Post by tg on Jun 4, 2008 22:58:21 GMT -5
Nice long in-depth BUT..... Can't they progress beyond that or do I have to keep saying they're still too late on doing this!? 
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Season 1 Review
We take a complete look back at the first season.
by Tory Ireland Mell
June 4, 2008 - When a Waterbender and her Brother, Katara and Sokka, find a young boy trapped in ice, they soon realize the he is the Avatar who has been missing for the past 100 years, and on top of that he is also the last Airbender. The Avatar's job is to bring peace to the world and stop the Fire Nation from conquering all. Aang the Avatar and last Airbender, Katara, and Sokka set out on an adventure to help Aang master all four elements Earth, Water, Fire, and Air in order to defeat the Fire Nation from world domination. Along for the ride with Aang, Katara and Sokka, are some of Aang's old friends a giant flying Bison named Apa, and a flying Lemur named Momo.
When trying something new it is always a risk, but sometimes when you take that risk it pays off, and with Avatar: The Last Airbender it paid off in spades. That risk I am referring to is an old style of animation done an American way. By taking the style of animation that the Japanese invented and making it their own the creators of this fresh and unique series struck cartoon gold. Coupled with fantastic story telling, fascinating characters, and some pretty incredible story arcs it's no wonder why this series has received such critical acclaim.
For starters, in order to have a successful show you need good to great storytelling abilities. Episode after episode in this first season we learned more and more about the world they live in, and its back story, and the major characters' back stories. The big reveal of a lot of things that happen in this world is a breath of fresh air from other cartoons, and television shows that offer you interesting ideas with very little to no pay-off, and then drag it on for seasons and seasons, and if you pay attention you quickly see that there is no clear direction those shows are going. Whereas with Avatar when you have a question, you don't need to wait four seasons to have it answered, it gets answered in this first season. That's not to say there are still questions that need answered, but the ones you may have like where did Zuko's scare come from, or when did Aang find out he was the Avatar get answered in this freshman year for the show. The writers know where they are going and know how much they can give us to keep us locked in and still drooling for more.
*inserts picture of Aang being in Avatar mode waterbending*
As story-driven as this show is, I don't think it would be anywhere near as good as it is without its ability to create such strong characters. From the first episode "The Boy in the Iceberg," Avatar gets you completely invested in these new characters. Each with an interesting point of view and individual voice, they are distinct in their own right. Katara the wise Waterbending teenager was one of the most interesting to watch this season. She goes through some major changes and she even manages to changes lots of lives in the process, she was a fun one to watch.
With great heroes you need great villains, and that's where the exiled Prince Zuko and his uncle Iroh come into play. Angry, stubborn, and bull-headed Zuko's impatience and frustration grow with each and every episode. One thing that really stood out to me and made me love the show even more, than I already did, was that I didn't have to wait to hear an explanation as to how Zuko got his scar over his eye, and what his relationship with his uncle was like. Both those things got explained and it wasn't something I had to wait multiple seasons for. However, The way in which uncle Iroh expresses his love for Zuko did not seem very organic to the show, and slightly out of place. I don't know if the writers just wanted to get it out of the way, or they thought the way they executed the explanation was the right way to do it, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.
*inserts picture of Jun holding up an EK man*
With all the good that was brought this season, there was the inevitable bad that was sprinkled throughout, from horrible episodes like episode 11 "The Great Divide" or episode 14 "Fortuneteller" to some animation errors in random episodes, when bad reared its ugly head, it really look ugly. First of all every television show that I can think of (with the exception of Jericho season 2) has filler episodes, and I would say about 76% of the time those filler episodes are complete trash and a waste of time, this holds true for Avatar. The episodes that drove the story and the season along were great to watch and learn from, but the fillers really have no purpose at all. I would say it is better to have a shorter season with stories that flowed like that a babble brook, then to have a 20-episode season riddled with flowing stories that stop every few hundred yards because of a stupid dam. The other thing that bothered me that didn't happen a lot but when it did it made me shake my head with disappointment, were certain animation errors. Foot prints disappearing in the sand, weapons coming and going, little continuity things like that.
Overall, the freshman season of Avatar: The Last Airbender was certainly a first class ticket to Funland. A definite must watch for those of you who haven't seen it yet, and for those who have, something that should be revisited over and over again.
Source: tv.ign.com/articles/879/879027p1.html
Wow, I haven't been here in awhile again...
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Season 1 Review
We take a complete look back at the first season.
by Tory Ireland Mell
June 4, 2008 - When a Waterbender and her Brother, Katara and Sokka, find a young boy trapped in ice, they soon realize the he is the Avatar who has been missing for the past 100 years, and on top of that he is also the last Airbender. The Avatar's job is to bring peace to the world and stop the Fire Nation from conquering all. Aang the Avatar and last Airbender, Katara, and Sokka set out on an adventure to help Aang master all four elements Earth, Water, Fire, and Air in order to defeat the Fire Nation from world domination. Along for the ride with Aang, Katara and Sokka, are some of Aang's old friends a giant flying Bison named Apa, and a flying Lemur named Momo.
When trying something new it is always a risk, but sometimes when you take that risk it pays off, and with Avatar: The Last Airbender it paid off in spades. That risk I am referring to is an old style of animation done an American way. By taking the style of animation that the Japanese invented and making it their own the creators of this fresh and unique series struck cartoon gold. Coupled with fantastic story telling, fascinating characters, and some pretty incredible story arcs it's no wonder why this series has received such critical acclaim.
For starters, in order to have a successful show you need good to great storytelling abilities. Episode after episode in this first season we learned more and more about the world they live in, and its back story, and the major characters' back stories. The big reveal of a lot of things that happen in this world is a breath of fresh air from other cartoons, and television shows that offer you interesting ideas with very little to no pay-off, and then drag it on for seasons and seasons, and if you pay attention you quickly see that there is no clear direction those shows are going. Whereas with Avatar when you have a question, you don't need to wait four seasons to have it answered, it gets answered in this first season. That's not to say there are still questions that need answered, but the ones you may have like where did Zuko's scare come from, or when did Aang find out he was the Avatar get answered in this freshman year for the show. The writers know where they are going and know how much they can give us to keep us locked in and still drooling for more.
*inserts picture of Aang being in Avatar mode waterbending*
As story-driven as this show is, I don't think it would be anywhere near as good as it is without its ability to create such strong characters. From the first episode "The Boy in the Iceberg," Avatar gets you completely invested in these new characters. Each with an interesting point of view and individual voice, they are distinct in their own right. Katara the wise Waterbending teenager was one of the most interesting to watch this season. She goes through some major changes and she even manages to changes lots of lives in the process, she was a fun one to watch.
With great heroes you need great villains, and that's where the exiled Prince Zuko and his uncle Iroh come into play. Angry, stubborn, and bull-headed Zuko's impatience and frustration grow with each and every episode. One thing that really stood out to me and made me love the show even more, than I already did, was that I didn't have to wait to hear an explanation as to how Zuko got his scar over his eye, and what his relationship with his uncle was like. Both those things got explained and it wasn't something I had to wait multiple seasons for. However, The way in which uncle Iroh expresses his love for Zuko did not seem very organic to the show, and slightly out of place. I don't know if the writers just wanted to get it out of the way, or they thought the way they executed the explanation was the right way to do it, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.
*inserts picture of Jun holding up an EK man*
With all the good that was brought this season, there was the inevitable bad that was sprinkled throughout, from horrible episodes like episode 11 "The Great Divide" or episode 14 "Fortuneteller" to some animation errors in random episodes, when bad reared its ugly head, it really look ugly. First of all every television show that I can think of (with the exception of Jericho season 2) has filler episodes, and I would say about 76% of the time those filler episodes are complete trash and a waste of time, this holds true for Avatar. The episodes that drove the story and the season along were great to watch and learn from, but the fillers really have no purpose at all. I would say it is better to have a shorter season with stories that flowed like that a babble brook, then to have a 20-episode season riddled with flowing stories that stop every few hundred yards because of a stupid dam. The other thing that bothered me that didn't happen a lot but when it did it made me shake my head with disappointment, were certain animation errors. Foot prints disappearing in the sand, weapons coming and going, little continuity things like that.
Overall, the freshman season of Avatar: The Last Airbender was certainly a first class ticket to Funland. A definite must watch for those of you who haven't seen it yet, and for those who have, something that should be revisited over and over again.
Source: tv.ign.com/articles/879/879027p1.html
Wow, I haven't been here in awhile again...
By the time Book 3 review comes out, I bet the next M&B project will be out! 
