Elliott from Earth

With a colorful, chunky visual style that will remind animation fans of Steven Universe and The Amazing World of Gumball and a cool cosmic setup, this charming series has heart and is lots of fun. At its core, the intergalactic adventures center around the chemistry between Elliott, Frankie, and Mo, and it's choice: Frankie is a gentle and playful authoritarian; Elliott is brash yet friendly; Mo is lovably brainless. The three instantly form a pseudo family that grounds all the wilder goings on, with Elliott becoming a sort of older brother to Mo, as well as an emotional anchor for Frankie, who often must balance her zest for scientific exploration with her obligations to her son. In the show's very first episode, she almost refuses to go with the beacon that blasts the two through space, yet Elliott urges her on: "Don't you want some answers? Besides, we're pretty good at moving."

And so, even though there are scary moments, with dark shadows looming and ominous music and unknown alien danger, it's all filtered through the Elliott/Frankie/Mo family unit and becomes not just something bearable, but an easygoing lesson for the viewer: What's out there in our own lives that scares us at first but ultimately becomes the source of joy and beauty? In an early episode, Elliott and Frankie are intimidated by a swampy planet with a surprisingly quick sunset. As gloom steals over the planet's surface and plunges them into inky black, Frankie and Elliott tense up. And then, the planet's trees and flowers light up one by one, casting an ethereal glow as Frankie sighs "This planet's like nothing I've ever seen before." You could say much the same about Elliott from Earth, too; it's a reliable pleasure with imagination, beautiful visuals, and surprisingly resonant emotion.