But American kids’ shows have a long way to go before L.G.B.T. Adventure Time certainly makes an effort, and two female lovers from the Japanese show Sailor Moon, who were changed to “cousins” in the Americanized version, are finally coming out of the closet. After-the-fact concessions like Dumbledore was gay, or Ren and Stimpy were gay, have limited value. When it comes to children’s entertainment, that envelope still needs pushing. And, sure, there are shows that are more explicit and progressive when depicting same-sex couples. Someone who is 18 now was 9 when Avatar: The Last Airbender premiered. First of all, as I mentioned earlier, a generation of kids have grown up with the world of Konietzko and DiMartino. But just how important can this final shot be? The didn’t even kiss for chrissakes! Well, pretty important. Konietzko and DiMartino took a tired dynamic between two women and turned it into something fresh and exciting. But that outsider status made it downright irresistible to certain viewers. In its final seasons, Korra became too dangerous, too risky for Nick to air. That, coupled with less-than-stellar ratings, an ill-timed leak of episodes, and any number of mysterious behind-the-scenes factors, resulted in the surprising move to online-only Korra. But Korra continued to air dark material.
After killing off a character on-screen in the Season 1 finale, Korra was considered too risqué and adult for the Saturday-morning crowd and was moved to Friday nights. However, during the show’s first season, it aired in a coveted Saturday-morning slot. The Legend of Korra was never quite forbidden, never completely canceled, perhaps due to that lingering Avatar goodwill. (Clearly-marked spoilers for the finale at the bottom of the page.)Ĭensorship: It’s always tempting to watch something you’re not supposed to, but this week in particular, with its Sony hacks and cinematic censorship, the notion of watching something forbidden feels like an especially political move. Here’s how The Legend of Korra, by breaking racial, sexual, and political ground, became the most badass, subversive show of 2014. And last night, during the finale, creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino shoved that envelope even further. That’s right, something called The Legend of Korra, an adventure show about teenagers with the supernatural ability to manipulate the elements, pushed the envelope so far it got yanked from TV.
Because, in an unprecedented move, Nickelodeon pulled The Legend of Korra off TV earlier this year and screened almost the entire last two seasons online only.
Last night Nickelodeon aired the finale of the animated spin-off series The Legend of Korra, bringing a nine-year journey that started with Avatar: The Last Airbender to a close. A show for kids that aired its final season entirely online may not only be the most subversive television event of the year, but it could have the power to change children’s TV forever.