The Magic School Bus Rides Again

Hey buddy. Right now, you’re probably thinking I’m insane for writing this blog post to you. Who writes a blog post about a Netflix show to their future kid? Well, I am. Not just because it’s assigned, but because it presented a fun opportunity to let you know about one of my favorite childhood series.

Back in the olden days when I was a kid (yes, I was a kid at one point), your aunt Abby and I were obsessed with a book series called The Magic School Bus. Pretty much every late 90s kid has at least heard of this series, so I was understandably excited to see Netflix giving it a new life. Watching this show with Abby was such a distinct memory from my childhood. We still own the original set of books that we bought, and we’ve read them countless times. Even ten years after their publication, your uncle Avery loved them just as much as did.

Because these books are still so near and dear to my heart, I had very high expectations for the Netflix revamp. I almost didn’t want to watch, because I was worried about ruining my childhood memory of the show. However, I just had to know whether or not this new show would be worthy of sharing with you sometime down the road. Obviously, you’ll be forced to watch the original series as soon as you’re old enough to comprehend it, but this could be a nice addition to the collection.

As I was learning about the plot of The Magic School Bus Rides Again, I learned that they replaced the lovable Ms. Frizzle with her younger sister, also Ms. Frizzle, who had recently become a teacher. I wouldn’t say I was upset about this change, but I was definitely a little worried about how such a big change to the plot would pan out. But I found myself really enjoying this twist in the story. It helped me justify this new show as more than just a “remake”. With a brand new teacher, but similar episodes and main characters (mainly students), it felt like a continuation of the show I once loved.

Another thing that really struck me about the show was the actual animation of it. I’ve inserted a picture from the original show (which premiered in 2001) and the new Netflix remake.

As you can see, the animation and coloring of the two shows are very different. Because the original was so ingrained into my memory, this was definitely a little jarring for me. But the longer that I look at it, I really do like the aesthetic of Netflix’s adaptation. It’s obviously not nearly as 90s grunge as the original Magic School Bus, but I have to say it’s more attractive. Additionally, it closely resembles a lot of the popular children’s shows today, which makes sense considering the market that Netflix is targeting. Unfortunately, I guess that market is actual children and not 20 year old college students looking to relive the past.

Overall, I enjoyed this updated version of The Magic School Bus. I can see myself watching it with you, my future kiddo. It’s something we can bond over, assuming you love it as much as I do.