Mission Force One (2015– )

My 3-year-old daughter and I discovered "Miles from Tomorrowland" towards the end of its first season, and it has become a huge favorite in our household. The production values are incredibly high, it's educational without being pedantic, the CGI space effects are gorgeous--even the musical score is pretty amazing. It's a perfect example of a show that's made with kids in mind, yet doesn't talk down to them. I don't know that I've ever seen an animated children's show operating at quite this level.

The show is about a futuristic family traveling the galaxy on behalf of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, whose mission is to "connect the galaxy." One of the things I appreciate about it is that there are healthy role models for everyone in the family. Phoebe, the mom, is the ship's captain, with the best mission success record in the TTA; Leo, the dad, is the ship's engineer, highly respected in his field; Loretta, the older sister, is a computer coding genius; and Miles, the younger brother, contributes to the family's missions with his creativity and enthusiasm. The family's robot ostrich, Merc, provides comic relief. It's very much an ensemble show, and the main characters display a healthy family dynamic. In addition, the family's interactions with other alien races model how to relate to others who are different from us.

I also love the show's optimistic view of the future, something that's sorely missing in science fiction in general these days. It captures something of the spirit of "Star Trek" in this sense, with a view of a future where humanity has overcome its basic social problems and is starting to expand out into the galaxy. Also like "Star Trek," the show has a good mix of real-world science and technology alongside more speculative things like faster-than-light travel. The stories are simple (it is a kids' show, after all) but well-constructed, and cover some cool sci-fi concepts; there have even been a couple of season-long story arcs. Recurring characters voiced by the likes of Mark Hamill, Bill Nye, Jonathan Frakes, Wil Wheaton, and Whoopi Goldberg are a fun addition for parents as well.

My daughter loves the show, and I think I enjoy it almost as much as she does. If you're a sci-fi fan, this is the perfect show to watch with your kids!