The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers

Each of the opening three episodes conclude with their own little grace notes, neat bows on a new development that, again, in a multitude of other contexts would come across as treacly. By fully embracing the strengths of the show and its franchise predecessors, “Mighty Ducks: Game Changers” has already earned those moments with breakaway speed.

By subverting its source material’s premise and keeping Bombay in the mix but not at its center, “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers” makes sharp, timely updates to the timeless story of “good guy” underdogs who just want to have some fun, but aren’t about to complain if they can stick it to the “bad guys” with a win or two. That spirit, more than the team’s logo or legacy, is the real Ducks way.

Sharp writing, charming performances, and the undeniable appeal of an entertaining underdog story combine to make Disney+’s newest series one of the most enjoyable shows of 2021.

Game Changers is a wholesome entry into the Mighty Ducks canon that maintains the ’90s-style earnestness of the original trilogy. Saccharine and oftentimes precocious, yes, but with more competency and heart than, say, Fuller House.

The little team that could is a timeless tale, and though Netflix‘s “Cobra Kai” does a better job at breathing new life into a decades-old story, “Game Changers” is a smooth skate for those already invested in its world of misfits on ice.

The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers is only OK, but that matches the pedestal upon which I place the movie. If you have more reverence, your disappointment might be greater.

Graham is charming as always even with thin material, and it’s not hard to see that Game Changers is just slow-playing Gordon’s emergence, in the same way that Cobra Kai treated Daniel LaRusso as a minor character when it began. These early episodes are pleasant if a bit dull.