Yeah, I really wanted to like the live-action - mainly because I do like the cast - but I honestly felt that the writing let it down. I don't think there's much sub-text to the dialogue and it just felt sort of rushed. Whereas the cartoon progresses and "grows" very organically. I mean it's ironic how the writing for a children's cartoon feels so much more sophisticated than a live-action version trying to feel more... serious? Plus I think the young actors needed better acting and voice support. Ken Leung was
brilliant though and I don't know how that man isn't swimming in acting nominations at this point (I mean, to act that well with sub-par material is pretty bad-ass).
Thinking back to the cartoon though, one of the things that always really impressed me was how childish the very first episode is and how grown up the finale is,
yet the progess in between is so gradual you don't even notice it. I don't know if that was a stroke of genius or a happy accident but either way it's one of the reasons I think that show is one of the best pieces of television ever made
