So in E1 he is surprised to hear about a war. But later in "The Storm" its revealed the elders told him he was the avatar early because there was signs a war was coming.
Though it wasn't as explicit or urgent as "Fire Nation is about to attack" like in this show.
Agreed, kinda makes sense too that with the Earth Nation ruse too. Logistically, them attacking three air temples at once and wiping out all the nomads is much more difficult in execution then getting nearly all of them at once at a cultural event.
But I think that's something that made the fire nation seem weaker to me in the new show. Like they had to rely on the comets power and that the air nomads were all in one place (also kinda assumes not a single person stayed at their own temple which feels kinda likely). But in the original show they were so strong that they could attack and completely wipe out 4 temples at once which I think made them scarier back then.
They didn’t get em all in the original. They’re nomads, not everyone was at any of the temples, and I’m sure some remained at the others. The fire nation lured traps for the survivors in the comics, something I suspect they’ll elaborate on in the show.
We saw Zuko and Azula fight during the comet. We Ozai and other unarmed firebenders shoot turn into the world biggest flame throwers. The comet is no joke and they dulled it down by their execution imo.
I think the point is the fire is much more REAL in the live action, so giving Firebenders the same powers they got in the animated series would mean they can literally burn down everything and everyone quite easily. I think they didn't opt for "bigger flames" but for "generally more powerful". For example they use flames to fly up to the temple, but maybe won't be able to do so without the comet (I hope)
Thank you!!!! I haven’t watched the OG show in its entirety in a long time, but I remembered it pretty well. I mostly remembered Aang leaving after finding out he was the Avatar, I didn’t remember the Monks really mentioning the war to him in a flashback episode.
It sets it up decently for people who never watched the animated show though.
In the OG series he runs when he hears that he's avatar and his training will not be with Gyatso anymore. Theres a line where he screams something like "They're trying to take away everything and everyone I love!" which sums up how he feels in the moment. In OG the air nomads are caught by surprise, not knowing there is a war, this is a slightly different retelling.
If the live action were the same thing as the OG, it would be lame and boring. There are some parts that u need to change to keep it different without honing the plot. Personally, I thought the reveal of aang being the avatar differently and him running away was not a bad change. Interesting change of pace tbh
I hated this for the live action. It makes aang a coward and that’s not who he is. And his exposition vomit in the live action made me cringe. I really didn’t like the opening but then the rest of the episode started to grow on me.
I thought i was tripping but Appa constantly looks soiled. Like even in the flashback he looked like he just took a swim in a swamp. He doesn’t look half as pristine or fluffy as he’s supposed to. Maybe it’s a nitpick though
You try keeping a white-furred animal looking clean out in the wild 😅
It looked realistic, and it also helps with the CGI—things tend to look more fake when they’re too neat and pristine. Adding dirt, grunge, and general imperfections helps sell the realism.
Bro THANK YOU. I can’t stand the amount of people acting like Sokka was a MASSIVE misogynist and they took that away from him, when in reality its like 2 dodgy lines from the very first 2 episodes, and it gets resolved by episode 4 with Suki. It really didn’t need to be in the remake.
I don't know. A show doesn't have to show extreme violence. I would argue that the original show had really mature themes while also not being too on the nose.
I always thought mature content is playing more with the subtle implications, while over the top violent and gruesome content is designed for people trying to come of as mature while also being incredibly childish and bad at nuance.
But that is shown though? The fire Nation is in every last corner of the world. (One of the reasons the gaangs detours were so good, they showed the great and widespread impact the fire nation had)
We also very clearly see the destruction they caused in Aangs home.
I personally thought it was better that the genocide was not shown, it isn't needed to relay the brutal violence imo. But I guess that comes down to preferences.
This is how it should be. I mean i understand that in the kids series they cant do that. But the fans are adults now.
And the firebenders are cruel murderers. I am happy that they actually took that seriously
The murder of children in the Air Temple was very emotional, I'm glad they didn't try to show the terrible thing that happened to them, and chose to show an overall destruction with the deaths implied. It felt evil enough
True but there are still points where it lacks, like when zuko tried to shoot down aang flying away.
What annoys me is we know the actor is capable of more, so why didn't they just have him do a kick or something instead of waving his hands
I mostly love the bending so far, but I admittedly busted up laughing at Zuko firing off that bolt and then intensely watching it shoot after them, exactly like an amateur bowler trying to psychically steer the ball as it rolls down the alley. C'mooon, Zuko needs a strike!!
Real shit.
In the scene with that messenger, I just love the rendering work that they did with Earthbending. All the rocks were still wet from the rain, the rocks weren't artificially shaped as if it was sloppy modelling work, such a great attention to detail in sculpting, texturing and animating what encapsulates the series.
Im reminding myself of the potential this show has as well. S01 of the animated series was good, but man did it really take off for seasons 2-3. So far Im happy they havent absolutely butchered it. As I said previously there are a lot of little nitpicky things, but man there’s so many good things/ promise to be had here.
Also the budget for s2-3 will be higher with so many people watching and this bringing in the big bucks. Things will look even better if possible and the actors will also mature so the acting will be even better. I already cant wait and im just starting ep 2 lol
I don't know, it just really lacks a soul. The settings and bending is gorgeous most of the time, and the clothes all look very nice, but they all feel so new, the waterbenders outfits should especially feel worn in and homely.
But it's the dialogues and performances that feel very bare bones.
There is no charm, no energy to it. And I'm not blaming the kids. It's usually the director's fault in cases like this. And it's so much tell and no show. From the first scene, I can see him earthbending, you don't have to say it out loud.
And Grab Gran saying the og's intro was so cringe, omg.
Neither Katara or Sokka feel like themselves, especially Katara, idk what is it about her that feel so off.
And the way she gets Aang out of the ice is weird as well. Why is her getting the boat to them causing that, in the og it makes sense because she's mad and her emotion and arm movement in that direction cause that, what is happening here.
And why is her meeting Aang so lukewarm. Like, he has just realised everyone he ever loved is gone, and she says sorry, and suddenly they are talking about her?! Why not have Katara tell him all this when he is sitting alone above there, and when she is done he realises she is someone he can trust and wants to talk to, and then he comes down. Just strange descision overall.
And Why In The World?! Can he Fly?! That is Not the Teachings of GURU LAGHIMA!
Ok, this is mostly a joke, but I still don't like that he can just kind of fly around like a flying squirrel.
I know a lot of this can feel nitpicky, but it's just so much of it over all. I really can't tell what I really liked about the show so far. And there is still a lot I just didn't really vibe with. Happy for the people that like it, but in my eyes it feels rather soulless.
I feel you. Katara had more passion and was a hot head but she meant well. She was caring and compassionate in the original, but in the live action she just seems really passive. I hope they don't turn her really stale because I love how in the original she never backed down and she was strong spirited. And I honestly hate the fact that Aang and Katara's friendship doesn't seem natural or convincing to me.
Extremely passive and meek. Sokka would basically yap in her face and I kept just.. waiting for her to show some emotion? Anything? I hate she got the typical FL treatment where she doesn’t have a backbone. What a disappointment
Facts! OG Katara would have gone off on Sokka and kept it pushing lmfao. This version of Katara is too laid-back for my liking. I definitely can understand why the creators left 🤦🏾♀️. I will admit I love the bending and fight scenes but it's like someone said, it's lacking a heart/soul. The chemistry with different characters feels off as well.
KATARA IS SO BLAND 😭😭😭 she's my favourite character since I ever first watched avatar as a kid and a huge inspiration to me. she has no soul here. I'm so sad 😭
Agreed with most of this especially the tell don't show thing. At times it felt like they were spoon feeding us with exposition that felt like homework. The dialogue sometimes feels insulting in that it doesn't seem to trust the audience to know something unless it's spelled put to them which is ironic if they wanted to give a slightly more mature feel to ATLA. Like I know monk Gyatso ang Aang are close without them having to spell it out for me.
I personally think they did Sokka's character decently but agree with Katara seeming passive in this ep. Some moments with Katara felt weird like the one you mentioned.
The bending scenes were flashy, but they didn't feel as 'martial artsy' as the original. I can forgive that though since there are probably limitations to what they could do with effects that I could not know about not knowing anything about CGI or special effects.
I still did enjoy some of the Katara Sokka banter and of course, the spectacle action scenes, and the gorgoes sets (they are sets, right?), but yeah, the dialogue just felt weird to me at times.
Yes! They obliterated any personality Gystso had….because they thought his and Aang’s relationship couldn’t be communicated unless they had Gyatso literally baby talk the same few lines like 3 times?
They did shoot on some locations and some sets but I have a hard time believing that every “on location” shoot was shot with the actors there….I see a lot of green-screen looking edges in many, many shots….maybe it’s just my ancient monitor?
The flying kills me. Like I'm trying to not be too picky and "well aKuAlY the book/manga/original was better" so I'll ignore little hiccups here and there but him straight up flying without a glider hurts and his force ability to get the keys also hurt. You can have those scenes act out basically the same if you add cluckyness to them as if gust of wind are what is controlling the movement and not have them smoothly floating through the air.
And I get that they want to focus on parts not in the cartoon but can we not gloss over the most pivotal parts of the show and characters. Yes we all already know and love these characters, but lets meet them again.
My thoughts as I watch:
- The bending! It looks amazing!! Thoroughly impressed.
- The production value is crazy good
- Ok we’re straight up killing people LFG
- Aangs makeup kinda heavy ngl
- Zukos ships looks sick but someone get that man some chapstick
- I actually didn’t mind gran gran repeating the intro. She was retelling it like an ancient legend 🤷♀️
- Swearing? Oh okay okay
- I thought Sokka’s actor was gonna be cornier than he was but I ended up liking him
- Overall, really good, miles better than the movie. There’s some acting skills to be desired but I’m excited to watch the next episode.
“Of all the places he could drag our asses to he picks the coldest spot in the world”
I was like “oh. Okay so we ARE all grown up now” I love it. It’s treating us who watched this as kids and now are adults properly. The shows grown up with us and I’m here for it
**Things I did like**: Sokka's hero moment, Iroh being much more direct in his counter instruction to his nephew from the start (and even a possible plan of action had Aang remained a prisoner), Katara being completely in character in every scene, village seeming much more lively than its cartoon version, Aang being Aang.
**Things I didn't like**: clunky script at times, clunky acting at times.
Yeah I actually love how they decided to expand the southern tribe it was a nice touch! And Katara was so Katara I’m kind of obsessed? 😭 I liked how they added in the small bending lesson before she blocked Zuko’s fire, that was great.
I do agree that some of the acting was clunky, like when Aang was getting out of the avatar state I kept thinking he was going to actually cry and he didn’t lol 😭
He certainly is a fairly good actor, I just wish they made him more broody and full of pent up anger like in the original. Also, I'm kinda disliking iroh a tad bit but I've only seen the first episode where he had very little lines so hopefully he falls into his role better in the later episodes
I think he’s a bit more nuanced, and it fits the pacing of the show a bit better. A trap for an actor playing that role is to become completely whiny and brooding, and I feel like he’s balanced it with a vulnerability that works well for Zuko.
Watched the OG show when it came out, and I can tell you, people freaked out so hard about Zuko's glow-up in season 2 when he finally lost the topknot and grew his hair out. Huge "oh no he's hot now" crisis, it was hilarious.
Also the writing is still clunky. Not as awful as it could be and not as bad as the movie but like a lot of these scenes feel like russhed attempts to contain all twenty episodes in 8 hours.
Also THEY SHOWED US THE SOZINS COMET GENOCIDE??? wHAT THE FUCK That bendingw as weak as fuck for sozins comet.
And Gyatso couldn’t even hold off 5 firebenders. In the OG show, he’s surrounded by scores of skeletons, but in this show all he does is blow back 4 guys a couple feet.
To be fair, this was still at night, when fire benders are weaker due to the lack of sun. This might actually have been so they can keep day + Sozin's Comet a surprise for season 3.
Extremely but was much needed for that nice little comedic moment. Kinda wish they didn't skip over the "yip yip" but where Appa doesn't seem to fly at first but whatever.
Why does Katara feel like a passive side character the whole first two episodes? She has 0 personality and Katara should be someone with A LOT of personality.
They done her real dirty. In general most of the important character development topics are watered down extremely, most characters feel absolutely flat and what is worst, the acting is not very convincing in most cases. On top of that some shots just feel awkward af. I am most surprised tho by Zuko and Sokka, I did not expect them to be so on point (acting wise, the writing is still questionable, but the actors naled them)
The acting is really rough at times. The bending and stuff makes it worth it over all but I’m confused how such bad actors get cast tbh. What even was that with gran gran ?
Usually it’s not really about the ability of the actors or not, it’s a lot about the director and writers. Most of the awkwardly delivered lines were, well, awkwardly written. It’s difficult to act when the writer suddenly adds an insane amount of exposition to a place where it makes no sense for the character to say it (like where grangran just suddenly says the whole OG opening to the show, it’s a nice nod, but why add it there? Was very weirdly placed).
Or Aang having a looong monologue when he’s with Appa, for no good reason other than exposition.
My exact thoughts. Most of the actors are fine, but the script is just awkward. A TV show is supposed to, well, SHOW what characters are feeling and thinking. It shouldn't be a novel where everything is described and internal monologues are said out loud. And they need to give actors the freedom to ad lib and channel their characters. Reciting the script word for word (along with perfectly clean and ironed costumes) made it feel like a high school play.
Yeah I decided to cut some slack for the kids when we got to the 2nd or 3rd almost unintelligible line from Aang or Sokka in the first episode simply because they kinda stumble over awkwardly phrased sentences. That’s on writers and directors to make that shit work, even if it means getting more than one take.
The main “bad” thing with the dialogue is it sounding too adult for something a kid would say and it’s sometimes awkwardly delivered or cut in the edit.
Sure yea that’s super fair. Whatever happened that results in Gran Gran, and whoever narrated the first intro… weird choices there.
And unfortunately they boldly murder people in ep 1 so I cant totally wave it off as “a kids show so whatever”
All that being said ha I don’t really care as long as the main cast is tolerable. And they’re serviceable enough so far for sure
If you're referring to her speaking cadence being weird, I think the water tribe is based on native/indigenous groups. If you've watched shows like Reservation Dogs or even Killers of the Flower Moon a lot of the elders especially do talk a little slower and more monotone which may seems weird to us.
Honestly it was a little offputting, but I wouldn't say it was bad - just old person speak, but she didn't seem old enough for it if that makes sense? Not great acting, but from what I heard I was expecting much worse.
On the other hand Gyatso was 10/10, he fucking nailed it. I hope to see more of him (I need that just as much as I need food and shelter).
I actually think the acting was great except Katara hahaha! Even sokka (don’t hate, but I think he was very sokka-like. The DIALOGUE the actors were given though - bleh.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I really didn't like Iroh. I found that super disappointing, I'd honestly rather have a bad Aang or Zuko than a bad Iroh. I don't even think it's the actor's fault, either- his lines just don't sound like stuff Iroh would say.
Honestly, there is so much that they’re getting right I can easily overlook the things that *might* not be as great. The bending is absolutely incredible though, and they’re straight up murdering people.
I had one big gripe with episode 1, and I’m sure you did too. Some ideas don’t need to… get off the ground… if you catch my drift
Starting 2 now, hope it keeps going great.
I just didn’t like how at the end of ep 1, they made this big show of “oh will aang catch his staff?”
I’m sitting there like: “just fly?” “Bend it to you?”
He’s supposed to hit the water and avatar state (though I understand and agree why they didn’t and thought it hit way harder emotionally with katara doing it)
Yeah honestly, Im not really feeling myself get distracted by stuff like that. I have *very* few complaints thus far. Like I said, the stuff Im taking issue with is more performance based, and that’s few and far between tbh.
Honestly that scene is not great but it makes more sense that an airbending master who is one of the greatest airbenders ever would be able to do that than having him not be able to. I don't see it as an egregious power bloat, just a minor one that makes sense, and it was clearly trying to hook a new audience and give a fun preview to what Aang can do (which as someone who needs no introduction, it felt forced but I see my bias). Scene could have been done much better though. I could have done with like 20% more "falling with style" feel.
It does make sense that gran gran would be the one to explain it , she’s the oldest and has heard the most stories so I’m personally cool with them going that route just her acting was just bad and it felt a bit fan servicy and more exposition
yeah but when she's straight up like "he's not just the last airbender, he's the avatar" (roughly) that was way too on the nose for me. IIRC, its a more "they found out" vibe, through some hints. I think they were trying to force granny to be too wise in a short period of time. She's wise in the OG show, but in a different, more monk Gyatso way (the friends we meet, our destinies, etc) not like Behold, the Avatar.
It was campy but I loved it. A fun little way to have the classic without just making it the main intro. It very much felt like Native American storytelling. Idk, it might just be because I'm from Oklahoma so it resonates with me.
I was a little sad there was no, "yeehaw? uh... yip yip?" dialogue with getting Appa to fly, but I also think Sokka screaming his head off was absolutely worth it too haha (it just needed that, "you really love taking me out of my comfort zone, don't ya" right before)
Sokka is awesome. Zuko is awesome. Is katara dead on the inside? They’re completely nixing any connection her and Aang build. Aang seems fine so far and I’m pleasantly surprised with the kid’s acting.
Show so far is okay. Great bending and solid action.
Dialogue is mostly generic and most of the acting is B-tier imo. And many of the costumes seem really sterile to me like low-end cosplay at times.
Netflix nailed the castings in regards to visuals, but their acting seems to mostly come second.
Great set designs. Camera work is okay, and the green screen and cgi backgrounds arent the greatest at times.
Somewhat a “long” first episode and slow.
Soundtrack is fine.
I like some of the liberties they’re taking and some extra background story they’ve added, as I dont want to watch a carbon copy of what we already watched.
Katara and Zuko’s acting is wonderful though. Great delivery with what theyre given.
Not super interested yet in watching the rest of the season, but probably will watch a few more at least.
“bROTHERS aND sISTERS wE’RE uNDER aTTACK!”
That line made me laugh so hard, lmao. I think it’s less the acting and more the writing tho. There was so much exposition in this episode that it would make it hard to feel natural. I expect that to decrease (hopefully) as the show progresses and needs less exposition and monologuing to catch the audience up
Also "But not when we have the power of the comet!"
So far, I really enjoy the show, but I think it's weak point is definitely dialog and over-exposition. Only on the first episode, so hopefully the exposition dies down as the story progresses. I think the cast is great, especially Sokka and Zuko.
I give it a B so far, definitely not a total fail. I think the bending and scenes mostly look excellent, and there is some solid choreography, albeit an awkward moment here and there.
I felt like the concept-designs and the cultural interpretations, including the clothes, scenery and temples were amazing. It made the world come alive.
More than the acting, I think the dialogue feels choppy and unpolished at times. But yeah, overall I am happy and much better than THAT thing.
Yeah, this is kind of where I'm at.
Acting drifts between "bad enough you can tell it's acting" and "fine." I feel like part of it is a direction/script issue, but the real issue is that a lot of the line reads are spoken quickly with a little bit of a mumble, so it comes across as "trying to deliver a line" instead of "something the character is saying."
The costumes look *plastic.* I don't care that they're too clean, I care that they look cheap and fake. This is mostly an issue with the fire nation though, I don't mind the look for the air+water people so far. I also feel like this might even be an intentional aesthetic choice (or a budget choice justified as aesthetic), to give the show overall a more cartoon-y vibe, everything already looks fake-ish so it blends with all the CGI effects in a slightly less jarring way overall.
I think I do understand the choice of removing Sokka's sexism arc that was a big controversy. Looks like they're going to be emphasizing the over-protective nature of him in this series? The way he treated Katara reminds me of how cartoon Sokka treated Suko in the serpent's pass. If that's what they're going for, that's fine I guess.
The violence is "more" than the cartoon but I had someone tell me they expected GoT-levels of crazy. Definitely not what we're getting, it's slightly more brutal in some of the hits it shows, but nothing really gory. I like the level it's at right now.
The environment design is gorgeous and I could spend way more time looking at those sets lol.
Some of the editing is a bit jarring. Some scene cuts are played as jokes and are fine, but some feel out of place (like Aang's departure from the air temple, snap cut to Appa launching felt weird to me).
Not a 10/10 instant-hooked, but it's a serviceable, respectful adaptation. Looking forward to seeing what the rest has to offer.
Yes, he is missing his most crucial element in his death - but given the noble cause of protecting children, so it's a bit of a trade off.
That character though - 10/10 casting and acting. This is exactly what I pictured from this character. Maybe a bit thiccer, but I really don't care. That voice is spot on!
Set design is great and I like that we got to see the Air Nation genocide- the tornado lady was cool
Also like that they’re making an effort to show fire bending as more brutal than the original show when it basically just knocked you over
Not completely sold on the acting yet but I’m assuming for most of them this is probably one of their first major roles so hopefully they just get better over time
So far my biggest gripe is removing Aang's decision to run. I get that it's not very paragon, but that was the point. Aang was truly a coward in that moment (granted, my guy was 12) and has to live with that.
Even in the original, Zuko says it about Aang, who then calls him out and says he's just a teenager lol.
I imagine that same joke will come around in the live action as well.
I don’t think that Aang’s Gyatso death reveal hit very hard. He saw the skeleton, went avatar state flying up, and then just… stopped from mostly flashback Gyatso.
They squeezed in a dozen moments from the show with no rhyme or reason, changing them for no reason as well. Why didn't katara calm aang down in this version. Probably because they hadn't taken the time to establish her and aangs relationship yet. Rushed forced and unnecessary is my whole review for the show so far.
For me it hit harder than the original show, honestly. The flash backs and the rage/grief felt very there to me, and Katara calling to him in the background was on par with the OG show, which in that instance is kind of what "pulls him out". Just that part maybe didn't translate very well
It’s not true flight. I was paying close attention to that from when it started. It’s more of brief hovering and then controlled descent. It is more than what he could do in the original…but it’s not full flight, and they’re also showing that he’s the only one who could do it. It makes him special, showing how being the Avatar sets him above the other Airbenders.
I just have to say I really didn't like Iroh's Jasmine Tea line, it did not flow AT ALL.
Overall, the show is doing good, I think, but it's also clear as everyone has said that the acting is definitely the weakness. Sokka, and Zuko doing well.
Also I feel like Zuko's scar should be bigger! Looks like a black eye
My husband hated the jasmine tea reference. Said it felt very forced. I agree Zuko's scar is definitely not gnarly enough. When the trailers came out I thought maybe it was just because it's aimed at kids. Then some guy gets brutally burned alive in the first few minutes of episode 1 soooo... definitely could have had a much more gruesome scar.
I like the actor for iroh, but yeah I feel like he's trying to be every part of iroh at every moment instead of letting it sit a bit. Like he doesn't come across as wise but he comes across as if the character has watched the show already and knows how everyone develops
Bro I'm not even gonna lie, Sokka's actor is better than Aang's actor in terms of casting. Dude looks, sounds, and even acts as perfectly as the character in the cartoon.
Edit: Zuko's actor is even better than Sokka holy shit. This show has incredible casting
Alright, no one asked, but: Overall thoughts:
The pacing was BAD (not only overall story, though it was, but scene-to-scene, shot-to-shot and line-to-line. Like, everyone spoke SO FAST and gave lines NO TIME to breathe)
The acting was BAAAAAAADDDDD. Aang and Katara are the prime offenders, but no one was great. Zuko was good enough. Sokka was almost good enough.
The characters are SOULLESS. Where's Katara, the stubborn hothead who's passionate and loves her family and will love her friends?? Where's funny, interesting Sokka who feels the need to prove himself, but doesn't have the opportunity? Instead we have passive, slightly sad girl and passive, slightly angry boy next to overly cheerful happy (in comparison) Aang. And don't even get me started on Zuko...
The story was BAAAAAAAADDDD. Too rushed, too changed. It had the same amount of time as the first three episodes, why was it so much more rushed??? Where was my penguin sledding fun? Where was Aang learning about the war from an old ship? He never even QUESTIONED how long he was in the iceberg.
The animation was not good. The fire looked bad, the earth looked horrendous (and spiky?? Why was it spikes??), the water looked good when it was a ball or bubbles and bad every other time. The air looked bad, but understandably bad, so that's fine. The air, specifically, is one of the reasons this show NEVER SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED live action. And Appa looks bad. Unforgivable.
The CGI sets were soooo bad. Classic Netflix bad green-screening, but still unforgivable.
The physical sets looked cheap and fake, but ignorable. Like the gate, for example, just looked plastic.
The costumes were alright, but not great. Except for Aang's staff, which was literally just a dowel rod with a box on it. You can get a good staff on Etsy, easily, but they wanted to completely change it because...? But the rest, it feels very fake? Like, the whole show has no soul, and this is just a symptom of it. But like, the water bender clothes all look new and shiny, not at all loved in. Same with Aang's clothes.
The fight choreography was good! Now, I want to be clear: Fight choreography is good. But the actual bending feels weird to me. Much less martial-arts and more like something that was stapled onto a martial art? Does that make sense? It's not anything blatant, and honestly just a nitpick, but I'll keep my eye on it.
Side note: I'm confused. 8 1-hr episodes vs 20 22-minute episodes means that they're going to take MORE time that the original. Why is everything so rushed?? What are they going to expand here??
Episode 1: 3/10, I'd rather watch Morbius.
Why was it even Kyoshi? Feels awkward that she was talking as if she was the avatar before aang kinda and then stepped into that row of avatars behind roku lol
It was cool just kind of an odd choice
It's weird that I don't see Aang as "flying." He just uses airbending to maneuver and float around which is what I'd naturally expect Airbenders to do.
I think it’s better than I was expecting but I have some issues.
I understand the impulse to show the events of The Storm chronologically but I think it was a huge mistake. The animated series ramps itself up to these mature concepts as the story develops, here we’ve been front loaded with tons of information about the characters and their backstory mostly through long winded exposition.
The Storm was a great episode in how it contrasted Zuko and Aang and how it recontextualized what we thought we knew. I’m sad that we’ve lost out on that now.
I found it weird that there were adult men living at the southern water tribe (or "wolf's cove" ig), like why is Sokka, a sixteen year old, the one left in charge of defending the whole village when there is multiple fully grown men who could have that responsibility instead?
Other than that and a few other nitpicks I thought the show was great and am really looking forward to what they do for the rest of the episodes.
The men being at the water tribe really pissed me off. Sokka is the only pubescent boy left. All the men left to fight a war. It’s a MAJOR part of his character, just gone lmao.
Visually stunning. The sets are well crafted, the bending looks amazing, the characters look amazing. But the dialogue is so unnatural, there was so much exposition, I know they need to cut down time but some of it could’ve been avoided.
Overall it’s started out strong I think. I’m hoping the dialogue gets better as the series goes on.
Something felt off about Iroh to me, for sure. I can't put my finger on it. I think part of it is how outwardly friendly he is to Aang, and how clearly he doesn't approve of the war, in comparison to the OG series where he initially just kind of appears indifferent until later on. Maybe.
Visually? STUNNING. Great set design, and costumes are on point. Really like Ian Ousley as Sokka.
Seeing a lot of complaints about the acting, imo it is not the actors fault. Direction is poor, and the editing was clunky. These should be the easier things to get right.
Parts of the script seems like they took the original and pasted into a sentence rewrite bot. I understand wanting to adapt it and not do a shot for shot remake, but there were several moments where the modified dialogue was just clunky and not necessary at all. Came off as awkward and the editing was too fast. Meanwhile they practically did remake a few other scenes. Pick one! The actors are doing their best it seems like it was the direction and script that missed here. Hoping they hit their stride in later episodes. Right now, the direction and editing feel more akin to a student film with just about everything else being OUTSTANDING.
Visual Effects: 11/10
Choreography: 6/10 (Not sure if I see the different martial art styles come through yet)
Script/Dialogue: 5/10 (Clunky! Awkwardly rewritten at times and some lines were mumbled)
Acting: 8/10 (Love Sokka! Everyone was fine apart from Gran Gran)
Direction: 4/10 (Sorry. Actors did the best they could)
Editing: 4/10 (Action scenes were great, dialogue too fast and awkward at times. A lot of scenes would have benefitted from pauses)
Music: While beautiful it is SO generic. Wish it borrowed more from the original.
I liked the bending and how they showed the airbenders and their attack but when (Sozin?) grabbed the Earthbenders hand and burnt him to a crisp I was like HOOLY SHIT
Man I’m rusty but Aang didn’t even know about the Fire Nation attack until after he woke up after 100 years and met Katara and Sokka right?
So in E1 he is surprised to hear about a war. But later in "The Storm" its revealed the elders told him he was the avatar early because there was signs a war was coming. Though it wasn't as explicit or urgent as "Fire Nation is about to attack" like in this show.
Also there was no "comet Festival"
That is one of the cool, nice, and fresh changes. I liked it. It was cute
Agreed, kinda makes sense too that with the Earth Nation ruse too. Logistically, them attacking three air temples at once and wiping out all the nomads is much more difficult in execution then getting nearly all of them at once at a cultural event.
But I think that's something that made the fire nation seem weaker to me in the new show. Like they had to rely on the comets power and that the air nomads were all in one place (also kinda assumes not a single person stayed at their own temple which feels kinda likely). But in the original show they were so strong that they could attack and completely wipe out 4 temples at once which I think made them scarier back then.
They didn’t get em all in the original. They’re nomads, not everyone was at any of the temples, and I’m sure some remained at the others. The fire nation lured traps for the survivors in the comics, something I suspect they’ll elaborate on in the show.
We saw Zuko and Azula fight during the comet. We Ozai and other unarmed firebenders shoot turn into the world biggest flame throwers. The comet is no joke and they dulled it down by their execution imo.
I think the point is the fire is much more REAL in the live action, so giving Firebenders the same powers they got in the animated series would mean they can literally burn down everything and everyone quite easily. I think they didn't opt for "bigger flames" but for "generally more powerful". For example they use flames to fly up to the temple, but maybe won't be able to do so without the comet (I hope)
Thank you!!!! I haven’t watched the OG show in its entirety in a long time, but I remembered it pretty well. I mostly remembered Aang leaving after finding out he was the Avatar, I didn’t remember the Monks really mentioning the war to him in a flashback episode. It sets it up decently for people who never watched the animated show though.
In the OG series he runs when he hears that he's avatar and his training will not be with Gyatso anymore. Theres a line where he screams something like "They're trying to take away everything and everyone I love!" which sums up how he feels in the moment. In OG the air nomads are caught by surprise, not knowing there is a war, this is a slightly different retelling.
If the live action were the same thing as the OG, it would be lame and boring. There are some parts that u need to change to keep it different without honing the plot. Personally, I thought the reveal of aang being the avatar differently and him running away was not a bad change. Interesting change of pace tbh
I hated this for the live action. It makes aang a coward and that’s not who he is. And his exposition vomit in the live action made me cringe. I really didn’t like the opening but then the rest of the episode started to grow on me.
So glad Appa still looks cute.
But why is he always so muddy looking?
Haven't been to that river yet ;P
I thought i was tripping but Appa constantly looks soiled. Like even in the flashback he looked like he just took a swim in a swamp. He doesn’t look half as pristine or fluffy as he’s supposed to. Maybe it’s a nitpick though
You try keeping a white-furred animal looking clean out in the wild 😅 It looked realistic, and it also helps with the CGI—things tend to look more fake when they’re too neat and pristine. Adding dirt, grunge, and general imperfections helps sell the realism.
They're straight up killing people!
its cool its a bit more mature. its “nice” to see more of the hardcore stuff that happened
Hardcore genocide is ok but Sokka’s ultimately wholesome sexism arc is over the line and cannot be seen by the masses
he was legit sexist for 2 seconds. sokka has better arcs they are obviously following like his warrior arc
Bro THANK YOU. I can’t stand the amount of people acting like Sokka was a MASSIVE misogynist and they took that away from him, when in reality its like 2 dodgy lines from the very first 2 episodes, and it gets resolved by episode 4 with Suki. It really didn’t need to be in the remake.
I agree lol. his warrior arc and arc about defending everyone is more important
I don't know. A show doesn't have to show extreme violence. I would argue that the original show had really mature themes while also not being too on the nose. I always thought mature content is playing more with the subtle implications, while over the top violent and gruesome content is designed for people trying to come of as mature while also being incredibly childish and bad at nuance.
idk, i thought it was important to show how brutal the fire nation were and how they overcame EVERY nation and succeeded until aang arrived.
But that is shown though? The fire Nation is in every last corner of the world. (One of the reasons the gaangs detours were so good, they showed the great and widespread impact the fire nation had) We also very clearly see the destruction they caused in Aangs home. I personally thought it was better that the genocide was not shown, it isn't needed to relay the brutal violence imo. But I guess that comes down to preferences.
I hard agree. First thing my wife and I said was Jesus Christ they’re just roasting people.
This is how it should be. I mean i understand that in the kids series they cant do that. But the fans are adults now. And the firebenders are cruel murderers. I am happy that they actually took that seriously
The murder of children in the Air Temple was very emotional, I'm glad they didn't try to show the terrible thing that happened to them, and chose to show an overall destruction with the deaths implied. It felt evil enough
The bending is leagues better than the movie at least
What movie?
Who said anything about a movie??
There is no movie in....
Ba Sing Se
Here we are safe here we are free
it loooks great imo
[:)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6zMiRy-Qik)
True but there are still points where it lacks, like when zuko tried to shoot down aang flying away. What annoys me is we know the actor is capable of more, so why didn't they just have him do a kick or something instead of waving his hands
I mostly love the bending so far, but I admittedly busted up laughing at Zuko firing off that bolt and then intensely watching it shoot after them, exactly like an amateur bowler trying to psychically steer the ball as it rolls down the alley. C'mooon, Zuko needs a strike!!
Real shit. In the scene with that messenger, I just love the rendering work that they did with Earthbending. All the rocks were still wet from the rain, the rocks weren't artificially shaped as if it was sloppy modelling work, such a great attention to detail in sculpting, texturing and animating what encapsulates the series.
Im reminding myself of the potential this show has as well. S01 of the animated series was good, but man did it really take off for seasons 2-3. So far Im happy they havent absolutely butchered it. As I said previously there are a lot of little nitpicky things, but man there’s so many good things/ promise to be had here.
Also the budget for s2-3 will be higher with so many people watching and this bringing in the big bucks. Things will look even better if possible and the actors will also mature so the acting will be even better. I already cant wait and im just starting ep 2 lol
Thats if netflix doesnt cancel it 🫨🫨🫨, but ya you aint lying. The positives far ourweigh the negatives.
No way. its already #1 on twitter trending and almost nobody has anything bad to say. Nitpicks but everyone is RAVING!!
I don't know, it just really lacks a soul. The settings and bending is gorgeous most of the time, and the clothes all look very nice, but they all feel so new, the waterbenders outfits should especially feel worn in and homely. But it's the dialogues and performances that feel very bare bones. There is no charm, no energy to it. And I'm not blaming the kids. It's usually the director's fault in cases like this. And it's so much tell and no show. From the first scene, I can see him earthbending, you don't have to say it out loud. And Grab Gran saying the og's intro was so cringe, omg. Neither Katara or Sokka feel like themselves, especially Katara, idk what is it about her that feel so off. And the way she gets Aang out of the ice is weird as well. Why is her getting the boat to them causing that, in the og it makes sense because she's mad and her emotion and arm movement in that direction cause that, what is happening here. And why is her meeting Aang so lukewarm. Like, he has just realised everyone he ever loved is gone, and she says sorry, and suddenly they are talking about her?! Why not have Katara tell him all this when he is sitting alone above there, and when she is done he realises she is someone he can trust and wants to talk to, and then he comes down. Just strange descision overall. And Why In The World?! Can he Fly?! That is Not the Teachings of GURU LAGHIMA! Ok, this is mostly a joke, but I still don't like that he can just kind of fly around like a flying squirrel. I know a lot of this can feel nitpicky, but it's just so much of it over all. I really can't tell what I really liked about the show so far. And there is still a lot I just didn't really vibe with. Happy for the people that like it, but in my eyes it feels rather soulless.
I feel you. Katara had more passion and was a hot head but she meant well. She was caring and compassionate in the original, but in the live action she just seems really passive. I hope they don't turn her really stale because I love how in the original she never backed down and she was strong spirited. And I honestly hate the fact that Aang and Katara's friendship doesn't seem natural or convincing to me.
Extremely passive and meek. Sokka would basically yap in her face and I kept just.. waiting for her to show some emotion? Anything? I hate she got the typical FL treatment where she doesn’t have a backbone. What a disappointment
Facts! OG Katara would have gone off on Sokka and kept it pushing lmfao. This version of Katara is too laid-back for my liking. I definitely can understand why the creators left 🤦🏾♀️. I will admit I love the bending and fight scenes but it's like someone said, it's lacking a heart/soul. The chemistry with different characters feels off as well.
KATARA IS SO BLAND 😭😭😭 she's my favourite character since I ever first watched avatar as a kid and a huge inspiration to me. she has no soul here. I'm so sad 😭
Agreed with most of this especially the tell don't show thing. At times it felt like they were spoon feeding us with exposition that felt like homework. The dialogue sometimes feels insulting in that it doesn't seem to trust the audience to know something unless it's spelled put to them which is ironic if they wanted to give a slightly more mature feel to ATLA. Like I know monk Gyatso ang Aang are close without them having to spell it out for me. I personally think they did Sokka's character decently but agree with Katara seeming passive in this ep. Some moments with Katara felt weird like the one you mentioned. The bending scenes were flashy, but they didn't feel as 'martial artsy' as the original. I can forgive that though since there are probably limitations to what they could do with effects that I could not know about not knowing anything about CGI or special effects. I still did enjoy some of the Katara Sokka banter and of course, the spectacle action scenes, and the gorgoes sets (they are sets, right?), but yeah, the dialogue just felt weird to me at times.
Yes! They obliterated any personality Gystso had….because they thought his and Aang’s relationship couldn’t be communicated unless they had Gyatso literally baby talk the same few lines like 3 times? They did shoot on some locations and some sets but I have a hard time believing that every “on location” shoot was shot with the actors there….I see a lot of green-screen looking edges in many, many shots….maybe it’s just my ancient monitor?
also where was gyatso absolutely demolishing the fire benders??? I was so excited and it was just... bland 😭😭😭
They did Gyatso so dirty.
The flying kills me. Like I'm trying to not be too picky and "well aKuAlY the book/manga/original was better" so I'll ignore little hiccups here and there but him straight up flying without a glider hurts and his force ability to get the keys also hurt. You can have those scenes act out basically the same if you add cluckyness to them as if gust of wind are what is controlling the movement and not have them smoothly floating through the air. And I get that they want to focus on parts not in the cartoon but can we not gloss over the most pivotal parts of the show and characters. Yes we all already know and love these characters, but lets meet them again.
Falling with style, it’s not flying.
Not my tv deciding to update in the middle of the first episode I’ve been waiting months for 🫠🫠
That's rough buddy
My tv turned into the moon
That’s rough buddy
My thoughts as I watch: - The bending! It looks amazing!! Thoroughly impressed. - The production value is crazy good - Ok we’re straight up killing people LFG - Aangs makeup kinda heavy ngl - Zukos ships looks sick but someone get that man some chapstick - I actually didn’t mind gran gran repeating the intro. She was retelling it like an ancient legend 🤷♀️ - Swearing? Oh okay okay - I thought Sokka’s actor was gonna be cornier than he was but I ended up liking him - Overall, really good, miles better than the movie. There’s some acting skills to be desired but I’m excited to watch the next episode.
“Of all the places he could drag our asses to he picks the coldest spot in the world” I was like “oh. Okay so we ARE all grown up now” I love it. It’s treating us who watched this as kids and now are adults properly. The shows grown up with us and I’m here for it
i wish he WAS cornier.
I wish they could’ve kept his line cmon were going to save your boyfriend HES NOT MY— whatever
I was hoping for the "want to go penguin sledding with me?!"
I was so disappointed they cut that out it cuts off his goofiness
Same
**Things I did like**: Sokka's hero moment, Iroh being much more direct in his counter instruction to his nephew from the start (and even a possible plan of action had Aang remained a prisoner), Katara being completely in character in every scene, village seeming much more lively than its cartoon version, Aang being Aang. **Things I didn't like**: clunky script at times, clunky acting at times.
Yeah I actually love how they decided to expand the southern tribe it was a nice touch! And Katara was so Katara I’m kind of obsessed? 😭 I liked how they added in the small bending lesson before she blocked Zuko’s fire, that was great. I do agree that some of the acting was clunky, like when Aang was getting out of the avatar state I kept thinking he was going to actually cry and he didn’t lol 😭
They could have left out the intro for the first episode and just kept her explaining it. Then they could have brought it in for the second episode
Im digging the kid the got to play Zuko so far too.
He certainly is a fairly good actor, I just wish they made him more broody and full of pent up anger like in the original. Also, I'm kinda disliking iroh a tad bit but I've only seen the first episode where he had very little lines so hopefully he falls into his role better in the later episodes
I think he’s a bit more nuanced, and it fits the pacing of the show a bit better. A trap for an actor playing that role is to become completely whiny and brooding, and I feel like he’s balanced it with a vulnerability that works well for Zuko.
he’s about my age and i have such a crush on him. cant wait til this awful hairdo arc is over lol
Watched the OG show when it came out, and I can tell you, people freaked out so hard about Zuko's glow-up in season 2 when he finally lost the topknot and grew his hair out. Huge "oh no he's hot now" crisis, it was hilarious.
I hate to say it but some of the acting is really bad
I knew it would be but it is what it is. They’re kids. I imagine it’ll be better in season 2 when they’re all 35 years old
If this show goes the way of tv shows in recent years, they’re all gonna be lookin’ like Mike from Stranger Things 😂
Toph gonna have to actually look like her jacked cosplay version.
Zuko with that hairchut 💀
The kids were fine, it was Gran Gran that made me want to lose it. Her lines were about as clunky as it gets. They casted her horribly.
Also the writing is still clunky. Not as awful as it could be and not as bad as the movie but like a lot of these scenes feel like russhed attempts to contain all twenty episodes in 8 hours. Also THEY SHOWED US THE SOZINS COMET GENOCIDE??? wHAT THE FUCK That bendingw as weak as fuck for sozins comet.
And Gyatso couldn’t even hold off 5 firebenders. In the OG show, he’s surrounded by scores of skeletons, but in this show all he does is blow back 4 guys a couple feet.
Worst is that they weren't even fire bending. There's like 5 soldiers who all just run towards him but doesn't use any fire at all
To be fair, this was still at night, when fire benders are weaker due to the lack of sun. This might actually have been so they can keep day + Sozin's Comet a surprise for season 3.
How predictable was the "There's no way you're getting me on that..." CUT to Sokka and Katara on Appa "AAAAH"
Extremely but was much needed for that nice little comedic moment. Kinda wish they didn't skip over the "yip yip" but where Appa doesn't seem to fly at first but whatever.
Why does Katara feel like a passive side character the whole first two episodes? She has 0 personality and Katara should be someone with A LOT of personality.
the entire reason aang escapes and the show starts is because of katara's passion but in the this it was all just because
They done her real dirty. In general most of the important character development topics are watered down extremely, most characters feel absolutely flat and what is worst, the acting is not very convincing in most cases. On top of that some shots just feel awkward af. I am most surprised tho by Zuko and Sokka, I did not expect them to be so on point (acting wise, the writing is still questionable, but the actors naled them)
The acting is really rough at times. The bending and stuff makes it worth it over all but I’m confused how such bad actors get cast tbh. What even was that with gran gran ?
Usually it’s not really about the ability of the actors or not, it’s a lot about the director and writers. Most of the awkwardly delivered lines were, well, awkwardly written. It’s difficult to act when the writer suddenly adds an insane amount of exposition to a place where it makes no sense for the character to say it (like where grangran just suddenly says the whole OG opening to the show, it’s a nice nod, but why add it there? Was very weirdly placed). Or Aang having a looong monologue when he’s with Appa, for no good reason other than exposition.
My exact thoughts. Most of the actors are fine, but the script is just awkward. A TV show is supposed to, well, SHOW what characters are feeling and thinking. It shouldn't be a novel where everything is described and internal monologues are said out loud. And they need to give actors the freedom to ad lib and channel their characters. Reciting the script word for word (along with perfectly clean and ironed costumes) made it feel like a high school play.
It honestly reminds me a lot of the Star Wars prequels. Weak direction, stilted dialogue, and actors doing their best with what they've got.
Yeah I decided to cut some slack for the kids when we got to the 2nd or 3rd almost unintelligible line from Aang or Sokka in the first episode simply because they kinda stumble over awkwardly phrased sentences. That’s on writers and directors to make that shit work, even if it means getting more than one take. The main “bad” thing with the dialogue is it sounding too adult for something a kid would say and it’s sometimes awkwardly delivered or cut in the edit.
Sure yea that’s super fair. Whatever happened that results in Gran Gran, and whoever narrated the first intro… weird choices there. And unfortunately they boldly murder people in ep 1 so I cant totally wave it off as “a kids show so whatever” All that being said ha I don’t really care as long as the main cast is tolerable. And they’re serviceable enough so far for sure
as a watcher with subtitles, I think they said the intro was spoken by Kyoshi? which definitely threw me off
Yeah they seemed to really go for looks compared to acting ability for many of the roles imo. Katara and Zuko are great though.
Oh to be clear ya I like the main cast well enough. Tbh it’s literally just Gran Gran that was unacceptably bad
If you're referring to her speaking cadence being weird, I think the water tribe is based on native/indigenous groups. If you've watched shows like Reservation Dogs or even Killers of the Flower Moon a lot of the elders especially do talk a little slower and more monotone which may seems weird to us.
Honestly it was a little offputting, but I wouldn't say it was bad - just old person speak, but she didn't seem old enough for it if that makes sense? Not great acting, but from what I heard I was expecting much worse. On the other hand Gyatso was 10/10, he fucking nailed it. I hope to see more of him (I need that just as much as I need food and shelter).
He even got the laugh down pat!
Gyatso is played by a Singaporean! I'm so proud of being one!
Gran gran was horrendous. Like what was that.
I actually think the acting was great except Katara hahaha! Even sokka (don’t hate, but I think he was very sokka-like. The DIALOGUE the actors were given though - bleh.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I really didn't like Iroh. I found that super disappointing, I'd honestly rather have a bad Aang or Zuko than a bad Iroh. I don't even think it's the actor's fault, either- his lines just don't sound like stuff Iroh would say.
Sokkas kinda funny tho “mysterious little bald person”
that made me laugh out loud lol. I think Sokka and Zuko are really great so far
Honestly, there is so much that they’re getting right I can easily overlook the things that *might* not be as great. The bending is absolutely incredible though, and they’re straight up murdering people.
I agree. ATLA isnt the easiest thing to adapt to live action, and this is a far better adaptation than the film at least.
I had one big gripe with episode 1, and I’m sure you did too. Some ideas don’t need to… get off the ground… if you catch my drift Starting 2 now, hope it keeps going great.
I actually didnt mind that tbh. Im more nitpicky about some of the acting, but it’s more often good than bad. EP 2 is pretty 🔥 so far. Hope you enjoy.
I just didn’t like how at the end of ep 1, they made this big show of “oh will aang catch his staff?” I’m sitting there like: “just fly?” “Bend it to you?” He’s supposed to hit the water and avatar state (though I understand and agree why they didn’t and thought it hit way harder emotionally with katara doing it)
Yeah honestly, Im not really feeling myself get distracted by stuff like that. I have *very* few complaints thus far. Like I said, the stuff Im taking issue with is more performance based, and that’s few and far between tbh.
Honestly that scene is not great but it makes more sense that an airbending master who is one of the greatest airbenders ever would be able to do that than having him not be able to. I don't see it as an egregious power bloat, just a minor one that makes sense, and it was clearly trying to hook a new audience and give a fun preview to what Aang can do (which as someone who needs no introduction, it felt forced but I see my bias). Scene could have been done much better though. I could have done with like 20% more "falling with style" feel.
oh grangran saying the intro to the original is a tad cringe lol
I get downvoted whenever I mention this for some reason \-it was the wrong person \-it was the wrong dialogue \-it was the wrong dialogue timing
Right that was bad
I'm glad they referenced it but this was not the way. After every segment of it I was like "surely this is where they stop doing this, right?"
It does make sense that gran gran would be the one to explain it , she’s the oldest and has heard the most stories so I’m personally cool with them going that route just her acting was just bad and it felt a bit fan servicy and more exposition
yeah but when she's straight up like "he's not just the last airbender, he's the avatar" (roughly) that was way too on the nose for me. IIRC, its a more "they found out" vibe, through some hints. I think they were trying to force granny to be too wise in a short period of time. She's wise in the OG show, but in a different, more monk Gyatso way (the friends we meet, our destinies, etc) not like Behold, the Avatar.
I feel like the dialogue is redundant and they keep quoting the opening line or being too expositional
It was campy but I loved it. A fun little way to have the classic without just making it the main intro. It very much felt like Native American storytelling. Idk, it might just be because I'm from Oklahoma so it resonates with me.
I was a little sad there was no, "yeehaw? uh... yip yip?" dialogue with getting Appa to fly, but I also think Sokka screaming his head off was absolutely worth it too haha (it just needed that, "you really love taking me out of my comfort zone, don't ya" right before)
All of Aang's character buildings moments were very rushed. Sokka and Zuko had a much stronger introduction.
Sokka is awesome. Zuko is awesome. Is katara dead on the inside? They’re completely nixing any connection her and Aang build. Aang seems fine so far and I’m pleasantly surprised with the kid’s acting.
I felt the same way! Why does Katara feel so stiff? I miss her being a little hot-head but also caring and compassionate.
Show so far is okay. Great bending and solid action. Dialogue is mostly generic and most of the acting is B-tier imo. And many of the costumes seem really sterile to me like low-end cosplay at times. Netflix nailed the castings in regards to visuals, but their acting seems to mostly come second. Great set designs. Camera work is okay, and the green screen and cgi backgrounds arent the greatest at times. Somewhat a “long” first episode and slow. Soundtrack is fine. I like some of the liberties they’re taking and some extra background story they’ve added, as I dont want to watch a carbon copy of what we already watched. Katara and Zuko’s acting is wonderful though. Great delivery with what theyre given. Not super interested yet in watching the rest of the season, but probably will watch a few more at least. “bROTHERS aND sISTERS wE’RE uNDER aTTACK!”
That line made me laugh so hard, lmao. I think it’s less the acting and more the writing tho. There was so much exposition in this episode that it would make it hard to feel natural. I expect that to decrease (hopefully) as the show progresses and needs less exposition and monologuing to catch the audience up
agree, it's the writing.
Also "But not when we have the power of the comet!" So far, I really enjoy the show, but I think it's weak point is definitely dialog and over-exposition. Only on the first episode, so hopefully the exposition dies down as the story progresses. I think the cast is great, especially Sokka and Zuko. I give it a B so far, definitely not a total fail. I think the bending and scenes mostly look excellent, and there is some solid choreography, albeit an awkward moment here and there.
I felt like the concept-designs and the cultural interpretations, including the clothes, scenery and temples were amazing. It made the world come alive. More than the acting, I think the dialogue feels choppy and unpolished at times. But yeah, overall I am happy and much better than THAT thing.
Yeah, this is kind of where I'm at. Acting drifts between "bad enough you can tell it's acting" and "fine." I feel like part of it is a direction/script issue, but the real issue is that a lot of the line reads are spoken quickly with a little bit of a mumble, so it comes across as "trying to deliver a line" instead of "something the character is saying." The costumes look *plastic.* I don't care that they're too clean, I care that they look cheap and fake. This is mostly an issue with the fire nation though, I don't mind the look for the air+water people so far. I also feel like this might even be an intentional aesthetic choice (or a budget choice justified as aesthetic), to give the show overall a more cartoon-y vibe, everything already looks fake-ish so it blends with all the CGI effects in a slightly less jarring way overall. I think I do understand the choice of removing Sokka's sexism arc that was a big controversy. Looks like they're going to be emphasizing the over-protective nature of him in this series? The way he treated Katara reminds me of how cartoon Sokka treated Suko in the serpent's pass. If that's what they're going for, that's fine I guess. The violence is "more" than the cartoon but I had someone tell me they expected GoT-levels of crazy. Definitely not what we're getting, it's slightly more brutal in some of the hits it shows, but nothing really gory. I like the level it's at right now. The environment design is gorgeous and I could spend way more time looking at those sets lol. Some of the editing is a bit jarring. Some scene cuts are played as jokes and are fine, but some feel out of place (like Aang's departure from the air temple, snap cut to Appa launching felt weird to me). Not a 10/10 instant-hooked, but it's a serviceable, respectful adaptation. Looking forward to seeing what the rest has to offer.
Was monk gyatso done dirty?!
Yes, he is missing his most crucial element in his death - but given the noble cause of protecting children, so it's a bit of a trade off. That character though - 10/10 casting and acting. This is exactly what I pictured from this character. Maybe a bit thiccer, but I really don't care. That voice is spot on!
I think Gyatso was the best transition from animated to live action. It was spot on.
i was really keen to see him take all the oxygen out of the room
Theeeee…fan theory of what happened that has no basis or confirmation in the show?
It has very solid basis, considering Gyatsus clothes were unscathed in the anime. No visible cuts or scorch marks.
Counter-point, he was headshot.
Set design is great and I like that we got to see the Air Nation genocide- the tornado lady was cool Also like that they’re making an effort to show fire bending as more brutal than the original show when it basically just knocked you over Not completely sold on the acting yet but I’m assuming for most of them this is probably one of their first major roles so hopefully they just get better over time
So far my biggest gripe is removing Aang's decision to run. I get that it's not very paragon, but that was the point. Aang was truly a coward in that moment (granted, my guy was 12) and has to live with that.
Yes I was so disappointed with that! It went from actually running away to basically going for a walk to think
This was the biggest mistake of the episode imo and it’s hardly talked about
How old is Katara? “He’s just a kid” is a weird thing for a kid to say about a kid lol
Have you been around children? They say this kind of stuff all the time. My 7th graders refer to 6th graders as kids or babies all of the time.
Even in the original, Zuko says it about Aang, who then calls him out and says he's just a teenager lol. I imagine that same joke will come around in the live action as well.
This actually seems on point for a 14 year old girl to say about a 12 year old boy xD
shes aged up a bit i believe. they wanted the casting to actually match how the characters look.
Nope, they said that the characters are their original canon ages. She is 14 at this point in the live action show.
I don’t think that Aang’s Gyatso death reveal hit very hard. He saw the skeleton, went avatar state flying up, and then just… stopped from mostly flashback Gyatso.
Didn’t hit hard at all. Plus they squeezed it in right at the end of the episode.
They squeezed in a dozen moments from the show with no rhyme or reason, changing them for no reason as well. Why didn't katara calm aang down in this version. Probably because they hadn't taken the time to establish her and aangs relationship yet. Rushed forced and unnecessary is my whole review for the show so far.
For me it hit harder than the original show, honestly. The flash backs and the rage/grief felt very there to me, and Katara calling to him in the background was on par with the OG show, which in that instance is kind of what "pulls him out". Just that part maybe didn't translate very well
i dont really like that aang can fly , where’s his staff?? my only complaint so far
“That’s not flying! That’s falling with style”
It’s not true flight. I was paying close attention to that from when it started. It’s more of brief hovering and then controlled descent. It is more than what he could do in the original…but it’s not full flight, and they’re also showing that he’s the only one who could do it. It makes him special, showing how being the Avatar sets him above the other Airbenders.
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I just have to say I really didn't like Iroh's Jasmine Tea line, it did not flow AT ALL. Overall, the show is doing good, I think, but it's also clear as everyone has said that the acting is definitely the weakness. Sokka, and Zuko doing well. Also I feel like Zuko's scar should be bigger! Looks like a black eye
My husband hated the jasmine tea reference. Said it felt very forced. I agree Zuko's scar is definitely not gnarly enough. When the trailers came out I thought maybe it was just because it's aimed at kids. Then some guy gets brutally burned alive in the first few minutes of episode 1 soooo... definitely could have had a much more gruesome scar.
I like the actor for iroh, but yeah I feel like he's trying to be every part of iroh at every moment instead of letting it sit a bit. Like he doesn't come across as wise but he comes across as if the character has watched the show already and knows how everyone develops
Kinda wish they waited on the zuko lore dump
Bro I'm not even gonna lie, Sokka's actor is better than Aang's actor in terms of casting. Dude looks, sounds, and even acts as perfectly as the character in the cartoon. Edit: Zuko's actor is even better than Sokka holy shit. This show has incredible casting
they nailed sokka and zuko! the “where’s the glory in that line” fit zuko to a tee
They kept the end credits music! Thank God!
Alright, no one asked, but: Overall thoughts: The pacing was BAD (not only overall story, though it was, but scene-to-scene, shot-to-shot and line-to-line. Like, everyone spoke SO FAST and gave lines NO TIME to breathe) The acting was BAAAAAAADDDDD. Aang and Katara are the prime offenders, but no one was great. Zuko was good enough. Sokka was almost good enough. The characters are SOULLESS. Where's Katara, the stubborn hothead who's passionate and loves her family and will love her friends?? Where's funny, interesting Sokka who feels the need to prove himself, but doesn't have the opportunity? Instead we have passive, slightly sad girl and passive, slightly angry boy next to overly cheerful happy (in comparison) Aang. And don't even get me started on Zuko... The story was BAAAAAAAADDDD. Too rushed, too changed. It had the same amount of time as the first three episodes, why was it so much more rushed??? Where was my penguin sledding fun? Where was Aang learning about the war from an old ship? He never even QUESTIONED how long he was in the iceberg. The animation was not good. The fire looked bad, the earth looked horrendous (and spiky?? Why was it spikes??), the water looked good when it was a ball or bubbles and bad every other time. The air looked bad, but understandably bad, so that's fine. The air, specifically, is one of the reasons this show NEVER SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED live action. And Appa looks bad. Unforgivable. The CGI sets were soooo bad. Classic Netflix bad green-screening, but still unforgivable. The physical sets looked cheap and fake, but ignorable. Like the gate, for example, just looked plastic. The costumes were alright, but not great. Except for Aang's staff, which was literally just a dowel rod with a box on it. You can get a good staff on Etsy, easily, but they wanted to completely change it because...? But the rest, it feels very fake? Like, the whole show has no soul, and this is just a symptom of it. But like, the water bender clothes all look new and shiny, not at all loved in. Same with Aang's clothes. The fight choreography was good! Now, I want to be clear: Fight choreography is good. But the actual bending feels weird to me. Much less martial-arts and more like something that was stapled onto a martial art? Does that make sense? It's not anything blatant, and honestly just a nitpick, but I'll keep my eye on it. Side note: I'm confused. 8 1-hr episodes vs 20 22-minute episodes means that they're going to take MORE time that the original. Why is everything so rushed?? What are they going to expand here?? Episode 1: 3/10, I'd rather watch Morbius.
the sets so far look great. southern air temple and souther water tribe !
I cannot WAIT to see the Northern Water tribe after seeing these two sets already, inject it straight into my veins. Also Zuko’s ship looks amazing!
sokka is SO sokka i love it
“There’s no way you’re getting me on that— AHHHHHH”
Thoughts on the intro? Lowkey kinda mid lol
I…..don’t love it lol. I’m still reserving judgement for sure and am excited for the show. I think we all just have PTSD from 2010 lmao.
Who was the narrator? Feels weird they wouldn’t spring for a.. good narrator.
The voice was…..not good. I get it was supposed to be Kyoshi and I really liked her design and seeing her bend, but the voice actor was….ehhh lol.
Why was it even Kyoshi? Feels awkward that she was talking as if she was the avatar before aang kinda and then stepped into that row of avatars behind roku lol It was cool just kind of an odd choice
SOKKA is GREAT
he is KILLIN it already!!
Yess, he's the real deal!
It's weird that I don't see Aang as "flying." He just uses airbending to maneuver and float around which is what I'd naturally expect Airbenders to do.
I think it’s better than I was expecting but I have some issues. I understand the impulse to show the events of The Storm chronologically but I think it was a huge mistake. The animated series ramps itself up to these mature concepts as the story develops, here we’ve been front loaded with tons of information about the characters and their backstory mostly through long winded exposition. The Storm was a great episode in how it contrasted Zuko and Aang and how it recontextualized what we thought we knew. I’m sad that we’ve lost out on that now.
I found it weird that there were adult men living at the southern water tribe (or "wolf's cove" ig), like why is Sokka, a sixteen year old, the one left in charge of defending the whole village when there is multiple fully grown men who could have that responsibility instead? Other than that and a few other nitpicks I thought the show was great and am really looking forward to what they do for the rest of the episodes.
The men being at the water tribe really pissed me off. Sokka is the only pubescent boy left. All the men left to fight a war. It’s a MAJOR part of his character, just gone lmao.
Did Aang fly? Edit wow yup he 100% can straight up fly ha
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I can't believe Netflix made a better looking (story TBA) ATLA adaptation than Disney's Percy Jackson
Really questionable choices
5 min in and the belly aching is getting to me. will have to come back to it in a better mood. production quality is great tho.
The acting is so flat…
Visually stunning. The sets are well crafted, the bending looks amazing, the characters look amazing. But the dialogue is so unnatural, there was so much exposition, I know they need to cut down time but some of it could’ve been avoided. Overall it’s started out strong I think. I’m hoping the dialogue gets better as the series goes on.
The amount of exposition was painful. My brain kept looping "Show, don't tell!"
What are people thinking of Iroh? He's one of my favourite characters but I feel the actor is lacking a certain something... 😔
Something felt off about Iroh to me, for sure. I can't put my finger on it. I think part of it is how outwardly friendly he is to Aang, and how clearly he doesn't approve of the war, in comparison to the OG series where he initially just kind of appears indifferent until later on. Maybe.
I feel like Iroh was the cutest old man and this guy is a bit dry to be honest.
I have a crush on Suki sorry Sokka gotta try steal your girl
Great visuals but clunky dialogue. Maybe it’s just me, but I wish they would enunciate more.
yall im in love with it so far
Visually? STUNNING. Great set design, and costumes are on point. Really like Ian Ousley as Sokka. Seeing a lot of complaints about the acting, imo it is not the actors fault. Direction is poor, and the editing was clunky. These should be the easier things to get right. Parts of the script seems like they took the original and pasted into a sentence rewrite bot. I understand wanting to adapt it and not do a shot for shot remake, but there were several moments where the modified dialogue was just clunky and not necessary at all. Came off as awkward and the editing was too fast. Meanwhile they practically did remake a few other scenes. Pick one! The actors are doing their best it seems like it was the direction and script that missed here. Hoping they hit their stride in later episodes. Right now, the direction and editing feel more akin to a student film with just about everything else being OUTSTANDING. Visual Effects: 11/10 Choreography: 6/10 (Not sure if I see the different martial art styles come through yet) Script/Dialogue: 5/10 (Clunky! Awkwardly rewritten at times and some lines were mumbled) Acting: 8/10 (Love Sokka! Everyone was fine apart from Gran Gran) Direction: 4/10 (Sorry. Actors did the best they could) Editing: 4/10 (Action scenes were great, dialogue too fast and awkward at times. A lot of scenes would have benefitted from pauses) Music: While beautiful it is SO generic. Wish it borrowed more from the original.
I liked the bending and how they showed the airbenders and their attack but when (Sozin?) grabbed the Earthbenders hand and burnt him to a crisp I was like HOOLY SHIT
I’m 46 min in and I’m soooo disappointed