How A Children's Show Held the Number One Spot On Netflix

The world is falling apart. A cataclysmic pandemic has killed 370 thousand people world-wide, moths, cicadas and murder hornets are emerging in droves all over the United States, and our country is at cross roads where systematic racism is no longer being silently tolerated. It feels as if the world is ending, and people are scared. So why, in such a serious time, is a 15 year-old show designed for children thriving on the most popular streaming service in the world?

In case you haven’t heard about it, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a fantasy TV show about a world where people can bend the elements and a 12 year-old boy who can bend them all, the avatar. Along with a group of teenagers, he has to save the world. The show teaches lessons about love, loss and friendship, making it a fantastic show for its audience. I recently took the time to watch through the show myself, and I was very pleasantly surprised. The plot is complex and every character has flaws that balance their overall good nature. It’s understandable that so many people who enjoyed the show as kids are watching it again, and maybe even showing it to their children. But why has it gained so much popularity and love from people like me, who had never watched it before? To put it simply, it is a welcome distraction.

The universe avatar is set in is very different from our own. There are four nations, the antagonist in the series being the fire nation, and a majority of the time they live in harmony. This is very different from our current international environment where it feels as if we are always on the brink of World War III, or at the very least constantly fighting the unseen enemies of disease and environmental destruction. In the story there is one clear enemy and that provides both an escape and a point of focus for its audience, at a time when the real world is in shambles. It is a predominantly accepted idea among psychologists that people who have been traumatized often turn to fantasy to escape it. The fanfare surrounding Avatar: The Last Airbender is based largely on a group of people, scarred by current events, turning to a fantasy land where they feel safe.

A similar catalyst exists for many of the people re-watching the series; a return to innocence. When we feel the world is being held on our shoulders sometimes all you can think about is wanting to be a child again, when your parents took care of the hard decisions and the world made sense. By watching a high quality show that played a big role in your childhood, you bring your brain back to your innocent self. The same phenomenon occurs by watching your favorite movies or re-reading books that shaped you during a time when you were sheltered. Now more than ever people’s personal lives are crumbling. By returning to the safety of one's innocence, even for one short episode, people can take a break from holding up the world all the time.

Finally, the show has returned during a time of intense racial turmoil. People are finally standing up to violence, which results in a lot of violence itself. During a time when the country can feel divided between black and white avatar offers a show that takes no sides. In the entire 3 season long show there is only one white character, but even then he plays a very minor role and happens to be portrayed as quite stupid. Every other character is a POC, and a majority of them are represented as being of Asian descent. Shows that are this inclusive are desperately needed when we are so divided, and help represent progress.

While a kids show can’t solve the world’s problems, this one does allow for a constructive escape from reality. It reminds us that love and forgiveness are the path to peace, while still showing the power a rebellion can have. In these increasingly troubled times turning to this children's show may be exactly what society needs to remind us of our innocence and what it means to be human.