Maelstrom

Right? It would be so much fun. I also thought about one of those drinking bird toys just for the sheer absurdity of it 😄 One bob for yes, two for no.

Don’t throw the cakes out, Jay! Find somewhere to sell them, or give them as gifts/bribes to the neighbors. Maybe June and Allie like cake! Also, I’m thinking there should be wind chimes or something in every room that Trevor can poke for some rudimentary conversations with Jay - one jingle for yes, two for no. Could make for a fun gag.

Overall thoughts: I feel this remake was a really good adaptation of the original animated series. There were a few missteps and decisions I don't really agree with/fully get why they were made, but there were enough things I loved for the positive to far outweigh the negative. The Good: Casting for most of the main characters. Dallas Liu, Gordon Cormier, and Ian Ousley were all so perfectly cast it's like the animated characters were brought to life as flesh and blood people. All three so perfectly and believably embodied their characters and I loved watching them. Gordon especially impressed me, since he was so young when this was filmed and he so perfectly captured all of the facets of Aang's character. He had a lot of big moments to play out, and he blew me away in every one. And a big kudos to Dallas - Zuko is such a complex character who's just as important to what makes AtLA what it is as Aang, and I wasn't sure if anyone could do what Dante Basco did with just his voice. But Dallas really stepped up and delivered every episode. I wasn't sure about Paul SunHyung Lee as Iroh initially just because his voice and general vibe seemed so different from Mako, and it was hard for me to imagine anyone embodying Iroh like him. But holy crap I take it back, because Paul was absolutely freaking fantastic and a total scene stealer. He made me tear up so many times, and I love him for it. If only we all had an Uncle Iroh! The adult cast of supporting actors in general was wonderful and all perfectly cast, and Daniel Dae Kim turned in a chilling performance as psychopath Ozai (not that any of us doubted he would). The obvious love for and knowledge of the original showed through in so many details big and small, and it just made me so happy to see those little moments and hear those lines taken directly. The fleshing out of Zuko, his twisted dynamic with his father and his loving, supportive dynamic with Iroh was one of the things I was most hoping we'd see, and this didn't disappoint. I also really, really loved the extended interactions between Aang and Zuko, and all I'll say on that is that I really really need to see seasons 2 and 3 happen. Please, Netflix. Dallas and Gordon just captured those scenes so beautifully. And I really loved seeing more of Iroh's backstory especially with Lu Ten and how that loss changed the course of Iroh's life. I've always felt that Lu Ten's death was a turning point in the lives of the entire royal family, because so much change resulted from it (Perhaps in the future we could have flashbacks with Lu Ten? Please?) Visuals were stunning and so realistic looking BlueSpiritBlueSpiritBlueSpiritBlueSpirit holy crap just as awesome as I could've hoped and so much was taken shot for shot and I loved it so much! The Less Good: Episode 5 in the spirit world was largely a misstep IMO. The general tone was somewhat incongruous with the rest of the show, and personally I feel it introduced a lot of story elements that just frankly didn't need to be there. And in turn things that should have been given focus (such as Heibai's storyline) were lost in the shuffle. The lack of adventure of the week/road trip vibes - I fully understand why they changed that, because 7 1/2 hrs of live action in the streaming age of the 2020s is a totally different creature than 10ish hrs of animation on a kids cable network in the 2000s. But diminishing that aspect also diminished lots of little opportunities to develop Aang, Katara and Sokka's personalities and also show their growing bond. It's a hard line to toe, and while I think this version did the best they could with the time/budget they were given, I do wish we could have gotten more fun adventures. The Hmmmm Bumi. I'm still torn about this since we know there's still more story to come, and so I know it's too soon to judge. But I can't help but feel that the changes made to Bumi's character were a disservice. Here has come across IMO as mean, unbalanced, largely toothless character instead of the weird but hugely powerful ally he was in the original. Totally agree with Lugal's (potentially spoilery) thoughts about Omashu. Time will tell where they take Bumi from here, but... hm. Though I have to give Utkarsh credit for his performance, I love him on Ghosts and I thought he did a good job with what he was given. The focus on the devastation of war, and its effects on the world of Avatar was a realistic and mostly well-written aspect of this version that I largely appreciated. However, by season's end I did feel like that aspect was emphasized at the expense of others, and a little more balance (Avatar pun!) wouldn't go amiss in future seasons. Katara was the weakest of the main characters, sad to say, and she was my favorite in the original. I do think part of it was Kiawentiio not being perhaps as strong of an actor as Gordon, Ian or Dallas. Part of it though, is the character just didn't get enough focus to get a strong sense of her. Disappointing, though hoping that this will change in future seasons. Really hoping for a renewal, because I want more! Bring on seasons 2 and 3 Netflix!

This was a good episode and a solid finale. I would say overall it felt as though there was more focus on the action of the battle than on the big character moments, and I personally would have been fine with the fighting being trimmed down a but. Though I gotta say Koizilla looked a lot cooler than I thought, they did a fantastic job with the effects there. Zuko didn't get quite as much screen time as in the original but I loved his goodbye scene with Iroh at the beginning, and his comment about Lu Ten being fortunate to have Iroh as a father (I forget his exact words) was a lovely touch too. Interesting that the original had Iroh explicitly tell Zuko he sees him as his own son since losing Lu Ten, but that was dropped here - I understand it though, since this version has made a point of showing Iroh's unspoken love for Zuko in many instances, so that we didn't need it spelled out. Also, didn't the original finale have Zuko's famous line that Azula was born lucky, but he himself was lucky to be born? Interesting that was left out. And of all the lines they did keep, it was Zuko calling Katara "You little peasant," lol. Zuko's people skills *are* legendary, after all. And his final scene with Zhao, oh, ouch. Those are some hard truths, and to hear them from Zhao of all people. Poor Zuko. No wonder he's messed up. Ditch your abusive dad! Go with your loving uncle and maybe a few new friends instead. Ken Leung did a brilliant job of playing a very unlikeable man. "I'm only gonna kill the moon!" Like, duh, don't be silly! Excellent actor, horrible character. Aang's standoff with Zhao was so well done, and I loved that Iroh heard his speech, and saw the sacrifice Aang made. I've enjoyed that this version has had them connect in more scenes. Iroh is, as always, a joy to watch. The female water benders ready to fight was a powerful scene, even if Pakku did only let them do repairs. I appreciated Pakku's final scene with Katara, about forgetting that water was the element of change. Katara finally felt like the Katara from the original, but honestly I'm really surprised she's already a "master" when so little focus was given to her learning to waterbend. It's a bit of a disappointment, since her journey to learn bending is a big part of her character development. Same with Aang, though I suppose I could hand wave that he's spent the season learning what it is to be an Avatar, rather than mastering the other elements. Still though. Bending's important! It's in the title! Momo!! Thank goodness they healed him, I am not up for any of our adorable creatures being hurt. Yue's sacrifice and Han's rewritten-but-inevitable death were both just as tear-jerking as expected, and I thought Amber Midthunder did a wonderful job in her final scenes. I loved the Spirit Grove! Just like the original, I want to live there. The map of the Northern Water Tribe the Fire Sage showed Zhao in flashback looked gorgeous and I'm sorry we didn't get a better shot of it to freeze frame. Glad Kuruk showed up again. There's a big bad comet a-comin'! But Bumi's captured already? And the Fire Nation has airships already? Hmmm... Thoughts on the season overall to come.

They deliberately didn’t show his face before season 3 to keep him mysterious and build up the threat of him. Disappointment and disdain do count as feelings, so good point.

This was a lot of fun! Man was the Northern Water Tribe gorgeous. They've done a fantastic job with all of the locations, not only do they look photo realistic but utilize so many details/props/etc from the original it's a pleasure just to look at. I loved how the original showed that the clothing and objects of the NWT are obviously derived from the same source as the SWT but with believable regional differences, and I so appreciated this version keeping that same level of detail. And the North also has sea prunes! Except we didn't get to see Aang try them. Maybe next ep. I also really liked Han being a genuinely decent guy here instead of a stuck-up jerkass. Loved seeing Katara get to shine here! This is the first ep that I really feel like she's the same spunky, determined awesome girl we watched in the original. I've felt that the character has been somewhat underdeveloped compared to others, and I haven't been wowed by Kiawentiio as I have with the other main cast members until now. I loved her fight with Pakku, and I always love seeing her and Sokka bond and be there for one another. And I really liked the deeper explanation of how water bending is used for healing. A Martinez was appropriately grumpy and stodgy as Pakku. I too was distracted by Yue's wig (it had that stiff wig look at the hairline/part that always gives it away) but I thought the actress was a nice choice for the part. She had a little more personality here, which I didn't mind at all, and now I know who voiced the three tailed fox spirit! Not quite sure what I think about that change to her backstory, but it's not not cool, so what the hey. Loved her line to Sokka about the heart of the warrior mattering most, a nice echo of Suki's words. And Yue and Sokka were just as adorably awkward as I could have asked, though I'd say the awkwardness was largely on Sokka's side. Ha, good point Crazed Spruce, it was too bad he didn't ask her if they could "do an activity sometime", hehe. Line of the night for me was "I think I should stop saying words now." Poor Sokka, couldn't stop his mouth from falling down the stairs while talking to the pretty half-spirit moon priestess princess. That's rough, buddy! Kuruk! Meegwun Fairbrother was a standout on Burden of Truth so I've been looking forward to seeing him here. Hoping we get to see more of him in the final ep. I liked the getting more of his backstory beyond what we were given in the original. It's interesting how each previous Avatar had a focus in their lifetime - for Kuruk it was taking care of the spirit world, for Kyoshi tending to the regular world, for Roku it was maintaining the balance of all... until he didn't. Really liking the clarity and exploration of what's expected of the Avatar. Why am I even surprised Azula et al use Earthbender prisoners for sparring/target practice? The Fire royals continually out "the worst" themselves. And.... lightning bending! We finally get to see it, and it looks even more awesome live action than it did in animation. Loved how that entire scene played out here. I'm seriously so excited to see this remake cover seasons 2 and 3 now! *struggling not to go into potential spoilers for anyone who hasn't watched the original* Lt Ji's newfound but sincere loyalty to Zuko was wonderful to see. Loved the little exchange between Iroh and Zuko about "so no plan, then?" and a very sulky teenage "I'm working on it, Uncle" in reply. Classic! It was a nice touch that Appa had snow stuck all over his coat when they were flying in. Looking forward to the finale! But then it's over 😭 Please give us more, Netflix!

Tennisgurl, I'm pretty much with you re: the humor. It was an important part of the original, and I"m hoping it's not going to be largely sacrificed for the sake of this version being darker and serious. Obviously the original had some pretty dark stuff going on, whether the show addressed it directly or indirectly, but that's exactly why the lighter, warmer moments were so important. We don't need the wacky silliness, but we do need levity and lighter moments to balance the more tragic aspects. (Balance! Avatar pun!) After seeing the following episode, "Masks," I don't feel that most of the spirit world stuff was actually necessary to see in this episode. I'm especially unsure of whether we really needed the full on tragic history of Katara and Sokka's family at this point, and I'm really not sure how I feel about the changes to Sokka's backstory. He's had plenty of trauma, he doesn't need a disapproving father as well - I too am not keen on this Hakoda being so disappointed by Sokka. We already have one questionable father in this world, and Hakoda was always the counterbalance to Ozai. LOL, well said. An angsty teenage bull with superpowers. Not controversial to me! It's interesting, I've felt this Ozai very much IS the Ozai from the cartoon, we're just getting a better look at him here. Like, if you scratched beneath the surface of OriginalOzai, you'd get RemakeOzai. I've always thought that his horrible parenting is ultimately responsible for much of the suffering in the Avatar world for how badly he damaged both Zuko and Azula, and by extension how much their actions affected others. He's definitely played them off against each other more blatantly here, and I've appreciated seeing more of how the messed up Fire Family dynamics came to be. Thank goodness Zuko has Iroh, and maybe a gang of good friends down the line, to serve as positive influences.

As for the rest of the episode, I was happy to get more of June, and even a conversation with her! I'd say her jaded world view certainly leaves room for a bit of character growth in the future... The effects for Nyla's "scent vision" were really cool, considering I wasn't sure how they'd translate it from the cartoon. The Fire Temple was gorgeous! The locations and visuals have been breathtaking in this version, and this was an especially beautiful one. Loving how many details they kept from the original. I hope that the helpful Fire Sage whose name I've forgotten is OK though. He was fine in the original but it wasn't very clear here. Roku! It's a bit of a different take on his personality but I liked him a lot. Maybe they wanted to differentiate him from serious Kyoshi, and from the largely warmongering Fire Nation characters we've seen. His mention of friends being liabilities was a nicely done bit of foreshadowing as well. Yu Yang archers continue to be badass! They all looked to be women here - I wonder if they'll be women only, or if it's just how the casting worked out for this ep? Either way, they're super cool! Oh Zhao, you small, small man. It's brilliant how Ken Leung started off sounding very smarmy and fake-pleasant, but now that Zhao's gotten a taste of real power he's become just as bombastic and grandiose as Jason Isaacs voiced him in the original. Nicely played, and I commend KL for making such a successful unlikeable asshole, lol. Forgot to mention in my previous post how much I loved that they even added in the Blue Spirit's sword sparks when he fights. The only less-than-perfect part of this ep was the resolution of the spirit world storyline - I don't mind it being rushed, since I didn't especially enjoy most of it in the previous episode, but I am sorry that Heibai's storyline was essentially lost. We didn't get to see the scary, wounded monster spirit turn back into the peaceful panda spirit thanks to Aang's compassion, and it's such a missed opportunity. The original had a very strong theme of environmentalism, and the Heibai storyline was the introduction of that. It's a shame to have lost it. And I almost forgot - Gordon Cormier was absolutely fantastic in this episode! He's done a brilliant job with Aang, and I am continually impressed by his performances. He's a true gem, and a very talented actor, and I'm so happy he's our Aang!

Alright, the last episode was a disappointment but this was sheer perfection. A masterpiece, and my favorite episode so far. I had to watch it twice (and funny how the two eps I've felt the urge to rewatch were pretty much straight out translations from the original) and I'm still not sure how to put into words how much I loved this. Zuko's character journey throughout the series is as important as Aang's, and this ep covered two crucial moments: how he got his scar, and his first stint as the Blue Spirit. And we got a heaping helping of Zuko and Iroh's bond, and how important they've always been to each other (and continue to be, even if Zuko wouldn't admit it). Everything with the Blue Spirit was absolutely perfect and I loved how many lines and shots/sequences were directly taken from the original. And the changes made, especially having Zuko and Aang have an actual conversation, were wonderful additions. Aang actually even got Zuko to smile! (Zuko must have been too ill to fight off his smile muscles). The added conversation was a brilliant setup for things to come, and I am seriously desperate for this remake to get to season 3. We needs the precious, please Netflix! As for the Agni Kai... oh man, that was rough. All of us who watched the original knew it would be difficult to watch happen, but this was even harder than I expected. Ozai gets worse and worse with every episode, and I gotta say he's too evil now for me to even find Daniel Dae Kim hot anymore. He's just that evil. Though Zuko's actual burning happened off camera in the original cartoon, I think we all assumed it was just an errant fireblast that got him, or at least I did. But to have Ozai very calmly and deliberately choose to maim his own son's eye, while Zuko was helpless and already defeated, was absolutely heartbreaking. And though Azula didn't have the gleeful smile as it happened, as in the original, she did seem rather entranced, like she was thinking, Oooh, that's neat... And Iroh 🥺 I loved how he stood up for Zuko, and kept standing up for Zuko, and then was there for him afterward. His love for Zuko is heartwarming to watch, and I really, really like this version playing that up so explicitly. It's one of the things I was hoping for, and I've been so thrilled to see it play out. All of the Fire Family actors gave tremendous performances in this ep. Dallas, playing young Zuko's sincere optimism and enthusiasm just as believably as he plays banished Zuko's bitter cynicism and poorly masked pain. DDK, absolutely chilling as psychopath Ozai - the original gave me the sense that Ozai always found Zuko an annoyance and a disappointment, but here I feel DDK is playing it as though Ozai actively loathes Zuko, and deliberately wants to break him down. Paul Sun Hyung Lee is the absolute perfect Iroh, hitting every note with such heartfelt emotion. Of all the main cast I was least convinced about him when casting was announced, but I cannot imagine anyone else making Iroh work. And in true abusive relationship fashion, after everything Zuko still ardently defends and worships his father, and sees the fault as lying with himself rather than Ozai. The original touched on that too, much later in the series, and I appreciate it being brought in here. Zuko, baby, you have some healing to do 💔 And having Zuko's crew be the very unit he tried to save was a master stroke. The moment at the end, with everyone saluting Zuko as he passed, gave me chills (the good kind!). Wonderful twist. to be continued...

Hopefully this means Netflix will green light seasons 2 and 3! 🤞

My least favorite episode so far, though it still had plenty of good points. Horror is not my thing, at all, and parts of this ep toed that line more than I personally care for. MMV. So, Koh was creepy in the original but outright nightmare fuel here. Yikes. Can someone pass me the brain bleach? As much as Takei brings to the voice I'm still kind of sorry they didn't get Erik "Aaravos" Dellums back, I could listen to that man's voice for hours. They brought in various spirit elements from a LOT of different episodes/storylines, and I'm not quite sure if all of them were necessary to introduce here or not. But this is part one of a cliffhanger, so I feel like I can't say anything for sure until I see how it's resolved. Also, anyone have an idea who the voice of the three-tailed fox was? She sounded so familiar but I couldn't find any credits online that may have been her. Maybe I'll freeze frame the credits or something. Katara and Sokka getting lost in their worst memories and fears reminded me strongly of the Swamp episode from season 2, and it will be interesting to see what impact this has on them going forward. (And a Yon Rha sighting this early in the run? Makes me even more eager for season 3...) Alright, onto the fun stuff. June! She was absolutely perfect, and makes me think they somehow brought the animated character to life as a flesh and blood woman. Nyla looked pretty good too, relatively speaking of course, considering what an odd/hard to animate creature she is. (Fun fact: a shirshu is a combination of a wolf, a mole, and a giant anteater according to the Art of the Animated Series book - highly recommended for fellow nerds!) Iroh and Zuko continue to delight, and Zuko continues to make enemies unnecessarily and drive away people win friends and influence people. Loved their interactions with each other, with the bartender, and with June - and it was a nice touch to have her eye up Iroh instead of him sleazing on her as in the original. I love how Dallas plays both Zuko's teenage impatience and superiority alongside his insecurities and bluster, I couldn't have asked for a better Zuko. And I loved the bar room shout-outs to the Gaang's stand-alone adventures from the original that didn't make the cut here - the pirates and the canyon guide were the ones I heard most clearly. A nice touch for fans of the original! Gyatso! He's such a lovely character, and the actor is a joy to watch. More please. The world would be a much better place if we all had our own Gyatso looking out for us. (Also, he still tries to cheat at Pai Sho even in the Spirit World). And finally, Azula and Ozai. It's so interesting to see the characters arcs being set up before our eyes, to see the beginnings of how Azula's obsession with being the best and with winning Ozai's approval is already leading her down her dark path. So much of the damage caused within the world of Avatar comes down to Ozai's horrendous parenting skills, and I've enjoyed seeing how they approach that in this remake. Also, I've thought it was interesting that Azula's fire has been orange so far, but when she was about to lose her shit and incinerate her sparring partner, her flames turned blue for a moment right before Mai stopped her... Maybe her blue flames won't be a sign of her skill so much as a sign of her imbalance?

So true! Plus, I always figured anyone that might be near either of them in age would be related to them - Kyoshi island is so insular their family trees must get kind of tangled, and we know the population of the SWT had taken a lot of hits over the years of the war.

Another strong episode. It's quite a different take on Bumi but it works, and I can see why they decided to show him this way - since this remake is really highlighting how the war has affected everyone, and devastated so many, it does make more sense to show the toll leadership has taken on Bumi in the last century. And let's face, he wasn't necessarily the most stable individual to begin with. And, Utkarsh! He did a brilliant job bringing this version of Bumi to life. His prosthetics looked pretty good, and I covet his gorgeous green jacket. And I spotted Flopsie statues! The ending scene with he and Aang in the delivery carts, crashing into something in the distance, was right out of the original and made me smile. (MY CABBAGES!) So glad they showed that Aang could bring back Bumi's playful inner child once again. Iroh was the shining star of this episode. One of the things I hoped for most in this remake was more of Iroh's backstory with Lu Ten, and his past as the Dragon of the West and how he changed over time. Those two flashback scenes - Lu Ten's funeral, and Iroh getting ready to sail with Zuko - were absolute perfection, and I loved every second of them. And yes, I totally teared up when the first few notes of Leaves on the Vine started playing. Zuko and Iroh's relationship was one of the most important parts of the original, and I can't express how much I'm loving seeing that relationship expanded here. With all of the plot changes I wondered how they'd keep Zuko's rescue of Iroh, since it's a seminal moment in Zuko's character arc to choose Iroh over the catching the Avatar, but this was a clever way. And Iroh's scenes with the Earthbender? Ooof. That was hard on the heart, but so well done. The implications of war are far-reaching. And Iroh's conversation with Aang in prison (love seeing these two continuously running into each other for jailside chats) 🎶 Secret Tunnel! 🎶 (Yes, I have been randomly singing that to myself all day.) I was honestly not expecting the singing hippies to show up in this remake at all, let alone in this season! They looked and sounded exactly like the original, and I got a kick out of how much Sokka got into his rattle. Thought it was a clever use of their story to appear here. It's a very interesting twist to have the Tale of Two Lovers/secret tunnel (🎶) storyline focus on Katara and Sokka but I like it. Their sibling dynamic was one of my favorite parts of the original (and a dynamic that most shows/books ignore in favor of focusing on romantic relationships) and I was so happy to see it get some attention here. Ian continues to wow me with how perfectly he embodies Sokka. Katara's already mastered ice? Her training sure is moving along at a good clip. Random: Jet's back! And worse than ever! Badger moles are scary! The gem crystal (gemmonite?) effects looked so real, as did all of the bending. And I forgot to mention last ep how impressive Omashu is! It looks so real, and so gorgeous, I want to wander the streets and explore. (🎶 Secret Tunnel!🎶)

Another great episode! This one had a lot going on, streamlining and combining characters and storylines from several different episodes of the original. This version is really starting to feel more like a remix than a remake but I'm really enjoying it. I can understand why they've made the changes they have, and feel like they've done a great job translating the story into a new incarnation. Alright, so Ozai and Azula both are even more psychotic here than in the original, and that's no small order. Also, I maintain that Daniel Dae Kim is inappropriately hot (no pun intended) for someone as horrible as Ozai. The little scene of Azula with Mai and Ty Lee was a fun way to introduce their characters while giving us our first glimpse into Azula's (twisted) mind. The actress playing Ty Lee was especially well cast, though I can hardly believe she's the same little kid from the Baby-Sitters Club series! How time does fly. Looking forward to more with both of them. It will be interesting to see more of Azula, however much we get this season, since Grey deLisle was another iconic voice actor in the original and it's still a little hard to wrap my mind around Azula sounding like someone else, lol. Very clever to incorporate both Jet and the Mechanist into Omashu, I thought they did a good job of blending all of the storylines together. Jet was well cast and made the character a lot more interesting (and I can't be the only one who thought the actor was a dead ringer for a Bill & Ted era Keanu, right?) His sword fight with the firebenders was incredible, I really love how the non-benders are just as competent/dangerous as benders in this. And they even kept that stick of grass in his mouth, lol. But holy crap he was so much worse in this version! Yikes. Do the ends really justify the means, Jet? Do they really? I liked Katara's sweet story of Kya watching the sunrise every morning. And while graphic violence is the last thing I want to watch in this show or any other, I appreciate this version is at least up front about her mom's death rather than the network-mandated euphemisms in the original that had me convinced Kya was a POW in the Fire Nation for the first few seasons. I also appreciate this series isn't shying away from the devastating effects of war on the people, and doesn't glorify war as most shows/movies do. The overarching message of peace and hope remains one of my favorite aspects of the original, and I"m so glad that hasn't been lost here. Aang and Zuko's non-bending fight was a lot of fun to watch, and works well to build anticipation toward future (bending) fights. And Iroh sacrificing himself for Zuko 😭 It's so interesting how they're reworking so many different storylines in this version while still remaining true to the story. Lines of the night was easily Sokka's attempt at a comeback in his argument with Katara: "Where are you going?" "To prove you're a jerk!" "I don't need proof of that!" A Yu Yang archer collecting his arrows behind Azula! Teo's hexagonal flying goggles! The Mechanist's partially burned off eyebrows! Uncle gets a White Lotus tile! And, saving the best for last... MY CABBAGES!!

This was such a fantastic episode I had to watch it twice. The Kyoshi Warriors were incredible! I wasn't sure how the makeup would translate to live action, but it looked fantastic and I absolutely love Suki. The actress was perfect. I'm so glad they've fleshed Suki out from the start, and I really liked the theme of her wanting to go out into the world, and admiring/being jealous of Sokka for doing so. It's a smart move to set up what's to come (we need seasons 2 and 3 to happen!!) Avatar Kyoshi was always a hard-ass in the original but she was outright terrifying here. Giant Scary Lady indeed! The tough love Avatar. Her final battle with fire benders was fucking awesome, I can't wait to see Aang as a fully realized Avatar one day. I liked the bit of backstory they gave her, I'm guessing that came from one of the comics, but it was a nice touch to humanize her a little. I like how this version is expanding and clarifying just what the Avatar state is, and what it means. Sokka was the star of this ep, his awkward teenage bravado with an equally awkward Suki was awesome. He's less of a buffoon here than he was in the earliest eps of the original, which I'm glad for. I'm really loving Ian Ousley's take on Sokka. Jack de Sena's voice performance is one of the most iconic for me of everyone in the original, so I was skeptical about anyone bringing the character to life as well as he did, but Ian's done wonderfully as Sokka. Likewise with Dallas Liu - Dante Basco *is* Zuko to me, and I didn't see how anyone could capture Zuko's troubled, conflicted nature like he could - and with only his voice, no less. But Dallas is absolutely perfect, as is his dynamic with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Iroh. I'm actually glad they had Zhao be the one to destroy the village rather than Zuko, though the whole nearly incinerating Katara at point-blank range thing might be a little tough to come back from (that's rough, buddy). Speaking of Zhao, he strikes me as a cross between a used car salesman and the guy at work who "accidentally" forwards his coworkers' emails where they bitch about the boss *to* the boss. And Gordon Cormier is a true gem - he's really impressed me with how easily and believably he portrays Aang's playful side as well as his serious side. He's a real find. Sad to say that Kiawentiio has been the weakest performance for me so far, but we'll see what happens from here. It makes perfect sense for Gran Gran to give Katara the scroll, though I admit I'm a little sad we won't get to see the pirates (stealing is wrong, unless it's from pirates) Uncle mentioned Pai Sho! Momo continues to vex Sokka and steal his food! Ozai! Daniel Dae Kim clearly has a portrait hidden away in an attic somewhere.

I haven't read any of the comics but I always assumed it was a combination of these two things.

The original animated show is one of my two favorite series of all time, so I too was extremely wary when this remake was first announced. The full trailer last month finally won me over, and this first ep didn't disappoint. There are differences from the original, as we knew there would be, but despite the changes I really do feel they kept true to the essence of the original. I can feel the effort and the love poured into every aspect of this, from the script adaptions to the actors' performances and even down to the set dressing. There were so many little details lifted directly from the original, and every note really felt pitch perfect. They even kept the same musical themes and cues! And the ending music! Squee! The actors were all fantastic. All of the cast interviews I've obsessively watched in recent weeks made me confident that they would great in their roles, and I wasn't disappointed by any of them. This first ep combined a lot of story points and set up pulled from all three series of the original, so it's understandable there wasn't as much time to focus on exploring character, at least not for everyone. I look forward to seeing everyone get their turn in the spotlight in the coming episodes. I loved the scene of Iroh visiting Aang after he was locked up, it was a stroke of genius to add, and makes me hopeful that Iroh's backstory will be explored a little more fully this time around (and hopefully we'll get to see more of Lu Chen in flashbacks?). And his love of tea! Iroh's face absolutely lit up every time he mentioned his jasmine tea, and I commend Paul Sun-Hyung Lee for such a wonderful touch. Agree that Gran Gran getting the famous opening monologue was perfection, and gave me chills. Loved they kept the opening sequence with the four different benders. I thought they did a good job of really laying out what an Avatar is, and what their importance and place in the world is. I figured from the casting announcements that there would be more focus on past Avatars (Kyoshi, Kuruk, Yang Chen) and I really liked that they were all introduced here by name, if not all face to face. The Airbender genocide was as hard to watch as I thought it would be. I'm grateful that they didn't get any more graphic with it, and hope that holds for the rest of the series' darker parts. Gyatso was an absolute delight, and I hope we see more of him in flashbacks - I loved that the actor even captured the same laugh as the original voice actor! The locations were breathtaking. I don't know how much they were actually outside in the wilds of British Columbia and how much was digital, but every single locale looked completely real, and so detailed, that I want to just walk around and explore. And as I mentioned, the set dressing and props were so well done that I want to go back and freeze frame every scene just to see what's there. I have to mention the pigeon-rats and pig-chickens wandering the streets of the capital in the opening scene. Ha!

Sorry, that high-pitched sound you hear is probably me squeeing like a fangirl More interviews than I can keep up with are coming out - Paul Sun-Hyung Lee sounds like a really cool guy, and the more I see of Ian Ousley, the more I'm convinced he's actually Sokka

A couple of short interviews with the Gaang And one with Daniel Dae Kim and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee Flameo, Hotman!

The only reason I thought of Dev Patel is because of an old interview I read years ago, where he mentioned an unnamed big budget movie (obviously Last Airbender) he'd done that made him uncomfortable about playing the evil dark-skinned villain. I'm paraphrasing, but that was the gist I got from his words, and apparently since then he's spoken out more about how hard the experience was on him. So it seems only fair that he should get to be in a good Avatar remake. Maybe he could play the guru in season 2. Speaking of more wishful casting, how cool would it be to get John Cho in future seasons? He's one of my favorite actors, and he's amazing. Maybe he could play Long Feng, head of the Dai Li. And I'm wondering, once the series drops will there be separate threads for each episode or one general thread? I would vote for separate threads, if we get a vote. It would make for easier discussion to not have everything lumped all together, and would also cut down on the opportunity for spoilers for those of us who don't plan to binge all 8 eps immediately. Just my two cents.

Funny, I've been thinking that Johnny's making up for the lack of Russian names to overpronounce by overpronouncing *everyone's* names. It's been driving me bonkers. Then again, I think I'm at the end of my patience with him and Tara both between watching Nationals and 4CC coverage back to back. And no Terry at 4CC to babysit them! 😭 #ShutUpJohnny #ShutUpTara

Trini, here's a little tidbit from Dallas Liu about Dante Basco (comes from the massive EW feature I linked above) I would love for Dante to make an appearance as well! His performance as Zuko in the original is, for me, the standout performance in a talented cast, and I don't think the character or the show would have worked as well as it did without him. So I am curious to see Dallas's take. And, strangely, I actually would like to see Dev Patel offered a cameo in future seasons - the poor guy should at least get to appear in a *good* Avatar remake.

Love on the Right Course: 😴😴😴 Couldn't even make it through this one. Why was it even filmed in Hungary? Couldn't they have saved that for a better movie? Betty's Bad Luck in Love: Yikes, this one was a giant miss, not even Marco Grazzini could save this one for me. I think, maybe, with a better lead actress it could have worked, or at least have been tolerably silly - maybe someone like Sara Rue who can pull off quirky and sweet. But I kept telling Marco throughout the entire movie to run while he could, lol. Romance With a Twist: I really enjoyed this one, I liked both leads (I didn't mind the male lead's assy-ness, since I figured he'd get taken down a peg or two by the end) and I really appreciate Hallmark trying something different with the acrobatics. I'm a big fan of dance, which is nearly impossible to find on US tv in any form, so I always enjoy dance-adjacent things. Paging Mr Darcy: I really wasn't sure what to expect from this one beyond Will Kemp being his usual delightful self, but I loved it! I'm not even an Austen fan, but I thought this story captured the essence of a lot of Austenian themes. Mallory Jansen was great as usual (even though I always think of her as evil Queen Madalena from Galavant) and I didn't mind the sister since she made for an interesting counter to Mallory's character. I will say though that Hallmark didn't do itself any favors with that giant mashed-up ad featuring all of its Austen movies, since I honestly couldn't figure out what any of them are about. But I went into this not expecting much, and I really enjoyed it! For me, best of the year so far.

I'll be the odd one out for Gilded Newport: Murder at the Breakers, I found it rather disappointing. The lead actress felt too modern to me, and kept pulling me out of the story. And I'm not familiar enough with the setting - both the era and the New England blue blood society - to fully keep up with the nuances of everything that was going on. I commend Hallmark for trying something different with a period movie, though, and I do hope they continue to try some different things. Just with a more suitable lead next time.

I will say that I enjoy Johnny's perspective as someone who actually competed under the current scoring system, and I find that *on occasion* he does offer some interesting insights. But more often the pretentiousness, the cattiness, the chattering, and the general "a lot-ness" is tiresome at best and incredibly frustrating at worst. And it pisses me off every time he judges a skater's music bad just because he personally doesn't care for it. Shut up, Johnny! That is really cool about Terry spreading the word to other commentators about how hard figure skaters worked train. Another reason he's the best!