, there were many lessons taught here. And many surprisingly came back from season one and had a huge impact from the audiences.

I experienced the debut of the The Screaming Death dragon– it was a giant and strong dragon that could fly and swim and could destroy islands easily. Not only that, I also noticed the new blue dragon, Flightmare. And I think, this dragon was super amazing and I really love how the way it really glows blue it amazed my eyes. I also noticed that in one of the episodes, there were yellow dragons and it was the first time that Hiccup trained them.

All of these new stuffs were fun but I also noticed that coming back and surprisingly coming back out of nowhere was also fun. Like how in the first episodes, they met a baby Typhoomerang named Torch. One of the episodes, he came back and I really liked how he notices, Hiccup and his friends (I got kilig). Also, I really liked the return of baby Snoutlout, Gustav and he met a new dragon, Fangook. I really like how determined he was having the dragon and wanted to join the academy even though he is small and really fragile. But I think, Gustav would be really useful when he learns how to ride and train/ bond with his new dragon.

Like Mildew, he was a traitor to his own island because he hated dragons. He also want see the Island of Berk shattered into pieces. There were many occasions here that Mildew helped the outcasts and Alvin. Mildew was the man in-charged of planting the eggs of the dragons on Berk and he and Alvin taught that after the eggs hatched, the dragons would attack Berk and destroy it. I love how the film introduced Mildew, at first, i thought that Milder was only afraid that the dragons would destroy Berk because the island where he lives used to fight dragons but as the film keeps going I saw how he really hates his island and helps the outcasts to destroy the Island of Berk. I really love how Mildew was keeping the the film interesting (but sometimes I want to kill him already). Mildew was one of the main characters for me because I think, he adds more intensity to the audiences. There were many scenes that Alvin wanted to kill him but he was begging Alvin not to kill him because he would suggests new ideas to Alvin how to destroy Berk.

Like one these episodes, the film did not mention about Alvin and the Outcasts. For me it was weird because I used to wait for Alvin and the outcasts to go to Berk and fight with the dragons. I think in that episode, they were just giving the main characters their own indentity. Like how Astrid, wanted to defend Berk against the Frightmare. She also said that her uncle was not afraid of the new  dragon that is named the Flightmare, this dragon is a ghostly neon blue dragon. It shoots a blue liquid that paralyzes its targets, and it feeds on glowing algae in order to glow in the dark.. In that episode, it explains why in the first season and episodes, Astrid was really hard in training, i think, because she wanted to fight the Frightmare to defend not only Berk but also her uncle. In that episode, Astrid was the main center of attraction.

The film got more interesting when Alvin and Dagur teamed up to destroy Berk. They began to speak some terms and condition on how would they get after destroying Berk but Dagur already had an idea to break the terms. In the end Alvin noticed it and he did not want to get along with Dagur. This part was really entertaining because I thought that both of them would really destroyed Berk because both of them were the leaders of their tribe and the only thing that the Berk had was five dragons and so little troops.

I was also entertained in the The view of the Skrill pt2, because it showed me how difficult to handle new things, like how they melt the ice of the Skrill and Dagur wanted to train it and use it to destroy Berk.

For me these episodes were interesting to watch not just because of how the plot delivers the story. I love how many character were involved and there were new characters. I love how Gustav showed up and trained one dragon and took his guts and went to the island of Dagur. He went went there and saved hiccup. I also like how he always shout “Fire it up” it makes the audience feel something different from the movie.

To sum this all, there were many new things that happened to the movie. Many dragons that were difficult to train. Like the experience of Gustav during his training of Fanhook. I really want to continue this movie because every episodes and seasons, there are many lessons and learnings we take even though it is for children. As an audience, i was really entertained and I really enjoyed what I watched.

DreamWorks Dragons & BBC’s Sherlock

Upon seeing that one of the requirements in this class is watching my favorite TV show, I immediately became excited. Apart from the fact that I have to compare it to the show that we are watching right now (a.k.a. DreamWorks Dragons), it has been a long time since I watched the show that immediately comes to mind whenever I am asked my favorite one: BBC Sherlock.

I’ve discovered Sherlock during my first year of high school, and by then Season 2 has finished. The Tumblr community (in which I used to be part of) was exploding with theories, gifs, memes, and even JohnLock fanfics that I instantaneously became curious about the show. How it became my favorite? Just you wait.

This intersession, I’ve learned a lot about television: its narrative structures, consumption, economics, and the culture that blooms in the shows that also appear. Trying to look at Sherlock and DreamWorks Dragons individually, it would be personally hard for me to compare the two because they cater to different audiences, they have different structures in terms of airing and telling their stories, and of course, Sherlock is live action, and DreamWorks Dragons is animated. The reception for each will of course be different since one offers a much more mature feeling than the other, especially with the former being a detective thriller, and the latter a fantasy children’s show. With that in mind, it must be obvious by now that Sherlock has a lot of differences with DreamWorks Dragons, but I’ll try to see what similarities it may have with the latter.

First of all, Sherlock is pretty much like DreamWorks Dragons for its sort of episodic nature. Honestly, I think no show (unless you’re in Netflix) would offer a radically different structure than this because no one would stick around all the time, waiting for the next episode to come (unless you’re a super hardcore fan). Keeping a pattern that would entice a person enough to keep watching the next episode is essential, and both have their own ways in making each of their episodes episodic. In my previous blogs about DD, I have talked about how each episode deals with a certain topic-may it be with Hiccup, Alvin/Dagur, The Gang, or the nature of dragons. It’s quite easy to catch up on the narrative continuity in this show since each episode offers a smaller plot that would fit a 22-minute airtime, but it would still somehow sneak in some bits of contribution to the bigger storyline with some character development or developments with the villain’s plans. After all, with DD being a children’s show, and with their target audience having a low attention span, it’s important for the show to keep their story light and easy to understand.

In Sherlock, each episode deals with a different crime that either affects him or his city. However, each episode in Sherlock slowly evolved in contributing to the eponymous character’s story as it progressed. Case in point: in Sherlock Season 1, the Jim Moriarty’s name was dropped at the end of the first and second episode until the great reveal in the last season. Being a show that is broadcasted to a channel that mainly caters to the older age population, the people watching Sherlock might already have enough memory capacity to retain the general happenings in the previous episode. In a way, the episodic nature of the show serves as means to drop hints about the ever-evolving complications that Sherlock has with the people around him. As the seasons progressed though, there may be crimes that Sherlock Holmes handles for other people, but it gets more and more personal, or he becomes more attached with the people involved with it, which is why with crime being the episodic component of the show, it is easy to either develop him or the world around him.

The main reason why Sherlock became my favorite was because of Sherlock’s development throughout the episodes. Given the fact that each episode is composed of an hour and a half of airtime, his character could only be improved by the nuances in the crime-solving that is happening. With Sherlock’s crime-loving nature, I think the show is an inquiry on his person, and the extent of his will in sacrificing for his friends. Enough of seeing his intellect, we already know since A Study in Pink that he’s good in crime solving. Now give him something more that would show the audience how much he cares about John, Mycroft, Mary, Molly, and the rest of the people he calls his friends. This more inward approach of the crimes as seasons progress then evolves the continuity, and makes each episode even more enticing to watch. And I think this is also the reason why a lot of people love this show.

There’s also a difference between how I watched DD and Sherlock. One thing’s for sure, I did not expect to be watching a children’s show in an academic setting. I am a binge-watcher, but the fact that I binge-watched 5 episodes of Riders of Berk in an academic setting within 2 hours exhausted me. As I have said in my previous blog posts, the voice-overs became redundant, and there wasn’t enough room to build more continuity in each episode. Yet it improved in Defenders of Berk, where things get more complicated, and the voice-overs are gone. In watching 4 episodes now for the 2nd season, I was not exhausted too much, but things also became more predictable in the middle of it. Then again, each episode starts with a kick of not knowing what happens (apart from the fact that Berk will always be okay in the end), so it became easier for me to watch it. Having a class to discuss my thoughts about each episode also made my viewing more fun–at least for sure whenever I’m going to give out weird references in the show, they will get it without me looking like a TV nerd or something.

Sherlock however, I watched with my own volition. Even though I binge-watched all seasons except for 4, I did not feel bored because I know for myself I was legitimately interested in it, so I watched it in my room, where no one could interrupt my viewing except for me and meals. However, I become this weird Sherlock nerd whenever I am in school for some of the people in the real world do not get the references I make. I then resort to the online community. Either way, my viewings for both are still enjoyable. Both give me different perspectives in watching, but since I viewed Sherlock in a more intimate setting than Dragons, I have a more personal connection with it.

More could be said about the ever-increasing differences of Sherlock and DreamWorks Dragons, but it should be known that they cater to different kinds of people. I’m not saying that Sherlock is better than Dragons, I personally think that I need to tune my mind to a certain thinking in order for me to enjoy the two. I find it easier to adjust my mindset to watch Sherlock, but then again, it’s still a talk on preference. One thing’s for sure though, both exists, and both are loved by people. They keep the TV culture alive, and so do the people who consume it.

DreamWorks Dragons: Defenders of Berk Season Review

Defenders of Berk was a smashing hit tackling issues of love and hate, friend and foe, fear and trust and everything in between while remaining a family-friendly television series for people of all ages to enjoy!

The best way to develop a character is to have him interact with another character in the story. Defenders of Berk surpassed the previous season because it was able to develop the other characters like Fishlegs, Astrid, Snotlout and the twins much better. Suddenly the story isn’t all about Hiccup, and we love it even more!

Love and Hate

There exists a very thin line between love and hate. The characters experience this in their interaction with one another, particularly Snotlout and Astrid. Although they are friends, their relationship is tainted with hostility and anger. One might even say it is more hate than love. However, when put to the test, they realize that they do care for each other and even each other’s dragons. It only took for them to walk in each other’s shoes a bit to realize it.

Friend and Foe

Season two was all the more exciting because it played with the idea of friend and foe. In this season, friendships are put to the test and characters change from being friends to foes and vice versa. Audiences learn through the many experiences of the characters that true friendship is hard to find and should be valued always. Real friends are those who will defend and protect you always, even risking their own safety to do it. In this season, alliances shift and Dagur, who was a former friend of Berk becomes an enemy because of his own selfishness and Berk’s long time enemy Alvin the Treacherous proves to be a friend after all.

Fear and Trust

Fear keeps people from trusting each other. This is a fact of life that is echoed in season two of DreamWorks Dragon. The citizens of Berk have much to fear with natural causes posing risks to their survival and enemies coming from all sides. Despite having dragons to protect them, Berk finds itself in the midst of chaos time and time again. In the second to the last episode, Berk is left vulnerable after Stoick is captured and in the darkest of moments, Hiccup is forced to trust Alvin in order to save his father. Trust is something that is earned and through his actions, Alvin proves to be someone that Hiccup can rely on. By the end of the season, Berk gains a new ally and there is less to fear because of it.

The first season of DreamWorks Dragon was incredibly fun to watch proving to be a good mix of life lessons and entertainment for an audience of all ages. I came into season two very excited to see how the story progresses and I was not disappointed. The second season tackled bigger issues and continued to educate their audience on how to go about life. Defenders of Berk outdid the previous season in every way and I can’t wait to see how the story continues!

Defenders of Berk Synthesis

I actually enjoyed season 2, “Defenders of Berk” of the “How To Train Your Dragon” franchise. For the following reasons, it didn’t revolve around so much on Hiccup, it had that sense of continuity and some plots were better than some episodes of the first season.

The season wasn’t so Hiccup-centric anymore because in season 1 of the series it was usually Hiccup who would save the day with the help of his friends but he was always thrust into the limelight as the hero of each episode. In this season, however, other characters had episodes that were dedicated to them. For this reason, I am able to see the other side of each character, there is more depth to them. It’s not merely on the surface level observation rather I get to see how these characters act differently when faced with a certain situation. It was surprising because in season 1 and even in the movie, these characters had a certain facade that is connotated to them, like Snotlout was always the proud, arrogant boy who I thought never cared for anyone but himself and honor  but I was proven wrong in “Race to Fireworm Island” episode when he was willing to do anything just for Hookfang. Fishlegs to me was just this gullible sweetheart but was I surprised with how he acted in his season, he was more confident and braver than last season. He’s learned to stand up for himself and I noticed that he had bigger responsibilities this season. Responsibilities that seemed like Astrid’s job or anyone just not Fishlegs. Some of these would include getting rid of the dragon root, being the diversion for the Screaming Death and even saving Hiccup from trouble. Episodes that focused on the twins were always the best for me owing to the fact that they‘re the ones that inject humor into the series because of their comical nature. Furthermore, episodes that were focused on the twins were always surprising seeing that I see their caring nature in the “ Free Scauldy” and “ they enjoy violence, hence seeing them in that act that way is like seeing pigs fly. Astrid is this season is not really a complex character, she is the still the same Astrid in season 1 except in this season, I find out that she actually did have a family.

Another reason why I enjoyed this season better than the first season because it had that sense of continuity. The series is episodic but there are some episodes that you would appreciate more if you watched the previous episodes. Characters such as Alvin the Treacherous, Dagur the Deranged, the Screaming Death, Mildew makes their reappearance in most of the episodes. I loved how these characters would merge in the end for the episode finale for this season.

Lastly, the plots of this season were more interesting maybe because I’ve watched season 1 and I could see how the characters grew and I liked how they introduced new settings such as Changewing island, Fireworm Island, and Eel island. I’m planning to continue watching season 3 of the franchise “Race to the Edge” just to see what happens to them.

Defenders of Berk Synthesis

We had finally seen and reviewed all episodes of DreamWorks Dragons’ second season titled Defenders of Berk. It must be noted that this has very stark differences from the previous season yet still manages to be consistent and continuous. I mentioned this many times before that season 2 was so much better than season 1. Below, I shall explain what made the two different, and why I liked/disliked what changed.

The very first thing that has changed from season one is the title. The show had gone from Riders of Berk to Defenders of Berk. The premise of this is that as the kids advance their skills as riders, their responsibility to protect Berk from any and all threats becomes greater. We see this in the development of the plot of both seasons. For Riders of Berk, the problems brought up and introduced were simple and mostly internal to the village. The focus of the episodes were more on dragon training, and therefore riding, and establishing the world of Berk and the characters who live in it. With Defenders of Berk on the other hand, many threats arise that are external to Berk: killer dragons, another tribal enemy, etc., which means to say that there is a lot more… defending to do.

The second thing that has changed is the pace of the overarching plot build-up. I actually liked how season spaced out their continuous episodes more than they did in season 2. For the former, it was steadier and there was an equal distribution of episodic and continuous episodes. While viewing the latter, it felt a bit sporadic having a bigger chunk of the Alvin and Dagur episodes during the first half of the season. From A View to Skrill Part 2 the show jumped seven episodes until the reappearance of Dagur and Alvin. Perhaps this was done in order to get more viewers hooked on the show at the beginning of season 2, but I didn’t like the way they did it as much as in season 1.

Defenders of Berk also made better use of the characters in the show. The previous season did not so much allow for the others to be the hero except for Hiccup and Toothless. Now we see not only Astrid, Snotlout and Fishlegs being responsible for the saving day, but even Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and Alvin and Mildew. Doing this makes the show more dynamic and gives way for newer and fresher narratives. This does not just apply to the episodic episodes, but more so with the continuous plot. The character development most especially of Alvin is what made me enjoy season 2 more. They painted him as this dirty, treacherous guy who can never be trusted but it turns out no matter how evil a man seems to be, he is still capable of having a change of heart.

Overall, season 2 was just easier to follow and look forward to watching compared to season 1. It was not too corny. The action scenes got my heart racing. It made me laugh more than I thought I would. And the new dragons were really cool.

Defenders of Berk Synthesis

The second season of Dreamworks Dragons was a more improved version of season 1. First, the animation was more detailed and of higher quality. For example, the lightning from the Skrill and the aurora borealis in the Fright of Passage episode are some of which that show beautiful animation effects. The scenes in this season were also more vibrant and realistic-looking. This improvement made me realize the importance of animation in a fantasy tv show. It brings to life characters and the environment they live in, and also encourages the work of the imagination to grow and develop. I’m glad that the creators have prioritized this aspect of the series since it really contributes to the beauty and magic of the show.

In terms of plot and structure, the episodes were mostly episodic, although it had more of a continuity element compared to season 1. One of the most important and biggest changes was when Ruffnut cut her long hair to save a Scauldron. I was disappointed when her hair was back to its original length in the next episode. However, the storyline of the destruction created by the Screaming and Whispering deaths was continuous throughout the entire season. Speaking of dragons, I believe the dragons that they introduced were more dangerous and powerful compared to the first season. This change brought more dramatic and epic action sequences to the show, and it presents the idea that the targeted audience was amended for older children. The continuity element of the second season also indicates that the audience should be aware  and perceptive enough to follow the storyline.

Another change evident in the show is the increase of episodes that focused on Hiccup’s friends. Although some were mostly filler episodes, I still enjoyed them because I was able to learn more about their personality and characteristics. By giving characters such as the twins and Snotlout a chance to take center stage, it allows the viewers to see how they think and behave. They way they solved the problems in a particular episode is very refreshing and unique since I am used to watching Hiccup save the day. For a 20 minute per episode television program, I must say the screenwriters have done well in pacing the 2nd season.

If I had the power to make a few adjustments, I think more flashback episodes would be helpful in knowing their backstories. By knowing their backstories, it will be  helpful in seeing their character development throughout the show. Similar to the first season, the characters were static. Aside from Stoick who has grown and now sees Hiccup as a chief, most characters still behaved the same way they did in season 1. It’s possible that a glimpse of their history would make them more dynamic as characters. Furthermore, with flashback episodes, it would also make it easier to connect and be emotionally invested in the characters if I knew more of their history. To understand what is at stake for them would make them more relatable to viewers, and I believe this is the key in retaining and increasing viewers as the show progresses.

All in all, Defenders of Berk was a very interesting show to watch. I found it more enjoyable than the first season of Dreamworks Dragons because this was more catered for older children. Hiccup’s narration at the end was a nice touch in finishing the season. As previously mentioned in my previous blog post, the last episode left me with a bittersweet feeling, knowing that my class has reached the end. However, I’m going to recommend this series to my little brother so that he too can experience and be part of the fantasy world filled with dragons.