After years of telling iconic stories on the big screen, Pixar is finally branching out into the world of TV with Dream Productions. The animation studio has delivered some straight-to-video shorts and specials, and the upcoming Inside Out spinoff marks one of two proper TV shows, the other being the Will Forte-led sports dramedy Win or Lose, which is set to premiere in February 2025 with eight episodes.
Set in the whimsical world of Riley's mind, this Inside Out spin-off series follows the crew at Dream Productions, the studio responsible for creating Riley's dreams and nightmares. As they craft cinematic experiences each night, the team faces unexpected challenges, blending humor and creativity in a vivid exploration of the subconscious.
Release Date December 11, 2024
Seasons 1
Dream Productions, on the other hand, is a four-episode interquel to the first two Inside Out movies, picking up shortly after the events of the Oscar-winning original as the 12-year-old Riley gears up for a school dance. Meanwhile, the show introduces the world of the titular studio responsible for creating her dreams, primarily focusing on director Paula Persimmon, a fading legend in the industry. When she finds herself partnered with a rising daydream director, Paula tries to regain her stardom while also recognizing it may be time for her to grow alongside Riley.
Dream Productions Offers More Exciting Worldbuilding For The Inside Out Universe
The Intermingling Of Dreams & Headquarters, In Particular, Is Unique
From the franchise's inception, the Inside Out creative team has explored very creative ideas about human mental and emotional processes, and Dream Productions proves to be no exception. While the titular studio had already been introduced in the first movie, the show does a fantastic job of actually showcasing some of the inventive ways those living inside of Riley's mind utilize her memories to create both dreams and nightmares.
Dream Productions also finds a way to work as a satirical take on the world of Hollywood studios.
Another of the interesting ways the show expands the lore is how it plays with the idea of how long people remember dreams and nightmares. Unlike Riley's general memories, which are eventually sent to the Memory Dump, the directors of her dreams hold on to them in similar orbs, which become faded and cloudy over time. This also leads to a surprisingly heartbreaking moment in which a director, at their lowest point, watches as their dream fades into dust, a reveal nearly as emotional as Bing Bong's devastating disappearance.
More interestingly, however, Dream Productions also finds a way to work as a satirical take on the world of Hollywood studios. Between scenes of writers' rooms being fueled by caffeine to studio executives blowing up when a production goes wrong, the creative team behind the Disney+ show finds a way to make the titular world feel like a very real and active Hollywood studio.
The Show's Comedy & Mockumentary Format Are A Refreshing Twist
A Lot Of Animated Projects Could Learn A Thing Or Two From This
One of the biggest reasons why Dream Productions succeeds also comes from the work of creator-writer Mike Jones, who penned the script for all four episodes of the spinoff and directed multiple. Though not one of the key figures in prior installments, Jones did work on 2024's Inside Out 2 as part of the Pixar Senior Creative Team, therefore giving him a basis from which to work. Even more so, though, is the fact that he's explored a wide variety of tones in his tenure at the studio, co-writing the more emotional Soul and the adventurous Luca.
With Dream Productions, Jones finds a great tonal balance between his desire for a Hollywood satire, some more lighthearted comedy suited for younger viewers, and genuinely emotional beats. The mockumentary format, in particular, proves an interesting one not just for the Inside Out franchise, but for the animated genre as a whole. Apart from Surf's Up and the Oscar-nominated Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, very few creatives have actually utilized the genre, despite the humor and storytelling that could come from it.
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Paula Pell's Paula and Richard Ayoade's Xeni may be the primary focus of Dream Productions' story and jokes, but the mockumentary format leads to some great quick gags. Whether it's a crew member idly sitting on the set and reacting to the chaos from the directors' plans going awry or fast-paced tours through the studio offering teases of other dreams, daydreams, and nightmares in development, Jones makes full use of the screen by putting us quite literally behind the in-universe camera.
Dream Productions' Sole Problem Comes From The Show's Rushed Story
This Really Should Have Been A Movie
Ultimately, one of the few things the show does have working against it is the pacing of its story, which feels rushed in its latter half. Not counting credits, Dream Productions hardly clocks in at a 100-minute runtime, about the same length as both Inside Out movies. While a TV show may not need to have a 20-plus-episode run, a lengthier runtime would've benefited the full arc of its story, which the Disney+ spinoff really needed, as Paula and Xeni's storylines race to their finish lines.
Considering Moana 2 got a chance to escape a Disney+ release and become a box office hit, and Inside Out 2 skyrocketed to becoming the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, it's something of a shame Dream Productions wasn't given the same opportunity. With a few tweaks, it really would've felt more satisfying in a feature-length format, and the animation team clearly put in as much effort for the show as they do their movies, which would've been nice to see on the big screen. Nonetheless, thanks to its wonderful writing, breezy pace, and excellent casting, Dream Productions is still a winner for Pixar.
All four episodes of Dream Productions are now streaming on Disney+.
Pros
- The expansion of the titular studio proves inventive and thought-provoking.
- The mockumentary format is a breath of fresh air for the animation genre and franchise.
- The mix of Hollywood satire, family friendly comedy and emotional beats all land wonderfully.
- The animation is truly stunning.
Cons
- The story gets a bit rushed for the length of a TV show.
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