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Avatar: The Last Airbender was released on Netflix to a rather unfortunate mixed reception. Currently sitting at 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, the live-action series hit some lows that the animated series never did. It’s no secret that Netflix’s adaptation of Avatar remixed the original show’s material, bringing in storylines and fan-favorite characters earlier, while adding new plot elements. However, even though it wasn’t amazing, it must have done well for Netflix because Avatar: The Last Airbender has been renewed for two more seasons, allowing them to complete the original series’ story.
This is good for Avatar fans who like the live-action show because you’ll be getting more of it. But, it’s hard for people who checked out of the show once they showed the complete obliteration of the airbenders. What the next seasons need to do is stay more faithful to not only the story but also to the order of the events of the original show.
The First Season of Netflix’s Avatar Is a Mixed Mess
The biggest problem with Netflix’s Avatar is the writing. Characters stay the same, aren’t motivated to change, and the story is messy. Different plotlines don’t integrate well with one another, as evidenced by Team Avatar’s trip to Omashu. This isn’t due to a lack of time, as the runtime for the first season of the original series and the Netflix series is nearly the same. Instead, to keep fans happy, the story is filled with direct references to events that occurred later in the animated series, with some storylines weaved in much earlier than expected.
The result is a muddled story. Aang should be on his way to being a master of the four elements, and instead, that story will be told over the next two seasons. Unless they plan on keeping the show going past season three. Taking parts of the story from the end of the original series and plopping it into season two won’t really work unless we have a time jump where Aang can suddenly bend more than one element, which wouldn’t work well either. So, if the creators care about the show’s quality, they won’t attempt to create an abomination by mishandling the plot.
It’s Not Just Avatar Again
One of the most impressive things about the live-action series is how it managed to improve upon the source material in a few ways. The new additions to Zuko’s backstory added so much to the overall story, and it was well done. The future seasons need more additions like that one. A one-for-one adaptation of the original story isn’t what many people signed up for, and if you want that just go watch the animated series again. But, there’s no need to butcher characters and storylines for that to happen.
The best way forward would be to mix in a straight adaptation of the original story, throwing in new plot elements when they can. Throwing a bunch of characters and references at the screen and calling it a day doesn’t make the show better when it has so much potential. You can read what we thought about Avatar: The Last Airbender in our review here, and of course, you can watch all the episodes of the first season on Netflix now.
