Column: Life with Logan
When I first read the Netflix announcement, I didn’t know if I should scream with joy or groan with disappointment. I’m not a fan of sequels or adaptations. Adding to a finished story reduces the significance of its predecessor.
Let’s rewind 14 years.
On Feb. 21, 2005, Nickelodeon premiered an animated series that revolutionized my television experience. It served as personal entertainment, and it prompted many deep philosophical conversations between my friends and me.
The show: “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”
“Jimmy Neutron” and “SpongeBob” introduced me to TV, so “The Last Airbender” gave me a completely fresh genre. It perfectly blended a suspenseful narrative, an intricate theme and relatable characters into a beautiful story of leadership, friendship and forgiveness (no, I won’t say “cabbages”).
At first glance, “The Last Airbender” seems to mirror innocent cartoons like “Blue’s Clues” or “Dora, the Explorer.” However, the three seasons of “The Last Airbender” proved that modern storytelling techniques — displayed in ABC’s “Once Upon a Time” and HBO’s “Game of Thrones” — can be implemented in children’s television.
As you progress through each episode of “The Last Airbender,” secrets slowly unravel around the mystical nations (Air Nomads, Earth Kingdom, Water Tribes and Fire Nation), each group representing a different physical element.
The show ripples with plot twists, and each character grows as they meet new people and tackle severe obstacles. The show even includes “bending,” a concept replicating magic. I had never seen anything like it.
Unlike “Jimmy Neutron,” “The Fairly OddParents” and “SpongeBob,” “The Last Airbender” told a chronological story of a 12-year-old boy, the Avatar, who’s tasked with saving humanity from the Fire Nation’s tyranny. The show laces comic relief, but it avoids the senseless humor frequently overused in most Nickelodeon shows.
For once, a children’s show contained content beyond irrational comedy.
After the first episode, my eyes were glued. I didn’t have online streaming, so my only avenue was traditional means: wait every Monday night for the premiere of a new episode.
I’ve re-watched “The Last Airbender” several times, and each re-run reveals something new. The show has also prompted me to explore anime, a genre similar in charm.
As I’ve grown up, I’ve met young adults like myself who love “The Last Airbender.” It’s refreshing to see that 11 years after the show’s conclusion, it remains relevant in the hearts of fans. Watching today feels like teleporting into the past, when imagination and adventure dominated my life.
Several weeks ago, I learned something exciting and terrifying. Exciting, because “The Last Airbender” remains the greatest cartoon of all time. Terrifying, because the movie adaptation (2010) nearly poisoned the franchise upon release.
Netflix announced that they will create a live-action TV remake.
You may think the upcoming midterm elections have serious consequences, but wait until you become an “Airbender” fanatic. Nothing will stab you sharper than a butchered adaptation of your favorite television show.
I need to give Netflix some leeway. They’ve produced great content before, and thankfully, they will work alongside the show’s original creators, Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino.
I’m thrilled and worried, but like the Avatar, I’m willing to traverse the unknown.