Perhaps the best introduction, is from the show itself. Imagine a young teenage girl saying the following...

"My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked.

Only the Avatar mastered all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless firebenders. But when the world needed him most, he vanished.

A hundred years have passed and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe.

Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle is broken, but I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow the Avatar will return to save the world."

And so begins Katara and her brother Sokka's journey of discovery, starting with the boy named Aang, the last airbender.

The characters. I was really surprised by how much I enjoy this series, but it's so well-written that you can't help but like it.

Watch the next season!

It's a quality kids show that even teenagers and adults will like. It has excellent writing and story-telling.

This show uses the four classical elements in a direct and gritty way. "Bending" in this show means the ability to manipulate the four elements of water, earth, fire, and air. The different elements are linked to different styles of martial arts fighting and there's more than just bands of magic being woven here. When fights happen between benders, there's real danger involved. Imagine a trying to fight a person who could pull water from a nearby river and cause it to encase you in a frozen iceberg?