Episode 423 – Live Action Avatar and Dune (or Why We Can’t Have Nice Things)

Why Do Hacks Feel the Need to Destroy Everything

This week on the podcast, Brian and Darryl review the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender Series from Netflix and the Warner Bros. feature film Dune: Part 2.

Episode Index

Intro: 0:07 AtLAB: 5:44 Dune Part 2: 37:28

Avatar the Last Airbender (Season 1) (Netflix)

Out of 10 This Really is the Story of the Ember Island Players Darryl: 4.5/10 Brian: 4/10

Summary In the live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” on Netflix, Aang, a young Airbender who has been frozen in an iceberg for 100 years, awakens to find the world ravaged by the Fire Nation. As the Avatar, the only individual capable of mastering all four elements (Water, Earth, Fire, and Air), Aang embarks on a journey to restore balance to the world. He joins forces with siblings Katara, a water bender, and Sokka, a talented Southern Water Tribe warrior, and together they face challenges and adventures as Aang trains to hone his bending abilities and fulfill his destiny. This remix of the beloved animated series bastardizes the core elements of the original story while presenting it through a live-action lens.

Cast: Main Characters: – Aang: Gordon Cormier – Katara: Kiawentiio Tarbell – Sokka: Ian Ousley – Prince Zuko: Dallas Liu – Uncle Iroh: Paul Sun-Hyung Lee – Azula: Elizabeth Yu – Fire Lord Ozai: Daniel Dae Kim Supporting Characters: – Suki: Maria Zhang – Yukari (Suki’s mother): Tamlyn Tomita – Gran Gran (Katara and Sokka’s grandmother): Casey Camp-Horinek – Jet: Sebastian Amoruso – The Mechanist: Danny Pudi – Commander Zhao: Ken Leung

Episodes

Episode 1 Title: Aang Directed By: Michael Goi Written by: Albert Kim & Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko

Episode 2 Title: Warriors Directed By: Michael Goi Written By: Joshua Hale Fialkov

Episode 3 Title: Omashu Directed By: Michael Balfry Written By: Christine Boylan

Episode 4 Title: Into the Dark Directed By: Albert Kim Written By: Keely MacDonald

Episode 5 Title: The Southern Air Temple Directed By: Lauren Lynex Written By: Lauren Lynex

Episode 6 Title: The Spirit World Directed By: Arun A. Mylvaganam Written By: Katie Lovejoy

Episode 7 Title: Siege of the North Directed By: Bharat Nalluri Written By: Nicole Yoo

Episode 8 Title: Crossroads of Destiny Directed By: Albert Kim & Jabbar Raisani Written By: Albert Kim & Katie Lovejoy

Production

Produced by (activist) Albert Kim Production Companies Netflix and Rideback

Top Production Notes: Positives: Cinematography and Visual Effects: The live-action portrayal of the world is visually stunning, with impressive bending effects and detailed set design. Casting Choices: Some viewers find certain actors, particularly the young leads, to be well-cast and embody the characters’ personalities effectively.

Negatives: Pacing and Storytelling Choices: Some critics found the pacing of the first season to be slow and felt the show condensed plot points from the original series, potentially hindering character development and impacting the overall story flow. Deviation from the Source Material: While some viewers appreciate the show’s attempt to adapt the story for a live-action format, others felt certain changes to the narrative or character arcs were unnecessary and took away from the essence of the original.

Budget The budget for the live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” on Netflix is reported to be $15 million per episode. This means the entire first season, consisting of eight episodes, reportedly cost $120 million to produce.

Dune: Part 2 (2024)

Out of 10 Why Did Lady Jessica Go Full Super-Villains Darryl: 6.25/10 Brian: 4/10

Summary Picking up after the events of the first film, Pa