**'Moominvalley'** is a modern adaptation of Tove Jansson's beloved "Moomin" characters. As a lifelong Moomin fan, I'm glad it exists—and disappointed by its missed potential. On the whole, it's a fine, inoffensive take on the world of Moomin. The voice cast is great, and the soundtrack is breathtaking, especially for the first season, which featured original songs from artists like _MØ_, _First Aid Kit_, and _Josef Salvat_—a great fit for the material. As for the animation, it can be a bit controversial to choose CG/3D animation for a TV show, and while my preference definitely leans 2D, I can't really complain. For what it is, I find the animation acceptable, even pretty good. I do find a lack of expression sometimes, but I'm not fussed about it—it doesn't present an outright _problem_ for this show. However, I do think a different approach would do a lot to elevate it as a whole. Where _Moominvalley_ falters is in its writing—specifically, its characters. This is a pretty critical point of failure because so much of the magic of the source material comes from the characters and their complexity, whereas in _Moominvalley_, they feel somewhat flat and one-dimensional. Moomintroll is written as timid and self-interested. His adventures tend to happen _to_ him rather than _because_ of him—he’s forced into them, or pursues them for personal gain, and frequently complains along the way. He avoids becoming outright unlikable, but this portrayal feels like a betrayal of the curious, open-hearted character I remember. Moominpappa fares somewhat better. He’s portrayed as self-obsessed and a bit foolish, but eager for adventure—which isn’t far from Jansson’s original. The problem is depth. Moominpappa was always likable to me because he's flawed, but still manages to have some level of depth and complexity. I find those attributes to be lacking here. The rest of the cast follows a similar pattern: competently written, but static. They fit their roles and rarely escape them. One exception is Snork, who feels genuinely considered—a standout in an otherwise underdeveloped ensemble. The writing quality varies widely episode to episode. Some installments are sloppy and poorly paced; most are passable; a rare few are genuinely very good. _Moominvalley_ never pushes boundaries. It lacks the quiet magic, the melancholy, the sense of mystery and longing that permeates Jansson’s work. I enjoyed watching _Moominvalley_, but I often felt frustrated by it. It’s fine. It’s competent. It’s inoffensive. But it’s incapable of greatness—and because I know what Moomin can be when it _is_ great, anything less feels like a loss.