DreamWorks Dragons (TV Series 2012–2014) Poster

(2012–2014)

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9/10
This show does the fantastic movie justice.
django99980-470-7021088 September 2012
I'm a huge fan of How to Train Your Dragon. In fact I would rate it as my favorite animated movie, even more so than anything Pixar can come up with. I love the feeling of magic it gave me, and the interesting characters and setting. So of course I was worried about Dragons, considering the show for Kung Fu Panda was disappointing. I expected the same amount of great character development and heart touching story lines from Kung Fu Panda Legends of Awesome, but didn't get those. I was expecting Dragons to suffer the same fate, and I was wrong. Right away, I notice that the animation quality is just better than other Dreamworks animated shows. then there's the plot. No little 15 minute stories here, instead we get 30 minute plots that show a problem, involve character development followed by the solution to the problem. Most of the voice actors have returns and the music sounds incredibly, so the sound quality of the show is amazing. The writing is pretty much on par with the movie as well, and the jokes are funny and witty. Its a truly great show that CN should be glad that they picked up.
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9/10
Thoroughly enjoyable, requires continuity consideration.
tylerm012277 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
DreamWorks Dragons is an incredibly enjoyable TV series and is part of a fun universe of characters both in the films, TV and other media, and even at the end of season 3, the show has still not lost the foundations that make it so entertaining, however, there are soon to be some continuity errors dependent on the chronology of the series being between the first and second films.

In terms of timeline advancements between the two films alone, the second film has many differences to the first which are yet to be explained and accounted for in the first 3 seasons of Dragons, such as the way in which 'Dragon Racing' is so fundamental in their world in the second film and yet remains unmentioned in the series. Additionally, subjects such as the intimate nature of the relationship between Hiccup and Astrid in the second film have not been expanded or developed after 3 seasons of the series and there are still no elements of romance in their relationship. Lastly, although this has partly come to be in terms of the wingsuit Hiccup possesses, there are many technological advancements that remain unmentioned in the series, such as Hiccup's multi-functional false leg depicted in the second film.

Of course, none of these issues of chronology and continuity hamper the magic of the series at all, but I do believe it is important for the writer's to consider these issues when it comes to the future development of DreamWorks Dragons in order to prevent any loop holes and logic that could potentially create a block to full enjoyment of the series.
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8/10
Enjoyable to watch
ghouladventures5 July 2021
I'm a big fan of HTTYD so I thought I'd give this show a try. At first I wasn't sure, but it really grew on me. I haven't finished the entire show yet, I'm on season 3 but it's actually really entertaining! My only criticism is that some episodes are predictable and feel like filler episodes, however considering I'm older than the target audience it's not a big deal. It's still a great show and majority of the episodes are really engaging, they don't shy away from high stakes plot lines. The animation is actually surprisingly good, definitely not the movie quality but it holds up well. I really like this show and I love how it lines up with the timelines of the movies. It makes you feel much more connected to the characters and their world.
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10/10
HTTYD and Dragons: Riders of Berk warms my heart and spirit
g_longacre30 September 2012
I absolutely loved the movie and TV show, there was not one thing that I have disliked about whatsoever. The reason that I have unlimited love for the movie and TV series is because Hiccup and Toothless have an incredible friendship, love and care for each other. The movie and TV show felt so real to me. It opened my heart, lifted my spirit and gave me something to imagine about. I sometimes imagine that I was there interacting with the characters with them and myself touching each other and having fun with them as if I was part of their world too. Both the movie and series were done wonderfully and they really deserve a giant Oscar for a heartwarming story, drama, show and music. I really hope they make more of the How To Train Your Dragon and Dragons: Riders of Berk shows and games too and it's not just the kids that enjoy those shows but the kind of shows that the whole family can sit down with a bowl of popcorn and let their hearts and spirits be lifted as they watch it. I will never get bored of How To Dragon Your Dragon or Dragons: Riders of Berk. Keep up the good work, Dreamworks I hope you guys keep making more of those episodes and movies because they're the best ever.
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10/10
Incredible
octavaluna1 January 2013
If there's something that a grown person has to know while watching animation films is that they are mostly aimed to young audience. So they have to show values. How to train your Dragon was a very beautiful movie, but the series are even better. The steal-strong friendship between Toothless and Hiccup is the most beautiful and encouraging thing ever. The different types of people in their group teach about acceptance and respect between companions, or to oneself, everyone has it's strong and weak point. Partial incapability in not an end, friendship can move mountains and change people's hearts. Time is necessary to make a change, bad people will always exist, but they are never rewarded. If I had kids Riders of Berk would be the series I would make them see ever and ever again.

For adults there's also entertainment; The landscapes are precious, the jokes funny and the action moments make you hold your breath. It's light and happy, the perfect series for enlighten your mood and believe in magic again.
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10/10
A fantastic movie done justice by this excellent TV show!
I'm a fan of How To Train Your Dragon and was looking forward to watching this TV show with higher expectations. After I had saw a few episodes that aired on Cartoon Network, I smiled with joy, saying, "This is turning out to be an amazing show!". I understand that lots of people hated the Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness show, but I was one of the few people who liked it, in my honest opinion and considered it much more watchable for kids. With that said, this show has done well to do justice to the movie-hit back at 2010.

The episodes are well-structured with unique story lines along great character development and the concept that shows solving the situation to every problem. The writing is also pretty good with some witty and hilarious jokes that would never make you stop laughing your head off. The episodes that touched me was where Hiccup leaves Toothless at the Dragon Cove where he first met him and leaving him far away in an island from Berk in the one part-2 episode, which almost made me shed a tear. The characters are likable as ever and some of the voice actors from the original film did great voicing them with great spirit and energy while the villain named Alvin The Treacherous is amazing with some menacing voice work from Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill. The music is very amusing with some of the same motifs from John Powell's original score for the first film.

Overall, Dragons: Riders of Berk is a great TV show that would leave die-hard fans of the movie dying to love it. Due to it's recommendable value, this deserves a solid thumbs up from me!
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8/10
'Riders of Berk' great to see and fills in the blanks
jbflower9618 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
As with most people who are in love with the movie, I had some high expectations for the series and was worried that 'Dragons' would end up like 'Kung Fu Panda' and 'Penguins' (which I understand is geared towards kids, but it kind of ruined the franchises for me). Luckily, the people involved with the movie seemed to want to set this apart from those two. Instead of airing it with Nickelodeon, DW aired it with Cartoon Network, much to my personal dismay. As the series progressed however, I found myself (mostly) agreeing with their decision because of the seriousness of series.

Just a real quick overview of the series in general: it doesn't really seem to have a set time of where it begins in terms of the movie. It does however look like it happens a little after 'Gift of the Night Fury'(still doesn't clear up the time line) because the teens know that dragon eggs explode. Next, the quality is not as great as the movie, but that can be chalked up to a limited budget so don't let it distract you too much. Lastly, it's main focus is on the teens and their dragons trying to help Berk get along with its new residents. While most people are willing to cooperate, there are some who aren't willing to let go of grudges. It also expands on ideas that were mentioned in the movie and digs deeper into the characters.

One thing I like about the series is that it's easy to see how the teens grow in their relationships with both their dragons and each other. At the end of the movie, we see the teens begin to respect Hiccup and the series expands on that. There are some exceptions, mostly with Snotlout, but when the situation calls for it they'll listen and be there for him. Next there's the awesome relationship between him and Toothless. In almost every episode, it's obvious that the pair have grown close and will do whatever it takes to protect each other. In the episode 'The Terrible Twos', the pair go through a small split that results in Hiccup stranding Toothless in their cove. In the end however, they make up and realize how important it is to listen and trust one another, which continues on for the rest of the series.

There's also the focus on Hiccup and Stoick's family relationships and conflicts. 'Gift of the Night Fury' offered a slight glimpse of them trying to work things out and the series picks up from there. The first is when Stoick gives Hiccup the old dragon killing arena to use as a Dragon Academy, showing that he's willing to trust his son with responsibility. In 'Alvin and the Outcasts', Stoick is generally worried about Hiccup when he finds out that Alvin the Treacherous, their greatest enemy, has taken his son and in a later episode titled 'We are a Family: Part 2'. Also, Stoick is willing to embrace his son's ideas by accepting his own dragon in 'How to Pick Your Dragon', something he claims earlier goes against their Viking traditions. During this episode, it seems like Hiccup's efforts do not work due to his father's stubborn and Viking-like attitude, but at the end it shows that Stoick does listen to his son (though he'll deny it). The greatest example of their improving relationship is in 'Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Young Man'. In this episode, Hiccup goes on a small quest to prove to his dad (and himself) that he can be the kind of Viking they think he should be. The challenges in this quest (which even Stoick took on) are only solved by Hiccup being himself, proving who he is to both himself and his father. The end of the episode shows the two standing side-by-side with Stoick's arm on Hiccup's shoulder, eyes filled with pride.

And let's not forget the Hiccup and Astrid romance here. Surprisingly, there's very little focus on that. Instead, the focus is on them becoming good friends who offer each other advice and brutal truths. When Hiccup is faced with a conflict he can't solve on his own, Astrid is one of the first people who offers to help him. In return, Astrid sticks by him to make sure he follows her advice and keep him from getting killed (which happens quite a bit). There's a few glimpses of their blossoming love: when they huddle close together for warmth in 'Animal House' only to back away from each other embarrassment, Astrid giving him playful punches on his arm, and when Astrid grows jealous of Heather in 'Heather Report: Part 1/2' because the other girl is stealing Hiccup's attention (there's a bit more to it but don't want to spoil it from here).

So while the series has some of its amazing moments, there's also some parts that drag it down. I won't dwell into those though much because those types of matters depend on your opinions. I can go on about the series, but I'll stop here before I give everything away.

To wrap it up, 'Dragons: Riders of Berk' is a very good series that helps strengthen (and sometimes weaken) the franchise in general. It's a bit more serious than DreamWorks' other spin-off series, but it works well due to the nature of the movie and can be off-set by its comedy (also sometimes weak). For those of you who can't get enough of 'How to Train Your Dragon' and can't wait for the second movie, this series is great for you. Besides, I heard that this and the next series, 'Dragons: Defenders of Berk' which will premiere sometime in September, deal with events that occur between the two movies so its probably good to see what happens.
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6/10
Destroys the feel of the movie/s
bierfuizl21 June 2014
This show may be suitable for your kids, but as an adult and a real fan of the movie, this series destroys the spirit and feel of the original.

Of course they didn't have the same budget as for the movie to make this series, you can see the CGI is less polished, which isn't that big of an issue for me. Worse is the fact, they didn't get all the original voices(i watched this in German, may be different for other languages) The story lines are a little uninspired and lack the deepness of the movie. This of course is inevitable in 20 minute episodes. They are nonetheless okay, as why i would still recommend this for your kids.

Overall i'd say, stick to the movies :)
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8/10
Overall Pretty Good.
spacian3796 July 2014
After binge watching both seasons over the course of three days (Never do this), I can honestly say that this is among the best children's shows currently shown.

Unlike most kid's fare around these days it doesn't pander to random humor and trying to be "cool". It instead uses plausible situations and character development to drive a narrative forward, the way kid's shows used to be until the late 2000's. It carries on pretty much exactly where the first film leaves off and portrays Hiccup's difficulties in assimilating dragons into Berkian life and facing off against several different villains. Of these three, Dagur the deranged is the best written, and even I find myself smiling at some of his lines and mannerisms.

The score to the show is surprisingly well done, with John Ceazarone taking Powell's themes and implementing them quite well in each episode. The animation is certainly not on par with the film's themselves, and as a result Hiccup and Toothless can look a bit strange at times, but this is understandable and shouldn't impede the viewing.

The writing and plots are mostly predictable for the aged and educated viewer, but still has a surprise every now and then that redeems it. The jokes, while occasionally repetitive and catering to a young audience, still keep the show interesting, and there is occasionally a particularly good one that will stay in your head a while.

If you loved the first movie and now the second I would advise seeing it. You will certainly not be disappointed and it will give the fix of dragon you'll need to hold you over until the third film.
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7/10
Love it!
No-Life-1018 July 2022
This show adds a little bit of story that you could miss during the movies, they incorporate everything nicely. The art and animation is good despite it being ~10 years old. I sometimes go back and rewatch the series since the music and characters are amazing!
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10/10
Excellent continuation to the movie
Rocnrolman6 October 2013
I absolutely loved the movie and this TV show really filled my cravings for more adventures!!! And to those who gave bad reviews, you'll see that they only watched the first few episodes... The plot REALLY starts to thicken in the last 3-4 episodes and I really like where the series (and probably the movie) is heading.

I think I actually read somewhere that Stoic's voice is voiced by a different person which absolutely blew my mind! All of the other voices are the same though, which is fantastic.

I can't wait to start watching Dragons: Defenders of Berk

Also, one last thing, the opening sequences to this series gave me shivers, i knew as soon as i saw it that I would be in love with this series
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5/10
Predictable and boring story lines
AndreasHardcastle28 December 2012
I really loved "How to train your dragon" and was overjoyed when I saw they made a series out of it. Watching the first 5 episodes my mood got darker from episode to episode. The formula is always the same: Something happens with the dragons that starts a problem, you usually know exactly what the real problem is, who'll get any blame and how they'll fix it within the first 5 minutes and then you have to suffer through how blind and stupid they all act until it's cleared up at the end.

OK, have to admit I'm 36 and probably far off the target audience ;). For kids 5-10 it might still be a great series.
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10/10
An absolute masterpiece follow-up to one of the greatest animated films in history!
flblueeyedboy20 January 2015
DreamWorks, in its decision to make Dragons into an animated series, branched out on the plot, delving into the details of Berk from ground level. Coupled with various mini-feature specials, including 'Gift of the Night Fury' and 'Book of Dragons', the power of this show never ceases to amaze.

The excellence of the animation alone is mind-blowing. From every movement of Hiccup and the gang, to every plasma blast, spine shot and sheep "baaa" feels real enough to reach out and touch. The art of the Vikings brings a sense of reality to a fantasy story that will be remembered for decades to come.
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8/10
Enjoyable, and true to spirit of movie
andykessinger5 January 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I thoroughly enjoyed the motion picture, in many ways it was one of the best of the decade prior to release. This new TV series is also very good, whereas a typical series will just go off on its own story line, this one is actually leading up to something. I was impressed with the first four episodes, and the ones that followed are equally impressive. The best part was that the lessons from the movie to both kids, and adults were carried over, and expanded upon in the series thus far. All together, the series is worth watching, and I am interested to see where it goes in the future. The biggest problem that I have seen has been abrupt character role ends. For example (spoiler alert) in the thirteenth episode, Astrid's role in the episode was abruptly cut off towards the end of the episode. This was confusing, and it created questions that may not be answered at all in the series.
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9/10
A terrific show and works really well as a spin-off
TheLittleSongbird29 July 2014
How to Train Your Dragon was a wonderful film, animated or otherwise, DreamWorks' best since The Prince of Egypt and one of the best animated films of the 2000s. The sequel was great and almost as good with even better animation, a darker tone and a good amount of depth to the characters, though Hiccup and Toothless' friendship was done a little better in the first(which I also preferred for its simplicity). Dragons: Riders of Berk compliments How to Train Your Dragon very well indeed and is a terrific show in its own right, though understandably not quite as good. The animation may not be as incredible as that in How to Train Your Dragon and the sequel, but that's inevitable because this is a TV show and they feature-length films. That is not knocking the animation though, because the animation still has much beauty and detail with all movements nice and smooth, and the flying sequences and action still exhilarate, Dragons: Riders of Berk is for me one of the best-looking computer-animated shows out there and it's also true to the style of that of the film. The music has parts where it's rousing and others where it's sensitive depending on the mood, it's fitting, it has a pace and most of all it's memorable. The use of some of the themes from the film was welcome too. Dragons: Riders of Berk has great writing, the show is very thoughtfully written with some jokes that are actually funny and balance well with the emotional and suspenseful parts. Like the film the show gives us plenty of time to get to know the characters and relate to them just as well as we did in the film. Hiccup and Toothless' friendship is genuinely endearing. The story lines are always easy to follow and maintain the simplicity of the tone/spirit of the film, which will please fans, the comedy doesn't feel at odds with anything else and the conflict is convincing while never getting too dark. With how the characters interact and how you really feel the friendship of Hiccup and Toothless the show definitely has heart as well. As said the characters are still engaging, I've always loved how Toothless is so lovable and touches and warms the heart without even speaking, and most of the voice actors return and do typically fine jobs, even the new voice of Stoick courtesy of Chris Noth (although Gerard Butler's voice suits the character far more). Alvin is a fun adversary with a good amount of menace about him and Mark Hamill's voice fits perfectly. All in all, terrific show, the films are a little better but compared to most animated shows now and other shows airing on Cartoon Network Dragons: Riders of Berk compares more than favourably. 9/10 Bethany Cox
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10/10
Don't believe the naysayers
kwolff-392292 January 2017
I needed to write a review to prevent the negatives from doing too much damage. People reviewing this show ADMITTING they only watched the first episode or complaining about the voice actors outside of the original language are ridiculous (ofc Netflix didn't get the same obscure German dub actors, seriously? The ENTIRE English cast is the same AND features huge names like David Tennant).

Yes the animation is cheaper, obviously Netflix can't afford the millions of dollars it costs to make flawless CGI like Dreamworks's. And first and foremost this is a G RATED KIDS SHOW, it HAS to be wholesome. And for that the writers still do an amazing job working in large vocabulary, sophisticated humor, and phenomenal dialogue.

Trust me, those of you who judged this show within the first few episodes, you made a mistake. The overarching plot is dark, there is major character development, and most importantly it's a FUN show that helps continue the magic for those of us, adults and children, who loved the movies and previous series. I'm so glad Netflix picked up where Cartoon Network left off.
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10/10
Once Again Timeless!!!!!!!!
stringycas2 May 2022
The neverending hits keep coming!!!!!!!!!! This is the most amazing, spinetingling, epic 2 season, rollercoaster adventure for the whole family ever made!!!!!!!!!!!! Never gets old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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8/10
DRAGONS WILL BE DRAGONS
nogodnomasters25 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I buy and watch these dragon episodes for my 9 year old niece...I keep telling myself. She loves this stuff. This DVD consists of 4 TV episodes which deal with the growing pains of having a wild animal becoming domesticated. There are universal truths about pets which would apply to dogs etc. should your family have one and you are trying to teach the munchkin that animals do what is natural to them. The trick is to control them without harming them. In these episodes minor characters are developed and play larger roles.

What I found most interesting was the extra feature. They are making a live stage performance of the film, including flying, underwater scenes, and fire breathing dragons. And to think I was fascinated by "It's a Small World" in 1964.

The short features are limited to 22 minute episodes, which is not enough time to tell a great tale, but long enough to tell an interesting one.
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4/10
A Little Perplexing...
trevor-mcinsley2 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The film is one of my favourites and something I often turn to in order to cheer myself up but I have to say I really don't understand why this series was ever made...

I realised immediately that the budget was lower, that they had clearly avoided using the usual high quality hair and cloth modifiers and visual effects like motion blur to cut down on the animation and render time and hence save money. The models also felt a little less polished with empty environments and lower quality animation... this however would be fine if the story was good. It wasn't. The first episode opened on a lengthy sequence which relied solely on the visuals and lacked any real story or decent dialogue.

Surely if you are producing something with a lower visual budget it would make sense to have top notch writing... and this is why I find this series perplexing. It almost felt like a spin off produced by a group of amateur fans rather than a real studio.

To be fair I have only watched the first episode and skimmed the second to see if it got any better but there is a very good reason for this. The film has a quite amazing ability to lift me from even the worst moods which is truly a rare thing. I feel if I watched this series the whole way through it would just ruin it for me. The first episode simply bored me, it lacked that unique spark that the film possessed and I basically failed to see why it had even left the drawing board...

I would have much rather seen them spend the money on a short 15-30 minute one off special like those produced for WALL-E or Shrek.
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4/10
Nice series...
kill-the-boxtrolls27 September 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I thought the idea for it was annoying, but the movie wasn't half-bad and about the series...

Hiccup goes on a wild/fun adventure with dragons in this epic sequel to the series. He overcomes Red Dead, the little pacifist has saved Berk.

I thought his dad was SUPER annoying, but otherwise, the series is fun to watch and not babyish at all.

Though, the movie was sorta corny, I agreed with hte other user but the series is good for kids of all ages, G and the movie's rated PG, for the violence, it doesn't get to severe.

I saw an episode of it today, not bad, I'm going to have to watch more of htis... I'm hooked@
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