“Sofia The First” is a bit of a surprise in my house. The Disney princess genre has gotten a nice twist with this series aimed at young kids, but has appeal much greater than you might think. While he might be embarrassed to admit it to his classmates, my 11 year old son enjoys watching the show (at least when new episodes are broadcast).
One of the things I find interesting about this series is how Sofia is a princess by marriage. Her mother marries the king, which in turn, makes Sofia a princess. Much of the series is about her learning to be a princess, navigating the royal culture as well as her friendships with other kids. Aiding her are Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, the three fairy godmothers from Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Prepatory Academy as well as her magical amulet which allows her to talk to animals and summon the help of other princesses. Of course there’s an antagonist, and that role comes in the form of Sofia’s step-sister, somebody coveting the amulet or other dangers.
For the latest DVD release we get 5 episodes, one of which features a special appearance by Snow White. Another episode has Sofia’s Buttercup troop earning merit badges (with some “help” forced upon her). Then there’s the episode where a couple of the supporting cast get a bit of time in the spotlight, but of course it takes Sofia to help them out (one more than another because being an infant, well, you’ll see). We also meet Sofia’s Aunt Tilly as well as witnessing a tea party get out of hand with tea-competition.
So much of early childhood television offers up arbitrary plot devices and characterizations, with “Sofia The First” not being an exception. What makes this series bearable is the charm the series has by being set within the magical realm with all of the Disney princesses. Sure, it’s not a constant presence, but having it as a backdrop is one of the show’s greatest strengths and thankfully it knows it.
This DVD comes with a pack-in handheld mirror (Snow White, magic mirror, yeah, we get it) which can be fun for princesses in training. I would have preferred an additional episode. Heck, I would prefer to have the series released in sequential volume sets rather than this random selection we get.
Sofia The First: The Enchanted Feast is a decent DVD of a very good show. It may be about a princess, but you don’t have to be a girl to enjoy watching it.