GVN Review: ‘Cars On The Road’ Speeds On To Disney+

Mater and Lightning Are Back!

Disney Pixar’s dynamic duo, Lightning McQueen and Mater are back for a fun, nine episode road trip across the country. What has these two buddies venturing out of the quiet town of Radiator Springs? Well Mater’s sister is getting married, of course! The short series will certainly keep the whole family entertained as the show will have you laughing, singing along, and on the edge of your seat as the two expand the wonderful world of Cars. So buckle in your seatbelts as we travel with Piston Cup winner, Lightning McQueen and the tow truck turned super spy, Mater on an unforgettable road trip out of Radiator Springs!

Getting Up to Speed on The Cars Franchise

When the first Cars film hit theaters back in 2006, it was a booming success, especially with the younger audiences. Lightning McQueen took the world by (lightning) storm. This of course spawned two more sequels, a whole land dedicated to Cars in California Adventure, a few short cartoons on Disney Channel and loads of spinoff books, games and even a couple of Disney films. It was clear that Pixar had struck gold with this franchise.

Cars 2 may have been a box office hit, but not so much a critical hit. Some were not fans of this new direction of spy cars, and less focus on McQueen and his racing career. There was even outrage over the PG rating when some parents argued that the film warranted a PG-13 rating due to the violence featured on screen. While the film did turn off some fans of the franchise, it didn’t stop this powerhouse of characters from getting a third film.

The final film in the Cars series was a return to the basics of what made the films entertaining. Lightning McQueen and his racing career are back in focus as we get to see Lightning starting to exit his racing career and train a new protégé. While the film was a much better story more fitting of the Cars universe and received much better praise from critics, it was still just an average movie that performed well in the box office, but not nearly as well as the first two. It’s almost like we needed to find this perfect blend of racing and fun that both McQueen and Mater could bring to the table. And it seems that Pixar has found that blend in their new Disney+ series.

On the Road Again

Cars on the Road is such surprising delight. The show adds so much fun background and history to the world of Cars. Across the show we get to see the origin of Dinosaur Cars, ghost cars, a Mad Max-esque cult of cars. Yeah, this show gets a little crazy, but it’s a lot of fun! This show made me laugh out loud multiple times. It made me realize just how much I love these characters and the ever expanding universe of Cars.

My personal favorite episode would definitely be the second episode. After a long and exhausting day out on the highway, Mater and McQueen must stop and find a place to sleep for the night, but the only place to rest is a spooky, run down hotel. With no other options, the two friends check in to a room and are soon bombarded with ghosts and ghouls throughout the night. Fans of classic horror films like The Shining will certainly get a kick out of this one.

Another great episode is the shortest one in the series. A six minute episode where Mater and McQueen make a pit stop at a truck stop. The big rigs all break into song and show Mater the joys of being a truck out on the open road. This song will surely have all those who watch it singing about the wonders of being a trucker. Also, the theme song for this series is so darn catchy you’ll be humming and singing this song for weeks on end.

Check Out The Series Today

The Disney+ Original Series Cars on the Road drops on Disney+ Day, September 8th, alongside some other anticipated films and original content such as Disney’s Pinocchio, Marvel Studio’s Thor: Love and Thunder, and a look behind the scenes on the making of Star Wars’ Obi Wan Kenobi.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vui-DhwIAg]