Netflix’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is the latest new addition to the popular franchise, and the reviews for the series have been pretty positive so far. Unlike Kevin Smith’s Masters of the Universe: Revelation, which is targeted primarily at older fans of the original 1980s cartoon, the new He-Man is a CGI reimagining of the original targeted squarely at kids. While not all the critics are singing its praises, it sounds like He-Man and the Masters of the Universe has been pretty successful in that mission for a few key reasons.
After years of very little new Masters of the Universe content, Netflix has created a sort of renaissance for the franchise. It started with the massive popularity of She-Ra and has continued with Revelation and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe in 2021. Despite high critical praise, Masters of the Universe: Revelation was widely panned by fans for how the He-Man character was written. That frustration has put a bit more pressure on Netflix’s newest He-Man series, despite its status as a more traditional kids’ show.
So, is He-Man and the Masters of the Universe the revival fans have been waiting for? Maybe not in every way, but the critical consensus so far points to an entertaining and well-made series that could be great for new viewers and potential still fun for those who’ve been with the franchise for years. Here’s what the critics are saying about Netflix’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
“Netflix and Mattel have managed to reinvent He-Man for 2021, a feat that I honestly thought was impossible. It’s dared to drop all the parts of the ‘80s series that had become dead weight, and wise enough to emulate the cartoons that kids today are watching. Maybe He-Man and the Masters of the Universe won’t be enough to hook a new generation of viewers, but it’s finally got a real shot—and that’s something He-Man fans of all ages should be happy about.”
“When viewed through the lens of its kid-focused aspirations, there’s a fair bit to admire about He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. It hews closely to the spirit of the original show, while throwing in some welcome spins to the material to fit more modern sensibilities. There’s even a glimmer of serialized storytelling here, though it hardly reaches even the modest heights of Revelation‘s twists and turns. Still, it’s hard to fault He-Man for its simplicity; its aims, after all, are simple.”
“The result isn’t merely an updated look, but an updated set of character dynamics. He-Man is no longer the lone chosen savior. The weapons and armors all feel interlinked. And the show is geared toward a single theme: As true heroes know, power is meant to be shared.”
“What this version of He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe lacks in nostalgia it more than makes up for with smart dialogue, good CGI, and its ability to start building the world of Eternia from scratch with a compelling story.”
Generally, critics seem to be saying that while the new Masters of the Universe is clearly made for a much younger audience than Revelation, it’s still successful in creating compelling characters, relationships and storylines. Several reviews praise its effective blend of old and new, updating parts of the original series while keeping a lot of what’s always made He-Man unique. Netflix has built a solid reputation for producing and releasing high-quality animated content for kids, and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe appears to be the latest addition to that impressive resume. However, there are some critics who’ve been less positive in their assessments of the show.
“Granted, it’s not as if this new He-Man show looks terrible or hastily put together. It’s easy to imagine a show like this working and fitting its niche just fine with a new IP shed of all the He-Man baggage it takes on unnecessarily. But even grading it on the typical, Saturday-morning-cartoon curve, it lacks in almost every department, except for, maybe, its earnestness.”
“If you’re able to turn off the sentiment and nostalgia you might carry for the franchise, you could find a story that you’ll have some fun with. However, if you’re still mad at Kevin Smith for revelation, well, be prepared to be angry all over again. It really seems like the He-Man you remember from the ‘80s is not coming back anytime soon.”
Even the critics who’ve praised Netflix’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe acknowledge that while there are some fun bits thrown in to satisfy older fans, the series isn’t really meant as a continuation of the ‘80s cartoon. But it seems to be successful in its primary mission of updating the world of Eternia for a new generation of potential fans. For anyone curious to see how their favorite characters have been updated, or for those who just want a fun, lighthearted cartoon, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe may be worth checking out on Netflix.