Just finished the first episode, it’s different, I feel like I messed it up for myself for rewatching the og one only a few weeks ago and having that fresh in my head, how ever I am a fan.
Just finished watching it and I thought it was quite bad. So much “tell don’t show” going on. Aang literally explained his characters traits in a monologue … just seems like they spoon feed you a lot of the information instead of actually setting up the characters. They do a lot of fan service … if you can call it that. They shoehorned the old intro into an entire scene … word for word. And they did Iroh bad … he sounds as stupid as Yoda from the prequels.
I guess it can only get better from here … but my low expectations were underwhelmed.
This is exactly where I’m at too.
They wasted tons of time showing us battles between people who don’t matter just so they could work in a gratuitously long genocide as early as possible. And that means there’s no time to develop Aang’s character or relationships. So we just get wooden actors staring at the camera and saying “You are a kind and generous character. We are friends”. If they had put the characters first and trusted that the audience will care about these people without CGI battles, when they did get around to showing scenes of emotional turmoil and conflict it would have been way more impactful.
I really didn’t like it. I’ll give them a few other chances, but if it stays like this: meh. I don’t need a shot-for-shot retelling of the og series, but the changes need to make sense and the show needs to stand on its’ own. The first episode doesn’t so far.
The tone is all over the place. They apparently want to be gritty and violent but then by the end have this goofy, cartoonish style by the end (e.g. reaction shot of Zuko when they get away). I really dislike this, since it rips me out of the story.
If they want to be dark and gritty: fine. But then they have to be ready to be compared to political fantasy, like Game of Thrones, or Star Wars. And the cinematography, writing and direction is simply too barebones for that. It seems like they want to really drive home the cruelty of the Fire Nation, but the gratuitous violence with the sub-par violence is just numbing. Especially since they failed to make the Air Nomads compelling. It would have hit way harder if they didn’t show the violence and took more time to show the air nomads as they were to have a genuine gut punch when it was all gone.
You barely saw the og air nomads in the original show, so they really had the potential to shine here. But everything is so incrediply boiler plate here, especially Gyatso. They turned this genuine connection, where you believed their friendship into this paint-by-the-numbers trope of “never forget, who you are”. Bitch, we don’t know this character! And he’s not in danger of becoming something he isn’t when he’s refusing the call! By the time this pit becomes important in the end, the connection with Kitara is way more believable. I don’t know why they changed that.
The connection between Aang and Gyatso and Aang’s character is propably so stale, because both just aren’t as goofy. I get that you want to increase the stakes. But Aang was an interesting, layered character and now is just… bland. He says that he would trade with anyone, but I don’t get that from the character. That’s probably, why he has to talk so much, where other characters are allowed to act. With the goofyness gone, Aang also isn’t that wise anymore. And with him being so whiny and self-centered, I don’t buy the tragedy that he has to endure when he learns of the air nomads. Just sloppy writing all around.
Which is weird, because the rest of the cast is top-notch! Kitara, Sokka, Zuko and Iroh are great and they are allowed to act, where Aang isn’t for some reason. The fight between Zuko and Sokka was way more impactful than anything we’ve seen before. Sokka has an arc, Zuko is spot on, Iroh seems competent and diplomatic. And you believe Kitara’s emotional support role and optimism. The south pole was a nice peace of TV.
Except for Grangran’s stilted performance, put what the heck.
Also, the fireball scenes in the end where weirdly shot. Overall: the bending effects are good (except of Aang’s hovering), but so weirdly shot in action scenes so you don’t see anything.
You put it quite perfectly. The tone… ugh I didn’t like that it was all over the place. I have a lot more to say, but it’s mainly just agreeing with you.
Me and my 8yo are half way into the first episode. Why do they have to make the show dark? They’re showing burning a man alive up close. My daughter is not a fan of how serious sokka is (so far).
Yer that was a pretty intense moment, straight outta the gate to, definitely caught me off guard, Did you ever watch Korra? That had some dark parts in it, but yer agree not great for kids
Yeah I’ve finished Korra, but haven’t showed it to my daughter yet, as I feel it’s a bit too mature for her
Yer definitely some mature themes in that one. If your looking for a show to watch with the youngling, I enjoyed The Strange Chores.
I liked it. I feel some of the kid actors were rushing their lines a bit but overall it felt true to the OG.
So pleasantly surprised and will keep watching.
I liked the little prequel exposition.
And I thought Zuko should’ve been a bit taller… But obviously not something the actor can’t control.
The visuals and action are surprisingly great. Imo all the dialogue is awkward and forced. I don’t think it’s the acting as much as it’s the writing. I’m really hoping it’s just because they’re trying to cram all the exposition in and the second episode will be better
