Spoiler Alert
Disney/PIXAR‘s Cars on the Road is a far more entertaining work than the films. The big reason is that each 10 minute episode pays tribute to a specific film genre and changes the road trip formula around a little. Everything one would expect to happen, happens, but there’s more going on than meets the eye, including meeting a few “transforming” vehicles.
From your classic Horror to Western homages, the gambit doesn’t end there. The influence is perfect. I find “Lights Out” very appropriate for the October season, and when I saw The Shining references, I was beside myself. I assume Steve Purcell did most of the work than John Lasseter.
What’s offered here encompasses a stop that Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and Mader (Larry the Cable Guy) make in their trip to see the tow truck’s sister. She’s getting married. And although this bit of character development isn’t hugely developed in this series, it’s nice to see how this country bumpkin’ compares to other family members.
The standout episodes in Cars on the Road are the ones dealing with the supernatural. It doesn’t have to be like that aforementioned work, but instead just dealing with the subject matter in a hilarious way that reminds me of Ghostbusters. I also enjoyed “The Legend,” and “B-Movie.” The fact that there’s three episodes perfect for the season is enough to have me recommending this series! And yes, there’s even a Jurassic Park reference.
I also am hoping that more episodes will be made. Disney has been outputting a lot of short form series on their streaming service, and I think it’s unfair to just leave it as one season. This franchise has the opportunity to grow when considering what I enjoyed from this season. This series can showcase parts of America on those roads less travelled–pardoning the pun. The next trips Lightning McQueen and Mader can embark on can be educational or even an advertising boon for showcasing all the National Parks of the United States of America. This idea was implied in the finale.
Alternatively, I’d love to see Route 66 as it originally was, but told Cars style. The sky’s the limit with this short form series. I think this direction is exactly what’s needed to keep the Cars franchise feeling shiny and new.
5 Stars out of 5
Cars on the Road Trailer
