Netflix recently released a new series called He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. After the disappointment that Masters of the Universe: Revelation brought me, I was hesitant to watch it. Here is my honest review now that I’ve seen season 1: It is good!
The story is solid and held my attention. I told myself I would watch only the first episode and stop there. I found myself drawn back to see the second, then the third, until I had finished the last episode, without noticing the time at all. There were some well-placed funny moments too! Overall, they did a great job developing the story. You see how the characters develop into heroes or villains in the tale. It’s also crystal clear who are the Masters of the Universe (in case you ever wondered).
There are a lot of differences between this and the much loved 1980’s version. They changed the ages of the characters, some of the roles, and the characteristics. It was perhaps necessary to make it different enough for people to separate it from the original. Yet, it was similar enough for people to connect to both stories. Some of the changes are big! The story here is better fleshed out than the original animation, in my opinion.
The rule of thumb when you watch a remake or retelling of a story is to keep an open mind. Watch this with no preconceptions. Think of it as a completely different universe and enjoy it!
