'Carmen Sandiego' Is Charming Enough

I love Carmen Sandiego.  Growing up with the PC games and the cartoon Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, I understandably became accustomed to her becoming the quintessential lady thief in my consciousness.  To me, her persona is the benchmark or epitome of what an appealing female master criminal should be.

Thus, when it was first reported that Netflix was making a new Carmen Sandiego animated series as well as a live-action film with Gina Rodriguez playing the character in both, I was beyond thrilled.  I couldn’t wait seeing how the character would be interpreted in the 21^st century.  And now, having just finished watching the 9-episode debut season of the new Carmen Sandiego animated series, I could say that I was more or less satisfied.

At first, I was slightly bummed out because its version of Carmen Sandiego is straight up heroic.  Unlike previous incarnations, this Carmen is not part of V.I.L.E. but is working against it.  She used to be a trainee in the criminal organization’s academy and was aspiring of becoming a field agent someday.   But when she discovered V.I.L.E.’s true colors, she became disillusioned and decided to leave it.  Now, she’s fighting V.I.L.E. instead, by either stealing from their assets and giving them to charities or foiling their heists and other operations.  Eventually, I got used to this good Carmen Sandiego.  Her likable characterization and Gina Rodriguez’s voice acting won me over.  Besides, since the series is basically showing Carmen in her early days, there’s always the exciting possibility that there’s a heel-face turn down the line.  Who knows.  Maybe this series will make the ballsy move of ending with Carmen becoming the head of V.I.L.E.

Some other characters from the games and original cartoon also take new forms in this animated series.  Player, the live-action computer player in Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego? who basically simulates the role of a real-life player of the PC games, is a young white-hat hacker serving as the Wade to Carmen’s Kim Possible (it’s another reason, by the way, why I learned to like this good version of Carmen Sandiego; she reminded me of Kim Possible).  The siblings Ivy and Zac were the in-game ACME detectives aiding the Player in Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?, but in this new series, they are the sidekicks of Carmen Sandiego.  As for the V.I.L.E. characters, they are all original, with the exception of Dr. Gunnar Maelstorm, who originally appeared as a non-V.I.L.E. villain in Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?.   Meanwhile, ACME this time around is a secret law-enforcement organization that serves as the third party engaged in a triple-threat conflict with V.I.L.E and Carmen’s group.  The Chief is based on the character’s incarnation in the game shows (which I hadn’t seen when I was a kid, by the way), while ACME agents Chase Devineaux and Julia Argent, two characters from the games, start off as members of Interpol.  Devineaux, particularly, serves as the Inspector Zenigata to Carmen Sandiego’s Lupin III.

The show also makes other cool Easter eggs that reference the original show.  My favorite is Rita Moreno, the voice actor of Carmen Sandiego in Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?, voicing a V.I.L.E. accountant from whom Gina Rodriguez’s young Carmen Sandiego stole the iconic red fedora and trenchcoat that she would be wearing.  And one of the lines she says to Carmen goes “If you want to walk on my shoes someday…”  It’s a nice, subtle way of showing a “passing of the torch” of sorts.  Moreover, another delightful detail is in a scene where they are riding an elevator and the elevator music happens to be the opening theme of Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?!

Speaking of opening themes, I like the musky, mysterious ambiance of the new opening theme.  But I still prefer the original enthusiastic, catchy music of Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?.

As a whole, I was well entertained by this new Carmen Sandiego animated series, but I can’t really say that I fell in love with it.  I didn’t quite have fun with it as I had with Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  That doesn’t mean that the original cartoon was better.  I’m incapable of determining that at this point, as it had been years since I last watched it.  It’s possible that it would be proven dated when revisted, as what’s the case of many cartoons I enjoyed as a kid.  Nevertheless, my only point here is that the enjoyment that the young me had with Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego? was greater than the enjoyment the current adult me has had with Carmen Sandiego.  In addition, as far as presenting trivia is concerned, I found the former more informative.  But again, let it be reiterated that this is coming from an adult perspective.  I recognize that it’s likely that, when it comes to the demands of younger audiences, it may prove extremely worthwhile – just as Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego? was for the young me.  Besides, even by adult standards, there are some aspects of thoughtfulness in its narrative.  And there are genuinely riveting sequences and stimulating twists to be had.

In the end, Carmen Sandiego charmed me enough.  I’m in it for the long run.  Who knows.  I might even get to utterly love it eventually.  After all, I love Carmen Sandiego.