Few animated cartoons are as broadly appealing and critically acclaimed as Nickelodeon’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”
The original series, which ran from 2005 to 2008, was a massive critical and commercial success. It is one of this writer’s favorite shows of all time, and many others feel the same.
Many “The Last Airbender” fans were hopeful Netflix’s new live-action adaption of the cartoon would be entertaining and faithful to the source material. After all, the streamer produced a very popular live-action “One Piece” adaption last year and the first trailer for the new show looked pretty darn good.
But then, news began to trickle out of the changes being made to the original story. Now that the show is available for everyone to watch, it appears that many of those changes went a bit too far.
And this wasn’t just conservative watchers lamenting about the all-too-prevalent inclusion of “woke” social justice messaging (although some headscratching woke changes will be detailed below).
Fans and critics of every political persuasion took to their keyboards to blast the show’s poor writing.
IGN’s review pulled its punches, but still criticized the show’s “erratic pacing, conversations that take sharp turns out of nowhere, and a general sense of unwieldiness.”
TV Guide was not nearly so kind with its review titled “This Netflix Remake Is an Insult to Everyone Involved.” The outlet called the show “a gloomy morass of flat lighting and soulless CGI” with “clunky exposition and an overabundance of miserable conversations about war.”
Would you watch this show?
Perhaps most devastatingly of all, DiscussingFilm compared the film to the universally maligned M. Night Shyamalan 2010 film adaption, writing “At worst, it makes M. Night Shyamalan‘s 2010 The Last Airbender film feel like a mercy because at least that poor effort was only 2 hours long.”
Fans on X criticized both the show’s poor writing and woke changes from the source material.
So they really just took all the humor out of Avatar: The Last Airbender, huh? pic.twitter.com/bH0Urqo5io
— Amanda Mullen (@peaksandpages) February 23, 2024
not only does netflix’s “avatar: the last airbender” (2024) fail at capturing the essence, the awe, and the spirit of the original animated series, it fails as a coherent series as well. it makes m. night shyamalan’s 2010 live action film adaptation look like citizen kane.. pic.twitter.com/FywpDDmU83
— melzi. (@melzigatari) February 22, 2024
Overall if you have the chance to watch the original… just watch the original
Avatar is a beautiful cartoon full of life lessons and an amazing cast of characters that’ll stay with you, if you want a watered down version with bad cgi then the remake is for you pic.twitter.com/8CRZBvVkcH
— Kaguya’s Top Gal (@hayasaka_aryan) February 23, 2024
Perhaps most criticized is the show’s decision to change up one of the story’s in-universe legends about two lovers by making them lesbian.
Netflix changed the Earth nation legend of the Secret Lovers to a lesbian relationship… 🤡#AvatarTheLastAirbender pic.twitter.com/elkE8EJptS
— 1/4 Black Garrett (@QTRBlackGarrett) February 23, 2024
For this writer, perhaps one of the most eye-opening reviews of the series came from this thread of X posts from Quarter Black Garrett, the former Louder with Crowder personality who now comments mainly on pop culture entertainment.
Reading through Quarter Black’s posts, each one recapping his feelings on each episode, it’s like you’re watching in real-time his disappointment grow as the show progresses from slightly sub-par in its first episode, to utterly terrible in its last few, in his eyes.
After finishing the first five episodes, Quarter Black calls the show “a pile of garbage.”
I’m on episode 3… pic.twitter.com/3944eXU7Oh
— 1/4 Black Garrett (@QTRBlackGarrett) February 23, 2024
Let’s illustrate how hand holdy the writing is.
After a 45 minute story from Uncle Iroh. A story specifically about how Zuko protected this guys military unit “the 41st”. and was banished for it. Which is stated blatantly in the story. This guy, The commanding officer of the… pic.twitter.com/syIcnAFpLx
— 1/4 Black Garrett (@QTRBlackGarrett) February 23, 2024
The live-action remake of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is now streaming on Netflix.
Look out for this writer’s full review of what exactly went wrong with the show coming next week.
