Fans have long loved the wonder and danger of the Jurassic Park franchise and all of the many dinosaurs that brought the property to life. Since Spielberg's masterpiece kickstarted the phenomenon in 1993, the franchise has tried to feed almost every form of media to the fans, from action figures to games and countless merchandise. Fans were even treated to a modern version of the franchise in the form of the Jurassic World trilogy. But after its success, there was a question of how to keep the property alive without stretching the audience too thin or losing the magic that made it great in the first place.

Then came Netflix's gamble, which presented the story without the gore, and thus, the audience was introduced to Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous. The animated series, which followed the misadventures of six abandoned teenagers on Isla Nublar, fascinated fans and offered a completely new perspective on the classic dinosaur lore. Here's why die-hard Jurassic fans shouldn't miss Jurassic Park: Camp Cretaceous and its upcoming sequel Jurassic World: Chaos Theory.

It Expands the Jurassic World Universe

• Camp Cretaceous elaborates on the story of six kids abandoned at Jurassic World.

It's understandable that nothing can top the original, but Jurassic Park fans are missing out on some seriously good dino action by skipping Camp Cretaceous. Although the animated series may not be as visually thrilling as the movies, it definitely manages to hit the mark in terms of reminding viewers what the movies were all about. The films were about the survival of those who tried to control Mother Nature and underestimated the power of their own ideas. It also dealt with the aftermath of the choice to bring these ferocious creatures to life.

Camp Cretaceous expands on the original themes of survival and the constant feeling of unease and anxiety. The series goes into the details of what it takes to survive on an island full of dinosaurs. Camp Cretaceous smartly uses its episode runtime to show the viewers what the characters did for about 90 minutes in the films. In doing so, it further expands the lore and loosely ties certain characters to the larger universe, making the series feel like it's part of a larger machine.

Camp Cretaceous Focuses More on the Dinosaurs

• The animated series introduces several types of dinosaurs and their interaction with the campers.

One of the things that Camp Cretaceous does better than the movies is not to make the whole premise about a single dino and their blind rampaging across the park or the island. The series introduces all sorts of dinosaurs and their information to the viewers through Darius, which is a clever move that appeals to the younger masses. The escape of the Indominus Rex and the occasional attacks from a T-Rex only emphasize the graveness of the danger the teenagers are in.

The show doesn't make it all about the "scary dinosaur." Rather, it introduces them in different episodes to navigate the kids' progress in their quest for survival. Although the show did try to adapt the movie's approach in the fifth season by focusing on the Spinosaurus and a pair of T-Rexes, it, fortunately, took a turn back at the right time. Now, with Chaos Theory, the series might elaborate more on the escaped dinosaurs from Lockwood Manor and their new lives on the mainland.

The Series Tells Behind the Scenes Stories

• Camp Cretaceous featured what happened on the island after everyone evacuated.

Everyone knows that Jurassic Park was abandoned, and the Indominus Rex was the reason why Jurassic World was closed down. But what happened afterward? Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom explains the fate of the dinosaurs to some extent, but it's slightly rushed to push the story forward. On the other hand, Camp Cretaceous subtly references and points to several behind-the-scenes stories of characters from the movies. For instance, the series shows where the Indominus Rex had been before being lured to the park. Or what Dr. Wu was really up to before his elaborate plans for hybrid dinosaurs were revealed.

The viewers saw in Fallen Kingdom that the Mosasaurus had escaped from containment, but the consequences of that little scene was shown in Season 4 when the creature totaled the kids' boat in the middle of the sea. The series has been impressive in tying off and elaborating small scenes from the movies. It offers fans a complete picture rather than pieces over the course of a few movies.

The Characters Have More Development

• Each camper has a distinctive personality and character arc that's handled fabulously throughout the series.

In a movie about dinosaurs, there isn't enough room for the human characters to grow besides just running for their lives. Although that's what the campers do for the most part of the five-season run, they do it with some obvious characteristic traits. The kids are introduced to certain character archetypes, and thankfully, the show doesn't leave it at that. From exploring Kenji's shaky relationship with his father to turning the intimidated Ben into the ultimate survivor, Camp Cretaceous ensured that the focus remained on the kids.

Even the dinosaurs in the series had enough personalities that they felt more than just raging carnivores. The audience has the chance to grow with the characters from the moment they step on the island to the scene where they finally leave it behind. Camp Cretaceous elevates the story from the "Jurassic" perspective by empowering its human characters in the right way.

It's Canon to the Overall Franchise

• Camp Cretaceous makes references to Jurassic Park and Jurassic World.

Although Camp Cretaceous is uncharted waters in the franchise, it was a good decision not to exclude it from the core Jurassic lore. The story is canon, not only to the events of Jurassic World but also to Jurassic Park. The show features the famous ruined Visitor Center from the original movie, as well as the mention of Dr. Alan Grant. The later seasons show the whereabouts of Dr. Wu and his creatures and also introduce Lewis Dodgson, who also found the famous shaving can from the first movie.

Instead of overrunning the campers' story with references to the movies, the show subtly inserts the name of a character there or a fact here to connect the series. The canonical narrative is a big plus, and it leans into the corporate greed side of things that were only made the main point in Jurassic World Dominion.

The Campers Care More About the Dinosaurs Than Any Other

• The campers cared about the dinosaurs being used for personal greed and agendas.

Jurassic Park could be labeled more as a survival film series compared to Jurassic World, where the characters were a little bit more invested in the dinosaurs as animals. However, Camp Cretaceous takes it up a notch and molds its campers into actually caring about the dinosaurs as much as they wish to get off the island. For Darius, it had always been about preserving the miracle of seeing dinosaurs in the modern world, and so they should be looked after rather than discarded.

On several instances, he and the other campers prioritized saving the dinos from greedy corporate leaders and mad scientists over their own lives. They saved all the dinosaurs on Isla Nublar from being ripped apart by the Scorpios Rex and prevented Dr. Wu from making more. The campers' last stand was also against Kenji's father, who sought to sell the dino mind-controlling technology to BioSyn.

The Series Delivers Shocking Twists and Turns

• The series was fully of shocking revelations and plot twists.

What could possibly be more shocking in a dinosaur movie than a kid seeing a T-Rex in his backyard? While the element of surprise in the Jurassic Park movies was only reserved for the first movie, it was never really a shining point in the rest. The audience can almost always tell where the story would lead. However, if Jurassic Park fans love a bit of a twisty story, then Camp Cretaceous is the show to watch. Despite being a kid-friendly version of the Jurassic Park movies, the series delivers some epic plot twists at times when the audience least expects it.

For instance, Ben's "death" was a real shocker, especially since the series continued without ever giving the audience hope that he might return. Meanwhile, the epic villain reveal at the end of Season 4 is perhaps the best plot twist in the entire series.

It Answers Several Questions Related to the Movies

• The series references to several scenes in the original movies.

Besides being canon, Camp Cretaceous subtly references several scenes that seemed vague in the movies and gives them a little background. Although the epic Jurassic Park/Jurassic World team-up in Dominion made the viewers' dreams come true, it seemed to have missed a proper buildup. On the other hand, despite only for a second, Camp Cretaceous gives fans a little background on what might have happened before a certain scene in the movie that just seemed to pop out of nowhere.

It's understood that Lewis Dodgson was the big bad of Dominion. However, besides trying to steal dinosaur embryos in the original movie, what else did he do to create his dinosaur empire, as shown in the Jurassic World movie? In Camp Cretaceous Season 5, it's revealed that Lewis and BioSyn were working with Mantah Corp to get his hands on the mind-controlling technology. Moreover, during their hunt for Blue, Dodgson finds the old Barbasol can in the ground, confirming that he never received those DNA samples 25 years ago.

The Story Has a Fitting Conclusion

• The fans get to see how it ends for the campers.

Camp Cretaceous starts with the promise of giving the viewers an edge-of-their-seat experience as they watch six teenagers fight to survive an island full of dinosaurs. The series does just that and more by giving the story a more well-rounded treatment rather than just throwing things around. Camp Cretaceous is an impressive story that navigates the entire year the campers were missing. It is well-concluded in terms of telling the fans about the fate of almost all characters, whether heroes or villains.

Nothing was left to the viewers' "imagination," which is often a great tease for the fans because not knowing what happens to a character after five seasons is a bit disappointing. Fortunately, fans who go in watching Camp Cretaceous can be assured that they'll receive a worthwhile ending that will do justice to each character arc. Moreover, as a bonus, the series will continue the campers' story with Chaos Theory, which expands their adventures outside of the island.

Camp Cretaceous Is Emotionally Impactful