As it goes with any reboot of a childhood TV favorite, there are opinions aplenty out there about the new Netflix version of Magic School Bus – and many of them aren’t too positive.
While the new version of the famous theme song for the children’s show, sung by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, is an unequivocal hit with longtime fans, the same cannot be said for the show’s animation.
The new look of The Magic School Bus Rides Again is not receiving the warmest response online as it looks markedly smoother and sleeker than the original.
The new look: Netflix have released the first trailer for The Magic School Bus Rides Again, their reboot of the 90s TV classic series
On her way: Many fans were disappointed that their favorite character Ms. Frizzle was left completely unrecognizable
While this might not seem surprising for a modern reboot, many are claiming that the animation has lost its ‘soul’, with some calling it ‘garbage’ and ‘unprofessional’.
In fact, the style looks not dissimilar from the popular Flash animation that was used on many internet-based cartoons early in the 2000s – which has suggested that the filmmakers didn’t shell out on top-of-the-line technology.
‘I hate the new art style for Netflix’s The Magic School Bus. This coloring book design sucks. If they kept the old art style and upgraded it with today’s tech it would be 100x better. It’s a pain when producers want the easy and cheap way out,’ fumed one fan of the original show.
Another added: ‘Was excited for the Magic School Bus reboot, but its animation quality is garbage. Looks like plastic clip art.’
New star: Ms. Frizzle, voiced by Lily Tomlin, is replaced on the bus by her kid sister Fiona Felicity, voiced by Kate McKinnon
Ready to ride: Many critics said that the new animation lacked the ‘soul’ of the original
Not a hit: The animation resembles mediums like Flash, leading some to suggest the series has been cheaply made
That’s something: While the animation wasn’t a hit, there was plenty of praise for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s update of the theme song
It’s a disappointing turn of events, given that the information running up to the debut had been checking box after box for die-hard fans.
Lily Tomlin is returning to her role as Ms. Frizzle, although nowadays she is known as Professor Frizzle, leaving her bus-driving duties to her kid sister Fiona Felicity, voiced by SNL favorite Kate McKinnon.
However, fans were riled up when they saw the updated look of their beloved eccentric teacher to find her not only unrecognizable, but not even gifted with her trademark ‘frizz’ hair.
‘Clip-art’: Some went so far as to say that the new style of the show is ‘garbage’
Second take: The characters appear similar to the old class, but that has not been confirmed
Also strangely, the class of students appear to be older versions of the original kids from the series, yet Ms. Frizzle does not appear to have aged at all.
The trailer for the series, which will be debuting on Netflix on September 29, has proved so unpopular already that the thumbs down count on the YouTube video is double in number from the thumbs up.
However, even critics of the animation have noted that the show is meant to appeal to a new generation rather than previous fans of the show.