Animation
Secret Level
Prime Video’s ‘Secret Level’ gives a Black Mirror-esque spin to some popular video games with some “rated M for Mature” content.
Maximum speed. Insane stunts. Full-throttle contests.
This is what you must prepare yourself for when you’re selected to train under Dash Wheeler, the ultimate racing champ.
But training with the Dash Wheeler to become a real life Hot Wheels Racer isn’t something that just anybody can do. You must be selected.
The team this year at the exclusive Hot Wheels camp–made of the lucky few who have been selected–consists of cooperative Coop; easy-going Mac; brainstorming Spark; clever Brights and competitive Axle (along with his right-hand man, Sidecar).
Members of this bright, competitive, talented bunch must race one another, build high-quality tracks and solve plenty of problems. They do it for the glory of receiving the most Flame Badges and becoming Camp Champ, but all of them–win or lose–will go home with important skills, lessons and new friends.
Yes, winning is important here. But only real motto here is to never give up.
If you were into Hot Wheels growing up (or if you’re still into them), you’re going to smile at Netflix’s latest original series, Hot Wheels Let’s Race.
This TV-Y animated series, co-produced by Mattel, is aimed at preschool and early elementary-aged kiddos who really love building Hot Wheels tracks and racing cars around for hours (just like my 6-year-old son).
There are, quite appropriately, bright colors, twisty, mind-bending tracks that appear out of thin air, flame-admitting boosters and allllll of the Hot Wheels vehicles that you can possibly imagine.
With each 20-ish minute episode, the racers get to choose a new car with which to race and then they’re off, learning how to work together, problem solve and truly understand that perseverance and friendship are more important than winning. (Although winning is always fun too.)
This show has a few snarky attitudes and the occasional joke that borders on potty-humor. But overall it’s filled with lessons on cooperation, kindness and integrity–along with pulse-pounding music and enough stunts to satisfy the little thrill seekers in your home.
Racers Coop, Spark, Mac, Brights, Sidecar and Axle compete to see who will become the next Hot Wheel Racer.
The kids race their cars on several loops, and one boy exclaims: “now I know how my underwear feels in the washing machine.” Another jokes about how he’ll start brushing his teeth if he can just get out of a precarious situation.
Axle and sidekick Sidecar taunt the other racers and often have snarky attitudes toward them, referring to them as “babies.”
Coop decides to return and help his friends, even though he’s inches from the finish line, when he finds their cars are in trouble. Coop and his friends learn to work together, practice kindness and problem solve.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
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