All right, I just recently watched this series on Netflix and DVD, based on my positive recollections seeing the first few episodes when it premiered on Nick back in '05. Overall, I really enjoyed revisiting, as well as finally finishing it. The animation is fluid and hands- down the best of the Japanese-influenced American shows broadcast in the country, the narrative is wonderfully paced and interesting, and the characters are memorable and engaging from square one. Props to Dante Basco and Mako especially for their portrayals of two of my new favorite characters of all time. I really dig that this was appreciated on release and has the massive following it does, as well as a good sequel series from what I hear. If you haven't seen it yet, this is a high recommendation from me to stop and immediately rent/buy this. You'll not be disappointed.

Now I must post a few of my gripes with the show, -SPOILERS AHEAD- Now, overall, this show handles wonderfully when it comes to dealing life lessons and morality to young children, which was its primary audience. However, I sensed, especially in Books 2 and 3, a desperate struggle amongst the writers to avoid the mortality issue when it came to ANY character in the show, as well as most of the darker elements in the show, (see Bloodbending). In order to be lasting, and relatable, I felt it would be wise to address the fact that in shows dealing with these titanic struggles, there are losses on both sides, the Book 1 finale worked this in fine. When it came to Lake Laogai, they chickened out at outright telling the audience that a character was dying, and I believe subtlety was the best option they had and it mostly worked. However, Sozin's Comet gave the impression that the writers struggled to come up with a deus ex machina that they could write off as a fantastic element of the world. IT DID NOT RUIN THE FINALE, that's not what I have to say at all. I simply regret that fact that the writers seemed to think: "D'oh we can't kill the Fire Lord! We can't defend/promote that!" The deus did work, but it was a shot in the dark that just happened to work in context. Oh well, oh hell. When it comes to bloodbending, I simply wish they had gone all out and used it more to its darker advantages, ie REALLY DARK USAGES (see heart-stopping, SCANNERS!). Also, WHY THE HELL DIDN'T KATARA USE IT ON AZULA?!? I'm a messed up, grit-loving pop-culture buff; sue me for trying to make your children's show more interesting.