Disney's Iwájú

I don't tend to watch trailers or read synopses of movies and TV shows I stream. So while that usually helps me come to a project fresh, sometimes (like here) it means I get a little confused. Still trying to figure out the premise a little. Is it set in the future? An alternate universe? Not readily apparent in the first episode itself.

That said, the cliffhanger was pretty freaking great and memorable. Hopefully, I'll get more into the swing of things as the series goes on. 3 1/2 stars.

That has my attention.

I am VERY impressed this project is actually exploring class struggles and issues. I'm not going to say Disney has NEVER done that. But every time it's tried to before this has been a total dud. The fact that Tunde is the father of the protagonist Tola, and someone she loves, and is still a monster to The Help says how ingrained this horrible treatment is in this society.

I mentioned Disney has tried to talk about this before. The biggest example (and failure) is of course, Aladdin. But aside from generally racist overtones overshadowing those class issues, I think the biggest problem working against the moral of that movie is the conclusions it raised were utterly bogus, and changed and fixed nothing. The other major Disney project to SORT of acknowledge this sort of class warfare at least EXISTS is The Princess And The Frog. But I think that film is entirely toothless about it. In fairness, unlike Aladdin, that's not the real struggle of Tiana in the film (it's stupidly about her changing into a frog and wanting to change back) but the fact that that movie has a black heroine and a mostly black cast, is set in New Orleans decades before the civil rights movement, Tiana has a hard time getting hired for fancy dining affairs, and race is never mentioned ONCE, says the movie is afraid to explore that for fear of offending people. And the thing that bugs me is the people it was afraid of offending are people who SHOULD be offended.

One of the good things about this project being set in Nigeria is that the creators have an easier time talking about that type of toxic behavior and environment with an all black cast. The bigots are the same color as the oppressed, so Disney can talk about the harmful effects of racism and class warfare, without characters being actual racists. I think that's kind of clever and a good way to deliver the needed moral The Princess And The Frog was either unable or unwilling to.

And the futuristic setting helps too. Futurism is a BIG part of fictional allegory. We see struggles of people yet-to-be in entirely different circumstances, but although the players have changed, the struggles have not. And that's the value of science fiction. Why does this show need to be set in the future at all, you ask? Because it makes it easier to tell this story if it is. Very clever.

I did not know what to make of the first episode. Some things in this episode still confused me, but the morals are clearer here and some lines have been drawn. 4 stars.

No good options or easy choices for Kole. I feel for him.

Tola isn't just super cute. She's cool too.

Getting good. 4 stars.

Badass lizard is badass.

The caste system is UGLY. There are really no good people on the inside of it.

Except for Tola. What's cool about her is that she isn't just honest. She believes in the best of everyone. You might call her gullible or foolish for it. But I think she's navigating the situation with Bole far better than a rude kid would in her place. But wherever she learned her manners, it certainly was NOT from Tunde.

Bode telling her she only won the game through manipulation and pity was a cool lesson. Because it was true. Even the bad guys on this show can occasionally make the heroes better.

Cool episode. 4 stars.

Otin is a pretty cool character with a pretty cool backstory.

Great final cliffhanger.

I want Tola to be rescued, but when Tunde tells Kole to sit in the back, I want that for HER sake, not his. Tunde is a bad man, and no part of me is rooting for HIM.

I like how basic the story of the miniseries is. Little girl is kidnapped. Her father and her pet robot lizard must get her back. With the futuristic setting part of me was worried this was going to be more complicated and harder to follow than it actually is. Bode's motivations are refreshingly simplistic too.

We'll see how this all works out next episode. 4 stars.

Oh, I did NOT like that ending at all. Oof. SO disappointing.

The problem is shockingly the same problem as Aladdin. You'd figure because the show addresses class issues in a realistic way compared to Aladdin, they would work on a better system of fairness for the people of Lagos going forward.

Nope. The caste system stands, and nothing is truly fixed. In other words, Bode was right the entire time.

You can call that realistic if you like. But it's Disney. To quote Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman "I want the fairytale!" I don't care if it's unrealistic, I WANT the ending where the society can see its mistakes and move on from greed, avarice, prejudice, and unfairness. It's weird the show thinks JUST because Tunde offers to help Kole become a doctor I'd consider that a happy ending. Nope. I want the freaking fairytale!

I'll tell you what I liked. I like that when Tola does her supposedly righteous pouting at the beginning over Kole's betrayal, Kole doesn't just take it. In reality, Kole's behavior is unforgivable. But what Tola has done that is equally unforgivable is that she refuses to hear him out. Refuses to see that a mainlander in desperate circumstances is not gifted the same opportunities and choices she is. After seeing that, I actually had high hopes for the ending.

And the final fight with giant glowing Otin versus Miss Happiness was pretty toyetic. The show was building to a satisfying conclusion and refused to give it to us.

For the record, I don't necessarily believe Bode being caught on camera confessing to his crimes would automatically turn public opinion against him. I have dark, real-world reasons for believing that, but they are completely relevant (and valid).

I'm unhappy, and I'm a little mad. If the show were as badly written as Aladdin or at gutless as The Princess And The Frog, I would consider that the price of doing Disney business. Because it's NOT, I don't accept the shoddy ending. And it's weird that the show thinks I should.

Do you know the messed up thing? They wouldn't even need to SHOW the society improving. All it would take to live up to the message of the first five episodes is for Tunde to invite Kole to sit up in the front seat of the flying car, and tell him he fully understands the struggles of the mainlanders, he'll quit his corrupt job, team up with Kole's tech genius, and fight on behalf of the downtrodden he's ignored since he climbed the ladder. They didn't even NEED to show the better future to make me happy. Just promising to TRY for one would have been fine with me. Accepting everything as it is instead is infuriating. And again, if the project were worse, it wouldn't be. But it's decent enough that it legit pisses me off instead.

Argh. Not happy. 2 stars.