Summary
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory is a level-up for this series, as the kids we once knew are now adults navigating a more difficult world.
Okay, this is serious now. When I covered Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, I accepted that I was watching a kids’ series in a popular universe. Chaos Theory slightly turned my head because I did not expect this series to improve.
I know why it works: Camp Cretaceous followed a group of kids navigating an island run by evil corporate adults. The series had to angle it from the kids’ perspective. The innocence of youth was stripped away from The Nublar Six when they were meant to enjoy being near dinosaurs in a safe environment. However, their character development was exposing their world to danger as they understood the importance of togetherness and support.
Flit forward to the future. In Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, these kids are now young adults. They’ve experienced a rare event, experienced trauma, and now they’ve become accustomed to a new world. At the end of Season 5, it looked like Darius was initially helping run Camp Cretaceous as there was a dinosaur outside his window. However, it turns out that the world now has dinosaurs everywhere, and there are measures in place to help combat them with a team called DPW (Department of Prehistoric Wildlife).
[Minor spoilers for the following two paragraphs]
The opening episode establishes what Chaos Theory is about, and I have sad news: Darius is determined to track down and stop the killer Allosaurus — the dinosaur that killed one of The Nublar Six, Brooklynn.
This sad plot twist will be upsetting for those attached to these characters, but it was a sensible idea to open up an additional series with an emotional angle. On top of this, Ben, who crosses paths with Darius, suspects an organization out there wants to kill The Nublar Six. He doesn’t know why they want them dead, but he’s ultra-paranoid, and he’s subjected himself to conspiracy forums. [Spoilers end here]
Once the premise settled in, it dawned on me why I was having a surprised reaction to this series. It’s matured. This world no longer follows kids trying to evade danger but a group of characters that have grown up and understand life. The series benefits purely because you understand these characters, young and old. There’s the knowledge that you know their quirks and when they do things in certain ways.
I can imagine kids watching Camp Cretaceous as they transition into teenagers, and now they have Chaos Theory. I miss this kind of development in my adult years. It’s like watching your favorite wrestler return to WWE.
It also helps that The Nublar Six are no longer resigned to an island. It feels like more of an open world, and ironically, with nothing contained. The story benefits from expanding out.
This brings me to my next point: I’ve said that with each season, I’ve always wondered how far they can take it. Will it run out of steam? Once again, my question has been answered. I’m flabbergasted that I’m still talking about these characters, and I feel compelled by a series set up for children. The same can be said for Sonic Prime, which surpassed all expectations, bringing family entertainment in a well-loved universe.
While it will never likely be in the same realms, there’s a small likeness to the reaction of Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, where many hardcore fans enjoyed the first few seasons that reveled in the kids’ genre, but then it became serious fodder in the latter seasons, prompting more of the fanbase to catch up.
I don’t want to reach levels of hyperbole, but Jurassic World fans should at least keep up to date with these series for the context alone. Judging by the first season of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, there’s likely as much life in this story as in the predecessor.
