This TV movie is both a sequel and adaptation of one of Julia Donaldson‘s popular kids’ book. Zog and the Flying Doctors picks up from where the first story ended with the accident-prone, fire-breathing, friendly dragon, Zog, flying Princess Pearl and Gadabout around as they help those in need of medical attention. However, whereas Zog was the main character in the first story, this time it’s Pearl who is front and center.
Pearl remains a strong female role model, objecting to those around her who say she should behave more like a princess, and determined to help others in her job as a doctor. She remains compassionate throughout, despite the interference and meanness shown by her uncle, the king. Meanwhile Zog and Gadabout provide the slapstick laughs, crashing and bumping into things, usually each other. Yet despite this repositioning of the characters, Zog and the Flying Doctors fails to move the narrative along. Themes from the first story are revisited and while they are admirable and positive, there’s nothing here that the first film didn’t do, arguably better.