Narratively, Trollhuntersdoes a great job balancing its two seemingly disparate worlds: the one that exists in underground, in the shadows, and the one above ground, filled with carefully-manicured residential neighborhoods, dentists offices, and non-descript school hallways. The above-ground world of Arcadia could have been dull in comparison to the fantastic subterranean world of the trolls, gnomes, and goblins, but it’s equally as interesting.

As we all know, Del Toro’s every project is driven by passion and the stories that inspire the beloved director. The same is true for Trollhunters. Jim’s Trollhunter armor and sword may be inspired by Arthurian legend, but the lazy streets of Arcadia are inspired by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin classics. They’re distinct legendary visions, but both myths in their own right, and both seemingly equally exciting for del Toro. That excitement translates to the screen and to the viewer.

From the very first episode, del Toro and Blaas infuse Trollhunterswith a real sense of danger as powerful creatures from this subterranean world lurk in liminal spaces, just out of view of passers-by. And, when night falls on Arcadia, all bets are off. “You have a sweet voice, but you bring death with you,” one character tells a troll early on in the series. This is kind of the perfect summation of this show: It’s fun, clever, and full of heart, but it also does a good job crafting a sense of danger and stakes, as we have come to expect from del Toro’s consistent record of stories featuring creepy creatures.

Del Toro’s work is consistently impressive when it comes to visuals and worldbuilding, but, personally, I don’t always fall in love with his characters and stories. This isn’t the case with Trollhunterswhere its relationships are front and center. The dynamic at the heart of the story is the one between Jim and best friend Toby (Charlie Saxton), a pudgy, braces-wearing young teen with a heart of gold.

At New York Comic Con, del Toro said that Toby is based on a childhood version of himself, and it’s easy to see the similarities in the way both del Toro and Toby seem to find immense joy in the “little” things. Eternally up for an adventure if it means hanging out with his best friend, Toby is more than comic relief (though he often gets the hilarious, tension-alleviating one-liners); he is the sidekick who goes along on the journey, even though he isn’t The Chosen One and he doesn’t have fancy, magic armor to protect him. He does it for his friend… and, occasionally, for tacos.