FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET SEEN DUG DAYS, THIS IS A NON-SPOILER REVIEW.

Pixar stunned the world with their beloved Oscar-Winning film Up in 2009. And now, keeping in line with their theme of adding new content based upon their old properties… Disney+ will be streaming Dug Days on September 1st, 2021. The series, consisting of 5 short episodes, follows Dug, the loveable golden retriever who can speak via his special collar. Our hero Carl, voiced by Ed Asner once again, moves back to suburbia with Dug by his side. They spend their days with each other, while Dug continues to get into mayhem. But, also proves to Carl, why dog is man’s best friend.

HOW IS THE ANIMATION AND VOICE ACTING?

One thing that must be noted, is that Pixar is doing the animation in-house for this short series. One complaint with Disney+’s Monsters Inc. spin-off series (even though I still quite liked it), was that the animation seemed off. In Dug Days, Pixar’s precise and beautifully-detailed animation is in full-force here. This is an absolutely gorgeous series that shows off all of Pixar’s ingenuity and creativity.

Director Bob Peterson returns as the voice of Dug, and you can feel his exuberance with every line. He has captured the essence of man’s best friend in every way with his performance. The legendary Ed Asner also returns to voice Carl and proves exactly why he was the perfect choice to play this character. To see these two continue their lives after the adventures of Up, proves to be such a heartwarming and satisfying experience.

ANY ISSUES WITH THE SERIES?

My only issue with Dug Days is that there is just not enough story here and I was left wanting more. Unfortunately, with the decision to make these short episodes (running about 8 minutes each), the storylines feel repetitive and lack the depth that Up is so well-known for. After sitting down with director Bob Peterson and producer Kim Collins, they shared that their favorite two episodes were “Flowers” and “Science”… and they are right on the money with those choices. These two episodes are gushing with imagination and heart. Yet you can’t help but think how much more they could have done, if they had say a 22-minute runtime to tell these stories.

DOES DUG DAYS LIVE UP TO THE LEGACY OF UP?

Nonetheless, that is a small qualm with a short series that obviously had so much love put into it. Up is one of Pixar’s most accomplished works, and they were really able to bring back what made that film so special, in these five episodes. Let’s be clear, Dug Days is not trying to have the weight or emotional-depth of Up. There is just not enough time for it. But, what it is able to accomplish, is bringing back the joy it felt of watching that original film.

All 5 episodes of Dug Days will be premiering on Disney+ Wednesday, September 1st.

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