Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 Update Is A Worrying Sign After The Netflix Show’s Problems

Netflix has already renewed its live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender for two more seasons, but the latest update about the series risks making its existing problems worse. The Last Airbender adaptation debuted with higher viewership numbers than One Piece, but the Netflix series’ performance dipped in its second week. And despite the live-action ATLA being renewed for two more seasons, the show has proved divisive among the original’s fan base. While some viewers have praised Netflix’s take on The Last Airbender, others have harshly criticized the streamer’s iteration of the Nickelodeon series.

Judging by the live-action show’s overall performance — and the mixed reactions to the adaptation — it will need to address certain criticisms when season 2 comes around. And a recent update regarding the creative team of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 risks the series doubling down on its flaws. This news could spell trouble for the future of the series — though it could also offer an opportunity to enact needed changes.

Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Showrunner Exit Risks Making The Netflix Show’s Problems Worse

Albert Kim Is Leaving At A Critical Point For The Series

Avatar: The Last Airbender will undergo creative changes ahead of season 2, as season 1 showrunner Albert Kim is stepping down from the role. Despite the Netflix show continuing for at least two more seasons, Kim’s attachment is coming to an early end. Executive producers Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani are taking the reins instead, while Kim will move on to Disney+. There, he’ll serve as an executive producer on the streamer’s Percy Jackson TV show and work on other projects for the streamer (via Variety).

While it doesn’t sound like Kim’s departure is motivated by creative differences, it could impact the overall direction of the Netflix show. There’s no telling if the vision for the live-action The Last Airbender will be different under new leadership in season 2. With the tone and storytelling already somewhat inconsistent and divisive, this could mark a negative turning point for the series. Hopefully, it won’t come to that — but it is a concern when such a huge change is occurring so early in the show’s run. It could make the mixed reactions even worse, harming any chance The Last Airbender has of turning things around.

Why Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender Was Already Getting Mixed Responses

The Tone Was Inconsistent & The Series Made Some Unpopular Changes To The Original Nickelodeon Show

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender is getting mixed responses for several reasons, one of them being its inconsistent tone. The original Nickelodeon series strikes a solid balance between its serious overarching storyline and its cartoonish humor, and that’s part of the reason it remains so popular. By contrast, the live-action adaptation feels tonally inconsistent. While it tries to capture the comedy that makes the original great, it doesn’t always stick the landing. And of course, there are other changes to the source material that aren’t popular with diehard fans.

Characters like Katara, Sokka, and Aang are significantly different in Netflix’s live-action Last Airbender. The series erases elements of their characters that are crucial to their arcs, and such changes from the Nickelodeon show have been hotly debated. Not every divergence is poorly executed, but enough of them are controversial to create a divide in the reviews. While some viewers are willing to look past such differences, others are staunchly against them. This is something The Last Airbender season 2 needs to fix, but its creative changes could throw new problems into the mix.

Netflix Needs To Get Avatar: The Last Airbender Right In Season 2

The New Episodes Need More Consistency

A new creative direction for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but Netflix’s adaptation needs to get certain aspects of the original right in season 2. For one, it should make a greater effort to be faithful to the original series, allowing its characters to showcase all of their flaws. Adding Katara’s anger, Sokka’s sexism, and Aang’s childish attitude would be a massive improvement on season 1. Additionally, it must get The Last Airbender season 2’s fan-favorite character right: Toph.

In addition to working on the character writing, Netflix’s Last Airbender needs to strike a more consistent tone. Even if it doesn’t directly replicate that of the original Nickelodeon show, it should feel more like the adaptation has found its footing. As of season 1, it’s unclear whether Avatar: The Last Airbender is trying to replicate the magic of the original or do something new. It goes back and forth too frequently, and it needs to decide what approach it wants to take: a more mature and serious one or the lighthearted vision of the source material.

Source: Variety