Sofia the First is an amazing animated show produced by Disney which premiered in 2012 and instantly broke records. The series which is now available on Disney+ features cheerful music, phenomenal CGI and stories with great moral lessons.
The series succeeded in taking the Disney brand forward featuring a strong female protagonist breaking stereotypes and is a wonderful show for children and parents to watch together.
Article Highlights
The show ran from 2012 to 2018 and was well-liked by both children and their parents. It served as a medium to learn about moral values of kindness and honesty.
The adventures of Sofia, her interactions and adjustments to settle into the royal family imparted important lessons to all.
It is a wholesome animated series for children and was the best show on the Disney Junior segment of Disney channel.
Is it worth watching?
This American animated series was immensely popular and launched several apparel and toy products as well as theme park rides.
The studio also launched a spinoff series titled Elena of Avalor which featured characters from Sofia the First. What made this series so popular and should you watch it in 2020? Read on for a complete review.
I. Plot
Sofia and her mother live a normal life as peasants in the fictitious kingdom of Enchancia. When Sofia’s mother marries King Roland II, the ruler of the kingdom she becomes a princess. The series follows her adventures and the adjustments she has to make to adjust in her new role.
We see Sofia adapting to her new lifestyle without compromising on her moral code of conduct. Her new family features several colourful characters like James, her helpful older step-brother and Amber, her spoiled and snobby older step-sister.
Sofia also has a magic amulet which lets her call on any Disney princess in times of need. She frequently does require assistance as Cedric, a sorcerer is a recurring antagonist who wants to steal Sofia’s amulet.
The amulet also gives blessings to the wearer for acts of kindness and curses for cruel acts. Sofia acquires the ability to talk to animals from the amulet. He wants to use its powers to become the King of Enchancia, and it’s up to Sofia and her friends to stop him.
II. Production
The series premiered on 12th November 2012 and was produced by Disney Television Animation. Jamie Mitchell was the director and executive producer.
Craig Gerber acted as creator, story editor and producer. Sofia was voiced by Ariel Winter known for her role as Alex Dunphy in Modern Family.
The usual episode length was around 24 minutes, but there were multiple 1-hour specials with cameos from other Disney princesses.
III. Music and visuals
A major part of the show’s success was the colourful and appealing CGI animation which captured the minds of its young viewers.
Almost all of the episodes featured songs by John Kavanaugh and Erica Rothschild while the score for the series was done by Kevin Kliesch.
Like typical Disney songs, they were full of positive messages and showcased the importance of virtues such as honesty, kindness and compassion.
Reception & Review
Sofia the First: Once Upon A Princess premiered on Disney Channel garnering 8.17 million viewers which made it the #1 broadcast for kids between the ages 2-5 and girls between the ages 2-5.
It also became the most-watched preschool cable TV broadcast ever in terms of total viewers.
Kids will love the show’s spunky heroine and her adventures while parents will be delighted that the characters illustrate the importance of traits like kindness and honesty.
Sofia inspires viewers to celebrate their own unique qualities as she adapts to life in a palace. She is not afraid to stand out and stand up for what she believes is right.
Sofia also teaches her step-sister Amber about the importance of good deeds and actions, and break stereotypes competing with boys and joining the boy only Flying Derby Team.
She is independent and doesn’t need a knight in shining armour to save her. Cameos by other Disney princesses like Ariel, Cinderella and Jasmine also opens the doors for children to explore other franchises by Disney.
Sofia has been labelled is the first Latina princess in Disney. However, producers clarified that they had drawn on Latin culture for inspiration and had not intended to make the character of Sofia of Latin origin.
But seeing the demand for representation, in the spinoff series Elena of Avalor viewers finally got their first Latina princess, Elena.
Final thoughts
The series has helped to shape a generation of children growing up and now that it’s available on Disney+ it will be a fantastic experience for parents to watch this together with their kids
It features groovy music, interesting plot lines, and amazing animation to keep the children entertained.
Its positive reception and record-breaking performances, as well as the constant renewal of the series for years, is proof enough that this is a wholesome series for children and adults alike.
Grade
Story: A-
Cinematography/Animation: A
Music: A
Direction: A-
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