Every superhero needs his mom, and Netflix couldn’t have come up with a better TV series to show us that as it deals with the complexities that come with having superpowers.
Raising Dion starts off as your normal story about a child discovering his unique abilities, and morphs into something far more; a splendid tale of the never-ending battle between good and evil and how far we will go to protect the ones we love, putting our very lives in danger and damning the consequences.
It’s a story that we have seen many times but this is from a mother’s viewpoint and the engaging drama, relatable characters, and emerging conflict more than elevate this series and I daresay that Stranger Things has a contender for the current best TV show on Netflix!
Ja‘Siah Young stars a Dion, an eight-year-old boy whose life takes an entirely different turn when he realizes that he has superpowers. The thing with having such abilities is that it tends to paint a target on your back and sooner or later, danger comes calling.
Dion’s mother, Nicole (played by Alisha Wainwright), is a mother struggling to move ahead after the death of her husband (the famous Michael B. Jordan plays a brief but very significant role as the deceased father) and with the discovery of her son’s unique ‘gifts’ her life starts to go the way that she never planned for.
It’s not easy raising a child, but when that child has powers beyond anything you’ve ever seen, then the task becomes overwhelming. Nicole seeks the help of her late husband’s best friend, Pat (Jason Ritter) and the trio are caught up in the kind of life-altering moments that could only lead to inevitable doom.
The thing about Raising Dion is that it gets you hooked right from the very first frame and it goes on to give you countless reasons to stay glued to it until the very last episode.
What makes this series one of a kind isn’t the spectacular special effects but the bond between a loving mother and her cherished son. The actors who take on the two roles give a terrific and convincing performance that you will believe they are actually mother and son! The moments they share is something that just warms the heart and reminds us about the lengths a mother will go to protect her child (even though the said child is clearly the one who should be doing the protecting).
The script is well-written, and all the characters are relevant; the supporting cast members are all amazing as well and as the story progresses, it becomes certain that one way or another, the worst nightmare of the mother and son will become a reality. Because what they are up against is something far beyond them; a phenomenon that will send shivers through the spine of even the most powerful superhero.
Evil can spring up in the most unexpected of places and by the time the viewer gets to the final two episodes, the revelation that will happen on screen will do nothing but blow you to pieces!
Raising Dion is a masterpiece that has a lot of touching and epic moments, thanks to the breathtaking performances of Ja’Siah Young and Alisha Wainwright, coupled with a stellar supporting cast, an award-worthy script, and an intriguing story that is as powerful as it is inspiring! Two thumbs way up!!
Rating: 8/10
