Season 1 of Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur was a rousing success when it hit Disney+ in 2023, earning five Children’s and Family Emmys and numerous nominations. Now Lunella is back for season 2, and she’s blowing the multiverse wide open.
Season 2 begins right where season 1 leaves off. Lunella (Diamond White) has sacrificed herself to close an interdimensional rift, leaving Mimi (Alfre Woodard), Casey (Libe Barer), and Devil (Fred Tatasciore) back in their home reality. Now she’s trapped on another world, with only the arrogant Beyonder (Laurence Fishburne) to help get her home.
Episode 1, “The Great Beyond-er!” is both riotously funny and full of heart. The Beyonder goes through an identity crisis, and Lunella has to rely on her brain to find a way back to Earth (and survive an onslaught of baddies, of course). The end of the episode leaves Lunella in a surprisingly vulnerable place, launching new storylines for season 2 to explore.
Moon Girl Season 1 mainly focused on street-level superheroics, along with more mundane—but equally compelling—subjects like family, friendship, and body image. Season 2 expands Lunella’s world, introducing new characters like Mimi’s besties from her own Moon Girl days, and a new roster of allies and adversaries. However, the show always stays true to its heart: Lunella’s journey as a young super genius, flanked by the people (and dinosaur) who love her.
Of course, a show is only as good as its actors, and season 2 doesn’t disappoint. White hits it out of the park as the ebullient Lunella. Casey has just the right amount of best friend energy. The Beyonder is a joy to watch. I’m not sure how Tatasciore manages Devil’s grunts and snorts without swallowing his own tongue, but he pulls it off brilliantly.
The animation and music are just as good as they were in season 1. There’s plenty of visual humor—influenced, as in season 1, by sources as eclectic as comic book panels and Jean-Michel Basquiat—but the art style becomes more vivid and fluid for dramatic or sensitive moments. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: when the vast majority of children’s shows are churned out using cheap CGI, lazy character design, and repetitive moralistic plots, a series as lovingly crafted as Moon Girl feels almost too good to be true.
It might sound audacious to call Moon Girl the best Marvel animated series. How can I make that claim, when the original X-Men is right there and What If…? season 2 was a banger? Well, Moon Girl is just that good. It’s a love letter to animation, and a jubilant exploration of a lesser-known corner of the Marvel universe. Your kids will love it, but after you put it on, you may find yourself lingering in the room to soak up its artistry and joy.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur season 2 premieres on February 2 on Disney Channel and Disney XD, and February 3 on Disney+.
(featured image: Disney+)
