When it comes to some of the latest and greatest Disney+ shows, I always wonder - what’s the first one that comes to your mind? For me, it’s always been shows such as The Mandalorian (which is getting a Season 3 in 2023) or maybe in the underrated High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. But I’m going to open your eyes to one that’s not talked about as much - Baymax!
This series, which is a spinoff from the underrated Disney animated film, Big Hero 6, follows one of the main heroes from that film, Baymax, a personal healthcare companion who makes it his mission to go around San Fransokyo and help people in need. Throughout the six episodes that the series offers on the platform, you learn plenty of valuable life lessons in moments that both children and adults will love. Here are my personal favorites.
Give Yourself Permission To Take A Break
The episodes for Baymax! are not that long - ranging from about ten to twelve minutes each - and yet in the first episode, I already found myself getting teary-eyed a little. Cass (voiced by the lovely Maya Rudolph), the aunt who looks after Hiro in Big Hero 6, ends up hurting her ankle while working and is terrified to close her cafe because she doesn't want to lose her customers.
However, in order for her ankle to properly heal, Baymax tells her that she must, and near the end of the episode, she decides that it’s okay to allow herself to take a break, because she had been working herself to the bone. And, from the footage that her cat ended up taking when she tried to spy on Baymax, everyone simply told her to get well soon.
This lesson is something that I think all adults should take to heart, that’s it’s okay if we want to give ourselves a break. We are allowed those moments in life where we don’t need to work ourselves to the bone, because if we don’t have those breaks, then we are going to end up overworked. That’s exactly what this lesson was - and something that I genuinely took to heart.
It’s Never Too Late To Live A Little
This one probably hit me the hardest - I don’t know, maybe it’s my sappy love for some of the best romantic comedies out there or I just love the idea of love everlasting, but the second episode of Baymax! follows the robot as he tries to help Kiko, an older woman who is tasked with swimming to ease her hip pain.
But, it’s revealed that even though she isn’t afraid of water, looking at the old Community Pool that was there brought back memories of her long-lost husband, and how he always wanted her to jump in but she never did, and she regrets it. Baymax tells her fair and square that it’s never too late to “live a little,” the same words her husband would say to her.
I just love that. It’s the perfect personification of someone saying “you’re never too old to chase your dreams or face your fears,” and that’s exactly what Baymax did for Kiko, guiding her into the water so she could learn to live a little. It’s so dang sweet.
Puberty Is Normal And Nothing To Be Ashamed Of (Especially For Girls)
I absolutely loved this episode of Baymax!, because this is the first time I think I have ever seen a children’s show openly discuss menstruation in such a simple matter. Now, keep in mind, I am twenty-three, so it’s been some time since I’ve seen many kid’s shows, but all I know is that when I was younger, I never had something like this.
In this episode, Baymax is at a school and overhears a young girl freaking out in the bathroom, and she reveals that she just got her first period and is terrified that people will start to treat her differently now, and that she wants to hide away. Baymax reassures her that even though she may grow up and her body may change, that doesn't change who she is, and that puberty is normal and nothing to be ashamed of.
Dude, if I had this episode as a kid, let me tell you - the amount of breakdowns and tears that I could have prevented would have been astounding. While I do appreciate that a lot of great coming of age films have talked about puberty and menstruation, this is the first time I’ve really seen a kid’s show dive deep into this issue and I seriously loved how it was tackled, showing that you shouldn't be afraid of change. And in the end, she isn’t.
Traditions Can Change, And So Can You
If you watch this episode, you’ll be craving that fish soup like I did at the end. Ugh, wanted to try it so badly.
In this episode of Baymax!, the robot helps out Mbita, a gay food truck owner who suddenly develops an allergic reaction to fish, and has to upend his whole business in order to, you know, not die. Mbita is sad about this, because fish was his family’s life, and how his father made a living, and he wanted to continue the tradition.
But Baymax reassures him that traditions change, and for the sake of Mbita’s health, he knew there would be a way to still honor cooking in his family while also trying new things so he didn’t have any more allergic reactions. It worked out in the end, as he tested all these new flavors and created a new menu with Baymax’s help.
Also, can we talk about that adorable moment at the end where he gained the confidence he lacked to ask out Yukio because that has to be the cutest moment of inclusion I’ve ever seen and I want to see a whole short based around these two. Still squealing about this. Baymax bringing up his heartbeat increasing was so adorable.
You Can Find Friends Anywhere
The last lesson I really got from this series was that friends can really be found everywhere. In the last episode of Baymax!, all of the people that Baymax has helped come together in order to track him down when Baymax runs low on battery and shuts down. They are able to save him in the end, but it was a moment that really stood out to me
All of these people Baymax helped were strangers, but they still came together in the end to find a way to save him from being destroyed, using their combined skills to do so, and that’s something I really loved. I also adored that Kiko and the cat that Baymax helped in the fifth episode, Yachi, ending up getting close, giving them both that companionship that the two of them craved. It was so sweet and, again, I want a short just following those two, Disney. Make it happen!
Baymax! was truly a hidden highlight of the 2022 TV premiere schedule and I would surely watch again if a second season were to come out. It was cute, funny, and had some amazing moments that I genuinely connected with, and if you’re looking for the next best series to show your kids, please, try this one. You won’t regret it.
