Top 10 favorite movies adapted from TV shows

   What happens when a TV show is a big hit on the small screen, well, they become bigger hits on the big screen, usually. Sometimes a movie based on a TV program can bomb, failing to live up to the qualities of its cable counterpart, but other times they can surpass the standards of their shows and become cinematic gems in their own right. Whether it’s based on a TV show, or a continuation with the same cast, here are my own personal top 10 favorite movies adapted from TV programs. 

   

#10 Twilight Zone: The Movie

TV show aired from 1959 – 1964, 1985-1989 (CBS), 2002-2003 (UPN)

Movie premiered in 1983

The original Twilight Zone is one of my favorite TV programs of all time, thanks to its themes of Science fiction laced with horror, and deep, thought provoking concepts which are still very intriguing to this day. While the 1983 movie doesn’t capture the same brilliance of its cable TV counterpart, it is still a very entertaining horror/Sci-Fi anthology film that combines four stories in one nice package. The four segments are remakes of classic episodes from the TV show, but with a bigger budget, and some awesome effects. There’s also a nice variety, ranging from magical and upbeat, to dark and sinister, to goofy and all over the place, it runs the whole gambit. Don’t expect the same thought provoking themes raised in the TV series, but the presentation, style and premise make it a very fun experience.  

#9 Serenity

TV show (Firefly) ran from September 2002 – December 2002 (Fox)

Movie premiered in 2005

Before he directed “The Avengers”, Joss Whedon helmed one of my all time favorite TV shows, which was taken from us way too soon. The 2002 TV series “Firefly” was a creative blend of outer-space travel with a Wild West style and overtone. It was imaginative, funny, action packed and featured one of the greatest casts of characters I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, the show was canceled after only eleven episodes, and that’s where the movie comes in. The 2005 film titled “Serenity” reunites the cast, continues the story further and concludes the Firefly series on a relatively high note. While I personally don’t think the movie captured the same charm or charisma of the TV series, it at least helped fill an empty void that was left when the show was taken off air, and that’s a big plus. Even as a standalone Sci-Fi adventure, it holds up great.  

#8 Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie 2 - The Sealed Card (2000)   

TV series ran from 1998 – 2000 (WB-in America)

Movie premiered in 2000 

   

This film is adapted from an Anime show I grew up watching at a young age, and it makes my list out of pure nostalgia. Cardcaptors was actually one of those kid shows that introduced me to Japanese Anime in the first place, and the whole reason I took interest in seeing films like “Spirited Away” and “Princess Mononoke”. It's also very special to me as it was the very first Anime I watched in its original Japanese language.I can’t make a persuasive argument that this particular movie adaption of the show is “good” exactly, but it is still very special in it's own way, and I just couldn’t imagine keeping it of my list. The show revolved around an everyday girl named Sakura who’d occasionally have to protect her home town from magical oddities that had a tendency to disrupt her peaceful life. The movie “Cardcaptor 2 - The Sealed Card” was the shows swan song, and a more then satisfying conclusion to the series. Rather than close this fantasy adventure saga with a big spectacle, it’s a very subdued, quiet and peaceful epilogue that brings closure to Sakura’s journey, both magically and on a very relatable level. I can see how some viewers may regard this film as boring, but I love these characters, I enjoy spending time with them during their everyday life style, and it’s great to see Sakura finally get together with the boy she loves most. There’s also a decent magical mystery that’s slowly being unraveled, and leads to a climax that’s both thrilling and quiet touching in its own way. The animation is wonderful, the atmosphere is just as magical as ever, and when the film ends, it just leaves me with those warm nostalgic “feels”. Like I said, I wouldn’t recommend “Cardcaptor 2 - The Sealed Card” to anyone not familiar with the source material, and nostalgia aside, I know it's not exactly a great movie, but it's harmlessly derivative, and a memorable little trinket from my child hood.    

     

#7 The Simpsons movie

TV show ran from 1989 – Present (Fox)

Movie premiered in 2007

 Now this was a really unexpected treat for me because I’m honestly one of the phew people that never watched the Simpsons show at all, at least I didn’t before I saw the movie, now I can’t get enough of it. This film might just be the funniest animated films I’ve ever seen, and while I wasn’t that familiure with the source material at first, I can safely say that this film represents the absolute best of what the show had to offer. I just love the timing on these jokes, there so fast, so direct and so much fun, there’s even little detailed jokes in the animation that I find myself noticing on repeated viewings. There are plenty of little charms along the way including Arnold Schwarzenegger as the president, and a trippy dream sequence featuring animated illustrations inspired by Salvador Dali and a chillingly cool score by Hans Zimmer. There’s also a really good set up involving a dome that in-cases their home town, and a nice story arch of how the trashy Homer Simpsons becomes the towns hero. Throw in some great animation and you have yourself an A+ adaption from a classic TV show. 

#6 The Fugitive

TV show ran from 1963 – 1967 (ABC)

Movie premiered in 1993

While I freely admit, I've never seen the TV show, it really isn't necessary to watch the movie. This is back in the day when Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones were on top of the world, and this film shows them both at their best. With Harrison Ford as the wrongfully accused fugitive, and Tommy Lee Jones as the persistent cop determined to catch him, it's a thrilling crime drama, an exciting chase and while is has little to do with it's source material outside of the title, it still holds up very well on it's own and highlights two of my favorite actors when they were at their most bad ass.   

#5 Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country   

TV series ran from 1966 – 1969 (NBC)

Movie premiered in 1991

Honestly, I could have filled this list entirely with Star Trek movies, but that wouldn’t have been fair, so I’ll just select one film from each to be directly adapted from the TV shows, so I don't feel right including the excellent 2009 Star Trek movie. While most would argue that “Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Kahn” is the best adaption of the original Star Trek series, my personal favorite is “Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country”. It just gets everything right, boasting an intriguing, character-driven mystery plot with lots of incite on themes of prejudice, forgiveness, betrayal, nationalism and the fear of an un-known future. The result is a genuinely thrilling and even inspiring motion picture that’s nothing short of a masterpiece. It’s also the perfect send off for the original series, and it’s the perfect kind of final installment that any franchise should aspire to be like. 

#4 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad   

TV show (Police Squad!) aired in 1982 – and that’s where is stayed (ABC)

Movie premiered in 1988

If you thought “Firefly” was taken to soon, check this out. The comedy series titled “Police Squad” premiered on ABC back in 1982, but it was quickly canceled after only six episodes. Thankfully, the series continued with three theatrical movies that featured the same cast from the show, and stands as one of the funniest films series I’ve ever seen. It’s a no brainer that my favorite is the first film titled “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!”. It’s relentlessly funny and full of non-stop joke's, one after the next. This is definitely a comedy that gets better every time you watch it, because you notice something new every time, there are jokes in the background, the foreground and the plot manages to stay consistently strong. They never ware out their welcome, just when you thought you got to the funniest part of the film something else happens that’s even funnier. Finally, I honestly think this was the greatest performance of Leslie Nielsen’s carrier, he is just so brilliant, lively and manages to pull off a convincing yet hilarious performance all at the same time. With competent writing, fast past hummer, and a fantastic performance from one of my favorite actors, “The Naked Gun: From The Files of Police Squad!” still stands as one of the greatest comedies that the genre has to offer.

#3 Batman Mask of the Phantasm

TV show ran from 1992 – 1995 (Fox)

Movie premiered in 1993

To date, this is the only animated Batman movie to be released in the theater, and in all honesty, it’s one of my favorite superhero movies ever. It has all that epic super hero excitement and brooding gothic tones that Batman is loved for. The story has a lot of things going on but it’s all very subtle. Batman is pitted against some of his greatest enemies, yet the writers manage to keep the attention on our hero and some up everything in just 76 minutes, that’s very impressive. The film dives into the geneses of Batman, and we get a very complex love story that mixes the hopes and dreams off a beautiful life with the darkness of reality. Plus there’s lots of great style, animation, action, excitement and a beautifully haunting musical score composed by Shirley Walker. If you’re as big of a Batman fan as I, then make sure you check this film out, it’s one of the best.

#2 Wayne’s World   

TV show aired on “Saturday Night Live” from 1988 – Present (NBC)

Movie premiered in 1992

I can’t call myself a fan of “Saturday Night Live” or the original “Wayne’s World” sketches themselves because I’ve honestly never watched them. But the 1992 motion picture “Wayne’s World” has been one of my favorite movies for years, and still is to this day. This is yet another great Comedy that just gets funnier every time you watch it. Its chalk full of memorable catch phrases, fun music, pop culture jokes and the characters themselves are just so enduring. Mike Myers and Dana Carvey have such great individual personalities, and they make for a terrific comedic buddy team. The rest of the cast do their jobs very well, and the story is so perfectly simple, yet it stands out as one of the most beautifully constructed comedies of all time. Party on guys, Party on...

#1 Star Trek: First Contact

TV series ran from 1987 – 1994 (CBS)

Movie premiered in 1996

I’m a huge fan of “Star Trek The Next Generation”, I love the TV series and the films that followed, but if I had to choose just one to place on this list, it would have to be “Star Trek First Contact”. This is where my whole fan base for the series started, and it was actually one of the first movies I saw in the theater. This movie is actually a follow up on one of the shows most popular episodes titled “The Best of Both Worlds”, and pit our hero’s against their most popular enemy, the Borg. Everything about this film is just so awesome, the score by Jerry Goldsmith is so beautiful that it gives me chills every time I hear it. The action is great, the effects are very impressive, the atmosphere is really strong, and it’s also a very engaging story as we see the captain constantly struggle with his own internal battle of vengeance or making the right chooses. There are plenty of strong sub stories to keep your attention, along with fantastic characters that are all brought to life so well by this very talented cast. Overall, this is the film that fans and non-Star Trek fans alike can enjoy, and it’s my favorite TV adapted movie of all time. 

       End

Avatar: The Last Air Bender (2005 - 2008) (TV Show Review)

   Every once in a while I discover a TV show that really didn’t seem all that interesting at first, but then I’m rewarded with quiet a pleasant surprise. The animated TV series “Avatar: The Last Air Bender” first premiered on Nickelodeon way back in 2005, and ran till 2008. At the time of the shows premier, I was just graduating from Middle School, and transitioning into High school, so I really wasn’t that interested in watching a cartoon show on Nickelodeon. 

Fast forward several years to when I graduated from college, one ordinary day I decided to give this critically acclaimed show a look, and boy howdy ... it didn’t take long for this series to become one of my new favorite TV programs of all time. Almost immediately, I just fell in love with the characters, the world building, the art direction, the cultural references, the themes, the adventure, and the thrilling action scenes. So, I’m going to kick off the New Year by paying tribute to one of my favorite TV shows. Now, this review will be structured a little differently than my other TV reviews, as I don’t want to spoil too much, and I feel individual viewers really just need to experience it for themselves. As such, when discussing characters and individual seasons, I’ll mostly keep things simple, while also conveying my feelings for the series as a whole.   

  The animation style is obviously inspired by Japanese Anime, however, this show is an entirely American production, one that just happens to be influenced by Japanese culture, myths, and Philosophies. The intro is a nice little sum up of the synopsis, and it gets me thrilled every time. The show is set in a mystical Kingdome that’s divided into four nations, the Earth Nation, the Fire Nation, the Water Nation, and the Air nomads. Select individuals from each are born with the ability to control a single element from their respected nations, all with the excepting of the Avatar, who can harness all four elements. 

Unfortunately, the fire nation had more element benders then the other three colonies, and soon they spread their armies on a savage campaign to concur all the lands. The Avatar had the power to stop them, but do to mysterious reasons ... he simply vanished. After a 100 year long siege, the fire nation concurred the majority of the four nations, and even wiped out the air nomads entirely. Then one day, two siblings of the Water Tribe discovered that the Avatar has been reincarnated in the form of a young twelve year old boy named Aang, who’s the last surviving member of the Air nation. The three young hero’s make a pledge to save their world from the grasp of the fire nation, and set-off on a journey to save the land of four kingdoms.

   Along the way, the narrative gets much deeper with lots of character back-story, spiritual awakenings, and personal struggles, but to sum things up, this is an adventure series. We follow these young hero’s on their quest, meet several other memorable characters along the way, explore this imaginative Kingdome, and it leads to one thrilling experience after another. It’s a show that pulled no punches, as it was epic and grand in scale, with effective dramatic tension laced throughout, but also with a tone that was fun and up-beat for younger viewers. Honestly, this show runs the gambit between light-hearted joy, to a sense of fantastical grandeur, right in the same vein as “The Lord of the Rings” series. It's a delicate tight rope tone to balance, but this show really knew how to have fun with itself, even when balancing dark themes, complex drama, adult morals. The series is also incredibly layered with it's world building, and imaginative concepts, but it's also very good at holding your hand through all the details as they gradually come about.  

  The first thing that one me over in this show were it's characters ... without question one of my all-time favorite round-ups of memorable individuals, distinct with personality, and each undergoing a personal arch. By the end of the show, everyone is a different person from who they were before, and that's when an adventure journey is at it's best. Beyond that, it's just a joy watching these distinct personalities bounce off each other, to the point where they not only feel real, but I also want them to be real ... like I want to imagine their lives continuing on after the show ends. Each player, big or small had their own strengths and charismatic charms, and while this show certainly has a big cast, I’ll just address the 8 main characters.

Avatar Aang (voiced by Zach Tyler Eisen) 

Having a young kid as a kingdoms chosen one is nothing new, but Aang has his own strengths that make him stand apart from other architypes in the vein of Luke Skywalker or Harry Potter. Do to his young age and joyful outlook on life, this hero is very reluctant to be a chosen one of any kind, and really just wants to have fun, but at the same time, he’ll never turn his back on those in need either. As a result, he has to grow up fast to be a selfless hero, but he never loses his child-like innocents, and that makes him a real joy to watch. He’s cheerful and funny, but also humble and heroic. Things only get better with the supporting cast. 

Katara (voiced by Mae Whitman) 

Katara is a young 14 year old who was born with the mystical powers of controlling the element of water, and she’s the surrogate mother of the group. Katara’s also Aang's teacher, his closest friend, and over time would become a love interest. While everyone in this show is a favorite character of mine, Katara was the first one I found myself latching onto. She has it all, a positive outlook on life, while also dealing with tragic losses both from her past and present. She has a gentle heart and conveys parental wisdom, but she also has the focus and strength to kick some series butt. She’s passionate and loving, but she also has all the side effects of being young, like naïve jealousy, and an occasional ill temper. She even has a dark side that she tries to channel with her motherly warmth, and it’s her optimism of a better future during hard times make her so enduring.

Sokka (Voiced by Jack DeSena) 

Sakka is Katara’s older brother, and the only member of the group who doesn’t have any elemental bending powers. He’s the surrogate leader of the team, the one with all the plans, and he also happens to be the shows main comedic relief. In all honesty, he might just be one of the greatest comedic characters I’ve ever seen in an animated program. Even though he’s incredibly funny, Sakka’s also very charismatic, supportive, and even a little complex, which makes him more than just a walking punch line. It's also a rare treat to see a comedic character in the role of team leader, but he earns is title, as he's quiet resourceful in taking charge. 

Toph (Voiced by Jessie Flower) 

One of Season two’s biggest accomplishments was the introduction of a new main stay character named Toph Beifong, a little blind girl who ran away from home to join Avatar Aang, and his allies on their quest. She has the ability to control the element of Earth, and is Aang’s personal mentor on the subject. While she’s a close friend, and brimming with a high spirited personality, she’s also a little stubborn and selfish, which keeps her from getting as close with the group. While she’s rough around the edges, she’s also incredibly likable, has some really funny remarks, and despite being blind, she’s arguably the strongest fighter of the group. Her story arch through the show is the most simple, yet perhaps the most touching, as it's all about this hardened warrior letting people get close to her. Speaking personally, she's my second favorite character on the show (I'll get to my fist in just a moment), and it's difficult to explain, but her presence really completes this group. 

Prince Zuko (voiced by Dante Basco) 

Now, it’s time to look at my absolute favorite character of the show, and by extent, one of my favorite animated characters of all time. Prince Zuko is the son of the shows main villain, Fire Lord Ozai, and arguably has the most layered journey of any character. He began as the main antagonist of season one, and was on a mission to capture the Avatar for his father, and hopefully restore his family honor, which he lost when his father banished him. While I’ve seen tragic villains before, there’s so much more substance and intrigue that goes on with this character, to the point where, even though he was a villain at the start, I was still vey engaged by his own personal journey. In season two, he becomes an anti-hero who just needs to find his place in the world, while also battling his personal demons that corrupt his soul. 

Then in season 3, he becomes a full-time hero, and gradually gains friendship among our hero’s. It's one thing to watch a villain reform into a hero, but what takes Zuko the extra mile, is that he redeems himself in the eyes of everyone of the heroes he wronged or brought personal harm to in the past. Watching this banished prince go from menacing villain, to anti hero, to champion has been an awesome experience, and it’s one of the shows biggest highlights. 

Uncle Iroh (voiced by Mako, and later Greg Baldwin)

At Zuko's side is his uncle Iroh, who his personal moral compass, and father figure. While he’s the wise sage of the series, he’s also another really funny character, and a real delight whenever he’s on screen. I should note that Iroh was originally voiced by the late Mako Iwamatsu, who’s a very respected actor, but he sadly passed during the second season of the show. In fact there was an episode in season two titled “Tales of Ba Sing Se” which paid respect to the late voice actor, and while the episode itself wasn’t one of my personal favorites, it dose feature one of the most touching moments of the whole series, in which Iroh pays respect to the memory of his son, who he lost during battle. 

Fire Lord Ozai (Mark Hamill)

Fire Lord Ozai is the big bad guy of the show, as he rules the concurring army of the Fir Nation, and he’s the guy our hero needs to defeat. Just to add some spice to the character ... he’s voiced by Mark Hamill, the same talent who played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars trilogy, and who supplied the voice of the Joker in the 90’s Batman series. As you’d expect, he’s awesome in the role, delivering a chilling vocal performance. Despite being the main threat of the show, he's sparingly used, that way he doesn't loose either his threatening or commanding status ... in fact he’s kept off screen until season three.  

Princess Azula (Grey DeLisle) 

While the Fire Lord quietly weaves his web in the background, his daughter, the Princess Azula is the one who dose all the action ... kind of like Darth Vader and The Emperor. Despite taking a number of losses to team Avatar, Azula is still the villain who steals the show with every scene she’s in, and is honestly one of my favorite animated villains in general. She’s crafty, intelligent, and soft spoken, which off-sets her sinister nature perfectly. She’s also a little complex, and has her own deep seeded troubles. However, Unlike her brother Zuko, she's beyond redemption, and primarily excites as both a master planer, and a thrilling foe to challenge our hero’s.

With all the principle characters addressed, lets go through the individual seasons, and mention some highlights. Again, rather then do a complete recap, I'll keep things simple, and rank my own personal top 5 favorite episodes of each season.   

 

Season 1 – Water

Each season takes place in one elemental location, and as you’d expect by the title, the first season takes place mostly in a water environment, and has a running story of our young hero’s journeying from the South Pole to the North Pole. Some noteworthy episodes of the season include "The Avatar Returns", "The Deserter" and "The Northern Air Temple" ... but here are my personal five favorite episodes from season one ...

5. Winter Solstice (2 Parts) 

In this two part mid-season finale, our hero learns of a new ability to venture into the mystical spirit world. He latter uses the ability to contact the spirit of his past life, who informs him of his most important task, which set's things in motion for the rest of the show moving forward. This two part mid-season final dose a great job building anticipation for what's to come, expands on our fantastical setting with the spirit world, and it delivers an action packed climax with all the characters coming together for one big final.

4. Imprisoned 

When Katara befriends a member of the Earth Kingdome, her passion for helping others leads to the pore guy getting captured, and imprisoned by the Fire Nation. Ashamed for what she’s done, Katara let's herself get captured, and this way, she can inspire all the prisoners to rebel against their captures. Unfortunately, even when delivering the most passionate speech she can muster, everyone is so beaten down that they don’t even respond to her plea. This is the episode that really got me to love Katara’s character, as we learn more about her tragic past, but we also see how passionate she can get, and how optimistic she is of a better future. Best of all, we really see Katara’s cheerful personality, and delightful sense of hummer at its best. The situation is tense, and the episode perfectly highlights one of the shows best characters. 

3. The Waterbending Scroll 

Desperate to master her water powers, Katara reluctantly steals a scroll that will allow both her and Aang to master the technique of water bending. The catch is that she stole it from a band of pirates, who aren’t too thrilled with them taking their prize. What follows is a thrilling little adventure with our hero’s battling pirates, and even Prince Zuko. The action is great and the episode features some of my favorite comedy laced throughout all the fighting. It’s just a really fun little episode, with great character interactions, and lots of hummer.

2. The Siege of the North (2 Parts) 

You’ll notice that most of my favorite episodes are the season finales ... why ... because every season just ends on the perfect high note. In the previous episode, our hero’s finally reached the North Pole to master the art of water bending, but their time of peace is short lived, because the fire nation decides to end the water tribes once and for all ... by sending a massive invasion force. Hopelessly outnumbered, Avatar Aang goes on another journey into the spirit world to seek guidance during this intense war. On the side lines, Prince Zuko hatches his own plans for capturing the Avatar, and he’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. 

This is one of the darker episodes of the series as it doesn’t shy away from killing-off main characters. In fact, this episode features the most tragic hero death of the series. The action scenes are thrilling, and the climax is one of the shows most epic moments. My favorite thing about this finale by far is it’s build up in part-one. Honestly, this show has some of the best buildup for a massive invasion I’ve ever seen. There’s just this eerie silence as our hero’s are dreading the inevitable, and as a really nice touch, all the smoke from the war ships are mixing with the snowy weather creating black snow fall, and it just creates this ominous feeling of something dreadful on the horizon. It’s an all around epic season finale and one of the shows biggest highlights.

1. The Storm 

I'm only shouting into the echo chamber with this episode, as it's almost universally regarded by fans as the best of season one ... and possibly even the whole series. All I can say is ... yup ... this was the moment when I knew this would be one of my favorite new shows. A super storm forces our hero’s to take shelter in a cave, while our villains are forced to wait out the weather at sea. With nowhere to go, both groups sit-down by the fire, and share the back stories of our hero Aang, and our villain Zuko. It may seem a little unorganized at first, because it constantly switches between the two back stories, but there’s a flowing theme and narrative here that makes it justified. 

We learn that both our hero and villain were shaped by the mistakes they made in the past, which turned them into who they are now, and while they both went down different paths, they’re both connected by the same thread. Both are ruled by the bad decisions they made, and both have their own hopes, and outlets that filter out their terrible mistakes. The best element of a hero and villain relationship is the one thing that connects them, weather their aware of it or not. This episode was rich, deep, had a lot of thought, and was executed brilliantly.   

Season 2 – Earth

This season brings in several new heroes, villains, and mostly takes place in the Earth Kingdome. The main story of this season revolves around our hero’s trying to reach the nation’s capital city, only to find a new threat looming when they arrive. Some of the seasons most noteworthy episodes include "The Tales of Ba Sing Se", "The Earth King", and "The Library" ... but here are my personal top five favorite episodes of the season ...

5. The Chase 

As you’d expect by the title, this is an action episode ... one long, beautifully shot, and excellently paced action episode. However, there are two key things that stand-out, and make it one of the best. First, this episode further emphasizes what a serious threat Princess Azula, and her colorful band of assassins are. Second, this is one of the first episodes to feature our hero’s interacting with some of their enemies in a positive light.  There’s an especially touching moment when Toph sits down, and talks with Zuko’s uncle Iroh, not even knowing that their on opposite sides, yet their conversation is so deep and even convey solemn words of advice to one another. It’s the perfect way to balance out one of the shows most action packed episodes.
  

4. The Journey to Ba Sing Se (2 Parts) 

While the two parts of this episode are only loosely connected, it is still an epic mid-season finale and a perfect segue into the second half of season two. Throughout the first half of the season, our hero’s were on a mission to the capital city of Ba Sing Se, and this mid season finale is all about the last obstacle they have to face before arriving in the city of wonders. 

Part 1 is titled “The Serpents Pass”, and focuses on our hero’s leading a family (with a pregnant mother) across a dangerous ocean path, guarded by a ferocious sea dragon. At the same time, Aang faces his emotions, as a mistake from the previous episode are still hanging over his head. In part 2, they make it to the gates of the city, only to find out that it’s being attacked by the Fire Nation, which leads into a thrilling action episode titled “The Drill”. This is personally one of my favorite two part events of the series, as it features some of the shows most memorable action scenes, and some terrific character moments.    

3. The Guru 

This is the episode that takes place just before the season finale ... and Holly-Cow ... did it ever get me hipped for what’s to come. In this episode, Aang leaves the team to go on a spiritual journey helmed by a mysterious Guru, who can help him master his powers. As this is going on, the evil Princess Azula secretly infiltrates the capital city, and is slowly weaving her toxic web to take it over. It’s just a perfect balance of calm, meditative spirituality, with brooding trouble on the horizon. The tension just builds and builds, to the point where it seems that our hero’s have lost everything. It’s also very uplifting to see Aang go on his spiritual journey, as he faces his fears, his doubts, and his biggest regrets. It all leads to a really tense ending where Aang is forced to make a hard chose that will allow him to either save the world or lose the one person he loves most.     
 

2. Zuko Alone 

As I stated above, Zuko is my favorite character of the show, and this is his best episode by far. This is when he asks himself what path he should go down ... does he stay evil or turn a new leaf. In the spirit of classic westerns like “Shane”, our anti-hero takes refuge from a family who live out in the middle of no-where, and are constantly attacked by local bullies. Being their only hope, Zuko steps-in to defend them, only to be rejected when his identify is revealed. As this is going on, we get several flashbacks addressing what happened to Zuko during his childhood, with his family, and the dark turn of his past that led him down the road of evil. It’s almost like a Greek tragedy, with Zuko trying his best to do good, only to have the cruelty of life push him back on his dark path. It’s an episode that perfectly demonstrates what a complex and tragic character this is, and voice actor Dante Basco is just on fire, bringing Zuko to life in every way a talented actor can.    

1. The Crossroads of Destiny 

Once again, it’s the season finale that stands as the highlight of the season. As Aang returns to the capital city after the events in “The Guru”, he discovers that everything has fallen apart around him. The team has been divided, many are being held prisoner, the evil Princess Azula has taken over the city from the inside out, and Prince Zuko is struggling between where his allegiance lies. Princess Azula is awesome in this episode, delivering some of her most sinister lines, and proving once again to be the greatest threat our hero’s have ever faced. 

This episode dose everything a good season finale should do, it delivers one big plot twist after another, there’s heart racing action, the voice acting is sensational, and it closes on one of the darkest endings of the whole series, as our hero’s lose everything they were supposed to protect. Even our lead hero Aang has a sudden brush with death, but he’s thankfully saved at last minute, which leads to an especially touching moment of him waking up in the arms of the one person who loves him the most. While our hero’s escape, it’s still a strong cliff hanger that leaves you anxiously awaiting to see what will happen in the following season.  

                                               
Season 3 – Fire

The third and final season of the series takes place behind enemy lines, as our hero’s make their final plans to end the war once and for all. Things are going to get even more challenging, but in the plus column, their enemy prince Zuko decides to turn a new leaf, and aid our hero’s. Some of the highlights of this season include "The Avatar and the Fire Lord", "The Firebending Masters", and an especially spooky episode called "The Puppet Master" ... but here are my personal Top Five favorite episodes of the final season ... 

5. The Headband 

Here’s an episode that fans could either really love or really hate. Personally, I really love this episode. When our hero’s infiltrate the fire nation, and disguise themselves as civilians, Avatar Aang finds himself attending a local school where he suddenly finds himself living out his dream of just being an ordinary kid. We also see that the regular citizens of the Fire Nation ... namely the kids ... are just as much innocent victims of the villains rule.  

This may not be an action packed or plot heavy episode, but it’s the only time in season 3 that I felt we could just have some fun with our hero’s. 

Aang also realizes that the youth of the fire nation have lots of potential to be better people, and not just evil spawns of the army, which is great. I love it when the hero thinks of new ways to deal with his enemies rather than just fighting them. In the end, Aang organizes a school wide dance party for the up-tight fire nation kids, which is a lot of fun. There’s an exciting subplot involving Zuko as he reflects on his actions from the last season, Sokka has some especially funny moments, and personally, this episode features my favorite moment between Aang and Katara as they share this wonderfully choreographed dance number together, complete with acrobatic dance steps and exotic music.  

4. The Runaway 

This is the episode in which Toph finally excepts her new allies as more than just friends, their her new family, and we finally see how her choice of running away from home has affected her. This episode also highlights Toph’s relation with Katara, the girl who appointed herself as the sergeant mother of the group, which Toph wasn’t overly fond of. It’s the subtle and deep interactions between our hero’s that make this a personal favorite of mine. Katara’s brother Sokka has an especially touching moment informing Toph that he’s always appreciated Katara’s motherly wisdom ever sense his real mother perished. We also have Katara learning an impressive new water technique by controlling her sweat, and there’s a thrilling battle with the third eyed bounty hunter. It’s an episode with all the action and character moments that make this show so great.   
  

3. The Southern Raiders 

Speaking of Katara, she has an especially good episode in this season too. On the surface, Katara’s the sweet, moral compos of the group, but deep down, she actually has a dark-side that she keeps hidden from everyone, including herself. She’s a girl with good intentions, but that occasionally leads her to a dark place, and the darkest she’s ever gone is right here. After a thrilling battle with Princess Azula, Katara learns of the man who killed her mother, so she and Zuko set out to find him, and take vengeance. This is undeniably one of the darkest episodes of the series, as we see Katara’s anger take hold, and voice actress Mae Whitman delivers one of her strongest performances in the series. 

So ... how does this episode end? Maybe with a strong message revolving around forgiveness ... well ... yeah, but it’s not without its shades of grey. Even though Katara doesn’t take the life of the man who killed her mother, she decides she’ll never forgive him, which is kind of dark by the standards of children’s programming. However, she dose find the humility to forgive Zuko for all the wrongs he’s done, and finally excepts him as a friend. More importantly Katara finally concurs her own demons. It’s a great episode, and one of the more adult highlights of the series.    

  

2. The Day of Black Sun (2 Parts) 

In this epic two part Mid-Season finale, our hero’s launch a massive invasion against the fire nation capital, in an effort to win the war once and for all. Unfortunately, the element of surprise isn’t on their side, as the villains have been preparing for this, and once their trap is sprung, our hero’s suffer their greatest defeat in the entire series. This is arguably the most epic mid-season finale I’ve ever seen in an animated TV program ... in fact, it actually felt like a season finale. The battle scenes are sensational, every character we’ve met in the show gets involved, we finally see Prince Zuko decide to join our hero’s, and it all ends on a nail biting cliff hanger that leaves you hyped for what’s to come next.

1. Sozin’s Comet (4 Parts) 

Hands down, the absolute best episode of “Avatar: The Last Air Bender” is the epic, 4 part series conclusion titled Sozin’s Comet. As the evil Fire-Lord makes his final plans for global domination, our hero’s split-up into three groups to stop the villains for good ... then the epic final battle ensue. This does everything a good series finale should do and more. It gives all the characters just enough attention, it dazzles with the best animation yet, thrills us with some of the shows greatest action scenes, and the battles themselves have some real suspense and dread ... but there’s just enough comedy and hummer thrown in too. 

The animation in these episodes are especially cool, but the best part of all, which makes this one of the greatest series finales I’ve ever seen is the epilogue. Unlike the ending of “Return of the King” that over stayed it’s welcome, or the ending of Harry Potter that was way too short, this show closes on the perfect epilog. We see all our hero’s together one last time, we see how the journey has shaped them, every loose end is tied up, and it all closes on one of the most touching moments of the series. In a media full of TV shows that go on for too long, or end on unsatisfying conclusions, this show had just the right length, and ended on the perfect high note a series could end on.

  With its consistently griping stories, lovable characters, hilarious comedy, thought provoking morals, stealer animation, and intriguing philosophies, “Avatar: The Last Air Bender” is simply one of the greatest shows I’ve seen in years, and I don’t just mean animated shows, I mean it’s one of my all-time favorite TV shows in general. I don’t say that lightly, because I watch mostly adult programs like “Breaking Bad”, “Fire Fly” and “Game of Thrones”, so it really says something that an animated program from Nickelodeon can stand tall amongst them. It had size, passion, comedy, and a fantastic cast of scene stealing characters. Even if you’re not a fan of its Japanese Anime style, I still highly recommend this show for anyone who loves mystical fantasy adventure. It’s one of the best animated shows I’ve ever seen, and one of my favorite TV shows of all-time.

Thanks for reading my review of the animated Fantasy/Adventure series "Avatar: The Last Air Bender" ... and continue to enjoy the shows you Love!