Netflix Avatar Series First Reactions Shocking Fans

On the other hand, this critic did say that Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender adaptation did have great bending and costuming, so it’s not completely negative. Another critic saw some positive aspects to the first episode, saying they understood “why they made certain changes” and that they really enjoyed the first episode. So, maybe there’s some hope for the series overall.

Another critic said that Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender adaptation had great costume and production design with good action but that the tone flip-flopped from “overly serious to borderline goofy.” The last bit of that critique would likely be forgiven by fans of the original animated series though. One of the things that made the animated series great was how it could dole out dramatic and comedic moments as necessary.

It’s definitely worth noting that these critic reviews are only for the first episode of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. Sometimes, these live-action adaptations can take a little while to find their footing. With the positive aspects of the review, it definitely seems like the series could improve in later episodes and be a good adaptation of the source material overall.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the most beloved animated shows of all time and arguably one of the best TV shows, period. That means that Netflix had some lofty expectations to overcome, along with a built-in fan base that had some high expectations of their own. It didn’t help when the creators of the animated series left the adaptation over creative differences.

There’s also the fact that before Netflix’s attempt to adapt Avatar: The Last Airbender, there was a live-action film made by M. Night Shyamalan. That film was universally reviled by both fans of the original show and people who had never seen the original. In short, fans were burned by the promise of a live-action adaptation before, so there were reservations about Netflix taking a shot at it.

However, Netflix has proven that it’s capable of putting together a good live-action adaptation. The streamer had a massive hit with its live-action adaptation of the beloved anime One Piece and its recent Yu Yu Hakusho adaptation. However, it has also fallen flat with attempts at adapting animes like Cowboy Bebop.

Overall, the cast, production design, costumes, and VFX all seem like positive aspects of Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender adaptation. But the incredible storytelling, character relationships, and world-building of the original show are what made it so popular in the first place. You can decide for yourself if the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender is a worthy adaptation when it hits Netflix on February 22.