I don’t mean to bug you. But A Real Bug’s Life is a genuine joy.
Streaming on Disney+, A Real Bug’s Life returns for a second season of big adventures in a tiny world. Whether it’s following damselflies in a British pond or a luna moth that’s looking for love, the series wants to show us the world from a different perspective by
shrinking us down in order to help us see the world through the eyes of our insect ‘friends’.
While the episodes are family-friendly in tone, NatGeo does not take this show lightly. Featuring some spectacular footage of a minute world, it’s remarkable how far they have come in terms of technology. We are allowed to bear witness to moments that feel like a glimpse into a world that we could never see otherwise.
And it’s because of that stunning equipment that Bug’s Life is able to do exactly what it promises. Through its unique brand of Disney storytelling, it manages to make every insect feel like its own character in a vast ecological universe. Similar to Walt’s famed True Life Adventures, Real Bug’s Life allows the viewer to feel the story that’s unfolding around them. Frankly, I was stunned at how engaging the series was for my family and myself. (Even my youngest, who usually shies away from nature docs, was fully engaged.)
Much of the credit for this success lies with Awkwafina’s narration. As with the first season, the comedian is both endearing and silly as she attempts to help us get into the mind of hermit crabs and other various bug lives. By telling us about their pursuit to find love, a new home or simply survive in a world of deadly predators (like Baby Ducks!), Awkwafina manages to remove the barrier between the insect world and our own. Suddenly, these ‘crawlies’ seem less creepy.
In fact, they seem more like us.
Like the best of Disney fare, the ability to build bridges between man and beast is on display here. Unlike other nature docs that seek a broader look at various ecosystems, the series manages to sit with its miniature subjects for more than a few minutes. Although the episodes are only ½ hour each, their emphasis on a couple of species gives us time to get to know them. Battles for beetle supremacy or deadly dragon flies have more meaning when we understand what’s at stake.
Most of all, though, Real Bug’s Life helps us understand the relationship between ecosystems. Disney’s care for the environment has long been documented both onscreen and as a company but this series helps bring that to life. There are so many complex relationships that we see the ways that the slightest change can have the biggest impact. To the insect world, we’re the intruders.
“Another alien invasion,” we’re told about the human incursion.
But that’s the real joy of A Real Bug’s Life. In learning about the insect world, we also learn about the ways that we can—hopefully—lessen our impact. Without getting preachy, the series simply shows the ways that ecosystems work together (or against) one another, giving us opportunity to take greater care of one another. After all, despite their small size, the series proves that the drama between world is huge.
A Real Bug’s Life S2 is available on Disney+ on Wednesday, January 15th, 2025.
