As someone who watched the old show, there Teela was the reliable \'by the book\' character that was rigorous, but empathetic, behaving as such because she wanted to make Man-At-Arms, her adoptive father, proud, because she loved him very much. There was even an episode centered around her that highlighted that just because you\'re adopted, it doesn\'t mean that your parents love you any less. She often chastised Adam because she wanted him to be better (not knowing that he was he-man) but still was a good friend to him and to He-Man, and a reliable ally. So seeing her transformed into such an egomaniacal self-centered character was quite a vicious blow. And you\'re right, in the old show Adam/He-Man was quite charismatic, though there couldn\'t be much difference between character models because of the limitations of Rotoscopy techniques from the time.
Also interesting thing about Orko, he is actually from another dimension where the laws of magic are different than Eternia\'s. In fact, in his own dimension he is THE greatest wizard of them all, from a species that lives and thrives on magic, he only seems bumbling and clumsy because it\'s as if he is constantly trying to do spells his way, like trying to program C++ through Python.
I had a very similar experience (and likewise, didn't have the He-Man background; my go to as a kid was Conan the Adventurer). I think the reason for keeping He-Man out of his own show is because the guy basically One-Punch-Man's his problems away the moment he roids up (which he can do whenever he wants). That wasn't much of a problem in a campy toy commercial cartoon, but is in a serious story that adults are going to watch.
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Maybe they could have just locked Adam out of He-Man form instead of his power is a problem. That way he still has a starring role. Heck quite a few times I felt Andra could have been easily replaced with a de-powered Adam.
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Part 1 - For what it is, I enjoyed it (SPOILERS)
Let me just start this review by saying I have never watched the original He-Man, nor its 2002 remake, nor anything else about this franchise. So, I don't really have any ill feelings towards it or think it's "destroying my childhood" or whatever.
That being said, I will criticize the producers for running off their mouths and alienating the fanbase, claiming this series was going to be "all about He-Man" or "not focused at all on Teela", both of which turn out to be flat-out lies once you watch the show proper. He-Man in this show is at best a side-character, he literally shows up just to die twice and for Teela to take over.
I don't really have anything against the producers making a show about Teela instead of He-Man, but whether you're on the side of the "haters" or the "anti-haters" of this controversy, you must agree that this show was mostly advertised on empty promises from the producers' part, which is nothing admirable.
As for the show itself, in the opinion of a newcomer who's never watched anything He-Man or Masters of the Universe related, it was greatly enjoyable. I did enjoy the character interactions, the development, the set-up and the animation. I don't really know how much service (or disservice) the show does to the classic series, but I will say, it got me hooked. There wasn't really a moment where I felt bored, which is mostly what I feel while rewatching other old cartoons of the same era.
The only problem I have with the show, ironically, is Teela herself. She comes off as a terrible protagonist. Most of her contribution to the plot is throwing tantrums and blaming everyone else, while being as much of an unhelpful jerk as she can be.
One moment that really made me lose my patience with Teela was in Episode 2, where things are so dire one of the bad guys join the heroes' side and they explain to Teela that all of the universe is on the brink of absolute extinction if they don't find a way to restore its magic, Teela's response? "But you lied to me!"
It's at this point Evil-Lyn, the bad guy of the show, seems like a more heroic protagonist, and it doesn't end there. Two episodes later, Orko dies in what I can only describe as a greatly done emotional scene that genuinely made me tear-eyed, only for Teela and her new best friend to immediately ruin it by trying to murder Evil-Lyn for, in their words, "not trying hard enough to save him."
From the little I've seen of He-Man/Prince Adam and Cringer, they look like great, charismatic characters. Admittedly, I don't know how much they're like that in the original series, but I would too be pretty mad if someone made a show advertising characters like that as the main heroes, only for them to be replaced by the travesties that are Teela and Andra.
Other than that, I would call this show a banger. Great set-up, great character development, great animation and a hell of an exciting cliffhanger. I would give it an 8 out of 10.