Watching ONLY the FIRST and LAST Episode of *Avatar The Last Airbender*

[@bububububububububu127]

The main criticism I had was that they were so scared to give any of the characters ANY flaws. Aang running away, Sokka's sexism... they just cut it all out to make them "good" and took away so much of their journeys

[@dizzy388]

all very bad at the core of the show, but the exposition dumping is what made it near-unwatchable for anyone, old fan or otherwise.

[@LadyQAB]

Omg yes, how are they supposed to grow when they don't have flaws in the beginning. Like nobody starts out as a perfect person

[@evaslack]

yeah same with katara's anger

[@tbuckley2031]

Sokka is still sexist but it’s more subtle

[@Mike90317]

Yeah, seems like they are scared of twitterx/social media "backlash" with flawed characters in season ONE.

[@toriabascal]

my favourite recurring dylan joke is him calling any medical professional a botanist and not acknowledging it

[@nancyd4250]

Mine is the reminder his college doesn’t exist anymore.

[@t.rae.storyteller]

I love this one too, kills me every time.

[@imcryinginacoolway28]

ITS SO FUNNY

[@A4I1K0]

mine is his unfinished book

[@t.rae.storyteller]

@@A4I1K0 that's a good one too 😆

[@zanlani]

The script really did the actors dirty. Watching the interviews of the cast, they're more like their characters irl. Especially the trio.

[@ikw2828]

Yeah i hated the script it’s like they watched the animated scene right before and then said alright switch some of the words around so it doesn’t look like we copied 💀💀

[@kermitgotthesickkicks4265]

Reminds me of the kid who played Aang in the live action movie. that kids entire career got screwed over because of that film.

[@andrewgarfield9898]

​@@ikw2828the problem is that it literally feels like a school play. Evrything is way too clean looking. It feels like everyone is just reading from a script. Well they are I know but it shouldn't FEEL that way. None of this feel natural at all

[@ikw2828]

@@andrewgarfield9898 lowkey you’re right it feels exactly like a play, none of the characters really feel believable if that makes sense

[@itsLily00]

100% like the writing is easily what drags the show down

[@amdza]

So much funding thrown down the crapper with this script... You're absolutely right about the animated series having more faith in children than netflix had in their adult fanbase that's already extremely familiar with the content. It just felt so dumbed down, like the script was written by middle schoolers.

[@mollusckscramp4124]

At least they devoted some money to the special effects this time 😂

[@enternamehere1968]

yahh i think they were so scared of it not being like the cartoon they made it EXACTLY like the cartoon

[@caelis_909]

​@@enternamehere1968 But it's nothing like the cartoon, when you think about it.

[@jazneffa6713]

Dylan: "we´re gonna have a fun time" Also dylan 5 minutes in: I´m getting pissed

[@spacegirlie]

one of the main flaws with the show is that they already want us to sympathize with zuko instead of making him a true villain. we're supposed to hate him until the later seasons. instead, we "feel bad" for him way too early on

[@NeytiriPhoenix]

Yeah! They’ve really ruined his whole arc by almost condensing it into one season! He’s not nearly angry enough or driven and I love when he is rude and cold to his crew until the Storm episode where they almost revolt and Iroh gives them a perspective of his character and WITHOUT BEING OBVIOUS their respect for him changes! I kind of hated the whole salute thing they gave to Zuko in this show because it was so overstated! And it would have given Zuko too much respect and appreciation so early. If he gets what he needs that early he’ll not want to go back to the fire nation because he won’t need to! Nobody seems to get that! The one thing I wanted from this show was for them not to fuck up Zuko and that’s exactly what they’ve done and what’s worse is that the actor totally has the potential to play Zuko right but he wasn’t given the chance!

[@miraikuriyama4178]

YES I AGREE!! I thought the show was alright - good in some ways but not the best. This is one of my biggest criticisms of the show in my opinion. Here it feels like he's already half way round to the good side. I understand the creators love Zuko and want to hint that Zuko is a good person - as we all know he is - but he has also made mitsakes as a villain. I feel like the creators were very hesitant on picturing Zuko as an antagonist (putting all of the bad light on Zhao instead), and that only takes away from how much impact his turnaround becomes. In the netflix series he barely makes any bad choices, and any choices to fight were backed by the 'If I can't capture the Avatar I can't go home'. Which, to be fair, is the underlying reason for all his actions. But putting it to the forefront of every decision and making Zuko seem more panicked and stressed from being unable to capture him makes him seem more desparate, rather than the determined, confident 'I *will* capture the Avatar and regain my honour!' Zuko we see in the animation.

[@NeytiriPhoenix]

They're also not going to be able to do the scene where Zuko tries to capture Appa in Ba Sing Se where Iroh makes him actually question himself because he says 'this is just like at the north pole when you tried to capture the Avatar. You had him then you had no where to go' and did anyone notice that he didnt even capture Aang at the north pole?

[@Singinferyoo]

I agree with this! I think Zuko and the actor are one of the highlights of the show! But I was disappointed that they’re already making us sympathize so much. I thought “his character arc is not going to be nearly as good in this version”

[@micaann7974]

The same goes for Azula

[@maria.hamandi]

Also can we talk about he says “I like goofing off” instead of showing us this kid is goofy. I swear this dude doesn’t smile or laugh ONCE in the whole episode. Aang is supposed to be the epitome of a free spirit full of JOY and PLAYFUL ENERGY

[@syra1541]

so many exposition dumps, really disappointing script ngl lmao

[@phoebehampton9067]

This!! I saw it coming as soon as he just flopped out of the Ice! He's supposed to come out of the ice Jumping and flying about and rambling about penguins ya know!

[@andrewgarfield9898]

Did you miss the scene where he stares at the kids playing and not join in with them? Yeah you can tell this kid really just wants to goof off huh? 😭

[@andrewgarfield9898]

Feels more like a powerpoint presentation than an actual show​@@syra1541

[@kermitgotthesickkicks4265]

I mean the writers literally said in an interview Aang is gonna be all business no side quests. That just ruins some of his character development.

[@itsukori609]

“Which is telling not showing” pointed out the biggest most glaring flaw with this adaptation only 3 minutes into the video

[@marvelousmia]

dylan is complaining about the intro "telling and not showing" ..and it was done in the cartoon????

[@Ahmed-Interrupted]

it's about "oh, we're gonna do this and that, we are evil" and not actually showing the audience their evil doing. @@marvelousmia

[@marvelousmia]

the intro was done in the cartoon!@@Ahmed-Interrupted

[@ashthepotato3172]

@@marvelousmiaYeah..as a bit of exposition. That's it. We just get that tiny bit of spiel. It doesn't say anything about zuko, the firelord, the actual LORE behind the (spoilers) comet. And then it's played every single episode- the exact same way. It was a nickelodeon show for kids, they would need to have a level of exposition in the case that a viewer joined mid season. It would then spark them to go to the beginning and watch from there. This live action CONSTANTLY ignores the "show not tell" NUMBER 1 rule. Example: let's take a scene where Katara is angry (in the animation), she wouldn't be shouting "I'm SO ANGRY"- She would be huffing and puffing, shouting at the others, frowning, staying silent etc. It's an objectively crap live action and it's a shame because they had potential. The cast are clearly decent but the writing is the Achilles heel.

[@kuroyuki6254]

@@marvelousmiaIn the cartoon they told us the overall history, and yes they did give us a bit of exposition. But the show does that over and over again, often about things it had already told us about.

[@DD_Fanatic]

"I genuinely understand people who don't like me because, sometimes, I'm right there with you." A phrase I will now integrate into my everyday life, God that's good. 😂😂😂

[@stroyanielson3776]

I like how all of Dylan’s points are points I’ve made while watching this with my friend. Like it’s not just how weirdly they adapt the story; it’s also the lines, the cinematography, the cuts, the acting, the odd changes, how they don’t commit to an idea, the wardrobe, the character assassination, etc. Like It’s issues are more than just “no this didnt happen in the show”

[@hirarana93]

I agree. Like Dylan said it needed some care. Some f#$ing tender love n care. I mean the Executives know this shit works thts y thy bought it. So y change it. Y would u kill its spirit.

[@Second_of_four]

The entire show was telling not showing. Every single episode. There was not a single moment where we just experienced the world for ourselves, it was just exposited to us.

[@katsa6052]

And they explained it again and again like we are all stupid 😭

[@Second_of_four]

@@katsa6052 and the amount of monologuing made me wanna die

[@TokuBaby]

That’s why it was boring. Maybe they’ll do better in season 2 😅

[@heathercansky6843]

Probably wanted to fill the time to avoid showing bending because the vfx is so expensive

[@waffles658]

@@katsa6052it’s one of the worst things for me. Even the cartoon which is literally made for kids has more nuance and subtext. The live action has completely lost the character of the show because it’s so flat and misses so much

[@lucasrivera532]

I love how expertly he explains everything wrong with it, without saying "this didnt happen in the show". Theres so much more wrong with it than that

[@Narra0002]

Clearly

[@hope_evergreen]

Yes

[@jade-zd2vy]

fr

[@LadyQAB]

The fire nation attack in the new show also takes away from how freaking badass monk gyatso was during his fight in the cartoon. He was found in a room surrounded by dozens of fire nation soldiers. I read a theory that he air bended all of the air from the room killing them all including himself. Like a badass

[@kaygafane]

i sometimes think that's why it's important for writers to not answer everything. like yeah, make your story cohesive and understandable, but don't explain everything. which is what the original show did. we didn't (and still don't) know how Monk Gyatso took down the firebenders, and that results in theories... and unless your answer isn't as great as what the audience imagines in their heads, then DO NOT answer that question. i once head a writer say, i don't know if it was George Lucas or George R. R. Martin when they asked him a question about something in his story, he quickly said, "i don't know" i think the biggest part of the *The Southern Airtemple* episode working out so well was the medium, and the setup. as a first time viewer you'd expect a show on nickelodeon to turn around and say, "guess what, most of the airbenders are still alive... turns out they've been hiding," in order to make Aang and therefore the kid audience feel better. and then it sweeps the rug from under us. and you feel more of that loss as the show goes on, that damn... they are not gonna find out about EVEN ONE airbender who escaped, and had airbender kids?

[@LadyQAB]

@@kaygafane yeah you're so right! I also think the writers and frankly everyone involved had an impossible task, as the original show is soo beloved and just so so good. That and added nostalgia and theories people have, I think nothing would be able to capture the magic of the original. But... they could have done better than this. I just want to go and watch the original now 😅

[@kittyunderwood8918]

@@kaygafane I read recently that in the comics they do say that some airbenders were able to escape but were being lured into a fire nation trap and that's how they were able to kill all of them. This is supposed to have happened around the same time as the end of season 1 of the animation. I know that doesn't actually change anything about your comment, I just thought it was interesting

[@Drifter1989]

Probably. No fire if there’s no oxygen to feed it.

[@lawreb91]

In Korra, Zaheer suffocates the Earth Queen with her own breath, so. Yeah, Gyatso was probably also capable of a similar effect. The Air Nomads being pacifists was for the other Nations' benefit, really.

[@thesquadsgoalsyt1269]

Whenever i watch dylans videos, i notice he has a really good grasp on what makes a show or movie work and he can pinpoint exactly where and why a moment has underdeveloped writing. I wonder if its because he's got so much experience commentating over movies that he has actually passively learnt heaps about filmmaking.

[@Hana_H]

Pretty sure he’s got a degree in it😅

[@simplesimply3753]

@@Hana_Hfrom a college that doesn’t exist.

[@thesquadsgoalsyt1269]

@@Hana_H that makes alot of sense

[@mollusckscramp4124]

@@simplesimply3753 Hey, it existed at some point!

[@jewelokoror]

He went to a scam college 😂😂. The best of all colleges

[@najaelarobinson2632]

kinda disappointed that he didn’t comment on katara and her lack of rage

[@ebelhenrius3043]

He’s was only watching the FIRST and LAST episode in this video, not the WHOLE series

[@actuallyhufflepuff5828]

Instead of "until I hate myself" it should be "until I'm shirtless" bc he kept popping buttons out of sheer frustration😂

[@thepenmaster]

If he had watched the entire series, his shirt might have been off 😂

[@rachel5399]

Don't say such things. You'll attract the depraved ones.

[@jessicawalker9110]

@@rachel5399you have summoned me?

[@sebryanbias]

i wishhh omfg

[@ianagulino6653]

But if the shirt comes off where would he keep the cookies?

[@astrvphie]

9:20 the way dylan just casually pulled a cookie out of his pocket 😭

[@andrewgarfield9898]

Imagine the lint that's on there💀

[@tbuckley2031]

And giggling like a child before he does it 😭

[@ChulsZFF]

When he initially was going for his pocket, I thought it was going to be Sour Patch Kids.

[@victoria_m13]

@@ChulsZFFi miss sour patch kids

[@Evanz111]

You *don’t* have cookies sat in your pocket?

[@soapnwater69]

The biggest frustration I had with this reboot is what they did to Kataras character. A lot of her characterisation and plot points was centered around her anger. Anger about being the only waterbender in her tribe, anger about having to raise her brother and losing her mother to the fire nation, anger that once she can start learning to water bend, aang picks moves up immediately whilst katara faces hardships and struggles. All this justifiable anger to an extent of flaw which many like myself relate to and for what? For the reboot to throw that all away so she can be bossed around by her older brother? come on now. This not only impacts her characterisation but conflicts with her plot points. Her challenging the north water tribe teacher was not nearly as satisfying as the cartoon as we did not get to see her go through so much struggle and hard work to get to the waterbending level she is at just to have to prove herself one more time and finally, FINALLY validate her identity and recieve propper regognision. Whats going to happen in book 2 when they meet toph? Toph and Katara's conflict is bcs Toph feels like katara mother's her but if katara isnt motherly why are they not going to get along? Are we not even going to get to see their journey of mutual acceptance and friendship? I hope that s2 fixes her character bcs I relate to Katara so much and love her anger and motherly tendancies even when they extend to a fault.

[@heatherbrown6418]

You are so right. Am telling you, I'm not going waste my time watching s2 if toph 's character isn't showed properly. Like the depth of the characters needs to show or it's really a waste of time to watch. Idk why Netflix decided to make everyone so 'good' and flawless. Ain't nobody gonna relate. And since the integral part of the personalities are cut out the plot decisions are baseless and contradictory. The whole point of meeting Suki was baseless. The whole point of meeting paku was baseless. The whole point of the spirit world was gosh awful. Brah. I just really want this series to blow me away in a good way.

[@dreamiicloud1179]

You hit the nail right on the head. I’m also a big Katara fan, she’s my favourite character. I see so much of myself in her with her motherly tendencies, her need to work so so so hard to achieve her goals, and her anger. In the live action she’s so… docile? Her character is flat and has no strong emotions. Supposedly removing her “motherly” traits is progressive. As a feminist, I find doing this to such a strong female character has the exact opposite effect. Flattening female characters is NOT the way we should be going.

[@Arthera0]

Which is also important for the big payoff when zuko helps her find the person who led the raid. Its probably the biggest step of her being able to let that rage go.

[@sofiav7791]

Similarly, in episode 2 they ruined sokka's character. When he meets the kyoshi warriors in the cartoon he doesn't respect women at all and is violently humbled by them kicking his ass until he asks for their forgiveness and wisdom and learns their craft. In the netflix adaptation he just rizzes up Suki and they focus so much on the romance that it deflects from Sokka's character arc entirely

[@TeyMey]

@@heatherbrown6418 i doubt there will be a season 2 it cost 20 million per episode i doubt it made even 30 million but if it did get a season 2 i hope they take what the fans say into account it wont be hard cause it seems everyoneh has the same problem the dialogue the writing

[@NotUlpoadingAnything]

Why do all their costumes look so crisp and not lived in? Aang got tossed around in a storm and frozen in an ice sphere. His clothes should not have looked that clean and perfectly ironed.

[@kaygafane]

well he spent a hundred years in water, is it stupid if i say it's not a surprise his clothes are clean?

[@SunDarling369]

​@@kaygafanedude I'm sorry, 100 YEARS idc if dude spent that time frozen in Tide, his clothes are gonna be a little rough after 100 fucking years. Especially cause it's not like his clothes were brand new the day he went in the ice, he would have been wearing them, airbending in them and supposedly "being a goof" in them as aang likes to tell us. So it would have been good costume design to show a little wear on them. The details matter.

[@briannareads7920]

he said " Are you a BOTANIST?!?" and that might be my favorite line of this whole video

[@SunDarling369]

I cackled so fucking hard 🤣🤣🤣

[@anhtheton]

this man only takes netflix’s recommendations and not ours 🙄

[@CaspiDrako]

It's so messed up

[@sierrarudd2389]

he’s said a lot that he doesn’t really want the recommendations unless he asks

[@heaven4lostgirls]

we don’t do recommendations here

[@emilysheehan9758]

It's like the only rule don't recommend anything 😂😂

[@kbaelay2125]

You must not really watch anything. 💀 He doesn’t take recommendations

[@annaf.1617]

I love it when Dylan shows us he KNOWS how to make movies/shows or how to improve them. And the stare into the camera was hillarious

[@kidjoar]

okay but when't he going to produce and film an indie movie for us... i NEED

[@MissMangakaChan]

@@kidjoarMANIFESTING FOR THIS!!

[@fairyfizz5985]

got 10x hotter when he pulled out the original boxed set & he knew it too with that button pop LMAO

[@fairyfizz5985]

coming back to appreciate dylans critiques, watching through that first episode w him was such a struggle but his commentary is always just so satisfying - it like helps me understand what i didnt like about a scene while also giving me an idea of how it could have reached its best potential anyway i love being a troublemaker

[@syra1541]

ur so real for this LMFAO

[@jazmineavila6578]

Yes I do the same thing and I always thought maybe it was a little strange bc no one I know does it 😓

[@andrewgarfield9898]

@@fairyfizz5985 a troublemaker? Is that what Dylan's fandom is called?

[@fairyfizz5985]

@@andrewgarfield9898 yessir 🫡

[@nyssapurchase3143]

Dylan's knowledge of filmmaking is what makes him my favourite movie commentary channel. What he said about the camera shot reflecting Aang's world turning upside down was so good

[@maggie4028]

I agree fully with Dylan. I think that the actors and the fight choreography and the visuals are all really strong in the live action series, but the constant exposition and telling rather than showing is what causes the most frustration as it's what limits the characters. We know more about Aang from his first few lines in the original series like "Do you want to go penguin sledding with me" than in his whole monologue he gives to Appa in the live action series. Same thing with Zuko and Iroh. Same with Katara and Sokka. Having them explain their motivations and who they are limits how we see them and also reduces the complexity of their actions and their faults, making them feel less interesting and not as compelling. The strongest part of season 1 of the live action series to me is the Zuko and Iroh relationship because it isn't as spelled out. We see Zuko comfort Iroh after he loses his son, we see Iroh go with Zuko and defend him without either saying why. We know why because we've seen them be there for one another. It's why the Azula, Zuko, Ozai dynamic is also interesting because we can see Ozai pitting his children against each other and manipulating them without him saying anything. I hope that we see more showing rather than telling in seasons 2 and 3 because the other parts of the show are really strong!

[@llamachai]

If there's one show that doesn't need exposition, it's ATLA. Visually, it's the perfect show to show and not tell. How they even managed to fuck this up is impressive.

[@TheRibottoStudios]

There's a scene that is in the blue spirit (I think it's that episode?) where Zuko looks at the tapestry of the Fire Nation sigil before turning away. Even before we knew that Zuko would have a redemption arc they were planting the seeds. In the same episode, Zuko and Aang have a small short moment. It's expanded on in the live action, and just does nothing for me. "Do you think we could've been friends too" is just such a simple yet POIGNANT line. It's something that is brought up again in season 3 when Zuko tries to join the gaang. ATLA understood the meaning of "keep it simple stupid" because sometimes simple is simply stunning.

[@amaniesafadi]

Yue showing up and Dylan immediately yelling “ohh it’s the moon!” sent me

[@Troublemaker13201]

To laughterville?

[@alizahassan3299]

@@Troublemaker13201 omg, did you know there is a town in Oklahoma called slaughterville LMAO

[@Troublemaker13201]

@@alizahassan3299 omggggg dylan would love that town

[@itsminty_melond9307]

this live action series is also weird because in the cartoon/anime Aang wakes up unaware that the fire nation had gone bad, he was never aware of the war so you get to sort of jump into this world in the same mindset as him and it can better show you rather than tell like the live action is doing but the live action episodes took out that critical part and hence made the show a lot weaker.

[@CassidyStarke]

The war was already going on for years tho, Sozin started before Roku died and went maniac after. The only reason Aang had to start his training so soon was because of the danger of the fire nation, i’m pretty sure he overheard the monks talking about it. So he definetly knew about a war but not to what extend they went.

[@justincain2702]

@@CassidyStarke The fire nation had set up illegal colonies, but I don't think there was an official declaration of war until the attacks on the air temples. Aang also definitely wasn't informed about it; Katara has to explain the war to him in episode 1, and Aang talks about being confused because he has friends in the fire nation.

[@yajeevbritton3887]

nope Aang did not know there was a war brewing...Katara was the one who told him and even for a little while he didn't believe cuz he had friends in the fire nation and this was the same time she revealed to him that he doesnt know about the war bc he was trapped in the iceburg for 100 years @@CassidyStarke

[@shiannafoxx]

@@CassidyStarke No girl rewatch the show

[@simplesimply3753]

So true. The emotional impact of finding out how tragical it happened as he did. 😢

[@mlilejay8698]

I WILL SAY: the Zuko actor (his Agni Kai being thematically not quite right) was the clear stand out of the show and the way they actually take time to deliver his backstory as well as giving Iroh his due with a really poignant homage to his own history (like if nothing else please watch that one scene bc it hits so damn hard) and showing how much Zuko respects him was quite well done

[@emmawagner8915]

Yeah that was my favorite part since it was a lot less telly (and yeah I think the fight made less sense character wise than the original but a little part of me wanted to see the matchup). I also liked when aang blew zhao into the door (and I think the dialogue is a tad better in that scene too) but that’s straight out of the old show.

[@gilgamesh8334]

still weird tho so much pointless expositiona and staring

[@hirarana93]

I disagree. We didn't need to know zuko's n iroh backstory until the second season whn he starts struggling abt who he is!Right now he is the villain thn in the second season exile! his inner conflict n why he is the way he is! Hence backstory and thn season 3 he figures out who he is! N redemption arc. Revealing it too early only makes us sympathize with him rather thn go on a journey with him to his redemption arc. I hav to really hate him now to truly appreciate n love his development later on

[@jamesng.6387]

@@hirarana93 yeah Zuko is way too emotionally mature and touchy-feely rn, he's not even enough this open at the end of the series in the og

[@mlilejay8698]

@@hirarana93 ​ @jamesng.6387 completely understand your argument, I get what you're saying, but I think you're getting some facts crossed. In the original animation, Zuko's backstory was told in Season 1. One of my favourite episodes, "The Storm" season 1, episode 12. It's a very well known and important episode thematically because it shows that Zuko has been struggling with who he is, his core values, and what he stands for from the beginning. It shows him standing up to his father in the war meeting, having an Agni Kai but refusing to fight (which the LA got wrong and really shouldn't have had him fight back) - a testament to his character and his love and respect for his father who still punished him for what he perceives as weakness - and getting banished as a result. I don't think you need to "hate" him to "truly appreciate" his development. Rather I think sympathising with him makes all the other true "villains" of the story that much more heinous and unlikeable. Zuko has retained his humanity and his emotion and his appreciation for the world, even if it has been buried by years of indoctrination and being banished for 3 years on a impossible pursuit for a person he didn't know would ever return. Showing hints of that in small ways like him having such a positive connection to his uncle (both in animation and LA), having that brief moment where he connects with Aang after he (as the Blue Spirit) breaks him out of confinement (again both in the animation and LA) isn't him being "touchy-feely". And I wouldn't say the LA portrays him as emotionally mature. I think the tone and character of Zuko as portrayed by the actor is pretty dead on. Any times he's "open" are really in flashbacks to before he got banished and traumatised by his father. Most of the show is him being his usual petty, overly temperamental, and one-minded. Even Iroh's backstory, which is what I was referring to in my original comment, was sprinkled in throughout the first season. That said, the core part of his backstory (losing his son and giving up his siege of Ba Sing Se) was in fact revealed in S2. However, I don't mind they brought this story forward because it gives us context for why Iroh is so determined to guide Zuko and be there to protect him. His story was introduced via flashback in the episode "Zuko Alone" in s2 anyway so Iroh's backstory was always meant to be linked to Zuko's. The rest of that particular episode can always be visited again without touching on Iroh as much. Bringing it into S1 of the LA just again gives us a more rounded out context for why Zuko is the way he is. tl;dr his backstory had always been introduced early. you're meant to sympathise with him. That helps you to be more interested in his development and ultimate redemption arc (which is one of the most well-written redemption arcs in media even today). Introducing Iroh's backstory a little earlier was in aid of that writing.

[@army_eris9th]

All I want to say is "It was so bad, I want to give you a zero, but that's not possible, so I give you a one."

[@miguelmiranda233]

I love how the firebenders knock on the door where monk Gyatsu is hiding with the children, like, just cuz they’re there to kill them doesn’t mean they have to be rude ( 8:51 )

[@kingdragon3122]

Gotta teach em kids some manners

[@ianagulino6653]

And Dylan going 'housekeeping!' After every knock hsd me rolling (but I also consider the high pitched housekeeping to be a direct reference to Outer Banks so I was laughing and all of a sudden I went 😮😑)

[@sarahlevine2397]

They’re probably just trying to bust it down

[@miguelmiranda233]

@@sarahlevine2397 booo! take your “reasonable solution” and get outta here!

[@maria.hamandi]

What pisses me off so much is that they do this whole air temple destruction reveal as if they didn’t JUST SHOW US the fire nation tearing it apart. The reason it’s impactful in the show is because that’s something that happened offscreen. And the sheer awe of arriving and finding this place empty except for the ash and bones of his people is what makes that moment hit SO HARD. They really SUCKED the life and emotion out of every moment in this show.

[@maria.hamandi]

WHEN HE SEE GYATSO and like it’s supposed to make us super sad too but we literally watched him die!!! We already got sad about it!!!! We should be feeling this stuff WITH AANG - not before him!! (Edit -sp.)

[@kamixakadio2441]

That has to be one of the single most horrendous takes I've ever seen about the live action. Constructive criticism is one thing, this is just Incorrect. One of the least impactful things in the cartoon, was the air nomads being killed, for the exact reason of it happening Off-screen. This comment is just complaining about it being different from the show, rather than praising it for doing something better, or criticizing it for doing something worse.

[@stargold222]

@@kamixakadio2441i just don’t know, the brutality of the ppl getting burned to death really makes it too much for children to watch and might scare them off. Is this even marketed for kids anyway? Or just genz?

[@buahahaevillaugh1113]

​@@kamixakadio2441 You found that the original reveal of the genocide was not impactful? I respect that you had a different experience, but also, seeing the actual dead body of Gyatso had me crying when I was a child. Yes, the occurrence of the genocide was toned down by happening off-screen, so that it would not be traumatizing to the children watching, but that did not take away from the emotional impact. For me, the horror was there, as was the sadness, even as a child that couldn't fully comprehend the complexity of what had happened to the air nomads, because I realised, even then, that Aang being the Last Airbender meant every other Airbender had been killed. Later, when I rewatched, from a perspective more mature and parental towards the characters instead of feeling like their friend as I did when I was a kid, the scene hit even harder. Because you can read between the lines, you hear the echoes of what was left unsaid. It felt particularly awful because it was left to the imagination. We got to experience it like Aang did, our minds creating their own versions of what those final moments could've been like, and our brains have a talent of going wild when left alone to fill a gap in evidence. The show subtly told us to connect the dots and come to our own conclusions. Now, I have not watched the Netflix show. I don't intend to, at least in the immediate future, so I won't be complimenting or criticizing it, because that would be hypocritical of me. I just wanted to share my take on this particular scene and my experience watching it.

[@Anxietykiss]

@@buahahaevillaugh1113 they could have shown us the geneocide as aang was walking through the place. they could have seen their bodies and imagine their deaths or something. so the switch to the avatar state would be more impactful but it didn't. in the animated series aang has hope that they are alive. katara even hides the fire warriors helmets for him.

[@yrva1745]

I love how this is supposed to be a First and Last but it’s just a Until I Hate Myself 😂😂😂

[@ccrraazzyyggiirrll]

The first cookie that appeared out of nowhere didn't phase me. The SECOND one??? I started cackling - love it

[@taniyabrye8709]

I LOVE how you point out that there's no passion. I've been saying to people like the OG show gave us emotion and made us feel things....and the ONLY time I felt emotional watching this live-action was when Iroh and his son were brought up

[@IngaFreyja]

21:57 "How do you know? Are you a botanist?" Dylan proving, once again, that he 100% knows the definition of the word botanist lmfao

[@cemeterydrive]

0:54 "what if the world ends and i can't watch my favorite shows" yeah that's literally happening right now with so many shows being taken off streaming sites lol

[@Hickory958]

He wasn't wrong😔

[@oo4758]

Which shows are gone from where?

[@tlahmed]

I immediately thought of the movie “Leave the World Behind” when the daughter is distraught she can’t watch the last episode of Friends.

[@andrewlaboy4907]

🏴‍☠️

[@dear-jessica]

Yeah, with everyone and their grandmother starting a new streaming service, I'm just collecting my favorites to not have to pay 5 different corporations rent for a few hours of entertainment.

[@IssyBee17]

Dylan just pulling a cookie out of his shirt pocket and eating it when Sokka comes on screen is very Sokka coded

[@zerovisibility-dnd]

Very fitting indeed 😂 dylan in general is just very sokka coded imo

[@Kepothethief]

I love how Dylans suggestions on how to make a scene better is an explanation of what they did in the original cartoon xD

[@jade-zd2vy]

agree w most the comments. i swear some ppl are afraid of saying they didn’t actually think the adaptation was all that good bc ppl who love it are attacking other ppl and trynna shame them by saying they’re hating for “no reason”. its honestly so dumb. they complain abt them hating but then are the ones hating on the ppl who have different opinions from them and the show

[@ilovetodrawww2095]

21:57 ah, return of the botanist

[@SArt26]

Literally one of my favourite bits he has

[@nuttterhscotb9850]

when the world needed him most, he returned.

[@azzadahia5403]

what other vids does he mention a botsnist, i vaguely remember something like that but not really

[@makaylal769]

@@azzadahia5403zootopia😂

[@bananawal8215]

I love that "botanist" has become Dylan's shorthand for anything medical or science-related.

[@thatkidfromknowhere6746]

I’ve been watch Dylan for years now so ik he’s a weird nut, but when I saw him casually pull a cookie out of his top pocket and started eating it without even mentioning the fact…let’s just say I’ve found a new level of appreciation for the madness

[@fairyfizz5985]

the way i didn’t notice until you pointed it out i-

[@jayeef2313]

I was waiting for someone to point this out 😂

[@juliannabrown4798]

i was so confused 😭😭

[@christinamani3873]

The fact that Appa’s sound is indeed someone in a booth making those noises kills me 🤣

[@cher5862]

one thing i will say is that the bending scenes were actually pretty good😭 the movements were visually pleasing

[@emmawagner8915]

At least they didn’t do a whole interpretive dance to move a pebble

[@jill9978]

At first I went “NOOO” cause i didnt want the netflix avatar to be your intro into the series like it is for a lot of reactors and then you showed your dvd collection of the original as a fan so I’m relieved and excited to watch 😂

[@kermitgotthesickkicks4265]

Same lol

[@kaygafane]

i actually enjoyed Billy Binges's commentary, as someone (Billy) who experienced the story for the first time with this.

[@senju813]

In Dylan’s older videos, you can see an ATLA poster in the background, so I was never worried.

[@SunDarling369]

Drew goodness analysis of the show is also so good, it was like therapy I felt so validated in my thoughts on the show lmao

[@elizabethc2535]

I agree I dislike when a shows explains everything it gets redundant and boring. It so much better to show and display the actions instead of word by word explanation. I like the colors and the details they do put into the show, so I hope that it can be better in the next seasons.

[@mrsjasontodd89]

Agreed if I wanted that I’d read a book

[@konstantinospentespitis9691]

​​@@mrsjasontodd89books would probably depict actions better

[@waffles658]

It’s so annoying. It’s like they think the audience is stupid. The cartoon which was actually made for kids was packed with nuance and subtext and the live action is so on the nose and flat 😭

[@KallenScarlet]

"Not season two, I promise you!" Who's gonna tell him?

[@supersizesenpai]

🤣🤣

[@entropy3615]

Fuck off. Seriously, this gets renewed for a 2nd season and so many better shows do not!? In terms of live action, the original animated series is perfection.

[@xLionsxxSmithyx]

There's also gonna be a season 3... 😅

[@handicaprio8423]

dylan being an og ATLA fan just made my life a little bit better

[@leocookie9908]

why is no one addressing the fact he took a cookie out of his shirt pocket and ate it, how long was it in there and why was it so casual ( 9:18)

[@PersonallyPerhaps]

I totally missed that I can’t believe that I did not see it before.

[@ryanmiskin]

"Promise me there isn't going to be more exposition." Oh Dylan, strap in baby this is the exposition show.

[@Pancake.or.nothing]

Aang kept calling katara and sokka his friends but we never see them be “friends” plus the fact that the siblings entered the tunnel of LOVERS IS CRAZY, plus pluss.. you know what i have soo many things to say but i’m lazy

[@tornadochaser2457]

Siblings have a love for each other - Your mind is dirty! FOR SHAME!!!

[@Pancake.or.nothing]

@@tornadochaser2457you damn well know thats not what i was talking about, they literally talked about how it is for lovers to find each other blah blah

[@tornadochaser2457]

@@Pancake.or.nothing I've always been ignorant. Always, I tell ya.

[@Blueeyesinthesky]

@@tornadochaser2457are you kidding me? In the OG show the tunnel of lovers represents ROMANTIC love bc of how the tunnels were created (two lovers created them)

[@tornadochaser2457]

@@Blueeyesinthesky I'm just joking around, trying to demonise and shame flippantly and ridiculously, talking nonsense etc.

[@cathy4697]

Giving the audience everything, whether through exposition or whatever also removes one crucial aspect, audience participation. Theories, discussions, what could've, what should've, imagine if... The audience ends up having so much to discuss that was either implied offscreen or never brought up. Helping a show last longer in people's minds than just the release dates. Like the original did!!!

[@NerdyGamerReacts]

Exactly, to this day, people still talk about the OG series, in every way, character arcs, storyline, spirit world, heck, for me, LOK is equal to this show, brilliant story, Nickelodeon just screwed with it by messing with the final season, and forcing it online, after several time slot switches.

[@reiha7320]

dylan i NEEd you to watch the rest of the episodes. the way you just destroyed their stupid exposition dumbs and other decisions, i need this for every scene. please dont stop here, when we need you the most

[@mikaylamae190]

auzula "whats next?" dylan " not season 2 i promise you. " i choked

[@HoundsBane]

“brothers & sisters, Dylan has done it again!” 😂😂

[@shybeann]

Im sorry but i dont agree with him, i like the series adaptation

[@HoundsBane]

@@shybeann That’s fair . I’m glad you liked it.

[@flowersandfangs]

consistent posts AND he’s up to date with his show choice??? who is this man

[@ridhirox]

Dylan: If there's a zombie apocalypse..I feel like my survive skills aren't that great Zuko: That's rough buddy

[@cailynnpalmer]

Not him missing the cabbage guy scene “my cabbages”

[@heading4home]

Man's critiques were on point. First episode was worst but gets better in my opinion as the show goes on. Keep up the great work dude.

[@NuniPikachu]

the moment sokka didn't say "yip yip", I knew it can't be a good adaption

[@adrijamukherjee202]

It is really weird to see Dylan be This consistent with his content but hey, I'm here for it.

[@demiladeijimakinwa]

Yeah, I was thinking that too 😅

[@cookieridergirl]

There are certain things i’ve liked about the Netflix show and it some of the original stuff they added in. For example, I liked the small details in Zuko’s characterization. His room was filled with all these avatar artifacts. He had a journal where he compiled all this information about the avatar. It showed how he actually put time and effort into hunting the avatars beside just practicing fighting moves. He was very diligent in this version actually trying to find leads and learn more about the avatar than anyone else has. And he did all this in 3 years. Making himself an expert. He was 13 when he was banished. Can you imagine an average 13 year old put that much time into studies. So I liked that. And I sorta liked how they use that later on to give more of a character between Aang and Zuko beside Zuko just hunting Aang. It alludes that Zuko could have the potential to be friends an a mentor to Aang, but this early into the series I think provides a false hope in Aang that he could trust Zuko to early into his character growth. Zuko isn’t ready to be an ally yet so I think this connection is a good way to break some hope before Zuko need to actually earn team Avatar’s trust.

[@emmawagner8915]

I liked the journal a lot as a plot point and I think it was pretty to look at too

[@saureld2448]

Agreed. If only they did that much SHOWING instead of telling through exposition with every character.

[@christinepeck4523]

9:18 so we just gonna ignore Dylan fishing a cookie from his pocket 😂😂

[@rorydunster6471]

I find it hilarious that Dylan's youtube video is better at 'show don't tell' than the actual series he's watching

[@merielaria]

*holding an animal* "are you a botanist??" 😭😭

[@UncleBuck3t]

i REALLY wanted gyatso to remove the air from the room like it was lowkey implied he did (no scortch marks on him, but some of the fire benders were clutching their throats) but the second the kids were involved i knew we wouldnt see that.

[@alexawatkins3541]

The fact that Dylan always second guesses his use of certain words, but then incorrectly, but confidently, uses the word “botanist” is so funny to me😂

[@tamaraaydin1522]

Did you just pull out a cookie???? FROM YOUR SHIRT POCKET?????

[@evascorner4120]

Dylan, I love you. Thank you for voicing the fandom's thoughts for us, i literally felt as if you were reading my mind the entire video thank you for putting this out into the world

[@tilda_music276]

I JUST FINISHED WATCHING THIS SERIES AND WAS LIKE I WISH DYLAN WOULD REACT TO THIS BUT THEN REMEMBERED HOW HE'S THE MOST STUBBORN PERSON EVER AND DOESNT TAKE REQUESTS SO I SHRUGGED IT OFF AS A LOST DREAM AND NOW LOOK AT US

[@shantisatori9893]

He only takes recs from netflix 😂❤

[@rivert132]

I have never clicked faster

[@June_doesarts]

Same

[@user-xq7fv6sh9y]

Frr

[@Redjanuary17]

Same literally

[@natsclouds]

L I T E R A L L Y

[@Strawberry_515]

Fr

[@maria.hamandi]

I’m continually impressed by how Dylan is capable of getting me to sit through a whole sponsorship segment every time - especially when it’s a recurring sponsor, he still manages to make it different and interesting every time

[@theso1arf1are]

the real question is when Dylan is going to make his directorial debut

[@ceciliahorner2664]

I died laughing at “Oopa! It’s a whole flock of Oopas!” 🤣🤣

[@maria.hamandi]

MY MAN JUST PULLED A COOKIE OUT OF HIS POCKET AND AND I AUDIBLY GASPED I- I- I au- I audib- I- THIS VIDEO IS SPONSORED BY AUDIBLE 😀😀😀

[@syra1541]

LMFAOOO

[@user-mAfuNqrSe020x]

I hate you 😂

[@besupaaa]

I feel like dylan would have fun if he didnt know the show, but now that I know he does, its gonna be even better. This show is ALL TELL, Dylan. Its ALL TELL. And the fact that they changed the reason why he leaves the air nomads is BONKERS.

[@amyangel5196]

The fact that katara is so silent and calm and aang too. He's never really jumps and acts like a child and katara is just like"yeah sokka you are right and I have no option bc Im a woman" 🗣

[@milcah38]

I literally also have the full DVD set, still in plastic packaging, because I thought “ what if something happens to all the streaming services and the internet and technology? I need a physical copy so I can ACTUALLY own it! “ but like, also, i don’t have a dvd player……

[@cheese2252]

things like this make me glad that i know nothing about the technicalities of film production because i thoroughly enjoyed it😭

[@deedreamerify]

17:57 -very accurate portrayal of someone responding to hearing your trauma

[@themaestro2004]

As someone whose watched the OG show at least 20 times (like most fans) I was so hyped I literally watched the first EPISODE of the live action immediately it dropped and I just felt the smile on my face fade slowly through the first episode. MAIN PROBLEMS: THE SCRIPT - Like no one talks like this. TOO MUCH EXPOSITION - The OG shows whole story unravelled itself so naturally like in the first season the way the characters just move from set piece to set piece is just a perfect progression. Also the way the OG used flashbacks and showed what happenned like Aangs backstory instead of mostly just saying the things that happened. CHARACTERS FEEL FLAT - Especially Katara wheres the overemotional, motherly and caring character CHANGES TO THE STORY - Aang doesnt run away. Katara argument with Paku is pushed to the battle. Aang doesnt go to the spirit world to get info on moon and ocean spirit hes just told. But the effects were decent

[@7991ot]

I'm thinking maybe I chose right when I decided to watched it dubbed, cause a lot of the criticism I've seen is about how the line delivery feels flat and it didn't really feel that bad to me, so maybe the dubbing actors did a better job😶‍🌫️ (dubbed in spanish, btw)

[@moneecah]

I also don’t like that their outfits look like they just bought them clean and new from a costume cosplay store. Why can’t their outfits look a little more realistic, like how the outfits in LOTR or GOT look realistic

[@trentt5310]

My only saving grace for this show is that I got to see some environments and scenes in live action style, the effects were pretty good and definitely made me excited to see some things. Too bad it was ruined by the rest.

[@syk939]

But the effects were decent 😂

[@Pancake.or.nothing]

That was my issue too, its like everyone knew everything and they just spent their time telling us, like katara and sokka have never left their village but they knew so much about so many things

[@jamesrobin2857]

"Its telling, not showing" Yep, you just explained the whole show.

[@topcat2085]

The 2 videos in (nearly) a week is freaking me tf out dylan, you okay babes?

[@chileanyways196]

Dylan you should watch one piece. That’s an example of an adaptation done right with people who clearly care about the source material

[@ChelseaDeE]

My favorite running joke is Dylan constantly saying "I'm not a botanist" when talking about animals 😆😆

[@supersizesenpai]

"Damn, they are really just doing more telling now." Me: Hold on to your Sour Patch Kids cuz its gonna get worse. 🤣🤣

[@hazywildflower22]

it makes me SO HAPPY to see you doing more detailed film commentary again

[@Hana_H]

Same

[@MrManlnBlack]

To be fair, the journey to master all of the elements is typically a decade long journey. Idk if Aang actually knows this but what he does know is that he has to leave the only place he’s ever known and loved… at 12. Roku was like 16 when he left.

[@Prizmatic_Raven]

Lol when you said in your last episode you'd be back next Monday. I was expecting it to be a few months but this is a nice surprise

[@hazywildflower22]

16:32 the fact that he didn't even have to say anything for us to understand his pain

[@themighteefox]

You could say Dylan used...showing instead of telling... ;)

[@elisafigueora1688]

The way she’s literally smiling.. like y’all couldn’t reshoot that?

[@vhazzacara4383]

The reason why some don't like it is exactly because they keep explaining the things happening in their lines 😂

[@Cat.in.a.tuxedo]

9:17 the fact he just has a cookie in his shirt pocket is hilarious

[@traxathon4464]

Something I never see anyone talk about is the final scene with Sokka and Yue's dad, even though I think it is the perfect illustration of what went wrong with this show. In the animated version, the dad says when Yue was a baby, he had a vision of her turning into the moon and always knew the day would come when he lost her. Sokka says, "you must be proud" and the dad responds, in a shaky voice, "So proud. And sad." And that's it. That's the scene. It's barely a minute long and it's a simple yet powerful acknowledgement of a father who just lost his daughter. Even though Yue's "death" was heroic, it's still sad and illustrates how terrible war is, even when the battle is won. In the netflix version, you have Sokka crying over Yue's death and the father is comforting HIM. This man just lost his daughter and Sokka is such an asshole that he starts going off about how sad he is. We don't even get a hint the dad is that torn up about it really. And the point is to wrap up Sokka's arc for the season, but we didn't need it. Having Sokka respectfully talk to Yue's dad and letting him grieve would've been a way better way to illustrate Sokka's newfound maturity and how he is groing into a man. But no, we have to have a father who just lost his child comfort a boy they all met like 2 days ago for no other reason than the writers feel like the audience needs literally everything spelled out for them multiple times.

[@luiiiandmovieee]

1:15 - 1:25 I can actually see Dylan in a apocalypse in that little surviver group convincing everyone to watch atla. I imagine it a bit like in the movie Love And Monsters lol

[@pivotmanplus]

“Are you a botanist” when referring to momo is something that shouldn’t have been as funny as I thought it was 😂

[@isitedible7121]

Aang made me depressed ngl. Like where is his goofy self.

[@statesofgracie]

“but how would I know my college ain’t even real” yeah my college (that I only went to for one semester) recently shut down. instantly thought of Dylan.

[@isswaryaarjunan9266]

Dylan should’ve edited in the single tear counts 😂

[@HonzukiNoGekokujou]

All the telling and not showing in the first episode just made me go back to the cartoon. And I was happy.