Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Marvel's Spider-Man Secret Lair promotional image

    Get a Look At the Secret Lair x Marvel’s Spider-Man Superdrop

    09/08/2025
    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions gameplay still

    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions Is All About Adventure (with Friends)

    09/08/2025
    Chord in Persona 5 The Phantom X

    Now Is The Perfect Time To Jump Back In ‘Persona 5: The Phantom X’

    09/05/2025
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » TV » REVIEW: ‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’ Is Perfect

REVIEW: ‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’ Is Perfect

Kate SánchezBy Kate Sánchez05/18/20234 Mins Read
Gremlins Secrets of the Mogwai — But Why Tho (1)
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Gremlins Secrets of the Mogwai — But Why Tho (1)

Serving as a prequel to the iconic Gremlins films, Gremlins: Shadow of the Mogwai takes viewers back to 1920s Shanghai, unveiling how a young Mr. Wing (the shopkeeper from the original movies) first met the mysterious Mogwai called Gizmo. The series follows Sam Wing as he protects and grows close to Gizmo while he attempts to take his Mogwai friend back to the Valley of Jade. But things are harder than what they seem after some of the Mogwai eat after midnight and become minions of the evil Mr. Green. Sam and his new friend travel through China, explore folklore, and try to save the world.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

The series comes from Showrunner Tze Chun, and is written by Chun, Peter Chen, Anna Christopher, Brendan Hay, and Sarah Nerboso. From Amblin Entertainment and Warner Brothers, the series also carries the seal of approval from creators Joe Dante and Steven Spielberg. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is gorgeously animated. A mixture of illustrative techniques and 3D renderings, the aesthetic is unique and emotive in equal measure. But the true beauty of the series comes from the interactions between the mortal realm, the spirit realm, and everything that exists in the magic of the Mogwai. This is particularly clear in the last half of the season. This expands as each of the Mogwai develops a distinct personality.

It’s clear that everyone involved in Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is in love with Gremlins as a franchise. From Gizmo to the more intricate elements of chaos and care in the series. Audiences get the chance to see this love of the Mogwai at the start of the latter half of the season when we explore the Mogwai origin and history and how humans have impacted their lives.

Working the Mogwai into a larger mythology pays off wonderfully, not just by connecting the creatures to something larger, but by making them products of humanity as much as the destructive creatures we know. Getting context for the Mogwai rules and their existence isn’t just lip service, it all has meaning.

Gremlins Secrets of the Mogwai — But Why Tho (1)

While Mogwai lore expands in the series, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai blends in Chinese folklore and mythology all while contributing to a decades-old IP. It’s a combination that makes the series special and highlights the beauty and depth of folklore outside of the usual Eurocentric subjects. The Mogwai blends effortlessly into a larger mythology of spirits and monsters as if it had always belonged. While the series is a prequel to Joe Dante’s films, it’s also a gorgeous exploration of a larger world in which the Gremlins themselves fit. When watched before the films, it adds a fantastic context that empowers the franchise even more.

But the folklore and Mogwai lore colliding aren’t all that Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai offers. It also gives young audiences an exploration of grief and resiliency in a way that speaks across the generations who will tune in. The series manages to be completely all-ages by showcasing growth and dynamic arcs for Elle, Sam, and even Gizmo.

Each character gets to explore complex themes like loneliness and family in a language and visual representation easy for young audiences to digest. That said, the added elements of chaotic scaled Mogwai and their love of eating fingers and wreaking havoc allow an equally adult dynamic to take hold.

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is adorable, hilarious, and offers an entry point for a new generation. It is rare that an addition to a franchise stakes its own claim to the lore and makes something larger than the original. For those who fell in love with the Mogwai decades ago and for those just learning the rules, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is perfect.

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is streaming on HBO Max May 23, 2023.

Talking Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai with Showrunners

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is an upcoming American computer-animated fantasy comedy television series. Serving as a prequel to Gremlins and its sequel The New Batch, the series is set in 1920s Shanghai, East China, and tells the story of how 10-year-old Sam Wing met Gizmo, a young Mogwai.

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
  • 10/10
    Rating - 10/10
10/10

TL;DR

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is adorable, hilarious, and offers an entry point for a new generation. It is rare that an addition to a franchise manage to stake its own claim to the lore and make something larger than the original.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ Issue #2
Next Article REVIEW: ‘LEGO 2K Drive’ Is Classic LEGO Fun (XSX)
Kate Sánchez
  • Website
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Kate Sánchez is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of But Why Tho? A Geek Community. There, she coordinates film, television, anime, and manga coverage. Kate is also a freelance journalist writing features on video games, anime, and film. Her focus as a critic is championing animation and international films and television series for inclusion in awards cycles. Find her on Bluesky @ohmymithrandir.bsky.social

Related Posts

Helluva Boss Season 2 But Why Tho
9.5

REVIEW: ‘Helluva Boss’ Season 2 Is A Deeper Dive Into Love And Power

09/11/2025
Helluva Boss Season 1 Episode 7 But Why Tho
9.0

REVIEW: ‘Helluva Boss’ Season 1 Is Full Of Violence, Chaos, And Heart

09/11/2025
Sandra Yi Sencindiver stars as Yutani in Alien Earth Episode 6
9.0

REVIEW: ‘Alien: Earth’ Episode 6 — “The Fly”

09/10/2025
Task promotional key art featuring Mark Ruffalo from HBO
7.0

REVIEW: ‘Task’ Episode 1 — “Crossings”

09/08/2025
Aneesha Malik in Invasion Season 3 Episode 3
9.0

RECAP: ‘Invasion’ Season 3 Episode 3 — “Infinitas”

09/07/2025
Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 3
9.0

RECAP: ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 Episode 3 — “Another Rick Up My Sleeve”

09/06/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
The Long Walk (2025) film review promotional image
9.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘The Long Walk’ Is The Most Heartfelt And Heartbreaking Stephen King Adaptation

By Kate Sánchez09/11/2025Updated:09/11/2025

The Long Walk is a brutal watch. Equally heartfelt and heartbreaking, it’s one of the best adaptations of Stephen King’s work.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

EA Sports FC Icons Match promotional image from Nexon News

2025 Icons Match Returns With Football Legends Bridging The Pitch And Video Games

By Kate Sánchez09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

NEXON has announced the return of the ‘2025 Icons Match,’ a live event that brings a full roster of legendary players to the pitch.

Gojo Jujutsu Kaisen - But Why Tho (2) Features

Everything To Know About Satoru Gojo

By Kate Sánchez09/07/2023Updated:02/16/2025

Satoru Gojo is the heart of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 — now, heading into Cour 2, here is everything you need to know about the character.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here