THE UNDERDOGS

Bucking three years of failed attempts, four neurodiverse pooches set out to pass their first K-9 exam at Barksdale Academy in this series opener.

Team Comeback’s distractible pups face daunting challenges: Nova’s motivated but clumsy; Harley’s fast but distractible; Duke’s powerful but risk averse; mischievous Peanut hates getting his fur muddy. Nova feels their failures keenly, her older sisters having earned Best in Show. With the agility test looming, she creates a team practice course for test prep, ignoring valuable advice from fluffy-but-brainy Athena. Practice goes poorly: Harley abandons her promising start to chase a squirrel; Duke, who can’t control his fear of heights, ends in a mud puddle, splashing a horrified Peanut. Discouraged, Nova confides in Granny Goldenfur, famous for her “pup talks.” Granny’s wise advice includes setting achievable goals instead of comparing oneself to others. Reluctant to relinquish her dream, Nova doubles down on practice sessions. Not all characters with disabilities struggle; Ollie, who uses a canine wheelchair, is a Barksdale high achiever. However, Team Comeback’s invisible challenges are compounded by inflexible expectations that overvalue and reward compliance with rigid and (for some) unattainable standards, failing to encourage and honor creative accommodation strategies. In an influencer-saturated culture, the message couldn’t be more timely: Nurturing diversity involves redefining success. (Finished art not seen.)

Laced with pun-filled humor, this high-spirited tale delivers its food for thought refreshingly free of preachiness.