Milo Murphy's Law [pilot]

From Phineas and Ferb co-creators Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh comes the new Disney XD animated series Milo Murphy's Law. While the series retains the same trademark animation style and referential and random humor that we have come to know and love from its predecessor, it remains to be seen if Milo Murphy's Law has the potential to achieve the same level of success as Phineas and Ferb. After viewing the premiere it's clear that the potential for that success is there and we are certainly in for a wild and wacky ride.

Regardless of what happens, Milo is always prepared.
Credit: Disney XD

Milo Murphy's Law follows young Milo Murphy (voiced by Weird Al Yankovic) who is perpetually followed by calamity and bad luck that leads to hilarious adventures for him and his pals. Along for the ride are new kid in town Zack Underwood (voiced by Mekai Curtis) and spunky Melissa Chase (voiced by Sabrina Carpenter). Milo manages to always be prepared for whatever the world throws his way thanks to his handy dandy backpack and some occasional assistance from his dog, Diogee (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker), who shows up at complete random (Is he a secret agent of OWCA?). Regardless of his consistent bad luck, Milo manages to look at the positive aspects of his situation and see each as a unique adventure.

At the end of the day, Milo manages to make Murphy's Law
work for him and his friends to get them out of trouble.
Credit: Disney XD

The series has certainly established a formula wherein Milo and pals are on their way to something completely normal, such as school or the museum, when thanks to Murphy's Law something goes wrong causing them to go on an unexpected adventure that somehow is resolved through Milo utilizing a calamity to his benefit. The formula is quick to become predictable, however, it is necessary to establish it at the start of the series so the audience knows what to expect. It'll be interesting to see how the formula is tweaked and played with once it has built its foundation over the next several episodes.

Credit: Disney XD

Milo has proven to be an intriguing character as even though it is easy and even understandable for him to be bitter and sarcastic regarding everything bad that occurs to him, he manages to see the bright side of his life and unveils the silver lining even when those around him are blind to it. Although his voice takes some getting used to as it is not one you would expect coming from him, the acting is great and Milo is proving to be a character that will be interesting to have delved into further in coming episodes. His new friend, Zack Underwood, proves to be a great foil for Milo as he tends to be more cautious and apprehensive regarding all that goes on but manages to go along with it with some encouragement from his new friends. Melissa is a confident and laid back girl who manages to roll with everything, proving to be a great support for Milo and an excellent role model for young girls.

The only thing that the series really feels like it's missing is original songs. Considering that Weird Al Yankovic is voicing the main character, it wouldn't be surprising to see some original songs crop up in future episodes. However, even if the series never has any, it doesn't detract from the fact that it is well on its way to being a success.

Overall, Milo Murphy's Law is well worth watching and while it may not fill the Phineas and Ferb shaped hole that was left in our hearts last year, it is certainly deserving of its own spot. We'll be interested to see how the series progresses and what the crew has in store. Check out Milo Murphy's Law on Disney XD Mondays at 8 PM and be sure to watch Dan and Swampy's new rap song about working on Milo Murphy's Law below!