Ever since Inside Out captivated audiences in 2015, viewers have been eager to get back inside Riley’s mind to watch her emotions in action. With the release of Inside Out 2 earlier this year, we finally had the chance to be introduced to new emotions like Anxiety, Envy, and Embarrassment. And now Pixar’s spin-off series Dream Productions, streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, delivers the perfect Christmas gift — encapsulating the heart and humour of its parent films while venturing into exciting creative territory.

The four-episode mini-series, set between the two Inside Out films, takes viewers inside the dream studio where Riley’s nightly escapades are crafted. It’s a clever concept executed with Pixar’s characteristic inventiveness, offering a visual and emotional treat.

Dream Productions revolves around Paula Persimmon (voiced with impeccable timing by Paula Pell), a dream director facing the challenges of remaining relevant as Riley’s tastes evolve with age. No longer enchanted by glittery fantasies, the now 12-year-old Riley (Kensington Tallman) seeks experiences that reflect her burgeoning complexity. Paula is paired with Xeni (Richard Ayoade), an avant-garde daydream director whose hilariously pretentious approach contrasts with Paula’s more traditional sensibilities. The two must work around their creative differences while producing meaningful dreams for Riley, who is preparing for her first school dance.

The attention to detail in Dream Productions is mesmerising — from the glowing spheres that store dream memories to Paula’s pet, Melatonin, a drowsy creature whose purr induces sleep. The world-building is rich and layered, creating a vibrant parallel to the emotional landscapes explored in the films.

The series also excels in its mockumentary-style humour, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the chaos of the dream factory. Xeni’s over-the-top artistic musings — “Scripts are for cowards!” — are a delightful satire of indie filmmakers, while Paula’s increasingly desperate attempts to produce a boyfriend dream for Riley result in some of the series’ most hilarious moments.

Dream Productions explores themes of adaptation and relevance, both in its narrative and as a meta-commentary on creative industries. Paula’s struggle to move beyond cupcake-filled fantasies to more nuanced dreams mirrors the challenges faced by artists in evolving markets. Riley’s impending adolescence and the anxieties it brings are poignantly portrayed, capturing the bittersweet nature of growing up. The school dance serves as a powerful metaphor for this transition, illustrating the universal fears and joys of adolescence.

Maya Rudolph lends her voice to Jean Dewberry, the stern but quirky studio head, whose insistence on shaking up the hierarchy within Dream Productions sets the series in motion. Jean’s promotion of Paula’s younger assistant Janelle adds a layer of workplace drama, cleverly mirroring the pressures of staying relevant in a fast-changing creative industry.

Despite its strengths, Dream Productions suffers slightly from its brisk pacing. The 22-minute episodes (with a slightly longer finale) pack in plenty of jokes and visual gags, but sometimes at the expense of emotional depth. Key moments, such as Paula’s realisation that dreams fade like forgotten memories, feel rushed, leaving less room for the poignant reflections that defined Inside Out. By the final episode, the resolution — though satisfying — feels a tad hurried.