Avatar: The Legend of Korra

[starlady]

I promised unjapanologist last summer that I would finish watching Avatar: The Legend of Korra without her. I fulfilled that promise only eleven months later when I was lying on the couch after getting my wisdom teeth out. I'd stopped about halfway through, and I knew enough from other people not to expect too much.

Overall, I liked this show, but the comparisons between this first season of Korra and the first season of ATLA are instructive. The first season of ATLA didn't quite gel very well, but it did set up a good overarching plot and it introduced some great characters. Korra, on the other hand, shortchanges character development in favor of a rushed, slapdash, and deus ex machine finale. (Where is it going to go from here?)

The worst part of it was the ridiculous romance plot and the fact that Korra learning airbending--and regaining her bending!--were totally deus ex machina. Whereas ATLA was really good about showing how Aang had to practice and develop his earthbending over time, ATLK just waves its hand and suddenly Korra can magically airbend at the climax when she needs to. Similarly, there is no actual plot justification for why Mako decides he suddenly likes Korra better than Asami, and the fact that their ridiculous mutual crush is sealed with "I love you"s at the end of the season is cringe-worthy.

I understand some of this is because the show runners weren't certain that the show would be renewed for future seasons (it has), but seriously, that is no excuse for lazy writing. I liked the overarching plot, and I really loved the world and the way it's evolved since ATLA, and Republic City, and LIN BEI FONG. And even Tenzin and so many of the other characters. (Though I'm not gonna lie, Appa >> Korra's polar bear dog, for serious.) But jebus, Bryan and Mike, way to fall down.

Comments

[inkstone]

I honestly felt that LoK showed Mike & Bryan's weaknesses as actual writers and directors versus overall creators. I really missed some of ATLA's production staff like Aaron Ehasz and Giancarlo Volpe.

[oyceter]

The romance stuff was so bad! I also find it one of the weak points of AtLA as well, though nowhere near as bad as LoK. It feels like the writers have a general template of what a romance should look like and shove characters in, completely ignoring things like characterization and motive and etc. I am also resentful because I think the plot might have been less ramshackle if they'd spent less time on the love polygons.

That said, Appa >>> Korra's polar bear dog, but Pabu is best!!!

[laceblade]

ISN'T IT SO INFURIATING?!

For about 3 minutes in the end, I was SO EXCITED because I thought it was going to end with Korra losing her bending & still have to figure out how to be the Avatar and that was SO INTERESTING to me and would have been a great storyline, imo.

[lilacsigil]

They set up so many fascinating things...and then just fell completely flat. They're bringing in more of the old writers next season, so my hopes are up for that, at least.

[recessional]

Not the last, I haven't watched it yet, and to be honest not a lot of what I've heard about it motivates me to.

[unjapanologist]

Yeah, all that. Though I did like it much because of the stuff that actually was shiny - the animation *drool*, Lin and Tenzin, Iroh, the airbabies etc. A shame about how rushed everything was. Some of AtLA's filler episodes were a tad boring, but you do need a breather sometimes, or just some silly stuff that lets the characters be themselves in a non-crisis setting.