Brutal violence in action sci-fi about survival, justice.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Bloody imagery of brutal warfare and survival in a dangerous fantasy wilderness. Characters are eaten by dinosaurs and chased by other beasts. Humans torture dinosaurs and other people with starvation, overwork, poor living conditions, and threats of death. Innocent people die during attacks on villages. Characters fight with knives, spears, and bows and arrows. Screaming, crying, pleading, intense music, and animals roaring make violent images scarier. Flashbacks to characters' pasts in the real world show war, civil protests, loss of loved ones, and suicide. A character who struggles with a panic disorder has scary dreams.
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Adults drink wine during a negotiation conversation; a character adds toxins to one of the cups. A character swallows a pill to calm herself during a panic attack. A montage of a character grieving includes images of spilled pill bottles and empty wine bottles. The character passes out in bed after an implied off-screen overdose.
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Mild, infrequent profanity ("hell"). A White, male character says things about people that are casually racist (e.g., "superior beings," "survival of the fittest") and misogynistic (e.g. "good girl," calls an adult woman "child"). Some characters regularly threaten extreme violence to intimidate and manipulate people.
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All characters are from different countries and eras throughout history. The main character, Helena, is a 21st-century Aboriginal Australian woman who's a scientific expert in paleontology. Other important characters include a female Chinese warrior from the 3rd century; a 19th-century Lakota leader and his adoptive Inuit daughter from the 17th century; a Roman Centurion; and a British man from the 19th century. Characters mostly speak in English but will regularly speak in other languages. Helena and her allies remember the oppression and discrimination they faced in their previous lives. They're inspired to fight against the injustice that continues in this new life. The characters are voiced by actors who have connections to the characters identities, e.g. an actor with Lakota heritage (Zahn McClarnon) voices the Lakota character.
The central theme is survival and conflict between two ways of thinking: "survival of the fittest" and "nature vs. nurture." Characters clash over whether violence is necessary -- and if so, when. Characters also have personal struggles with vengeance, social justice, grief, loss, and guilt.
Positive Role Models
some
Helena is clever, kind, and brave. She values mercy and life, even for her enemies. Several characters made choices in their past lives that led to hardship and harm to themselves and others. In their new lives, they make choices that lead to positive change, overcoming past failures and insecurities.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Ark: The Animated Series is a sci-fi survival story based on the video game Ark: Survival Evolved. Characters are trapped on a mysterious and dangerous island with prehistoric beasts, fantasy creatures, and other humans intent on ruling the island. There are frequent bloody images and sudden, violent deaths. To survive, characters struggle against torture, warfare, and their own traumatic pasts. Language is mild, with infrequent profanity and some strong verbal hostility. There's brief scenes of adults drinking, and one reference to substance abuse involving alcohol and medication. A diverse cast of characters from all over the world and different historical eras is voiced by actors from similar backgrounds. Helena (Madeleine Madden), Meiyin (Michelle Yeoh), John (Zahn McClarnon), and Alasie (Devery Jacobs) find common ground in their shared experiences of discrimination and oppression; they oppose this type of injustice in their new lives. Important themes are survival, violence, justice, grief, second chances, and making a better future.
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What's the Story?
ARK: THE ANIMATED SERIES follows Helena Walker (voiced by Madeleine Madden), who wakes up on a mysterious island after a traumatic incident. An expert paleontologist, the dinosaurs and Dodo birds at first seem like research heaven -- until she finds herself caught up in a war of conquest. Helena must use her wits and courage to make allies, find a way home, and uncover the secrets of the Ark.
This action adventure adult animation turns a simple survival story into an exploration of grief, human nature, and second chances. These emotional layers make Ark: The Animated Series a promising adaptation of its source material (an open world survival game).
The story is compelling, and the character diversity is refreshing. That said, the villains are a little too one-dimensional compared to the more nuanced protagonists. The moral dilemmas are also pretty basic (e.g., can violence be ended with more violence). But overall, it's a fun story good for folks interested in mystery, dinosaurs, and a bit of time-travel shenanigans.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence and power. What is the relationship between strength, power, and violence in this show? How does this reflect real-world history?
How do the characters' past lives influence the choices they make while living on the Ark?
Many characters mourn the loss of loved ones. How does their grief and the way they cope with it affect them? What do the characters need in order to not be overcome by their grief?
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