This past weekend, the new CGI animated series Star Wars:REBELS premiered on the Disney XD app with the first two episodes strung together into a “movie” (which is all of 43 minutes long…). It’s basically the story of how Aladdin comes to join the crew of The Firefly and…err…I mean how EZRA comes to join the crew of the GHOST and fight against the evil oppressive Empire. I wish I was joking, but ever since someone online referred to Ezra as Aladdin, I can’t not see him as Aladdin in space, they even refer to him as a “street rat” during the episode, like they want us to make the connection or something.
As first episode stories go, it’s a confused mess of bad tactics and jumps in logic mixed with lots of action, which means it’s pretty typical and not bad. I’d actually say it’s a better first episode than Clone Wars had, and Clone Wars turned out to be pretty fun series, so I have some hopes for this one. (Having the same creative team from Clone Wars mixed with the creative team for Young Justice gives me extra hope.) On the downside, the core story looks to be another Jedi-Padawan training story, but that can’t be helped since Jedi sell toys and without the Jedi the Star Wars universe is pretty a pretty generic Sci-Fi setting.
I’ll keep watching to see where this one goes. It has real potential, and I trust the people in charge, so it could be a good ride. Rebels premiers on regular TV next week, and with this and the final season of Legend of Korra starting next weekend (officially) it looks like I’m going to have some good weekend TV to look forward to each week!
Rob
I have tried and failed to get my kids interested in “Clone Wars”. I’d like to watch it too because I know how much you love it, but the first couple of episodes have been meh. I’m willing to keep trying but my kids would rather watch repeats of “Avatar”.
This review of the new series does nothing to allay my fears about the Disneification of my beloved childhood.
I continue to believe that Star Wars was truly meant to be the story of Luke Skywalker told in three parts. Anything else will just not have the impact. You can have a decent story, even something entertaining, but the story itself will never have the affect it once had.
Clone Wars (like Avatar) takes a while to warm up, but has a pretty good payoff. I’d say I didn’t come to love Clone Wars until towards the end of the first season, and that prior to the mid teens it was more of a curiosity for me than a must-watch show. Although I did enjoy the initial “Hunt the Bismark” storyline they started with. Clone Wars is also an anthology at heart written by a large writing team, so if you don’t like a story you just wait for the next one and it may be more to your tastes.
As for the Disnification- yeah, I can feel a touch of that with Rebels. It’s very slick in a marketable sense- like they played it safe and for maximum marketing potential in every possible way. For example, the designs for the human cast are some of the most ethnically ambiguous people you’ve ever seen exactly because they plan to redub and air this in pretty much every country on the planet and want it to appeal to the local kids. Clone Wars was a bit more rough and ready in that respect, and them trying lots of different ideas. Although I have to admit with Rebels I’m really curious how they’re going to write this series about what are essentially terrorists blowing up military targets and wreaking havoc in this current geopolitical climate. Then again, Clone Wars ended up turning into a sly commentary on the Financial Crisis (I couldn’t believe some of the episodes they got away with!) so maybe this one might have a lot to say about America’s role in the Middle East.
Oh, and I agree that at it’s core Star Wars is the story of Luke, but that doesn’t prevent more stories, as long as they don’t just rehash variants of Luke’s story again and again…Which is what it’s looking like they’re going to do. :-/
Rob
>Anything else will just not have the impact.
I think you’re right; but I think that’s ‘cos Star Wars is a fixture now, so the novelty is long gone. It’s no them, it’s us.
>I continue to believe that Star Wars was truly meant to be the story of Luke Skywalker told in three parts.
The first set was, but I think the galaxy is big enough you COULD do interesting stories with other folks. Unfortunately there’s a tendency for franchises to stick with what works, and link EVERYTHING into one or two main characters. I would feel MUCH better about the new movies if they DIDN’T bring back the old actors and characters.
….and if they HAVE to bring old ones back, I’d prefer it to be ones we haven’t seen to death already. (I’m looking at YOU, Fett!) Bring back Valance, or Jaxxon, or Willrow Hood….
>I have to admit with Rebels I’m really curious how they’re going to write this series about what are essentially terrorists blowing up military targets and wreaking havoc in this current geopolitical climate
Easy, ‘cos everyone will associate the Empire with the OTHER guys.
Don C.