Harris LapiroffThe dialogue in the new Avatar TV live action adaptation is so distractingly bad. #tv
Just heavy-handed, on-the-nose, full of clumsy exposition. I feel like it was written by a committee full of people going, “Do you think people are going to get this? Should we be clearer?” That might be forgivable if it was also fun (as the cartoon was) but it isn’t even that… basically none of the jokes land. Agh.
The best I can say so far is that it’s very pretty and the Kiyoshi costumes are good. Also I do totally believe Zuko is a 16 year old boy.
“Did the writers watch the cartoon or did they just read the wiki???”
Why is Iroh so serious and not perma-stoned???
Tamlyn Tomita is acting the hell out of this part though.
WHY IS KIYOSHI HERE
The pacing is so off. They just can’t stand to draw out any unknowns. They tee something up and then reveal it immediately so it doesn’t pack any punch. It’s actually bewildering.
They even switched around the order of the storytelling in the first episode just to make sure the audience knew who the Avatar was and his entire backstory right from the outset. 😵💫
And Bumi reveals his identity before his trials? Why? This is also immediately preceded by a flashback scene that introduces child Bumi as Aang’s childhood friend. A series of revelations that should be fun and surprising is just a joyless check ticking sequence of references to a better show.
My housemate is uncomfortable that the “lovers” in this adaptation are siblings. “It feels weird. I don’t like it.”
Alright, we’re stopping with episode four for the night. There’s only so much we can abuse our sensibilities.
Why am I over halfway through this show and Aang hasn’t made the mildest attempt to or even considered bending anything but air?
Zuko’s actor is the only one who seems like he studied his lines at some point before filming.
I don’t need adaptations to slavishly adhere to their source material, but it just feels like someone wildly misunderstood what made Iroh a lovable character.
Aang just killing dudes
“Goat hair or rabbit?” Okay but do goats and rabbits exist in this universe?
I actually did like the shots of the north, but it also made me wonder what it would be like if Peter Jackson directed it.
Credit where it’s due, Avatar Kuruk is good tbh. He has character traits and everything.
Actually, in general, this episode seems to have somewhat better writing
THE SNOW IS ON FIRE
I am into this angry oceanboi
Honestly a sick way to waterbend for the first time ever
Sad the guy Sokka was clearly flirting with died. Bisexual Sokka would have redeemed a lot of the writers’ other choices.
Okay several questions:
1. Isn’t sending an entire navy to invade the north a really expensive distraction? Boats are not cheap!
2. Who did it even distract?? It’s not like anyone else sent an army there! Literally they were just distracting a twelve year old boy who can only airbend?
3. Why could Kiyoshi somehow foresee the future to see there was going to be an attack on the north but not see it was a cover for the actual attack on Omashu? Is she a magical prescient ancestor or not?
4. If distracting Aang was indeed the point (again, why?) did Fire Lord Ozai know that Kiyoshi would tell Aang about the attack or how else did he expect him to find out about it? ARE HE AND DEAD KIYOSHI WORKING TOGETHER?
So many questions!
Jonas Wisser@harris try not to grow attached
lytta 
@harris rabbitgoats maybe
@harris well that's..... about the most OOC thing they could have aang do (unless he's in the avatar state)
@lytta They don’t acknowledge that he’s killing people buuuuuut when you throw a bunch of people off a city wall with air bending and it’s live action it uh has a different vibe
@harris oh lmao true. there are definitely some elements of the story that are softened by it being a kid friendly cartoon, even while addressing some more mature topics. (see also, a thing that obviously doesn't get addressed much in animated fantastical kids shows: the whole child soldier thing)
@harris this also brings to mind that ive definitely seen people point out about some of the battles in the original that, okay wait, pretty sure those people the gaang tossed off a ship or an airship wouldn't have survived that
Kevin O'Gorman@harris he both drinks and refers to tea frequently, Harris, what more do you want?
@harris And Aang. And Katara. And…
@harris another question i have is whether the people who made this show watched the original. because it cannot be that hard to adapt iroh. like he's complex but in a really clearcut way!
@harris altho tbf his character probably calls for the best actual actor casting, despite technically being a side character
@lytta All of the characters are somewhat changed, mostly made less interesting imo, but Iroh is definitely the most bewildering to me. He has almost no levity, just dispenses wisdom with a deadpan seriousness, and then every once in a while (like literally once every other episode) they have him make a single joke which just feels weird.
@harris he!! is cryptic and goofy!! both because he's a (semi-)retired tactical genius who prefers to be underestimated, and because his son died and he's done a lot of meditation on like, life and finding meaning and joy in the aftermath of that!!
@harris several people definitely did not watch the show at all!!!
@harris Sooooo actually in rewatching season 1 of the original I was surprised how long they went before anyone in the Gaang suggested that either. >.>
skies is HERE@harris they were a m/f couple right? if they're not allowed to stay being a thing then i fear for kyoshi
@skies So actually in a funny twist they made the lovers in the legend queer women (which is indeed a change from the original) but then instead of Katara and Aang venturing into the cave and kissing it’s Katara and Sokka who venture into the cave and their sibling love (and holding hands) is what gets them through it.
@harris god that would have been so funny a scene if it were in the original show. like no way sokka wouldn't have said something about that (but in a charming 'ugh i can't believe i have to do an affection with my sister' way)
+glad to hear that despite it being a terrible show, the adaptation has gay people in it?
@harris Everything about Bumi is joyless. it's WILD.
@harris whenever i hear about a show explaining too much i think about my parents, who, when I show them TV I like, are often like, "do you understand what's happening?? i think i missed something. why did they do that?" etc quite frequently. maybe they have 65+ folks for their focus group?