After stealing all of his scenes in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the adorably chaotic Baby Groot is set to headline his own Disney+ series, appropriately titled I Am Groot.
Coming as Marvel Studios’ second fully animated series, I Am Groot will be a unique new entry, as it only consists of five shorts that make up the entire series. These shorts will all premiere at once on Wednesday, August 10 on Disney+, giving fans a short yet fun look into the fan-favorite Guardian of the Galaxy as he takes on his own special battles and challenges.
Also unique about this series is that it's the first one in the MCU to officially be out of the canon story, meaning nothing Groot does in this show will have any effect on the live-action Guardians movies. This leaves the door open to some wild stories, even with those being shorter, and the tiny Guardian will use every second of that runtime to shine.
Now, only a couple of weeks ahead of the series’ arrival, critics shared their first reactions to Baby Groot’s first headlining effort on Disney+.
Critics' First Reactions to I Am Groot
Critics took to Twitter to share their first reaction to Marvel Studios' second animated Disney+ series, I Am Groot, which premieres in full on Wednesday, August 10.
The Direct's own Richard Nebens proclaimed I Am Groot to be "the most adorable project in the MCU," noting how easy it is to watch and how much fun it is as a whole:
"I Am Groot is undeniably the most adorable project in the MCU. Pure fun, pure chaos, and it had me smiling the entire way through. If you’re looking for something entertaining and easy to watch, with a few surprises, this short series is for you. The visuals are amazing too!"
Discussing Film's Jacob Fisher described the series as "an excellent watch," noting that it only has a 20-minute runtime, including all five shorts. He praised the animation style and the "fun wacky ideas," feeling that younger MCU fans should enjoy these shorts:
"Just watched all 5 episodes of I Am Groot and they are an excellent watch if you have 20mins to spare. Brilliant photo-realistic type animation combined with some fun wacky ideas, I enjoyed it and can imagine kids will love rewatching these constantly."
Socal Thrills kept its reaction short and sweet, calling I Am Groot "pure perfection" and teasing some surprises along the way:
"We just watched all 5 episodes of I Am Groot and it's Pure Perfection. I Am Groot An original series with amazing animation showcasing Baby Groot on his fun adventures with a few surprises. Very entertaining and family friendly. Marvel Studios Streaming on Disney+ Aug 10!"
Lights, Camera, Pod's Jack Kennedy compared I Am Groot to Pixar's short films, describing them as "fun and cute:"
"Just finished I Am Groot. Very fun and cute shorts similar to Pixar ones. A pleasant way to spend 20 minutes."
ComicBook's Jim Viscardi had nothing but high praise for the series, complimenting director Kirsten Lepore while teasing some of the "fun reveals" that will come for Baby Groot:
"I just watched all episodes of I Am Groot and holy moly did Kirsten Lepore nail it. Such cute moments with some fun reveals about Groot we always wondered but didn't know. Absolutely captured the character James Gunn debuted in GOTG Vol. 2"
@noguiltlife saw I Am Groot as "the perfect vehicle" in which to feature Baby Groot, calling the series something "your whole family will love:"
"I Am Groot is the perfect vehicle for Baby Groot to shine. Proving once again what we love about him: he brings a little chaos everywhere he goes. Short, sassy, and sweet: your whole family will love this series- especially #4. On Disney+ August 10"
Decider's Alex Zalben used the word "delightful" when sharing his thoughts on the series, also indicating that it's "surprisingly dark" while still being suitable for kids:
"I Am Groot? More like 'cute,' because Disney+'s Groot shorts are delightful little snippets featuring everyone's favorite mono-phrased tree alien. The comedy is surprisingly dark, though still family friendly, and often feels like lost bits from the Guardians movies. Two Groots up"
A Fun MCU Outing for Baby Groot
While I Am Groot becomes the shortest MCU project in history at only 20 minutes long, it delivers something that critics seemed to unanimously enjoy taking in.
Some of the most praise that this short series has received thus far has been for its animation style, which is vastly different from what fans saw in last year's What If...?. Using something much more computer animation, almost like Disney's long-standing Pixar franchise, this show allows Baby Groot to shine in a new format the same way he did in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
It's unclear what kind of "surprises" are on the way, particularly regarding whether they have any connection to the larger MCU due to I Am Groot's non-canon status as Phase 4 moves forward.
Regardless of whether or not it fits into the grand scheme of the MCU, the infant humanoid plant appears to be an overwhelming success yet again, as he engages in pure insanity through five short stories. Only time will tell whether Marvel will make more shows like this or give Baby Groot another round of adventure, but for now, it should give all MCU fans something fun to enjoy.
I Am Groot will premiere in full on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 10.
