For over three decades, Gremlins fans have been hoping and praying for a third feature film. Recently, there was news that this might be coming closer to a reality, but until that moment comes, we have an animated series in Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, which premiered on Max in 2023. If you’re a hardcore Gremlins fan or a horror buff, you may have been disappointed because the new show wasn’t at all like the movies. The gremlins were there, but Secrets of the Mogwai was a safe, fantastical adventure for kids. It told the story of young Sam Wing (Izaac Wang) and Gizmo (A.J. LoCascio) in their early days after meeting in China, and its focus was more on folklore than anything horrific.
The series returned for a second season last year, now titled Gremlins: The Wild Batch. The first five episodes were released in October, but on April 10, the series continues with five more installments. While it was difficult to get into the drastic tonal shift in the first season, the second has found its way by digging deeper into its characters and crafting stories with more compelling adventures. It also helps that the show has switched up its setting, with Sam, Elle (Gabrielle Nevaeh Green), Gizmo, and a newcomer — an escaped prisoner named Chang (Simu Liu) — heading off to San Francisco on a new adventure. If you’re looking for anything horror-centric, you’re not going to get it. The Wild Batch is still for kids, but if you let go of the past, it’s fun for adults too.
What Is ‘Gremlins: The Wild Batch’ About?

Gremlins: The Wild Batch is split into two halves, with each following a different story. The first half follows 10-year-old Sam, his pickpocket friend, Elle, and Gizmo in the aftermath of the Gremlins attack in Season 1. With that batch dead, they think the threat is over, only to learn that a few gremlins, and their talking leader, Noggin (George Takei), got on a ship to cross the ocean and are now causing havoc in San Francisco. The trio then takes off for America, which gives the series a needed change of pace. After learning a lot about Chinese folklore in the first season, American history becomes the backdrop for The Wild Batch.
In San Francisco, the group ends up being held in Alcatraz by an evil warden, played by Will Forte. While in their cell, they meet an inmate named Chang (Liu), and when they bust out, they take him along for the ride. With Sam’s parents (B.D. Wong and Ming-Na Wen) mostly absent, and his grandfather (James Hong) only appearing here and there, The Wild Batch shakes things up with a new adult character who’s as charismatic as he is cunning.
The first half of Season 2 is about stopping the Gremlin takeover of Chinatown, with Noggin now a mob boss. That storyline might sound silly, but this is Gremlins after all, and the two feature films showed that anything you can think of is possible. Takei’s voice is endearing as a Gremlin who is not like the rest; he might be bad, he might be good, or he might be a little of both. Meanwhile, the second half of The Wild Batch isn’t focused on the Gremlins at all, which is a bit of a hindrance. Instead, the main plot revolves around Elle looking to save her mother, who has been transformed by a mystical power. It’s only by going on a journey to find a god who can grant wishes that she can be saved. This has nothing to do with Gremlins as we know them, and while it falls flat at first, it leads to a remarkable and rather sweet ending that will change everything if a follow-up season is ordered.
The Tone Hasn’t Changed in ‘Gremlins: The Wild Batch,’ but the Story Has Improved

Gremlins: The Wild Batch is still a kids’ cartoon, so while there is a little bit of Gremlin death and destruction, it’s nowhere close to what was shown in the movies. It’s understandable that some viewers might be disappointed by this tonal change, but it would also get repetitive very fast to have a bunch of little green, non-talking monsters just wreaking havoc over and over. The main disappointment is that the Gremlins essentially become background characters, but the story the main characters find themselves in is more interesting this time around, now that the series has found its way.

Related

Jenna Ortega Wants to Star in This Iconic Horror Franchise

A third movie in the ‘Gremlins’ franchise is in the works.

Overall, The Wild Batch feels much closer to a cartoon version of Indiana Jones, with characters going on fantasy adventures where magic is around every corner. In an interview with Collider, producer Brendan Hay compared it to another franchise, calling the new Chang character “a little bit of our show’s Han Solo.” Noggin might not be Darth Vader, but he has turned to an even darker side as a mob boss, while also being conflicted about wanting to do good. And it all happens against the awe-inspiring background of Americana. One episode shows us the ins and outs of Alcatraz, while another takes us to an old West town with Keith David voicing a ghostly lawman, and another follows Timothy Olyphant as the ghost of Johnny Appleseed, who runs his own casino, which is filled with the likes of Paul Bunyan, Big Blue, and more. It’s exciting to watch, but even better than what the characters experience is what they go through.
Sam, Elle, and Gizmo’s Relationship Is Still the Main Focus of ‘Gremlins: The Wild Batch’

Image via Max

The Wild Batch benefits from the addition of Chang as a man who is a mentor to Sam but who also has his own ambitions. They lead him down a path that takes a strange left turn out of nowhere before bringing him back. Meanwhile, Sam continues to become more confident with his magical abilities, becoming known as “The Boy in the Hat,” but Elle and Gizmo are the heart of The Wild Batch. Elle is Sam’s best friend, but she still deeply misses her mother. She’ll do anything to find out what happened to her, but it also might mean letting her go. It results in a surprisingly effective depiction of emotion and loss in a Gremlins show for kids.
No matter what, the adorable Gizmo is still going to be the star of the show. In The Wild Batch, our favorite lovable Gremlin gets his most compelling story yet, as he starts to feel the temptation to give in to his evil Mogwai ways. There are several moments when his eyes turn red, and he goes on a mischievous tirade, only to snap out of it. Will he be able to hold it back, or will he lose his goodness forever? The last episode comes full circle in ways not expected. If there’s a third season to come, it has a great jumping-off point given how strongly The Wild Batch concludes.
Gremlins: The Wild Batch Part 2 premieres April 10 on Max.

Gremlins

The Wild Batch is a fun gateway into the Gremlins world, although it struggles to let go of past connections.

Release Date

May 23, 2023

Showrunner

Tze Chun

Writers

Peter Chen, Anna Christopher, Tze Chun, Brendan Hay, Sarah Nerboso

Pros & Cons

Sam Wing is an interesting character worth following for an entire series.
Changing the setting by taking the action to America makes the plot feel fresh.
Simu Liu is a welcome addition and adds more complexity.
The fun adventure more than makes up for the lack of horror.
Gizmo is given more to do than just being a cute sidekick.

The series does not feel at at like the two feature films.
There are several episodes where the Gremlins don’t appear at all.
The second half of the season gets off to a slow start.