Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Elliott from Earth’ On HBO Max, An Animated Sci-Fi Comedy Series For The Whole Family

HBO Max may be known for its blockbuster titles, but it’s also made a habit of arming the platform with some seriously endearing family-friendly titles. Series like The Amazing World of Gumball, Squish, The Ollie & Moon Show, and Adventure Time are just a few of the ever-growing selection of animated kids fare the streamer has to offer. Elliott from Earth, a sci-fi comedy now streaming on HBO Max, easily earns its place among these family-friendly shows. 

ELLIOTT FROM EARTH: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: A meteor zooms down from the starry sky.

The Gist: Episode 1 of Elliott from Earth, “Wednesday”, is told in four parts, but plays as a cohesive whole. Elliott (Samuel Faraci) is a precocious 11-year-old boy who likes to wear his alien bike helmet everywhere he goes. One night, Elliott visits a local gas station and is delighted to discover the cashier’s name is also Elliott. On his way out, he picks up a cool-looking rock and brings it home to his mother, a geologist named Frankie (Naomi McDonald). Frankie has been researching a particular rock for years, one she believes is proof that extraterrestrial life has visited earth. When Frankie accidentally puts Elliott’s new rock in the microwave one morning, the rock is suddenly powered up, and after a strange series of events, the rock turns into a transport sphere and takes Elliott and Frankie on a mysterious journey.

When Elliott and Frankie finally land, they climb out of a lake and find themselves surrounded by plant life and some unknown creatures. Elliott quickly befriends a talking stegosaurus they dub “Mo” (Noah Kaye Bentley) and discover that what they know about the fate of the dinosaurs may not be entirely true. As this trio investigates their new alien surroundings, they soon find that nothing is quite as it seems – and life will never be the same again.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Elliott from Earth might remind you of Steven Universe, The Amazing World of Gumball, Adventure Time, and Kid Cosmic.

Our Take: Colorful, big-hearted, and engaging, Elliott from Earth – while not as educational as some of the other children’s programming out there – is a sheer delight. The strong voice performances of Samuel Faraci, Naomi McDonald, and Noah Kaye Bentley help to create extremely lovable characters in a very short amount of time, and it’s hard not to be charmed by this odd little trio exploring new terrain. These are kooky stories, sure, but they’re not mindless, ensuring that important emotional themes shine through even in the show’s most ridiculous moments.

In addition to its compelling story, Elliott from Earth is also subtly progressive, feeling in-step with all of the contemporary series featuring different kinds of families that are out there today. Thanks to some clever writing, exciting adventures, and occasionally side-splitting scenarios, Elliott from Earth manages to be entertaining for both young viewers and adults alike, making it the unique show that might not make parents want to leave the room whenever their kids beg for an episode. With so many choices when it comes to television series, the sweet, silly nature of Elliott from Earth and its plucky protagonist makes it an easy pick.

Sex and Skin: None.

Parting Shot: Elliott looks out the window of their “RV”, wide-eyed, and surveys the new scenery outside.

Most Pilot-y Line: Despite having to churn out a lot of exposition extremely quickly, Elliott from Earth avoids any extremely pilot-y dialogue that might take you out of the action.

Our Call: STREAM IT. With its big heart, engaging animation, and delightful characters, Elliott from Earth – while extremely goofy at times – is bound to be an enjoyable viewing experience for the whole family.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Where to Stream Elliott from Earth