Season 2 of Max’s original Gremlins animated prequel series is upon us, bringing with it a new voice talent, Simu Liu (Barbie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), as a charming bootlegger. The series’ second season, dubbed Gremlins: The Wild Batch, meets the expectations set from the inventive first season (then titled Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai) and often surpasses them in terms of action and character dynamics.
Taking place one year after the events of Season 1, this go-around tracks Gizmo (AJ LoCascio), Sam (Izaac Wang), and Elle (Gabrielle Nevaeh) as they leave their Shanghai home to unravel a mystery. It takes them to San Francisco, where yet another swirl of Mogwai mayhem and revelations await.
Returning cast members include Ming-Na Wen (as Fong Wing), James Hong (Grandpa Wing), and George Takei (Noggin). They, too, are in fine form throughout this delightful, animated romp. And no doubt taking advantage of its success, the season nabs exceptional guest stars with John Glover, who played eccentric billionaire Daniel Clamp in the sequel film, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, garnering the most attention. Michael Paul Chan, Ronny Chieng, Keith David, Will Forte, Kelly Hu, and Jimmy O. Yang also pop in for a breezy, thoroughly entertaining time all around. This season doles out just as many chilling thrills as it does mayhem and humor.
Mayhem Awaits in San Francisco
From the looks of it, there’s no shortage of mishaps for the Gremlins streaming series set in the 1920s. Season 2 finds the core three—Gizmo, Sam, and Elle—embarking on a trail of a new brood of evil Mogwai. Creator/writer Tze Chun takes our heroes deep into the American West, which is, in and of itself, a fine premise for a second season, lending itself to all the Old West tropes possible, but Chun is keen on keeping the supernatural elements that make this series so fun intact.
Think of the season as a wild overseas road trip, where mysterious characters filter into the mix every step of the way. Things kick off quickly when Sam discovers evidence of evil Mogwai escaping to America. Gizmo’s suddenly strange behavior is a key clue. As would be expected, the writers make great use of San Francisco landmarks. For instance, a magic portal somehow drops our pals a bit short of their destination, forcing them to escape from Alcatraz and its very strange guards. It’s here they meet Chang (Liu), who become their new buddy.
Episode 3 is Chinatown-centric, which offers an array of eye candy and a chance to develop the interesting character dynamics between Chang and Sam, Elle, and Gizmo. Could the evil Mogwai be traced to Chinatown’s criminal underworld? Think of Chang as a kind of Indiana Jones Meets Han Solo pal who, while flawed, ultimately becomes their makeshift guide to America.
Where Are Those Troublesome Mogwai?
This wouldn’t be Gremlins without some frenzy. Be patient, for as much as Tze Chun wants us all to have fun here, he also wants to establish new character interactions, more than suggesting this series has legs to travel another three seasons or so. That said, expect healthy doses of elevated mayhem from Episode 4 onward. That episode stands out as it tracks Sam and Chang teaming up to rescue Gizmo from an Evil Mogwai gang.
About that… these quirky Mogwai are a delight, and their interaction recalls some of the finest bits you’d find in one of those classic animated Looney Tunes outings— imagine a more sinister Wile E. Coyote times a dozen. Leading them is Noggin, voiced impeccably by the recognizable and always effective George Takei. Noggin was great fun in the first season, and here, as the series’ main antagonist, we discover even deeper layers to his kind of Gremlin, one of the more memorable of this old batch.
Every Pop Culture Reference in Gremlins
Gremlins is an iconic Christmas-themed movie and a tribute to cinema, delivering many exciting references to the movies and artists that inspired it.
Sure enough, we can’t resist the wicked, perhaps overly campy fun that emerges once our pal Gizmo is occasionally overtaken with anger and transforms into Gritty Gizmo. Look for a trippy cable car outing with that Gizmo “steering.”
Didi's Izaac Wang Rides a New Wave of Success
Once again, the voice talents shine. Izaac Wang is clearly having a Hollywood moment. The young actor just came off the zippy yet charming coming-of-age film Didi, and no doubt he’s collected a greater fan base that will tune in here. Liu’s effectively reassuring vocal talents are a perfect addition.
As for Glover’s return to the franchise, you can expect a deeper dive into the Clamp family ancestry and all its quirky dynamics, nicely leaping off the source material from the original movie. It’s a great addition to an already solid season, and it gives the viewers a fine reminder that the creators want to be smart and reliable, protecting the franchise as they continue to move creative things forward.
Meanwhile, look for a nice turn from Michael Paul Chan, who, coincidentally, is another Amblin film alum—he played Data’s father in The Goonies. And Ming-Na Wen’s Fong Wing and the great James Hong’s Grandpa Wing are given their own story arc to move through, a kind of latter-day coming-of-age experience.
Overall, with its great slew of guest stars, super fun premise, effective execution, and sharp animation (even though there’s a tendency for darker, dimly lit tones throughout) Gremlins: The Wild Batch is wickedly fun and thoroughly entertaining. Keep these batches coming.
Gremlins: The Wild Batch
hits Max on Oct. 3
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