Adventure Time: Islands

Made for fans of the long-running, much-honored Cartoon Network show Adventure Time, this eight-part miniseries answers some old mysteries regarding a couple of the animated show's core characters. Viewers who don't know their way around the mythology (or look and feel) of the series will no doubt be lost by the story of Finn the Human's search for his history before being found and raised in the Land of Ooo. But those familiar with the show will be intrigued by the tale of Finn, his friend Jake, Susan Strong, and BMO (a sentient video game system) leaving Ooo to investigate the humans living on outer islands and seeing what kind of answers about their origins are there. Although Islands is a short-term spin-off, it fits nicely with the core legend and particularly the series' penchant for deepening its mysteries and developing characters. The story begins playfully but intriguingly with “The Invitation,” in which a mysterious spaceship comes in search of Finn and stirs Susan's vague memories of her own past. By the ending episodes “Helpers”' and “The Light Cloud,” Finn discovers that what he has been looking for is not quite what he expected, and now must decide if he wants to stay or return to the Land of Ooo. Featuring eccentric, hand-drawn animation, this supplement to a beloved show is recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)