LEGO Friends: The Next Chapter
LEGO Friends: The Next Chapter is a 2023 rebooted version of the LEGO Friends Universe, featuring a new cast of characters designed to celebrate friendships.
The series follows the lives of Aliya, Autumn, Leo, Zac, Nova, Paisley, Olly, and Liann as they navigate their first year of high school and become friends.
Set in Heartlake City, the first season focuses on the formation of friendship amidst the backdrop of Heartlake International High School and the establishment of the Heartlake Community Center as a third space for the friends and the community.
The show highlights the challenges that arise from new responsibilities, new friendships, and wanting to have a meaningful impact on the community. Season 1 consists of a 44-minute launch special, 10 episodes, and a holiday special, all of which are on Youtube.
Unlike the previous reboot of the Lego Friends franchise, LEGO Friends: The Next Chapter features an entirely new main cast, with the original cast having cameos as adults.
Tropes:
- Close-Knit Community: The characters are involved in various community projects, such as Autumn's pet adoption program, which brings them closer together and helps them make a positive impact on their surroundings.
- Continuity Cameo: The old Friends pre-2023 have cameos such as Mia as Autumn's mom, or Stephanie at the community center.
- Coming of Age Story: The characters are navigating their first year of high school and facing challenges that come with new responsibilities.
- Slice of Life: The series is focused on the everyday lives of the characters and their relationships with each other.
- New Transfer Student: Zac is a new student who quickly becomes popular and excels in various activities.
- The Power of Friendship: The show REALLY emphasizes the importance of friendships.
- Hidden Depths: The characters have hidden talents and interests that are revealed throughout the show. Such as Leo's love of the culinary arts.
- Opposites Attract: The characters have distinct personalities and interests that sometimes clash, but ultimately they come together as a strong group of friends.
- Out of Focus: Some characters receive more focus than others in certain episodes, highlighting different dynamics and relationships within the group. Olly typically gets the short end of the stick with this.
- More Diverse Sequel: While the first reboot of Lego Friends diversified the main cast, this second reboot series is even more diverse!
- Introductory Opening Credits: The theme song features the eight main characters doing something along with a freeze-frame of their names: Aliya, Liann, Paisley, Olly, Nova, Autumn, Zac, and Leo, in that order.
- Ship Tease: The emphaisis hints on close friendships leaves room for a lot of this.
- Soft Reboot: The old friends still appear but there main cast is all new.
- Spin-Offspring: Autumn is Mia's daughter from the original series (although this Mia is an alternate version of the character).
