It's been some months now since streaming service Netflix's new Sonic the Hedgehog TV show was announced, and there's still not a lot known about it. Hype towards the series has largely died down, and it'll probably stay that way until a release date or more info is given, but people are still vocal about what they want to see, as well as what they absolutely do not.
The new series is to be called Sonic Prime, and is slated to premiere sometime next year with 24 total episodes. It will be the first time a Sonic series premieres on a streaming service, and is the second to be 3D computer-animated. Those are pretty much the only hard details known so far, besides that it is being animated by WildBrain studios and Man of Action will be acting as showrunners.
The plot of Sonic Prime is described as "a high octane adventure" in which Sonic will be tasked with saving the universe. Multiple plot descriptions have also mentioned Sonic going on some kind of journey of self-discovery. This is of course a very vague plot description, and kind of echoes anything seen from Sonic before, so it's not a huge clue as to what will actually happen. Fans have different things that they expect from the series, and many are weary because of mistakes made in past Sonic TV show series. Hopefully, though, Sonic Prime can use that to its advantage and learn some lessons.
Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic SatAM)
Sonic the Hedgehog debuted in September of 1993 on ABC as part of their Saturday morning line-up. Because of its timeslot, it was lovingly dubbed by fans as "Sonic SatAM " to distinguish it from other works. This Sonic series is still largely a hit, but there is a shortcoming it has that Sonic Prime should be able to remedy.
Sonic SatAM doesn't really have an overarching story. It's largely just episode-to-episode, which can take away from getting invested in what's going to happen. Based on what's known of Sonic Prime, it doesn't seem like it'll fall into that trap but it's still important to keep in mine. Featuring a story that progresses properly is something people want, and if they don't go that route they'll be in trouble.
Sonic X
Ten years after Sonic SatAM, Sonic X premiered on TV Tokyo. This series as a whole received a lot of mixed reviews, largely due to the inclusion of a human child. The series focused on this kid a lot and he was not really well-loved by the audience, which was a huge downfall to the series. It also suffered from some pretty bad animation. While the art style is cute and looks really nice, the way they moved was terrible and almost not functional.
With the money behind Sonic Prime, one can hope that there won't be a repeat of these terrible animation issues. But sometimes, these productions working with popular IP get lazy in hopes of just getting something out. If that happens, people will notice and they will not like it. And touching on the other lesson to be learned from Sonic X, the new series should focus mostly on Sonic and his friends with side characters staying in their place.
Sonic Boom
The most recent Sonic TV series is Sonic Boom, which premiered in 2014. People can be really divided on this one, with a lot of people really loving it for how fun and progressive it is and others seeming to hate those aspects, as well as the way the characters act. The most common negative criticism though, is that it just isn't funny.
Sonic is supposed to be a bit of a funny and silly character, and the shows are largely made for a child demographic. The humor is supposed to be able to come through, and in this show, it does not. In an effort to make statements that are maybe a bit more "woke" or progressive, there is ultimately a sacrifice of some humor. And other times it's not just that at all, the jokes are just weird and the characters aren't likable.
Sonic Prime should remember to keep the humor and fun of Sonic alive. It's fantastic to be progressive and make statements, but it's still possible to be funny. If they decide to forego humor into something really dark, that's okay too and might be welcomed. But if humor is part of the picture at all, it has to be right for Sonic and it has to be funny.
Much of Sonic Prime remains a mystery, and it probably will stay that way for a while in keeping with Netflix's reputation for being very secretive. It's bound to be a hit and get a lot of people, adults and children alike, watching. Of the many Sonic TV series, some have had some major mistakes and hopefully, a new one uses that to its advantage and Sonic Prime can be the best one yet.