THE CREATURE CASES: Episodes 5.1-5.3

Name: THE CREATURE CASES: Episodes 5.1-5.3
Item: THE CREATURE CASES: Episodes 5.1-5.3
Author: Review

"C.L.A.D.E is Back on the Case!"

Family Content: +2 Moderately questionable elements.

Entertainment Quality:

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

Credits →

What You Need To Know:

THE CREATURE CASES is an entertaining, educational animated series on Netflix for young children to learn about animals. Sam Snow and Kit Kasey, animal agents of the C.L.A.D.E., solve mysteries around the world with the help of reoccurring characters, using facts about animals and relying on fantastical technology. In each episode, they use their jet plane to different locations around the world and encounter animals involved in an assigned mission to solve a mystery. Each episode ends with Mouse Squad’s Fact File, where the facts learned in the episode are restated and include a dance scene.

The first three episodes of Season 5 of THE CREATURE CASES present a moral worldview; the characters’ actions imply their morals, demonstrating respect and nicety rather than explicitly discussing them. While the series primarily serves as a vehicle for animal facts, there is a subtle implication to respect nature and observe, encouraging curiosity and suggesting a leaning towards environmentalism. However, the focus is mainly on the facts and how that information is helpful in the plot. The episodes are entertaining, fun, and engaging, allowing children to learn more about animals from around the world. The cases are simple and suitable for a young audience.

Content:

(B, E, V, M):

Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:

A moral worldview, where morals are implied by the actions of the characters showing respect or nicety, not discussed per say but more so implied. The show is set in a more technologically advanced world, with simplistic plot lines and settings. The lessons carefully skirt any direct mention of moral lessons, at least in these episodes. While the series serves mainly as a vehicle for animal facts, there is a light implication to respect nature and observe while encouraging curiosity, suggesting a leaning towards environmentalism - however, this is not overtly stated, instead focusing mainly on the facts and how that information is useful to the plot. The characters are enthusiastic about their missions and solving them as a team where everyone has something to contribute to solving the mystery or at least participate in the action;

Foul Language:

No foul language. Episode 2 uses a pun about a “super weaner” about an elephant seal baby, which may be considered offensive, but it is the correct scientific definition. There is also a joke in episode 3, where a joke is made about a smell, and Wally says he stepped in something, but it is vague not calling out the source implied in the joke;

Violence:

Light cartoon violence as the characters are often reckless in the action scenes, doing stunts that would be considered dangerous in real-life;

Sex:

No sex;

Nudity:

No nudity, In episode 2, there are naked mole rats, as per their actual animal name, shown without clothing, but no detail is portrayed;

Alcohol Use:

No alcohol use;

Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:

None; and,

Miscellaneous Immorality:

Characters are often reckless in action scenes, doing stunts that would be considered dangerous in real life.

More Detail:

THE CREATURE CASES is an educational, animated children’s series on Netflix following the adventures of Sam Snow and Kit Casey, animal agents with the Covert League of Animal Detective Agents (or C.L.A.D.E. for short), as they travel around the world solving mysteries using animal facts and problem-solving skills. THE CREATURE CASES is a fun and adventurous show with cute characters that encourage curiosity about animals. Like any good agency, the C.L.A.D.E. agents utilize their animal knowledge and lots of fantastical technology to solve mystery cases, such as trackers, wrist scanners, hoverboards, a jet plane named R.O.N. (Robotic Onboard Navigator), and more.

The animation is seamless, colorful, and trendy, with fun, upbeat techno music reminiscent of the 80’s. The characters are delightful and likable, bringing humor throughout the show, especially the side characters such as Wally Bungler – an eccentric, flying squirrel who often appears uninvited but is always an asset to the team. Sam is a tidy snow leopard with an English accent who is very into his gizmos and gadgets. Kit, his partner, is a disorganized yellow Kit Fox with an American accent and a vast knowledge of animal species. Together, they tackle their cases with enthusiasm and teamwork in mind, which encourages the viewer to root for them.

The first three episodes of Season 5 of THE CREATURE CASES present a moral worldview; the characters’ actions imply their morals, demonstrating respect and nicety rather than explicitly discussing them. The setting of the show is in a more technologically advanced world, with simplistic plot lines and settings. The lessons carefully skirt any direct mention of moral lessons, at least in these episodes. While the series primarily serves as a vehicle for animal facts, there is a subtle implication to respect nature and observe, encouraging curiosity and suggesting a leaning towards environmentalism. However, the focus is mainly on the facts and how that information is helpful to the plot.

The first three episodes follow a similar story structure. The mysteries are solved using their unique skills as agents and their knowledge of the animals in each case. An action scene usually leads to the solving of the case, often with reckless stunts by the agents and other characters. When the case is solved, the agents reflect on a lesson in a final scene, but the focus is mainly on animal information. Every episode concludes with the “Mouse Squad’s Fact File” dance segment that restates the animal facts learned throughout the episode with real-life footage of said animal.

Episode One of Season 5 sends Sam and Kit to a North American beach to find out who has been stealing baby milk bottles from the baby elephant seals. The agents understand the urgency of this case, as baby elephant seals need lots of nutrition! The agents learn firsthand about how territorial the elephant seals are by nature and discover a couple of potential suspects, including a fast-flying Suka Sea Bird, before uncovering the real culprit that is right under their nose. This episode contains two different action scenes, one where a baby seal tumbles down a hill towards a sea full of swirling sharks. Luckily, his enormous (and rather grumpy) dad rescues both the baby and the agents.

The setting of Episode Two of Season 5 is in the African grasslands, where a mysterious pink kangaroo crashes a dance party at The Watering Hole Club, hopping and running into everyone, causing chaos. Her actions stump Sam and Kit, as kangaroos aren’t pink and don’t reside in Africa. While searching for clues, Sam struggles to operate his new “Eye Spy” goggles as The Stinkwells are repairing his “Eye Spy” glove back at headquarters. Using the goggles, they discover paw prints leading away from the party. Jumping on their C.L.A.D.E. cycles, the agents run into a pair of worried springhares looking for their missing daughter, Sadie.

As they resume their search, a hungry lizard predator who wants the baby for dinner tracks them in a hectic and ultraviolet chase scene, showing the lizard chasing baby Sadie, with the agents running after them. The characters bump into each other and fall to the ground. The baby climbs up the tree, and Kit tells her to jump away from the lizard. Kit catches the baby. Almost by luck, Sam stumbles on the key to the mystery, and they reunite the baby with her parents!

In Episode 3 of Season 5, the agents are on a case located in the Asian forest. A red panda named Judy decides this is the year she will declare her love for Johnny, but he is missing! Sam and Kit learn that the red pandas only get together once a year to declare that they “like” each other, so time is running out for the couple. Wally Bunger – the eccentric, flying squirrel, shows up to deliver his Valentine’s cards to the agents. Kit uses her knowledge about red pandas’ love of bamboo to track Johnny down. They discover that red pandas leave a scent that only they can smell, especially when they’re in love, so they know they’re on the right track! The action scene in this episode culminates in a dangerous chase sequence, where Johnny clings to a log and gets caught in a mudslide that cascades off a cliff. To save her love, Judy and the agents must chase him downstream using C.L.A.D.E. claws, jumping off bamboo and creating a chain of themselves hanging off the cliff, which brings cartoonish tension to the episode.

Overall, the first three episodes of Season 5 of THE CREATURE CASES are entertaining, fun, and engaging for children to learn more about animals worldwide. The cases are simple and suitable for a young audience, and the animation is well done, making the story easy to follow