Mouse fans, have you been keeping up with the new Disney Junior series “Miles from Tomorrowland”? If not, you are missing out on one of the best science fiction shows in the past few years. Granted, this is the most kid-friendly science fiction show in the past decade, but teens and adults can still find it worth watching as well. Parents of kids 10 and under are undoubtedly familiar with Sophia the First, Jake and the Neverland Pirates and Doc McStuffins. The characters of each respective show are wildly popular with young kids – if you need proof then look no further than the nearest toy aisle, where they are dominating the shelves. The shows actually found their stride by catering to certain kid interests, from fantasy to adventure. Kids that were wild about science and outer space were the only ones left waiting, until now that is! The people at the Disney Channel, specifically Series Creator Sascha Paladino and Director Paul Demeyer found yet another niche for Disney to dominate.
Miles from Tomorrowland has all the elements of the great Disney Junior shows. Each episode of the more than half a dozen released since February 2015 packs in tons of entertainment for the entire family. The episodes are long enough to hold the attention of younger viewers while providing memorable stories for parents. In each episode, the Callisto family: Dad Leo, Mom Phoebe, big sis Loretta and Miles, the young spaceman, have an adventure, often on an alien planet. The show succeeds by ignoring the conventions of typical children’s programming. The parents do not always have to come to the rescue but instead provide much needed support and encouragement. The Callisto kids are allowed to explore, learn and grow. If a problem shows up, say, with the alien outlaw Gadfly Garnett, Miles has the smarts and resources to stop him. This self-reliance is a very empowering message for young audiences and is something that has made the Disney Junior shows very successful. Where Miles really shines is in the casting and storytelling.
Veteran voice actor Tom Kenny (Spongebob Squarepants) plays Leo Callisto. This is one of the few times in his career where he is not the headliner of the cartoon. His “experience” does come in handy as he plays the fun-loving inventor and mechanic of the Callisto clan. His role is very much a friend to the kids as much as he is an encouraging dad. Television and movie personality Olivia Munn plays Phoebe, captain of Stella (the Stellasphere), the ship that the family travels on. She does a fine job of being a more grounded mentor to the kids. Kenny and Munn work well together as they explain the sometimes complex issues of science, alien planets and space travel to their kids, and by extension the audience. Loretta, voiced by Fiona Bishop, is a very science-minded girl. Her interest is encouraged and her ability to think out a problem is rewarded as the series progresses. Phoebe and Loretta are very positive female role models. There is no issue on whether or not the sciences are “right” for women. As people from NASA, JPL and the International Space Agencies can attest, both men and women are responsible for getting humanity to reach beyond our planet.
The title character Miles, voiced by the enthusiastic Cullen McCarthy, has a strong sense of adventure. He loves to explore and learn about the cosmos; his innocence and sense of adventure are infectious. Miles is never alone on any adventure; another veteran voice actor, Dee Bradley Baker (Gravity Falls, The 7D, Phineas and Ferb) provides the various squawks and chirps for Merc, the family pet. The robotic ostrich doubles as rocket powered personal transport, safety shield and even lantern when Miles’ curiosity gets ahead of itself. Merc is undoubtedly making his way onto the short list for must-have Christmas presents.
The locations visited by the Callisto family are awe-inspiring. They are more than the lush backdrops in science fiction features. Everything is brought right to the viewer and shown in amazing detail, from exotic planets and alien terrain all the way down to space ports and future cities.
The Callisto family hails from our solar system but they get to travel to the furthest reaches of space, because they are on assignment from the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. Yes, it would be the exact same TTA responsible for the PeopleMover at Walt Disney World. This nod to Disneyland and Disney World continuity is not the only thing that ties together science with pop culture. Mark Hamill voices Gadfly Garnett. The world over he is known best as Luke Skywalker from Star Wars, but he has been doing voice acting for decades. In fact, he has been at the craft slightly longer than even Tom Kenny. Fans will recognize Hamill as the Joker from the Batman Animated Series, Justice League and Arkham City video games as well as playing the Trickster in the Flash live action and animated shows. He has also had roles on the Regular Show, Gravity Falls, Scooby Doo, Ben 10: Omniverse and DreamWorks Dragons. Gadfly is another role to certainly be proud of. He is a bad guy, but not the scary type, because this is a kid’s show, after all. Instead, he is a selfish space mobster that watches out only for himself. We are more than happy for the space police to capture him, but not after some mischief.
Hamill will not be the only science fiction icon featured in the series. George Takei, from the original Star Trek, will play the alien Spectryx. The actor, activist and all around great guy has a voice and personality that was made for animation. He will be joined by Next-Generation alum Wil Wheaton. Wil plays Commander S’leet. The actor is a strong supporter of all things “geek” especially space and the sciences which he features on his web shows, podcasts and cameo appearances on the Big Bang Theory. He visits JPL on occasion and talks at conventions on a variety of topics not the least of which was working on Star Trek. Both actors will be joined by the Bill Nye “the Science Guy.” Bill will play Professor Rubicon, the enthusiastic teacher of Miles. Bill has been an outspoken supporter on science in education for years. Being mentored by Nye would explain where Miles’ insatiable curiosity came from. A few other voice actors and television personalities will turn up throughout the episodes including Adrian Grenier from HBO’s Entourage and cooking show star Alton Brown. I can only imagine that the recording sessions were great fun for everyone involved. (Ed. note: what, no Neil deGrasse Tyson?)
Disney fans owe it to themselves to catch the adventures of Miles and his family. It’s a well written, well animated and well planned series that holds its own alongside the established Disney Junior franchises. The acting, writing, animation, character and set design, sound and music (including the catchy theme song “Way Out” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4Rx2LuO-cQ) deliver on all fronts. It is very easy to get lost in the future that Sascha Paladino has created. It rekindles the awe and wonder that visits to Tomorrowland have given generations of theme park fans. Even if you don’t have kids the science fiction buffs and Disney fans among us can find enough gems in the series to keep us entertained. But don’t take my word for it. You can find out more about the show, cast, and even download some activities from Disney Jr. online.
(Ed. note: Noe Valladolid was part of the GRAIL and CURIOSITY launch teams at JPL, and is a real world space nerd.)
