American Dragon: Jake Long’s first season officially aired in 2005 (same year Avatar: The Last Airbender aired) on Disney Channel. It received positive reviews from critics and viewers alike. The second and final season aired in 2006. Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon are developing three animated movies based on “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Before they come out in the future, I wanna share my thoughts on American Dragon: Jake Long’s first season. I used to watch it as a kid along with Avatar: The Last Airbender.
This review contains no SPOILERS.
Positive & Negative Aspects
Dante Bosco (one of my favorite actors) did an excellent job for his voiceover performance as the titular character.
Other Cast Members such as John DiMaggio, Lauren Tom & Mae Whitman all did a decent job for their respective voiceover performances.
Fun Fact: Dante & Mae also worked together in Avatar: The Last Airbender. They played Zuko & Katara.
Animation looks pretty good. It brings a few things to life including character models, fluid movement and environmental locations.
Humor contains visual gags and Jake speaking hip slang. It’s pretty funny picturing Prince Zuko acting like he’s Jamie Kennedy as B-Brad from “Malibu’s Most Wanted.”
Jake’s chemistry with his friends and family serves as the main highlight.
Opening Theme is really catchy.
Halloween Bash is my favorite episode of Season 1.
A few famous faces guest star in various episodes.
- Tara Strong
- Lacey Chabert
- Rob Paulsen
- David Ogden Stiers
- John C. McGinley
- Stephen Tobolowsky
- Jonathan Freeman
- Jennifer Hale
- Clancy Brown
- Grey DeLisle
- Tia Carrere
- Daryl Sabara
Negative: Three episodes have a specific flaw.
Episode 1 – Old School Training
Under the tutelage of his grandfather, Jake trains to master his powers.
Jake meets Rose. Unbeknownst to him, she’s Huntsgirl working for Huntsman.
A Fart Scene made me laugh hysterically.
Episode 2 – Dragon’s Breath
Not willing to ruin his school dance with bad breath, Jake wears a necklace to suppress it. He seeks a date at the dance. She’s not that kind of girl.
Jake tosses records at an opponent. A reference to “Shaun of the Dead”.
Episode 3 – The Talented Mr. Long
Episode 3’s title is a play-on-word of “The Talented Mr. Ripley” starring Matt Damon.
A school trophy contains an evil genie. Jake enters the talent show to prevent his teacher from taking it. Meanwhile, Spud & Trixie participate in the talent show as magicians.
Episode 4 – Professor Rotwood’s Thesis
Right: Not a spoiler, Trixie & Spud learn that they accidentally sold Jake in dragon form. They seek help from Fu & Lao.
Trixie accidentally breaks her mother’s piece of antique furniture. She and her pals try to earn some cash for a replacement.
A fart scene made me laugh.
Wrong: How come Rotwood gets off the hook after kidnapping Jake?
Episode 5 – Shapeshifter
Jake acquires shapeshifting powers for a mission to retrieve an orb from Huntsman. He uses them for personal matters. Played for laughs.
Episode 6 – Adventures in Troll Sitting
A troll shows up at Jake’s house. He must keep him hidden from his parents and aunt for a whole day. Jake fights parasitic hairballs from the troll’s body hair. Could be worse, if he had to fight Pete Davidson’s crab lice. A reason why his girlfriends probably left him.
This episode along with the next one aren’t tied to to Huntsman. Think of it as a side quest.
Episode 7 – Fu Dog Takes a Walk
A breather episode focusing on Fu who wants to go to a baseball game. He runs from a dogcatcher. This is more entertaining than “Fever Pitch.”
Episode 8 – The Legend of Dragon Tooth
Jake, Trixie & Spud babysit Trixie while they watch a hip-hop awards show simultaneously.
Episode 9 – The Egg
Jake & Fu work together to retrieve a Griffin egg before Huntsman & Huntsgirl take it for themselves.
Last scene is played for laughs.
Episode 10 – The Heist
Jake and his pals go on a heist.
Jake encounters a giant spider. Every time I see a spider, I yell out these words from David Arquette. “Get back, you Eight Legged Freaks!”
Episode 11 – Body Guard Duty
Safe: Jake’s assigned as a bodyguard to the Oracle Twins.
Trixie swears she’ll marry Denzel “My Man” Washington.
Danger: A pair of goblins disguise themselves as schoolboys. Nobody questions their blue skin?
Episode 12 – Act 4, Scene 15
Jake auditions for a role in Shakespeare in the Park” so he can get close to Rose. Meanwhile, he must guard a magical beetle that grants life.
Jake & Rose rehearse while they fight each other for a beetle. Both are unaware of their double lives. Technically, Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”
Huntsman putting helmet on, is a reference to Darth Vader putting his helmet on in “The Empire Strikes Back.” “Revenge of the Sith” came out the exact same year as Jake Long.
Near the end, Jake takes the next step.
Episode 13 – The Ski Trip
Jake and his pals go on a ski trip. He tries to tell Rose the truth.
Rose seeks to capture an Abominable Snowman. Jake attempts to uncover Huntsgirl’s true identity.
A Running Gag involving Rotwood getting injured. Kinda like Mr. Van Driessen from “Beavis and Butthead.”
Episode 14 – The Long Weekend
Jake and his friends go on a camping trip with his goofy dad. Just when he’s having a break, dragon duty puts him back in
Jake claims public domain songs like John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt makes him nauseous. Finally! Somebody who acknowledges this song’s obnoxious. I friggin’ hate that song.
Episode 15 – Eye of the Beholder
Jake, Lao & Fu must precent a sorcerer from marrying a princess.
Episode 16 – Jake Takes the Cake
Jake tries to capture a Gremlin. Not that kind you can’t feed after midnight. He refuses to dance to a Hawaiian song that causes it to stop running amuck.
Jake’s mom has a hard time organizing a party at a wedding.
Episode 17 – Hong Kong Nights
Fu tells a story to Jake on how he meet Lao.
One scene shows Fu dressed like Neo from “The Matrix.” Kenau Reeves starred as “Constantine” back in 2005.
Jake says “wassup.” A reference to that Budweiser commercial back in 2000. Adam Sandler wishes he were Jake in “That’s My Boy.”
Episode 18 – Halloween Bash
Jake hosts a Halloween party filled with humans and magical creatures. Suddenly, he gets an unwelcome visit.
Huntsman and his army capture the Dragon Council.
Lao & Haley compete for candy.
Jake performs a Halloween rap song. I’d pay my money seeing Dante rap Beastie Boys’ “An Open Letter to NYC.”
Trixie’s costume is from Missy Elliott’s music video “Supa Dupa Fly.” Missy’s album “The Cookbook” also came out in 2005.
At the 17:17 mark, one kid’s dressed up as Batman. Christopher Nolan rebooted The Caped Crusader in 2005.
Episode 19 – Fu and Tell
This episode focuses on Fu’s fight with an archenemy from his past.
Yeun-Yeun yells, “NO!” Darth Vader said it Revenge of the Sith. He’ll never live it down for making me laugh. Forever a meme.
Nobody batted an eye when Fu talks.
Episode 20 – Flight of the Unicorn
Jake and his pals attempt to rescue a unicorn from carnies.
Episode 21 – Keeping Shop
This episode centers on Trixie & Spud taking over Jake’s heroic duties while he goes on a retreat with Lao.
Episode 22 – Ring Around the Dragon
Jake poses as a wrestler so he can find a runway eight-year-old giant back to his parents.
A running gag with Jake who has sticky notes written by his parents.
Episode 23 – The Hunted
Jake’s captured by Huntsman. He and a small group of prisoners must work together if they want to make it in one peace.
Season Finale ends on a bittersweet note.
The Final Verdict: A-
American Dragon: Jake Long’s first season still holds up. If you’re a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender” or want to introduce your kids to this cartoon, don’t be shy. If Paramount & Nickelodeon are making an animated spin-off movie on Zuko, I’ll be the first in line to support Dante Bosco voicing my favorite character from the show.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 