Should You Try It: Ark: The Animated Series on Paramount Plus

We’re rapidly approaching the end of March, which for many means Spring Break. If you have a little extra time on your hands, you might be wondering what new series is worth exploring. That’s why this series exists, to give you a head’s up on new shows. Today, I’m looking at an animated series based on a popular game.

Series: Ark: The Animated Series

Where to Find It: The first six episodes are streaming on Paramount+

What’s It About: This new series was something of a mystery. It was known it was going to happen, but not where or when it would stream. It dropped on Paramount+ on Thursday with six episodes to get everyone started with. Seven more episodes are set to drop at some point in the future.

The series is based on the game, Ark: Survival Evolved. The series focuses on Helena Walker (Madeleine Madden), a paleontologist who finds herself in the middle of the ocean and washed up on a mysterious island. Helena is dealing with personal tragedy and out of her depths in a strange world with creatures that long disappeared from the Earth she knew.

She also encounters several different people trapped in this place. They, like her, don’t understand how they got there. They were plucked from different times and cultures and are now trying to survive and, perhaps, make is back to the world they’ve known.

You Should Try It If: You’re a fan of these kind of fantastical science fiction tales, a fan of the original video game, or a fan of adult animated series.

One Man’s Opinion of Ark: The Animated Series

It used to be that animation was aimed at audiences of a certain age. But it’s become an art form on both the big and small screen that’s greatly expanded its footprint—and its aims—over recent years. Particularly when it comes to TV and streaming services, adult animated series have become a big part of the landscape for viewers.

I haven’t played the game, so I came into this series fresh. But I was taken with the style and the premise. There is something interesting about what’s being offered here. The episodes are about 30 minutes (save for a pilot of about 45 minutes), making it a quick binge. And the narrative moves forward at a quick pace, introducing many new characters.

The voice cast is also superb here. Among those voicing characters are Karl Urban, Gerard Butler, Michelle Yeoh, David Tennant, Jeffrey Wright, Russell Crowe, Elliot Page, and Vin Diesel. It’s an interesting concept that moves at a crisp pace, likely owing to the rich text of the game brought to life. This will no doubt be fun for those who’ve played the game and for those who enjoy a good adult animated adventure.