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News

Forget Prime Day right now — all of my favorite Dell laptops are even cheaper directly from Dell, including $499.99 for a Ryzen 7 - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 11:24

The refreshed lineup of Dell laptops has turned out to be even better than many of us hoped for, including the return of the XPS line — and right now, Dell's 'Days of Deals' sale is offering even better pricing than the Amazon Prime Day laptop deals I've been seeing.

Right off the top, you have the new Dell 16 Laptop for $499.99 (originally $1029.99), which is a better price for a Windows 11 Home laptop than just about any other model on Amazon that doesn't come with junk hardware inside. Instead, you get an eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 250 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD, far better than most sub-$500 laptops on sale for Prime Day.

The Alienware 15 gaming laptop is also just $999.99 for a decently specced sub-$1,000 laptop with updated hardware, something that is very hard to find on Amazon right now.

There's more to explore at Dell.com, and I encourage you to check out their sale if you're in the market for new computer hardware, but I've pulled together my favorite laptop picks and configurations from the sale to help make it easier to find what you're looking for.

Today's best laptop deals at Dell.com

AMD Ryzen 7 250 | 16GB DDR5 RAM | 512GB SSD

I always think of the Dell 16 Laptop as the everyday workhorse for remote and hybrid workers. Likewise, If you or your child is off to college this September, then get ahead of the curve with this outstanding deal.View Deal

AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 | 16GB DDR5 RAM | 512GB SSD

The Dell 14 Plus is one of our favorite mid-range Windows laptops thanks to its excellent design and competitive specs. If I were looking for a decent everyday laptop for everything from work to demanding productivity applications, then I'd be very tempted by this deal.View Deal

Intel Core 5 320 | 8GB DDR5 RAM | 512GB SSD

Dell's answer to the Neo comes with a touchscreen display and a special price for students (matching Apple's $599). This is the cheapest XPS 13 yet and one with a smaller-than-A4 footprint.View Deal

Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | 32GB DDR5 RAM | 1TB SSD

Dell ships 32GB of RAM with this laptop and this is the optimal amount of memory for serious productivity/business workloads. 'Between great general computing performance for any college student or executive and long-lasting battery life, it's a solid mid-tier laptop and it's even cheaper than last year!View Deal

Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 | 32GB DDR5 RAM | 512GB SSD

Dell's XPS 13 laptops are always worth keeping an eye out for during Prime Day, as we often see big price cuts for what are some of the best laptops you can currently buy. Right now, one of the biggest discounts you'll find is for this Snapdragon-equipped model, which also features an impressive 32GB of RAM. With a Snapdragon chipset, you'll get great performance and almost unbeatable battery life out of this model.View Deal

Intel Core 5 210H | 16GB DDR5 RAM | 512GB SSD | RTX4050

Save $350 on the Alienware Aurora 15 gaming laptop. This system strikes a sensible balance between gaming proficiency and affordability. For less than $1,000, it's a capable workhorse for both casual and professional tasks.View Deal

Graphics card: GeForce RTX 5060
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7-240H
RAM: 32GB DDR5
Storage: 1TB

This Alienware Aurora 16 isn't the cheapest laptop on the market, but you're getting an Intel Core Ultra-7 240H chipset, RTX 5060 graphics card, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD - superb specs for 1080p gaming. If you need a decent machine with a premium build, then this is a fantastic choice in the Dell Black Friday in July sale.View Deal

Amazon's Prime Day sale in the US - quick links
I'm back into vinyl in a big way in 2026, and Fluance's top cheap turntable is 20% off for Prime Day in this turntable deal, but only for 12 hours (so hurry!) - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 11:25

Everyone's getting back into vinyl these days, whether it's for that hit of nostalgia or because you don't want Spotify feeding you AI slop (vinyl, at the time of writing, does not facilitate AI slop… let us all hope it stays that way). And a new discount from Fluance makes picking up its entry-level turntable even easier.

This is the Fluance RT81, which we called "Easily the best starter turntable you can buy" when we tested it back in 2024. And it's a relatively affordable model even without a discount, designed to offer you the record-playing basics without expensive audiophile features.

But right now, it's 20% off, taking $60 off its already-affordable asking fee to make it just $239.99 (was $299.99) on Amazon.

A warning: turn back now if you're not reading this between 8:25am and 8:25pm ET on Wednesday, June 4 (that's 5:25am - 5:25pm PT, though it's not clear if Fluance will budge the window for Westerners). This discount is available as a Lightning Deal on Amazon, as part of Prime Day deals, so it's only live for a slender 12-hour window.

Shop more Prime Day deals at Amazon US

Fluance RT81: was $299.99 now $239.99 at Amazon
Turntable discounts aren't hugely common, so any kind of reduction is something that'll turn heads. It's great that the sale is on an entry-level model, lowering the price of entry for prospective vinyl fans a little. And the discount? It's the lowest our trackers have seen… View Deal

Hold the needle a sec: the Fluance RT81 does miss one feature common in entry-level turntables, which you should probably know about before you buy.

The turntable doesn't feature Bluetooth connectivity (which plenty of new spinners do in 2026), so you can't pair it with your JBL speaker to enjoy your tunes, say. Instead, you'll need to connect wired speakers via RCA (those white and red dual cables).

While audiophiles prefer to avoid Bluetooth for record listening, due to the compression inherent in Bluetooth losing some of the detail within the vinyl, it's much more common in entry-level record players. The feature makes it much easier to integrate a player into your home hi-fi set-up if you only own wireless tech.

So it's only worth buying the Fluance RT81 deal if you can fit a wired turntable into your home, or you already have a set of stereo speakers that you want to put to good use.

If that's no issue, you'll find the RT81 a nice, good-looking and convenient starter turntable. It's easy to set-up and use, and it sounds pretty great.

The deal will save you $60 which, admittedly, is about the cost of one record these days, but you've probably inherited a collection of those. Instead, I'd put the money towards one of the best stereo speakers so you can use the Fluance properly.

Today's NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for June 25, #1110 - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 16:00
Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for June 25 No. 1,110.
Today's Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for June 25, #1832 - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 16:01
Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle for June 25, No. 1,832.
Today's NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for June 25, #844 - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 16:01
Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for June 25, No. 844.
Czechia vs. Mexico: Stream FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A Match Live for Free - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 18:01
El Tri look to finish the group as winners as they take on a Czech team that needs a win to confirm a spot in the next round.
Federal Judge Allows Search of ChatGPT Records in Crypto Fraud Case - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 18:30
Courts are increasingly signaling that conversations with AI tools could constitute evidence in criminal cases.
Micro Center Tech Days Delivers Big Savings on PC Building Essentials - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 18:03
From Ryzen X3D gaming platforms to Intel productivity powerhouses, these GIGABYTE motherboard bundles pair premium processors, modern chipsets and fast DDR5 memory at great prices.
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for June 25, #640 - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 19:42
Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for June 25, No. 640.
Meta Halts Employee Data Tracking After Sensitive Info Reportedly Exposed - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 20:27
The company wanted to use the controversial program to help train its AI.
Today's NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, June 25 - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 23:44
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for June 25.
There are 63 new Grand Theft Auto 6 screenshots to pore over, giving us our first look at some of the key mechanics of the upcoming GTA game - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 14:20

Developer Rockstar Games has unveiled a deluge of new promotional screenshots, alongside the confirmation of the game's price and GTA 6 pre-order information.

In an email sent to outlets including TechRadar Gaming, the publisher shared 63 new images, which can also be found on the game's official site.

They mainly focus on the content included with the Ultimate Edition, or the Vintage Vice City Pack pre-order bonus DLC, but still reveal some interesting titbits about the game and point to some potential key mechanics.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar Expect plenty of flashy cars, and vehicle customizationRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar Games

Loads of the new screenshots focus on cars and car customization, with the press release accompanying the images confirming that Ultimate Edition owners will be able to visit two exclusive vehicle mod shops.

We know that interiors will be customizable, alongside rims, paint jobs, and more.

Clothing stores and hairdressers are returning tooRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar Games

As in past games, it's clear that players will be able to visit clothing stores to customize how their characters look as the Ultimate Edition comes bundled with access to the exclusive Stock 305 Clothing Store.

There will also be hairdressers if you need a trim, including Sara's Unisex Salon if you buy the Ultimate Edition version.

The game will also feature tattoo parlors, again just like previous games.

You can get your own boatsRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar Games

One of the biggest benefits of the Ultimate Edition seems to be access to the Shitzu Squalo, a flashy boat that you can use to explore the sea and access a weapons crate. Like Grand Theft Auto 5, it seems players will be able to own and presumably customize their own ships.

You'll have somewhere to stay on land as wellRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar Games

When you're on land, you will be able to access safehouses, with one included in the Ultimate Edition. It will allow you to store vehicles and, I assume, access other features.

Weapon customization is back with a bangRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar Games

Loads of the screenshots show flashy weapons (or characters holding them). The fact that you will be able to customize weapons has been confirmed, which should mean access to skins and attachments. like scopes or suppressors.

Pre-order buyers get a dose of nostalgiaRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar GamesRockstar Games

While the screenshots so far have focused on the Ultimate Edition, 12 of the 63 sent out today are all about the Vintage Vice City Pack.

This is one of the bonuses that will be given to fans who pre-order, and includes some outfits, hairstyles, and weapons that you can see above.

They're clearly inspired by the world of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and so should offer a big dose of nostalgia to returning fans.

Netflix is launching a new horror game by the developers of Oxenfree — and your phone is the controller - Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - 14:21
  • Netflix has confirmed that its new horror game Unhinged will launch on June 30
  • It will be available to Netflix subscribers on all plans
  • Unhinged is controlled via your phone and focuses on a woman trying to escape a home invasion

Netflix has announced they are launching a new horror game, Unhinged, on June 30 and that it will be available to all subscriber tiers.

Unhinged was made by Oxenfree developer Night School Studio, and is a first-person horror game centering on two young women who are neighbors, as one attempts to escape from a home invasion.

Night School game director Sam Warner told Rolling Stone: "I grew up with those, and I think that focus on novel innovative play was something that we really started this game with. If you've got Netflix and you have a phone, then this is for you."

A tense social media trailer was shared for Unhinged, where Netflix confirmed it would launch worldwide on June 30.

A post shared by Netflix US (@netflix)

A photo posted by on

There's plenty to get excited about when it comes to Unhinged. First of all there's an amazing cast attached including Stranger Things' Sadie Sink, The Batman's Zoë Kravitz, and The Last of Us' voice actor Troy Baker.

Honestly, you couldn't get a better cast. I'm excited to see these stars in action, especially when it comes to the confined settings of a first-person horror like this. It has the potential to be great.

Gameplay wise, you'll need your phone for this one. Rather than being an interactive movie you control with your remote, Unhinged uses your phone to receive calls and text messages or to look around its world with a virtual flashlight.

There's multiple paths you can go down and, of course, you can die. So the stakes are high here and you'll have to pay attention if you want to make it out of the house safely. The game is said to be less than an hour in length, similar to an episode of a Netflix series, but you do have the opportunity to go back and explore new paths.

I've had mixed opinions of Netflix games so far but this one sounds promising. I can't wait to check it out on June 30.

Consumer Cellular Introduces SpeakEasy Phone Plans for Seniors 75 and Up - Thursday, June 25, 2026 - 01:02
The launch marks the company's first foray into hardware, with an accessible flip phone and smartphone with large, easy-to-use controls.
You Can Preorder Slate Auto's $25K Electric Pickup Now - Thursday, June 25, 2026 - 01:16
Full production of the customizable truck isn't expected to ramp up until 2027.
I Have Too Many Subscriptions and You May Too. Here’s Why That Might Be a Security Issue - Thursday, June 25, 2026 - 08:00
Your data may be at risk if you’ve been casually subscribing to anything and everything. Here’s what you can do about it.
AI-Powered War Is Coming. This Fight Over a Data Center Just Made That Case - Thursday, June 25, 2026 - 09:01
A legal battle over a data center's environmental impact opens a window into the US military's rapid adoption of AI for warfighting.
I Tested Leica's SL3-P Camera in Scotland. These Are My Favorite Photos. - Thursday, June 25, 2026 - 09:07
I took Leica's latest mirrorless camera for some photography around Scotland. Here's what I got.
Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 ending explained — does Aang die, who controls Ba Sing Se, does Zuko turn on Azula, and season 3 predictions for hit Netflix show - Thursday, June 25, 2026 - 03:01

Spoilers for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 ahead.

Even before Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 dropped on Netflix, we knew exactly where it was heading: the Fire Nation taking over all of the Four Nations.

In the latest batch of seven episodes, the target is the hidden city of Ba Sing Se — and as of season 2 episode 6, it's been captured.

With Avatar Aang (Gordon Cormier) the only person who can save the day, the pressure is on to stop Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim) from doing any more damage.

Unluckily, Princess Azula (Elizabeth Yu) is taking her dad's wishes into her own hands. But can our favorite gang cope with her fiendish plans?

Here's everything you need to know about the Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 ending... and what it might mean for the already confirmed season 3.

Appa, Sokka, Zuko and Katara are all captured by the Dai Li — which is now controlled by Azula

(Image credit: Netflix)

We kick off Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 episode 8 with a flashback of baby Aang meeting Appa the sky bison for the first time. Aang feeds Appa an apple (trying to say that three times fast), and they embrace.

Cut to the present day, where Appa has been kidnapped by the Dai Li — Ba Sing Se's secret police force — which is now being controlled by Princess Azula. Trust me, you will cry seeing him in chains.

In a meeting with the city's Grand Secretariat, Long Feng (Chin Han), Azula kills all of Ba Sing Se's highest-ranking men in the force when they question why the Fire Nation wants to control the city. Long Feng, however, begrudgingly but fearfully complies with Azula's plan: to raise Ba Sing Se's drawbridge and let the Fire Nation troops roll in, taking out anything they want in the process.

Remember, this is all coming from Lord Ozai's orders, despite Azula being a more than willing vehicle for them. But Appa isn't the only Aang ally the Dai Li has captured on her orders, with Sokka (Ian Ousley) and Katara (Kiawentiio) also in separate cells.

Sokka reunites with inventor Sai (Danny Pudi) in his cell, with the inventor already being captured before his arrival. Together, they try to figure out how to use the prison's underground structure to break free.

Katara has been put in a cell with Zuko (Dallas Liu), who was caught by the Dai Li after "doing a good act." This marks the biggest pinnacle in Zuko's personal struggle between good and evil so far, and Azula has no idea that he's jailed.

Meanwhile, Toph (Miya Cech) returns home to her mother, complaining that Aang and co. "don't understand her" after their huge falling out in episode 6. While initially seeming on board with how great Toph's earthbending powers are, her mother poisons Toph's tea in order to try and control her urge to leave home forever.

Aang and Iroh plan an escape mission

(Image credit: Netflix )

So where is Aang in this? Right behind his pals, having already figured out where Appa is underground just by sensing him. When the Azula-controlled Dai Li parade through the center of Ba Sing Se, he's hidden by allies made in season 2, episode 1.

When he attempts to approach the Dai Li's underground jail, he's spotted by Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) and is immediately suspicious. Iroh reveals that he's also on a mission to break Zuko out of jail, thinking that the pair should team up for maximum effect.

Iroh tells Aang about a secret door that Avatar Kyoshi once installed to lead into the underground caves, but it needs all four elements bent at once to be able to open it. Aang is missing his firebending powers at this stage, so he needs Iroh just as much as Iroh needs Aang.

Together, the pair locate and open the door, and set off on their rescue mission.

Zuko tries to bond with Katara

(Image credit: Netflix)

While Sokka and Sai try to be proactive, Katara learns who Zuko really is. Immediately, she goes on the defensive, telling him how all of her family — and the entire Waterbending tribe — were wiped out thanks to the hostile Fire Nation invasion.

Zuko definitely feels empathy for Katara, but still has a chip on his shoulder. He tells her that the Fire Nation also stripped him of his family, with his mother dying at the hands of Lord Ozai.

The more the two talk, the more they realize that they have a lot in common. It's the closest we've even seen Zuko come to his "good" side, and it seems as though he's finally going to stay that way for good.

Looking at the burn mark around his left eye, Katara offers to try and heal Zuko using the waterbending potion in the locket around her neck. Just as she's about to apply it, Aang and Iroh storm in, having found and released Sokka and Sai first.

Aang goes to fight Zuko, but Iroh stops him, claiming that he's seen huge changes for the better in his nephew. Not quite believing that Zuko has defected from the Fire Nation, the gang sets off in search of the exit.

Aang's escape plan is thwarted

(Image credit: Netflix)

With the Dai Li everywhere, the gang splits up. Aang goes to find Appa after Long Feng brings him up to speed with Azula's plans, earthbending a hole through the ceiling so that Appa can fly to safety.

But as he tries to rejoin the others, he passes another prisoner who was originally being psychologically tortured by a Dai Li officer earlier on. Aang offers to bring her with them, but instead of accepting his offer, she shouts that "the Avatar is here," alerting the guards.

From there, it's fighting on all fronts. In pairs, the group makes light work of the Dai Li roaming the hallways, especially when Toph joins suits, revealing that she has invented "metalbending."

In fact, metalbending is how she ended up there in the first place. When she wakes up after her poisoning, Toph awakes in a metal box riding inside her mother's horse and carriage. Coming to the conclusion that Aang really does understand her, where her family doesn't, she bends the box and flies out of the carriage, making her way to safety.

An all-out battle with Azula changes Zuko's allegiance

(Image credit: Netflix)

With the fight raging on, Azula soon joins the mix, learning that her brother is among the escapees. Honing her focus on him, she tries to convince him, once again, to rejoin her side.

At first, Zuko remains hesitant, more confident in his newfound ability to do good things. But when Azula brings up the death of their mother, he changes his mind.

Where Zuko has always held a grudge against Azula for how she acted when their mother died, Azula reveals that she was only acting on her mother's orders. Their mom wanted the siblings to stay together through the trauma, breaking an emotional trigger point inside Zuko when he hears this.

By the time the rest of the gang reach a large clearing in the underground caves, Azula and Zuko emerge to fight them all as a team. This shocks Katara, who had genuinely believed that Zuko was coming around to being on their side.

After a lot of intense bending and fighting, it looks as though Azula has Aang right where she wants him — after all, the entire point of kidnapping his friends was to lure Aang to Ba Sing Se.

But in his hour of need, Aang taps into what can best be described as an "Avatar portal," seeing physical forms of all the Avatars that came before him in his mind's eye. More clearly, it's what causes Aang's eyes and head arrow to turn a shining blue, as he's essentially channelling their collective power through his body.

Aang is left unconscious

(Image credit: Netflix)

At this point, we see Aang's best bending to date, turning the tables on Azula and leaving her (and the Dai Li guards who join her) powerless.

But just as he's about to deliver the final blow, Aang loses his inner vision, effectively shutting his power off. He collapses to the floor, but Katara, Sokka and Toph are able to get him to safety thanks to Appa having waited outside.

With Ba Sing Se still under Azula's control, our final scene shows the gang flying away on Appa's back. Kata uses the potion she initially offered to Zuko on Aang, aiming to heal him and bring him back to full health.

However, nothing happens after she gives it to him, with the final shot showing Aang completely unconscious and unresponsive.

Season 3 predictions

(Image credit: Netflix)

Obviously, finding out if Aang has actually survived the battle is a top priority for season 3. But the mere fact that season 3 has already been greenlit basically confirms that we'll be seeing Aang again anyway.

In a nutshell, we can expect to see Aang learning to firebend, infiltrating the Fire Nation, and preparing for his climactic showdown with Fire Lord Ozai before Sozin's Comet arrives. Not too much, then.

We also know that Zuko will eventually team up with Aang and the gang to make this happen, so we can expect to see some more emotional upheaval from him.

We're hoping to see season 3 episodes next summer.

I've watched all of Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 on Netflix, and it's hugely improved from the dreadful first season — yet it still gives off The Witcher vibes in the worst possible way - Thursday, June 25, 2026 - 03:01

Two years ago, Netflix dramatically let me down. As a massive anime fan, I tuned into the first season of their live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender remake and was horrifically disappointed within minutes. In fact, the most positive critique you could give it is that it was better than the live-action movies, which are widely considered to be garbage.

Why? The action was all there, but the heart of Aang's story wasn't. Spectacular VFX tried to cover up the hollow, mundane narrative underneath. In fact, to quote a fantastic jaw-dropping writer called Jasmine Valentine: "There’s little room to learn, with life-changing realizations made in a ridiculously short amount of time. If a tale can’t be paid its due diligence in a certain remit, should we even bother at all?"

In 2026, my excitement for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 is non-existent. I've approached its seven-episode run with complete trepidation, honestly wondering if there is anything better that I could be covering this week. However — while a long way from being a masterpiece — the hit Netflix show has clearly been listening.

Now that all of the exhausting worldbuilding is out of the way (for the most part), fans can finally focus on the character relationships that they want to invest in. There's a lot of tenderness and vulnerability on display, which is the most fulfilling part of our cast having grown up so much between seasons.

But there's still something obvious that's really bothering me... and it comes back to Netflix's "cookie-cutter" mold that none of its programs can escape.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 has finally learned its lesson about the importance of heart

Read it and weep (for joy), kids — Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 actually has heart. If we're being honest, nobody had to put any effort into achieving this, with the mere fact that the lore of the Four Nations is fully established meaning there's now room for bigger, better things.

A mature Aang (Gordon Cormier) now straddles his inner struggles of legacy and constant imposter syndrome even more effectively, with the likes of Katara (Kiawentiio), Sokka (Ian Ousley), and Suki (Maria Zhang) now all settled into their selves, wants and needs.

If anything, Zuko (Dallas Liu) is going through it the most. After deserting his family and retreating into hiding at the end of season 1, we've got a lot more sympathy with him this time around as he grapples with his supposed destiny of capturing Aang for the Fire Nation's glory. Unlike Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim), he's no longer a villain, but a victim.

The standout character of season 2 is easily Toph (Miya Cech), who has finally been introduced after not appearing in season 2. Coming from a complicated family background that routinely dismisses her Earthbending, she comes into her own sassy self after teaming up with Aang to teach him the next element.

Collectively, the team is now firing on all cylinders, and it's nothing short of a joy to watch. Now we understand who they are and what the bigger picture looks like; intimacy, fun, and genuinely satisfying friendships are now flourishing. The jokes land, the serious moments stab you in the heart, and whimsy is flying around like Appa the sky bison.

Netflix makes season 2 look exactly like The Witcher — just with different lore

(Image credit: Netflix)

Everything else in Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 feels like more of the same — and that's a huge problem when it comes to the visuals. Broadly speaking, the Four Nations are jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the detail that the creative team has packed into the landscapes is nothing short of impressive.

The immediate VFX, such as the bending that our characters use, leave a lot to be desired. It's obviously not a usual thing for people to have fire and water shooting out of their hands, so we're suspending a great deal of belief anyway... but being in the moment doesn't help when seeing it happen looks so fake.

This lumps season 2 into the same visually poor category as The Witcher, which is another comparison I made during season 1's debut. Cover the faces of the actors, stick them in the woods for a combat scene, and you'd be hard-pressed to tell the shows apart. Netflix is determined to make all of its genre programs look exactly like one another, and I'm baffled as to why.

Then there's the ultimate ending, which we already know without including spoilers. Much like other long-running anime series like One Piece (with its Netflix adaptation also guilty of this), we've known about the final endgame from its first five minutes. Here, it's for Aang to learn his bending skills, become all-powerful, and defeat Lord Ozai and the Fire Nation.

With a third series already confirmed, this is being drawn out for as long as humanly possible. It was obvious that none of the above was going to be achieved by the time season 2 wrapped up, so we've made little substantial progress from when Aang's goal was first introduced.

For me, the constant theme of "Oh no! Danger is on the horizon, and the Fire Nation must be stopped" is going to wear thin quickly. I'd really like to see season 3 mix things up, but I'm guessing that it won't.

Did I enjoy seeing Aang and the gang in 2026 more than in 2024? Absolutely. Has it renewed my interest in seeing them again at the end of 2027 (season 3's assumed release window)? Far from it.

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