I decided to watch Netflix's original series, "The Dragon Prince" for two reasons. The first is that it is an alternative to the grimdark sensibilities of most epic fantasy properties in the wake of "Game of Thrones." This is a world where heroes can actually be noble, and magic can be something awe-inspiring. The second, and more important reason, is that one of its co-creators, Aaron Ehasz, was the head writer on the show, "Avatar: The Last Airbender," considered by many to be the benchmark for epic, all-ages fantasy series. Thus, the question for myself, and I'm sure many other adults watching this show, is "does Dragon Prince live up to Avatar?"
The quick answer after 2 seasons is that while it's promising, it has yet to reach the heights that "Avatar" did. This is not a criticism exactly, as it's (hopefully) only just beginning its story. Even looking back on "Avatar," its first season was only but a glimmer of the greatness it would achieve, as it had to build up to the highs that seasons 2 and 3 gave audiences. "Dragon Prince" would appear to be following in those footsteps. The biggest issue with the show so far is its pacing, with the end of season 1 hardly feeling like it contained a climax at all. Fortunately, this is not a huge issue thanks to Netflix's bingeable platform allowing one to go straight into season 2, but it would still be nice for each season's narrative structure to feel as satisfying as I think they probably meant it to. It would also be nice if the seasons themselves were longer than the mere 9 episodes they're given.
Pacing issues aside, "The Dragon Prince" is a worthy successor to some of the best elements of "Avatar" and it has Ehasz's fingerprints all over it, in ways both big and small. The lore is deep and rich, though not so deep as to be intimidating. Inclusivity is a given, such as the badass army commander who just so happens to be a deaf woman. There is a pervasive sense of fun and humor throughout the whole show, but it also tackles serious, complex, even philosophical topics, and it weaves these 2 tones seamlessly. There's an established magic system that consistently follows its own logic and also serves to reflect the psychology and emotional state of the characters. Above all else, the show is built on the backs of likeable, well-rounded, three-dimensional characters and their relationships with each other.
"The Dragon Prince" is worth giving a shot, especially if you are a fan of "Avatar: The Last Airbender." There are elements of the intangible ways each show is crafted where I find "Avatar" to be superior, but I chose not to comment on that in this comparative review, as it's hard to tell if that's nostalgia speaking. The main takeaway should be that, as of the time of this review, "Dragon Prince" has built a very solid foundation for success for itself, and I'll excitedly be watching for it to hopefully live up to that success.