About:
- Genres:
- Action-Adventure
- Animated
- Fantasy
Fix: Princesses, Musicals, Latin American Culture, Family, Friendship, Trauma Recovery
Platform: Disney+
Disney+ Summary:
Princess Elena’s journey began long ago when her parents and kingdom were taken from her by the evil sorceress, Shuriki. While Elena is the rightful heir to the throne, she is only 16, and must learn to rule Avalor with the help of a Grand Council. With some magical friends by her side, Princess Elena’s adventures will help her understand that her new role requires thoughtfulness, resilience and compassion, the traits of all truly great leaders.
FYA Summary:
Ever wonder what happens when a fairy tale is over? This princess broke free from her enchantment, avenged her parents and won her happily ever after, but now she has to actually rule her kingdom, a Latin-American-inspired fantasy land called Avalor. Her heart is in the right place, but she’s rash and impulsive, and forty years of tyranny can’t be undone in one day. What’s more, her older cousin Chancellor Esteban is not comfortable sharing power, and her enemy Shuriki may not be permanently gone. Luckily Elena has her wise grandparents, her brilliant little sister, her loyal bodyguard Gabe, her devoted Royal Wizard Matero, and sensible council member Naomi to advise her. But can she make it to Coronation Day without losing her kingdom … or herself?
Familiar Voices:
Aimee Carrero as Princess Elena and Jenna Ortega as Princess Isabel
Having voiced Adora in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Carrero knows how to do justice to a mature storyline in an underestimated kids’ show. Like Adora, Elena is a strong young woman learning to be a leader while coming to terms with her traumatic past.
The girl who played Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series Wednesday proves her versatility by voicing the sweet (and not at all Goth-like) scientist princess who is Elena’s younger sister.
Christian Lanz as Chancellor Esteban and Jane Fonda as Shuriki
The voice actor who worked on Coco and the Call of Duty video games steals the show as Elena’s pompous politician cousin. You might take one look at that mustache (which is made for twirling, seriously) and assume you know how the story will go, but I promise that this character will surprise you.
The Academy, Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning actress infuses her signature raspy voice with classic fairytale evil. She’s not very complex as villains go, but she doesn’t need to be. It’s her lingering effect on Elena and Avalor that makes her interesting.
Couch-Sharing Capability: Shippers Ahoy!
I was introduced to this series by a fellow fan fiction writer a few years ago, and we’ve been exchanging stories ever since, most of them romantic. Elena is an independent princess who doesn’t need a prince, and she’s surrounded by gorgeous friends, allies and rivals of different genders (and species – there’s a kingdom of merpeople). This lends itself to a wealth of interpretations. If you’re a shipper or know someone who is, there’s guaranteed to be at least one couple to fall in love with. Or if you want to watch it as a child-friendly cartoon series, that’s fine too. (Although I haven’t fit this target demographic since the 90’s.)
Recommended Drink: Agua Fresca
Agua fresca, one of Elena’s favorites, is a popular Mexican drink made of blended fruits, water, lime juice and sweeteners like sugar or agave. I’ve never actually tried this, but I Googled it and it looks as colorful and refreshing as this show.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Underrated Royalty
Flying cats. What more can I say?
Seriously though, the winged jaguars, talking spirit fox, Aztec-inspired sunbird oracle and other fantastic creatures aren’t the only things to like about this show. There’s the representation, the magic system (who needs a wand when you have a tamborita?), the examination of grief, anger and forgiveness, the lovable characters rebuilding their nation one adventure at a time … I must admit the CGI looks a little plastic, but once I get into it, I stop noticing. I’d rather have okay animation and a great story than the other way around.
We published this review during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. This work would not exist without the labor of actors, and we support their goals.
