It's been 40 years since Gremlins first graced our screens, and now the world has expanded. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai brought us the initial story of how Gizmo came to America, and now Gremlins: The Wild Batch continues the story.
This is a prequel series, set in 1920s Shanghai. It connects to the original Gremlins movies through the introduction of Gizmo and the store that Billy got the lovable creature from. We get to find out how that happened, and the crazy adventure to get there. There's no need to watch the movies before the prequel series, but you will want to watch the movie with the kids afterward.
What about the prequel series, though. Is it suitable for the kids? Well, it's made for the kids!
Gremlins: The Wild Batch age rating: Explaining the TV-PG rating
Like Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, the sequel season is officially rated TV-PG. This means that it is aimed at the whole family, although there are some scary moments that could affect the youngest of viewers.
Sex & nudity: There is none of this throughout the series. The focus is on family bonding and the adventure to get and save Gizmo.
Language: There is no harsh language used throughout the series. The name-calling is child-like; think of what eight-year-olds will say on the playground, such as "knucklehead" and "ugly monster."
Violence & gore: There are some mild fight scenes in the series, but nothing on the level that is serious for children. Think of something like PAW Patrol and PJ Masks. We get moments of some teens holding swords, and there are moments when Gizmo is attacked or even doing the attacking. This is an adventure, and it's important to keep that in mind.
In fact, this is what can make the series a little scary for the youngest of the viewers in the house. There is a scene where Gizmo has evil red eyes while the real Gizmo is under the influence of a green smoke that causes hallucinations. These types of moments are common throughout both Secrets of the Mogwai and The Wild Batch.
Alcohol & drugs: Don't worry too much about this, as there isn't any gratuitous use of alcohol or drugs. However, there are moments when smoke and gases are used to cause hallucination to halt people in their tracks.
Overall verdict: Who is Gremlins: The Wild Batch appropriate for?
This is a series made for the whole family. It's a great look into how Gizmo got to the United States, and it offers some excellent Easter eggs for those who watched the original Gremlins movies. However, it's packed with adventure and fun for younger members of the family, introducing them to this universe until they're old enough to watch the original movies — they may be a little too much for some pre-tweens.
I'd say the TV-PG rating works, as there are a few scarier moments in the storytelling that prevent it from being TV-Y7. However, it could be a lot of fun to watch with your smaller kids together so they know that it's a fun adventure and can curl into you if things get a little too scary. Gizmo is still the most adorable creature you'll meet on screen.
Gremlins: The Wild Batch is available to stream on Max.