Finally got around to watching the first episode with English Subs. You can definitely tell it's catered towards players of the original, and in my opinion, it does its job fairly well, though having HP Bars visible during the Gym Battle is pushing it a little. It's nothing I'll lose sleep over, mind you. Moving on to Episode 2 as we speak.
EDIT: Ignoring the sub-par translation, Episode 2 dealt with a subject the 4Kids show wouldn't touch... death. The Pokemon they used to show this was really fitting and and there were a few moments that really tugged at my heartstrings. It really has brought the quality (or lack thereof) of the original anime series to my attention. Sure, that one will stay with me for the sake of nostalgia but when I get an emotional response out of this in just two episodes when the original didn't at all, it certainly makes you think about what could have been done to make the series more accessible for all ages. I'm aware there are people my age and above who will still keep up with Ash's adventures, but I can easily see which one has the most heart put into it.