A Lighter Quest Worth Taking

MOVIE REVIEW
Adventure Time: Side Quests - Season 1
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Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Year Released: 2026
Runtime: 9 episodes
Director(s): Victor Courtright, Niki Yang
Writer(s): Developed by Nate Cash; Story Editor: Darrick Bachman
Cast: Sasha Knight, John DiMaggio, Tom Kenny, Hynden Walch, Olivia Olson, Niki Yang, Aziah Pesaleli
Where to Watch: available on Disney+ and Hulu June 29, 2026

RAVING REVIEW: ADVENTURE TIME grew into something much weirder, sadder, and more emotionally complicated than its early episodes suggested, which makes ADVENTURE TIME: SIDE QUESTS an interesting kind of revival. It doesn’t try to outdo the original. It doesn’t chase the heavier mythology of later seasons or the more mature ache of FIONNA AND CAKE. Instead, it looks backward toward the goofy, monster-punching days when Finn and Jake could wander into trouble for reasons that barely mattered, then leave behind a joke, a weird little creature, and a feeling that Ooo had more depth than anyone knew.

That gives SIDE QUESTS an immediate appeal. The series understands that not every return to a beloved world needs to try to top the previous one. These episodes are built around small adventures, oddball problems, and the brotherly connection between young Finn and Jake. That approach makes the show accessible for younger viewers who may not have a decade of franchise history stored in their heads, while longtime fans will still feel at home. Ice King, Princess Bubblegum, Marceline, BMO, and other familiar faces aren’t treated like known entities. They slide back into the world as part of its everyday nonsense, which is exactly where they belong.

The biggest adjustment is Sasha Knight in the role of Finn. Recasting such a recognizable character could have turned into a distraction, especially when the original voice is tied so strongly to Finn’s growth across ADVENTURE TIME. Knight doesn’t copy what came before, which helps. This version of Finn feels younger and less marked by the emotional bruises that would come later. There’s an eagerness in the performance that fits the show’s rewind to earlier adventures, and it gives John DiMaggio’s Jake plenty of room to settle back into his familiar playfulness. DiMaggio remains the bridge between old and new, bringing Jake’s warmth back without making the show feel stuck.

SIDE QUESTS is at its best when it trusts the absurdity to carry it all. A party in the clouds, an over-the-top challenge, a bad guy who barely qualifies as a threat, a visual gag that arrives before logic has any chance to object, that’s all where the show feels most alive. The animation leans into a softer, younger look while remaining familiar. While that may take a little adjustment for viewers attached to the original’s specific look, it suits this version’s smaller scale. The Land of Ooo still feels strange, though the strangeness has been rounded off a bit. It’s less pointed than the original, less likely to sneak a line of existential dread into a candy-colored joke, but it hasn’t lost the sense that anything can walk into frame.

The returning characters help cover some of that. Tom Kenny’s Ice King remains a perfect collision of neediness, menace, and nonsense, and the show knows how much energy he can bring without letting him take over. Hynden Walch, Olivia Olson, and Niki Yang bring back the comfort of voices that shaped the franchise's range, even as SIDE QUESTS keeps things playful. Their presence gives the season texture, reminding viewers of the broader history without forcing this new chapter into a checklist.

There’s also something refreshing about seeing a franchise entry aimed at younger viewers without treating simplicity as a flaw. SIDE QUESTS doesn’t talk down to its audience, and it doesn’t push away the oddness that made ADVENTURE TIME stand apart from most animated adventure shows. It’s bright, fast, and silly, but it still has that off-kilter sense of humor where a throwaway line can feel funnier because nobody pauses to explain it. The show is clearly designed as an entry point, though it works better as a side path rather than a replacement. It’s a door into Ooo, but not the whole kingdom.

The season’s only real weakness is that it occasionally feels too careful for a world built on glorious madness. ADVENTURE TIME could be uneven, strange, and unpredictable in ways that made it stick. SIDE QUESTS is more controlled, more eager to be inviting, and sometimes less surprising as a result. That doesn’t make it hollow. It just means the show is steadier and less startling. It gives fans a funny, low-pressure return to Finn and Jake’s early days, while leaving room to grow into something in future episodes.

ADVENTURE TIME: SIDE QUESTS works because it knows the value of a small adventure. Not every quest needs to crack open the universe or reframe a character’s entire life. Sometimes Finn and Jake just need to run toward trouble, make each other laugh, and remind us why Ooo was worth getting lost in the first place. This revival may not reach the heights of the franchise at its best, and it isn’t always as strange as it could be, but it has enough charm, comedy, and affection for these characters to justify the trip back. For a show built around side quests, that feels like the right kind of victory.

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[photo courtesy of DISNEY+, HULU]

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