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Shows ending

So, Avatar is ending tonight in a big two hour movie. Avatar is a cartoon on Nickelodeon. It's been running for three years. I'm sad it's ending, but it is inevitable. Ang, the Avatar, is the last air bender in a world where there are benders for the four elements. He already knew air, first season was water, second season was earth and now, tonight, he has to defeat the Fire Lord who has conquered the world. He has to bring balance.

Avatar is an American cartoon made by people who (apparently) love Anime. Really, really love Anime. It looks like anime, it breaks with reality into chibi or SuperDeformed like anime, where in the midst of serious battle a character will have the anime sweat or the throbbing vein on his forehead. I can't find any good pictures of this, unfortunately. It's generated a lot of cosplay which should tell you that it's been embraced as anime. I've dragged my husband into being a big fan of the show. It's well written for children and young adults, with young adult problems and at the midst of it, this magical power and some kick-ass fights. It's very well animated and has lots of comedy relief.

EDIT: So here is what the show looks like
And this is the show in Chibi mode.

It also has moments of magical and delicate beauty. There is one episode--Tales of Ba Sing Se--where a character we love is setting out on a picnic to honor his dead son and a little creature, Momo, is mourning his missing friend, the flying Bison Appa. Heartbreaking and spare they are haunting art and not often found in any medium, esp. one designed for children.

When I say the ending was inevitable, I view that in a good way. Like I said below, the story cannot keep going from A to B forever. It's strength lies in the fact that it has all been building, like Harry Potter towards this end, and along the way we know that the Avatar cannot kill the Fire Lord, so what will happen? I think they will handle it well, as well as Harry Potter. I'll let you know tomorrow.

On the other hand, next week the Sci-Fi channel will show the last episode of this season's Doctor Who. The last two episodes have been very, very good. But so were last years penultimate and third to last. Will they be able to solve it? I've avoided spoilers, but the news from Britain (which watched this some three or four weeks ago) is supposedly good. Their cramming everybody in it--from past seasons, other spin-off shows--that's often a bad sign.

And, in addition there is the news that there will be no series next year so that David Tennant can go off and play Hamlet. Cha? Just some specials... I've gone longer without the Doctor, but I liked having it.
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