Despite young actors in Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix, the series is not going to be for younger members of the household. That may be surprising considering the original animated series and the first attempt at the live-action.
The Netflix series is officially rated TV-14. This means that it is aimed at those 14 and up. However, some younger children may be okay with the content.
This is a far cry from the original versions of the show. The animated series was TV-7, so perfect for smaller kids. The next version had some great moments for those eight and up. Why not opt for the same with the new Netflix series?
Why Avatar: The Last Airbender is rated TV-14
The truth is, the younger age rating for the live-action series just didn’t work. There were a lot of complaints about it. It didn’t do the animated series justice.
There isn’t a lot of violence and gore in the animated show. However, part of that is the benefit of animation. Things just don’t look real, and kids know that it’s a cartoon. When you start putting that gore into live-action shows, it becomes a little too much for younger viewers. Either you limit it so younger viewers can watch, or you make it for slightly older audiences. Netflix has opted for the latter.
This is a martial arts series at the heart of it. There is fantasy, but this is a story about a young boy learning to control his abilities. It’s a story of one nation trying to control the others. This leads to fight scenes and battles. There are intense moments. Some of these could be just a little too much for younger viewers.
When it comes to language and nudity, I wouldn’t expect too much. Stranger Things is rated TV-14, so that will give you a good idea of the type of language and nudity to expect. Avatar: The Last Airbender is going to be focused on the fantastical elements and the martial arts, although there may be some love interests for some characters here and there.
Based on the trailer, it looks like it’s perfect for my 11-year-old. She is into this sort of programming. My eight-year-old? I’m not too sure. I think she might be okay, but I’ll definitely watch some episodes first. This is certainly one of those cases of you make a choice.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is coming to Netflix on Thursday, Feb. 22.