Favorite Avatar Episodes

I have been rewatching Avatar: The Last Airbender lately. Seriously, it is one of the greatest shows ever! It might be a little kid-friendly (for example, no one really ever dies unless it’s a significant death and even then, it’ll be pretty vague about it. For example, it’ll show the people running out of a building just before it gets crushed.) However, the action is still freakin’ EPIC!!! Like, it would be incredible to see this in live action, but it would be SO expensive! The animation is STELLAR!!! The animators actually studied real martial artists and each bending style has its own unique martial arts spin to it. 

And then each nation has a particular lean to a different culture. Like, the Fire Nation is very Japanese, the Earth Kingdom is Chinese, the Water Tribe is Eskimo-ish, etc. I’m telling you, there’s a lot of effort put into this show. Just because it’s animated and/or a “kids” show, people shouldn’t be writing it off.

The main selling point though is the story and characters. SO FLIPPIN’ GOOD!!! I can’t even express to you how creative, engaging, and fun this show is! I don’t even have the nostalgia glasses on to skew my judgement. I first watched this show when I was 24 years old.

For those who don’t know, the general plot is this:

In a world where everything revolves around the elements-- water, earth, fire, and air-- people have the ability to control, or bend the elements. Only one person in the entire world has the ability to bend all four elements. This person is known as the Avatar. It is their job to maintain balance and peace.

The Fire Nation suddenly attacked the other nations and began taking over in world conquest just as the Avatar disappeared. For one hundred years, the war waged on and everyone believed the Avatar was dead. But then one day, two Water Tribe kids discovered an airbender frozen in an iceberg. After some investigation, they realized, he was the long lost Avatar and decided to accompany him on his journey to master the other elements-- water, earth, and fire-- all with the Fire Nation hot on their tails.

I’m telling you, anyone who gives this show a fair chance ends up loving it. You can’t just sit down with an attitude of “I’m gonna hate this” because then you will. If you watch it with an open mind, you will love it. I promise. Literally every person I’ve watched it with or told to watch it (who watched it with an open mind) has ended up loving it. I've realized, if you like something like Harry Potter, you will like this. It's similar in how kids as the main characters, there's a "chosen one" (sort of), a super creative world, emotional depth, comedy, fun characters, well thought out story, etc. I love this show!

So, here are my top 10 favorite episodes. This was extremely difficult because, literally all the episodes are great. I'm not even kidding. There's only like two or three that are mediocre, the rest are SO good:

10) The Cave of Two Lovers

Team Avatar comes across a group of singing nomads who tells them about a secret underground labyrinth that can lead them safely past the Fire Nation and to the City of Omashu.

This one is just so funny! Sokka’s reaction to the nomads is classic. Also, poor Aang has absolutely no game (“If there was a choice between kissing you and dying...”). Haha! Then, of course, there’s the iconic SECRET TUNNEL SECRET TUNNEL THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN SECRET SECRET SECRET TUNNELLLLL song. Bahaha! Love it!

9) The Chase

The group is relentlessly pursued all day and all night by a machine, wearing all of them out and causing friction between friends.

I love how the tension builds in this one; not just from the pursuit of the tank as it keeps finding them no matter how far they go, but also between the group members the longer they stay awake (-“You both need to calm down.” -“Both!? I’M COMPLETELY CALM!!!”). And the ending is one of the first moments we see all four elements working together towards a common enemy which is super exciting.

8) Crossroads of Destiny

Azula has seized control of Ba Sing Se and Aang gives up training with the Guru to return and save his friends. Meanwhile, Zuko must decide which path his destiny lies on.

People like to call this season the “Empire Strikes Back” of Avatar because Aang sacrifices his training to go save his friends very similar to how Luke gives up training to go save his friends. The similarities don’t end there though. And everyone knows how epic “Empire Strikes Back” is... This season finale is so intense with so many character arcs coming to a head, so many plot twists, impossible choices, and epic battles. So good!

7) Imprisoned

The gang comes across an earth village and discovers all the earthbenders have been captured and imprisoned on a large metal ship in the middle of the ocean where earthbending is impossible. Katara decides to launch a rescue mission.

I really enjoy the whole plan to first get on the ship and then second, to get the earthbenders out. Exteremly entertaining! This is our first really good look at how epic earthbending is. It’s also a good display of the different character traits in our main characters, particularly Katara. Aang doesn’t always need the spotlight and the others can hold their own just as well. Also, George Takei voices the warden on the ship, fun fact. 

6) The Drill

Just as he arrives at Ba Sing Se, Aang discovers the Fire Nation approaching the supposedly impenetrable wall with a massive drill. He and his friends hatch a plan on how to take down the drill before it gets through.

The tension in this is great! I love how Sokka is officially known as the “idea guy.” Haha! I also love how it shows the natural progression of their line of thinking as they make their plans (this show is pretty good at showing this). And the ending battle on the drill is very intense and epic; I believe, it’s the first time we see Aang using all the elements he knows how to use at once. So exciting!

5) Day of the Black Sun, Parts 1 and 2

The day of the solar eclipse has arrived and the invasion on the Fire Nation is at hand. All nations come together to bring down their common enemy while they are powerless.

So EPIC!!! These episodes bring together literally everyone we've met over the course of the series. And I mean everyone (a lot you probably even forgot about). It’s so exciting to see all these old faces come together to fight against the Fire Nation. And then the battle plan is super clever, it just might work. And the battle that ensues... ooh boy! And then freakin’ Azula. Gosh, even without her bending, she’s still kicks butt! It’s so infuriating! But, of course, the ending... I can’t even explain!

4) Winter Solstice, Part 2: Avatar Roku

Aang and friends travel to the Fire Nation so that he can speak with his previous incarnation, Avatar Roku, about something important; something involving the fate of the world.

I didn’t include part one because while it’s pretty cool learning about the Spirit World and all, this second part is where things get really interesting. This is where the conflict of the entire series begins. It’s also where we meet Avatar Roku for the first time (and he’s a total boss!) And the ending is so epically awesome-- one of the first epically awesome moments in the series-- I can’t even describe it!

3) Sozin’s Comet (Parts 1-4)

The series's four part finale where Firelord Ozai’s fantastic plan of burning the entire world to the ground with the power of Sozin’s Comet comes to a head. Aang struggles with idea of having to kill Ozai and tries to find another way. The White Lotus goes to reconquer Ba Sing Se while Zuko plans to reclaim his throne.

I don’t even know where to begin with this without spoiling it. This is where the entire series has been heading. All the character growth that has happened, all the journeys everyone (including us as the audience) has gone through... it’s incredible! And it all culminates in this fantastic four part finale! It is everything you could possibly hope for! The fights are positively breathtaking (and there’s at least three of them that go on at the same time, all HUGE). The emotion, the excitement, the humor, the action! Ah man!

2) The Storm

Aang faces the guilt of disappearing for one hundred years while Iroh tells the ship’s crew why Zuko was banished.

This one is mainly flashbacks of our hero and our villain’s backstories, but it’s done so incredibly well. The way their stories sort of mirror each other is so great! And I love the visual of both parties sitting around a campfire as they tell their stories. Plus, the emotional depth of both their characters becomes so much more complex with these backstories and it’s so engaging, especially Zuko. It’s SUCH a well done episode!

1) The Avatar and the Firelord

Roku tells Aang the story of how the 100 Year War started while Zuko looks into his great grandfather’s past.

This one is sort of similar in style to “The Storm” in how it’s mainly flashbacks and two parties are hearing a story, mirroring each other. However, in this case, they are hearing the same story from a different point of view. I love this one because it finally answers the question of how the war started and the political and emotional complexities involved. It also gives us (as viewers) an interesting chance to see someone other than Aang holding the fate of the world in their hands (and then failing). Also, it has a very good plot twist in the end. Super engaging episode!

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

The Boy in the Iceberg/The Avatar Returns

Waterbender Katara and her older brother Sokka discover a boy frozen in an iceberg. They realize he is an airbender named Aang. Meanwhile, the Fire Nation prince, Zuko, is searching for the long lost Avatar and believes he may finally be hot on his trail. 

The Blind Bandit

Team Avatar travels to an Earth Kingdom town to find Aang an earthbending teacher. They are led to an earthbending fighting arena where they discover the champion is a blind little girl.

City of Walls and Secrets

The gang finally arrives in Ba Sing Se and believe all is well, until they start to settle in and realize things are just slightly off with the way of life in the city; for instance, how come no one talks about the war?

The Ember Island Players

The gang attends a play put on by the Ember Island Players about the Avatar’s life since he was discovered in the iceberg. 

The Firebending Masters

Zuko realizes he has lost his ability to firebend so he and Aang go to discover the original source of firebending.

The Fortuneteller

Team Avatar come across a town that entirely relies on the fortunetelling of a woman named Aunt Wu. When she predicts that a nearby volcano will not erupt when it is close to bursting, the group of friends must find a way to convince the passive villagers that doom is upon them.

Favorite Spongebob Episodes

With all my new-found spare time, I’ve been watching Spongebob Squarepants. You know, I never really appreciated this show when I was younger and now that I’m older, I can see why. It’s not really made for kids, I think. Ha! I mean, it’s broadcasted on a kids’s network and the producers say it’s for kids, but really, I don’t think it is... at least not little kids. 

At first glance, it might seem stupid and mindless which is why it’s mistaken for a kids show. However, it has a very specific type of stupidness that’s tailored for older kids and adults. Sure, the colors and the silly voices might entertain the younger audiences, but the jokes and the stories are for the older ones. 

Anyways... that drabble out of the way, I find it hilarious! There’s a reason it’s been going on for twenty years! And there's been full-length movies plus a Broadway musical (which, frankly, the music is actually really good.) There's just something about this show that really resonates with people.

As is usual whenever I binge-watch something, I’ve decided to compile a list of my favorite episodes. This list is made up of not the most classic/famous episodes, but ones that made me laugh the most and/or I thought were actually clever. Though, I know most of them are classics.

15) Tea at the Treedome

Spongebob meets Sandy the Squirrel for the first time and she invites him to her underwater tree dome for some tea. When he gets there, Spongebob realizes he can’t survive long without water.

I like this one just because of how over-the-top it gets with how much Spongebob is dying. The two sides at war inside himself: stay and make a friend or literally die. Haha! “When in doubt, pinky up.”

14) Dying for Pie

Squidward accidentally gives Spongebob an exploding pie and decides to make his last day on earth the best day of his life.

I’m a littler concerned about the person who wrote this episode. Haha! An exploding pie? But it’s sure memorable. I also love all the random funny moments like watching the sunset with the brick wall between them or Squidward in the salmon suit or Mr. Krabs saying he’s seen this before. Also, I frequently quote, “you had to kill him. The boy cries you a sweater of tears and you kill him.” Haha!

13) F.U.N.

Spongebob decides the reason Plankton is so evil is because he doesn’t have a friend. So he decides to teach him the value of friendship and fun.

Very iconic episode because of the song. Need I say anything more than “the Fun Song”? “F is for friends who do stuff together, U is for you and me, N is for anywhere and any time at all down here in the deep blue sea.” 

12) The Nasty Patty

Mr. Krabs and Spongebob believe the health inspector in the Krusty Krab is an imposter so they serve him a “nasty patty.” But when it appears to kill him, they scramble to cover up their crime.

Such a dark episode! Here’s an example of why I don’t think this show is really for kids. If you commit a crime, just cover it up! Ha! But I love how stupid the whole situation is in the first place. Killing the health inspector lol. And then all the close calls.

11) Arrgh!

Mr. Krabs takes Spongebob and Patrick on a psychotic treasure hunt.

There’s many, many episodes where Mr. Krabs’s money obsession gets a bit out of hand and this is one of them. It’s also funny how naive Spongebob and Patrick are.

10) Wet Painters

Mr. Krabs recruits Spongebob and Patrick to paint his house, but things go awry when they get paint on Mr. Krab’s number one dollar.

So many moments! The first part of the episode is Spongebob and Patrick trying not to get paint on anything and the second part is them trying to get the paint off the dollar bill. “Spongebob, we’re not cavemen. *points to computer* We have technology. *smashes computer on dollarbill*”

9) Squid’s Day Off

When Squidward is made manager for the day, he puts Spongebob in charge so he can take the day off. However, he becomes increasingly obsessed with the idea that Spongebob will mess up and cannot bring himself to relax.

I love this one because of how completely insane Squidward goes while trying to relax. It’s very counter-productive. Haha! 

8) Pizza Delivery

Mr. Krabs sends Spongebob and Squidward to delivery a special Krusty Krab pizza only for them to get stranded in the middle of nowhere. But Spongebob is determined to deliver the pizza no matter what.

Classic episode! “It’s not just a boulder, it’s a rock!” All the things the pioneers did. Haha! Or Spongebob’s singing about the pizza. Or what about “where’s my drink?”

7) Clam

After earning his one millionth dollar, Mr. Krabs takes Spongebob and Squidward on a clam fishing trip. However, he loses his millionth dollar to a giant man-eating clam and he will do ANYTHING to get it back.

This one cracks me up again because of how insane Mr. Krabs goes for the one dollar. It’s even funnier this time because Spongebob and Squidward are there to witness it (and become victim to it). It’s also a rare moment because Spongebob is actually aware of the madness around him and is freaking out rather than laughing and going along with it. I also love the fourth wall break with the orchestra playing the clam’s theme.

6) Krusty Krab Training Video

A training video style episode showing future employees what to do and what not to do while working at the Krusty Krab.

So dumb, but awesome! The jazzy theme music, the narrator, “don’t be a Squidward”, P.O.O.P., the super long reveal of the Krabby Patty at the end, and then never actually revealing the Krabby Patty’s secret formula. I’ve seen real companies homaging this episode as a way to train their own employees for their company. Haha!

5) Graveyard Shift

The Krusty Krab is now open 24 hours a day. Bored, Squidward makes up a scary story about a ghostly fry cook, the Hash-Slinging Slasher, in order to scare Spongebob. However, the later they stay, the more it looks like the Hash-Slinging Slasher might actually be real.

I relate to this one so hard because I always had the night shift at Jimmy Johns. But I love it so much because of the set up with the Hash-Slinging Slasher. And it’s got great quotes! “I used your clarinet to unclog my toilet!”, “The walls will ooze green slime!!! ...oh wait, they always do that.”, “AAHHH! I burned my hand! ...At night.”

4) Just One Bite

After finding out Squidward has never had a Krabby Patty before, Spongebob forces him to try it, convinced no one can resists its flavor. Squidward pretends to hate it, but secretly craves more. 

Once again, a character slowly going insane over something. The length Squidward goes to in order to get another patty, but keep it hidden from Spongebob is hilarious. Also the visuals of his cravings just emphasize it more. The ending is the real pay off. “Squidward, you can’t eat all those patties!” “What’s going to happen? Am I going to blow up?” “No worse! It’ll go straight to your thighs!”

3) Something Smells

Spongebob’s breath stinks so bad, people are running away, crying, and passing out. He believes it is because he is ugly.

I cannot with this episode. “Excuse me sir, I hope my horrible ugliness doesn’t offend you.”, “I’ve caught the UGLY!”, “I’m ugly and I’m proud!”, -“How long have I been ugly?” -“As long as I can remember.” Or what about Patrick’s story abut the ugly barnacle? Haha! I also love all the different reactions to the smell; the passing out, running away, screaming, crying, etc. 

2) Band Geeks

Squidward’s snobbish arch rival, Squilliam, asks Squidward for his band to play at the Bubble Bowl. Afraid of being judged by Squilliam, Squidward scrounges up a “band” and tries to teach them to play before the Bubble Bowl.

I’m probably being sacrilegious to the Spongebob fandom somehow for this episode not being my number one. However, I still LOVE it! There’s definitely a reason it’s everyone’s favorite and one of the most famous ones. “Is mayonnaise an instrument?” And that ending though! Iconic!

1) Chocolate With Nuts

Spongebob and Patrick decide to become traveling chocolate bar salesmen in an effort to become entrepreneurs. 

There are no words to describe this episode. I love all the colorful characters Spongebob and Patrick meet on their little escapade (ex: the old woman and her mother, the salesman, the man with paper skin and glass bones). And then there’s actually a couple plot twists that are hilarious. And let us not forget “Chocolate? Chocolate! CHOCOLAAAATTTEEEEE!!!!!!!!”

Honorable Mentions:

Artist Unknown

Squidward becomes an art teacher, but his only student is Spongebob. He refuses to acknowledge Spongebob’s masterpieces and exceptional talent, eventually breaking his spirit. But then an art collector offers to buy Spongebob’s art and Squidward realizes he needs Spongebob after all.

Bubblestand

Spongebob sets up a stand, selling the opportunity to blow bubbles for 25 cents (and lessons for another 25 cents).

Camping Episode

Squidward gets roped into Spongebob and Patrick’s backyard camping experience (featuring the famous Campfire Song Song).

Idiot Box

Spongebob and Patrick get a giant cardboard box to play imagination in which Squidward scoffs at. However, he becomes more intrigued with it as he hears intense and amazing sound effects coming from the box.

No Weenies Allowed

Spongebob tries to get into an exclusive club where only hard core tough guys are allowed.

Rock Bottom

Spongebob accidentally gets on the wrong bus that takes him to a strange town far from Bikini Bottom called Rock Bottom. He struggles to get on a bus back home, but might be stuck forever in the strange place.

(This episode literally haunted me as a kid. This is one of my worst nightmares.)

Sailor Mouth

After reading a strange word on the side of a dumpster, Spongebob and Patrick begin using it, believing it is a “sentence enhancer.” However, they soon realize it is a bad word and Mr. Krabs forbids them to use it ever again (along with the rest of the 13 bad words).

Sandy’s Rocket

Sandy builds a rocket so she can go to the moon. However, Spongebob and Patrick accidentally blast off instead, but miss the moon completely and land back in Bikini Bottom. They then venture about, believing their hometown in an alien world.

Secret Box

Spongebob becomes obsessed with what is inside Patrick’s secret box.

Suds

Spongebob contracts a sickness called the Suds (where every time he sneezes, he leaks bubbles). Spongebob is about to go to the doctor, but is scared out of the idea by Patrick who instead tries to cure him on his own.

Rom-Coms I've Never Seen (part 2)

A while ago, I was watching a bunch of romantic comedies I had never seen before. I made a list and reviewed each of them (see the post HERE). Lately, I’ve been watching some more and thought I should write some more reviews since I’m building up quite a pile. 

Here’s the list in alphabetical order:

Blended

Single mom Lauren and single dad Jim do NOT hit it off on a blind date and swear to never see each other again. However, unbeknownst to each other, they end up purchasing one half of the same vacation to Africa. They and their children are forced to share in a blended family experience.

I’ll admit, I’ve watched this one a couple times already, but I didn’t get a chance to put it on my last list. I was kind of surprised by how much I liked this one. I’ve liked the other Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandlar films, so I guess I shouldn’t have been (they have great chemistry). There’s a very natural progression in their romance here and it feels so sweet and authentic. You can actually feel them falling for each other. That’s what I love most about this film. I love the relationships between the parents and kids too. You can see all the kids’s personalities, how they are with their parents, and what they need in their life (aka a mother or father figure). 

Yes, there are some weird moments and a couple raunchy jokes, but nothing too crazy. There’s some pretty funny lines that, I think with a few more viewings, could become pretty quotable. 9/10.

Geek Charming

Dylan Schoenfield and Josh Rosen are on opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to popularity. Their worlds collide when Josh decides to do his film project on Dylan’s life as an inside look on popularity, and Dylan sees it as a great opportunity to boost her Blossom Queen campaign. However, can they tolerate each other long enough to finish the film?

This one is a Disney Channel Original Movie... and one outside of my generation. Now, the thing about DCOMs is that... a lot of them really suck; the acting is terrible, the plot is convoluted and not at all thought-out, the characters are unlikable, the morals are shoved in your face, and everything is WAY over the top and SUPER cheesy. So, most are either really boring and lame or just flat-out awful. (Obviously, there are a few exceptions. Some are total classics!)

This one... is an exception. I actually really enjoyed it. Yes, it was still pretty cheesy and had that Disney feel to it, but it kind of felt like a real “grown up” sort of rom-com. It had all the classic tropes-- the polar opposite personalities, the hating each other at the beginning, etc. It also wasn’t afraid of portraying real emotional problems (and the acting was actually pretty good). I thought it was sweet and fun. Plus, apparently the two lead actors were dating in real life which would explain their excellent chemistry. 8/10

Life As We Know It

The only thing Holly and Messer have in common is their dislike of one another and their love for their god-daughter, Sophie. When tragedy strikes and they suddenly find themselves as the caretakers for Sophie, they must put aside their differences for the sake of the baby.

This one was interesting. It had such an outrageous situation: first, both the parents died, and second... why were two people who weren’t married or co-habitating given guardianship over their baby in the will? The movie tried explaining the reasoning (several times), but it still seemed a little silly to me. Also, third, why wouldn’t the parents ask them permission before putting it in their will? “Hey, in the case we should both die, would you mind looking after our child?” Kind of a conversation you might want to have so it’s not sprung on them!

Anyways, my suspension of disbelief out of the way... I thought it was sort of cute. I was glad it established a love and relationship with the baby before they became guardians so we could see how much they already cared about her. I was pretty invested in Holly and Messer’s relationship too. They weren’t constantly bickering over stupid things (which can get annoying in these types of movies) and only fought over serious stuff. It was nice to watch their growing friendship as they bonded over raising a child. 

It also wasn’t too afraid of shying away from some heavy emotional stuff. Granted, it could’ve gone further, but since it was a romantic comedy and not drama, I’ll let it slide. 

There was some random weird stuff, the most obvious being the child services worker who... I don’t even know. She just felt super out of place and had all these weird comments and rules. Like, she didn’t want Holly and Messer to get into a relationship? Why? Wouldn’t that be better for the baby to have her “parents” together?

Well, there was a lot in this movie that didn’t make sense, but the overall feel of the movie was good and I was pretty invested in it. 7/10.

Set It Up

Harper works for a high profile sports journal editor. Charlie works for a major venture capitalist. Both assistants are majorly over-worked and under-appreciated. By happenstance, they meet each other and devise a plan to get their bosses to fall in love so that they might get some time off. 

Well, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this film since it was a Netflix original. I will say, it was pretty enjoyable. It probably could’ve gone way more ridiculous, like gotten more comedic with its situations. The two assistants are completely running their bosses lives so they convolute it to make them fall in love. That’s a set up for some great comedy. There are a couple moments in the beginning that are good (the baseball scene in particular was pretty funny). However, most of the film relies on the two assistants messaging back and forth desperately telling each other about how to woo each other’s bosses. I guess the comedy is in the close calls and manipulation?

Anyways, I did like it. I was kind of hoping for something more interesting between the bosses, but it was fine. The relationship between the assistants was what was really interesting (which, I guess, is as it should be). They were a lot of fun and had lots of sweet moments. The progression of their relationship didn’t feel rushed at all and I appreciate that they didn’t randomly kiss or “hook up” and then regret it in the middle of the movie as lots of rom-coms do. I’m glad they let the suspense and tension grow between them until the end. The two actors also had great chemistry. I was totally rooting for them. 8/10.

Warm Bodies

In an apocalyptic world where a plague has tarnished most of the human race, turning them into zombies, one zombie named R saves a living girl from his fellow zombie brothers. Instead of eating her, R protects her and helps her return home. As they embark on their journey, a bond forms between them and R re-learns what it’s like to be human.

I had heard good things about this movie for years, but never bothered to look into it. I think it sort of reminded me of Twilight and I just had no interest in anything like that. (I also think for a while, I even thought it was vampires and not zombies.) What eventually changed my mind was watching the trailer and I realized it wasn’t some stupid, mushy teen drama love story. It actually looked like a compelling story about what it meant to be human and to love... and that’s exactly what it is.

I actually REALLY liked this movie. It was clever and interesting how most of the perspective was from a zombie’s point of view (which you really don’t ever see in zombie flicks). Most of the comedy came from that. R’s inner dialogue is hilarious! 

It might’ve been a little cheesy at the end with its message, but overall it was really well done. The Romeo and Juliet parallels can either be annoying or funny. I personally found them funny. My one major criticism is that some of the special effects were pretty subpar. They were like something you'd expect to see in a TV movie which is unfortunate for something with such a good story and characters. Overall, though, it was all great! 9/10.