Jurassic World: Chaos Theory Season 1 Review – IGN

The efforts to push the action into scarier spaces is worth celebrating, too. The episodes “Down on the Ranch” and “Into the Fog” each feature nail-biting sequences that rival anything in the live-action Jurassic Park/Jurassic World films. It’s a potent reminder of the life-or-death stakes at play; prepare for some blood and a hefty body count (though most of the deaths occur off screen) with character reactions and effective sound design successfully emphasizing the implied carnage.

Thankfully, the writers remain deeply interested in the Nublar Six’s emotional arcs. Across the 10 episodes of Season 1, there’s plenty of time for quieter moments where we get to see just how much each character has grown or regressed. There’s also proper time spent rectifying the damage done to their friendships after so much time apart. It’s often messy and awkward to watch play out, but that keeps the show feeling personal rather than plot-driven. Also, the age of the characters means there’s juicer personal secrets used to drive storylines in unexpected ways.

For mythology nerds, there are many dinosaur and plot connections that tie to the Jurassic World film trilogy. The conspiracy theory angle introduces an array of threats, some familiar and others brand new. And in keeping with the movies, humans haven’t gotten nicer about how they treat the dinosaurs. The compassion of the Nublar Six is a welcome presence: they take the time to liberate captive sideshow dinos, or fight for an imperiled creature because it’s the right thing to do.

As for characters original to this series, the most dynamic is a raptor trainer who’s the antithesis of the films’ Owen Grady. Only identified as The Handler, she makes a chilling recurring adversary – a shadowy figure relentlessly chasing the kids with her Atrocraptors. Everytime she and her distinctive whistle appear, the menace kicks in. What’s her story? We’ll have to see because there’s not much backstory provided this season.

All in all, Jurassic World: Chaos Theory is an unexpectedly mature and original continuation to this animated universe. The decision to progress Darius and his friends into adulthood works well because the writers are building on their already established rich histories from Camp Cretaceous. Having more dinosaurs around to test their compassion and resolve during a vulnerable and uncertain time in their lives feels right for these characters, and results in an entertaining sequel that I didn’t see coming. My major quibble with the season is how much of the central mystery they’re chasing has been pushed to a potential Season 2. If there isn’t a pickup, light the angry torches, because a lot of questions are left unanswered.