By Ben Wright (@Iamzavagno | www.xgeeks.co.uk)
This review is spoiler-free.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 is a big improvement over the first. It still doesn’t quite capture the magic or emotional weight of the animated series, and I don’t think it ever will, but it feels much more confident in what it’s trying to be.
The first thing you’ll notice is something the production couldn’t really avoid. Gordon Cormier has quite clearly hit puberty since Season One. He’s taller, his voice has changed, and it’s pretty obvious in the opening episode. Thankfully, the time jump does enough to explain it, and after twenty minutes or so, you stop thinking about it. If anything, it changes Aang in an interesting way. His emotional moments feel less like an innocent kid struggling with the weight of the world and more like a teenager pushing back. Considering the live-action series has always leaned into a slightly more mature tone, I actually think it works. Filming Seasons Two and Three back-to-back was definitely the right call, too.
One of my biggest complaints about Season One was the pacing. That’s almost completely gone here. Everything moves with much more purpose, and the way they’ve reworked and combined parts of the original story keeps it feeling fresh, even if you already know exactly where it’s heading. There were quite a few moments where I knew what scene was coming, but not quite how they were going to get there, and I liked that.
The action has had a noticeable upgrade as well. The bending looks better, the choreography feels sharper, and the cast looks far more comfortable this time around. It just feels like everyone’s settled into their roles now. That’s probably the biggest compliment I can give Season Two, everything feels more assured. The storytelling is tighter, the pacing is better, the characters have more room to shine, and the action is consistently fun to watch.
I also don’t think it leans on nostalgia anywhere near as much as the first season did. There are still moments clearly aimed at fans of the original, but it feels like the show is starting to stand on its own feet instead of constantly reminding you what it’s adapting. Personally, I’d still like to see it take a few more risks.
That said, I don’t envy the writers. Fans always say they want something different, but the minute you move away from the source material, people complain it isn’t faithful enough. Stick too closely to the original, and suddenly it’s called pointless because the animated series already exists. It’s a balancing act, I don’t think any adaptation can ever really win.
The main cast continues to be one of the show’s biggest strengths. Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio and Ian Ousley have much better chemistry this season, and they all seem far more comfortable in their roles. But for me, Dallas Liu is still the standout. Every season seems to give Zuko more to do, and Liu just keeps getting better. His performance carries so much of the emotional weight of the series.
Then there’s Toph.
Like a lot of fans, she was the character I was most nervous about. She’s also one of my favourites, so expectations were ridiculously high. Thankfully, Miya Cech absolutely gets it. The confidence, sarcasm, and stubbornness, she’s everything you’d want Toph to be. I also loved the attention to detail with the special contact lenses used to sell her blindness. It’s a small production choice, but it really helps the performance feel believable. I genuinely can’t wait to see more of her in the final season.
The supporting cast deserves a mention, too. Chin Han was a brilliant bit of casting as Long Feng, while Amanda Zhou and Lourdes Faberes both make the most of their roles.
Season 2 is good, but it’s not perfect, though.
The visual effects can still be a little inconsistent. Sometimes they look fantastic, other times they look like the budget ran out the week before. It’s also clear that squeezing this part of the animated series into fewer episodes means some character arcs move a little too quickly. Most of the changes work, but every now and then, I found myself wishing certain moments had been given another episode to breathe.
If you enjoyed Season One, I think you’ll love this even more. If you were on the fence after the first season, I’d definitely give this a go because it’s a noticeable improvement. If you hated Season One, though, I’m not convinced this does enough to completely change your mind, and that’s fine. Being a fan of something doesn’t mean you have to love every version of it.
Season 2 builds on the foundations of the first and improves almost every aspect of it. Better pacing, stronger storytelling, more confident action, and excellent performances throughout. Dallas Liu’s Zuko remains the heart of the series, while Miya Cech couldn’t have asked for a better introduction as Toph. With one season left, Netflix’s Avatar finally feels like it’s found its footing.
X-Geeks 