Within seconds after pressing play on the remote and hoping to retreat into the solace of comforting liquor to drown out the pandemic sorrows, Disney+’s latest short animation series Dug Days has got its own plan and that is to make you binge-watch till you want more.
This five-episode short film series from Pixar is the family delight that will have you sobbing in its heartbreaking ending moments.
It’s easy to disregard Disney’s approach of scavenging its own back catalogue for spin-off content to populate its streaming service, especially given the recent spate of releases.
However, one thing that sets it apart from the rest of the spin-off shows is Dug Days, hands down. And it can only be characterised as a dose of sheer happiness as we wait out the pandemic.
For the unfamiliar, Dug is a happy-go-lucky golden retriever who originally appeared in the animated film Up.
Dug, a dog with a collar that converts his thoughts into words, decides to live with Ed Asner’s grandfather Carl Frederiksen towards the conclusion of Up. The mix of Dug’s vigour and Carl’s exhaustion makes them ideal mates.
You get to witness Dug in typical Wile E Coyote territory in one episode, attempting to keep his enemy, a squirrel, from taking the nuts from the garden outside. Another scene has Dug being ecstatic to be caring for a litter of puppies, only to be quickly overwhelmed by their limitless energy and eagerness to irritate him.
Though there isn’t much of a tale to lead on when it comes to making it big on the film, one thing we must acknowledge is that, like other characters, the way Pixar’s animators designed Dug to astound the audience is undeniably present, especially with his two wide eyes and an enormous black nose. Plus, it’s fascinating to see Dug in his own little universe, which will inevitably make you chuckle along the way.
Nevertheless, it is a show you can watch alone, especially if you have grown up with Disney. It’s arguably one of the greatest dogs to have ever graced the silver screen.