INSIDE THIS ISSUE Horoscopes....................................................... 2 Now Streaming................................................. 2 Puzzles............................................................. 4
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First ‘Sex and the City’ movie carries the premise along
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Back to the lab: ‘CSI: Vegas’ returns to prove one of their own’s innocence
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The People’s picks: People’s Choice Awards returns with new categories
TV Schedules..................................................... 5 Top 10.............................................................. 6 Home Video...................................................... 7
February 17 – February 23, 2024
Appa, Appa and away: Albert Kim’s ‘Avatar’ takes flight on Netflix BY DANA SIMPSON A wise man named Uncle Iroh once said, “Failure is only the
While shifting from animation to live-action, several series
(“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” 2021) as Prince
opportunity to try again — only more wisely this time.” While
details were bound to change, chief among them being the
Zuko, Elizabeth Yu (“Somewhere in Queens,” 2022) as Azula
this insightful nugget means a lot to fans of “Avatar: The Last
cast. While none of the characters (but one) are portrayed by
and Tamlyn Tomita (“The Day After Tomorrow,” 2004) as Yu-
Airbender” because of its origins in the show, it resonates es-
their original voice stars in Kim’s rendition, series photography
kari.
pecially loudly with those who saw and disliked thriller director
and trailer footage show that the cast still very accurately rep-
M. Night Shyamalan’s (“The Sixth Sense,” 1999) 2010 adap-
resents the tale’s overall aesthetic.
tation, “The Last Airbender” (and there were many).
With regard to the series’ main storyline, the plot remains the same: “Water. Earth. Fire. Air. The four nations once lived
Starring in the titular role of “Avatar” is young Vancouverite
in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keep-
Gordon Cormier, who, despite his youth at just 14, is already
ing peace between them. But everything changed when the
is no denying that fans have been itching for a respectable
known for his work in several well-known TV shows, such
Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads, the first
live-action “Avatar” adaptation since the release of the orig-
as “The Stand,” “Two Sentence Horror Stories” and “Lost in
step taken by the firebenders toward conquering the world.
inal animated series in 2005. So, to quote another beloved
Space.” Similarly, the roles of siblings Sokka and Katara are
With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the
character, Prince Zuko, “Move over, filth”: the stellar new ac-
played by Ian Ousley and Kiawentiio, respectively.
world has lost hope” (per Netflix).
Regardless of which side of the fence you land on, there
tion-adventure series, also titled “Avatar: The Last Airbender,”
Ousley is known for his recurring roles in both “Physical”
“But like a light in the darkness,” the synopsis continues,
on Apple TV+ and the controversial Netflix drama “13 Rea-
“hope springs forth when Aang (Cormier), a young Air Nomad
Created in its new format by “Nikita” and “Sleepy Hollow”
sons Why,” while Cormier’s fellow Canadian, Kiawentiio, of
— and the last of his kind — reawakens to take his rightful
writer-producer Albert Kim, “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” also
the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation, has become somewhat of a
place as the next Avatar. Alongside his newfound friends Sok-
known to some audiences as “Avatar: The Legend of Aang”
household name due to her heartfelt roles in “Anne with an E”
ka (Ousley) and Katara (Kiawentiio), siblings and members
and hereby known simply as “Avatar,” is an eight-episode,
and the Indigenous Canadian political drama “Beans” (2020),
of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a fantastical,
live-action retelling of the popular American animated series
in which she shone in the title role.
action-packed quest to save the world and fight back against
premieres Thursday, Feb. 22, on Netflix.
that voice starred Zach Tyler Eisen (“The Backyardigans”), Jack
Rounding out the main cast are Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (“Kim’s
De Sena (“The Dragon Prince”), Dante Basco (“Hook,” 1991)
Convenience”) as Uncle Iroh, Daniel Dae Kim (“Lost”) as Fire
the fearsome onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai (Dae Kim). But with a driven Crown Prince Zuko (Liu) determined to capture them, it
and Mae Whitman (“Good Girls”).
Lord Ozai, Ken Leung (“Industry”) as Cmdr. Zhao, Dallas Liu
won’t be an easy task.”
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