ST Countdown to Episode IX: The Watch Along Thread!

Did not enjoy the droid episodes. 2/10 from me.

 

Downfall of a Droid - 2/10

This is the first real episode of TCW that I have absolutely no love for. The plot is boring, the music is terrible and for some reason the graphics are really bad. A lot of the episode looks almost like it's still in the animatic phase. Just a bad episode. It gets a point for having Artoo do some cool Artoo stuff but that's it.

Duel of the Droids - 4/10

This episode improves a little on the last one but not by much. I like most of the actual mission in the episode. Jumping from the ship onto the listening station is really cool and I like Ahsoka's confrontation with Grievous but the episode is completely undermined by the fact that Anakin is a complete dumbass. The droid being a traitor is so obvious yet it takes forever for anyone to figure it out. Especially Anakin who is supposed to be a brilliant tactician. It's just not believable at all. And how the hell does a droid become a traitor anyway? And why? Just stupid.

Rankings

Films:

1) Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - 9/10
2) Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones - 6/10

TV series:

1) Hidden Enemy - 9/10
2) Shadow of Malevolence - 8/10
3) Clone Cadets - 8/10
4) Cat and Mouse - 7/10
5) Rise of Malevolence - 7/10
6) Rookies - 7/10
7) Supply Lines - 7/10
8) Ambush - 5/10
9) Destroy Malevolence - 4/10
10) Duel of the Droids - 4/10
11) Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film) - 3/1
12) Downfall of a Droid - 2/10

 

So I'm a little late. I'll give Rookies a 9. This episode establishes the unique personalities of all the clones efficiently and would be hesrtbrheartb on its own. But after Clone Cadets it's even harder. I enjoy seeing Domino Squad join up with Rex and Cody. This episode leaves me excited to see the rest of Echo and Fives' arcs. It also had good action. I enjoy the military maneuvering with the CIS trying to take the listening post to prepare for an assault on Kamino. The droids are effective as well.

I'd say the droid arc is an 8. Maybe a 7.5. I like it. It's not close to my favorite and I definitely see the complaints, but I always enjoy this arc. The opening battle is great and I love Anakin's strategy. It definitely highlights his military aptitude. The plot with the droid traitor is annoying, but I enjoy Anakin and Ahsoka's interactions in these episodes and losing R2 allows for a decent exploration of Anakin's attachment issues. I enjoy the attack on the Separatist Listening Post. I love how they have Anakin and Grievous fight battles against each other or be in the same building, but never meet. Ahsoka's fight with Greivous was well done. So overall I feel this is a good arc.

 

Just a heads up I won't be able to get on at noon tomorrow but I'll still try to get the poll up for Saturday's episodes as soon as I can. I'll catch up tomorrow night and I'll most likely be on for Sunday's episodes.

 

I agree with the harsh critique for the most part, these are also two episodes that I did not care for, almost at all.

The droid becomes a traitor if it is reprogrammed, I thought it was clear in the episode that they had reprogrammed it. But completely agree that they should have figured it out or at least suspected it so much sooner. Both Anakin and Ahsoka are seen as fools in this episode. For me:

Downfall of a Droid - 3/10
Duel of the Droids - 5/10

 

R3's treachery was too obvious to be a surprise by Duel of the Droids. As it is, a traitorous droid assigned to Anakin is contrived but leads to enjoyable situations. I would've enjoyed seeing R3's infiltration. Or R3's conversion! Maybe, off-screen, R3 was captured, re-programmed, and then released and assigned to Gold Squadron... But, in that case, I might feel sympathy for R3, being a victim of Separatist tampering, especially after R2 murders him.

I liked Gha Nachkt. Cool character, he survived for two (maybe three, if his presence in Ziro's bar is confirmed) episodes, but under-utilized maybe. I mean, considering what the animators did with the Trandoshans in future episodes, a character like Gha Nachkt could be more expressive and memorable with updated animation.

 

No Mandalorian? I'm out.

 

Sorry I wasn't on today to do this. Hope everyone enjoyed the episodes if you watched them. Anyway if you hadn't seen yet...

POLL IS NOW OPEN!
Rate the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episodes: Dooku Captured and The Gungan General
Poll will close on Saturday, February 2, 2019
After you've given the episodes a rating feel free to post your review in thread!

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Hondo is a legend.

 

6/10 for both Dooku Captured and Gungan General

These two Clone Wars episodes, are the rare episodes that I didn't like. (1) Don't like seeing the Jedi/Sith look like fools from pirates (how could Hondo have taken Dooku's lightsaber without him knowing it?). (2) Jar Jar works in episodes like Bombad Jedi; but not in episodes where he helps rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Dooku.

 

Dooku Captured - 6/10

It's a pretty good episode and that's based solely on the strength of Hondo alone. One of the best original characters created for TCW. It's a fun episode but not a very deep one. Which is okay. It's nice to get a little breather and have a fun pirate adventure mixed in with all the more serious episodes.

The Gungan General - 5/10

I take a point off for some of Jar Jar's antics which can get a bit too much and I'm a big Jar Jar fan. Just ask @Pro Scoundrel. But I like that the Jedi and the Sith have to work together to get out of their predicament and I love the jabs Obi-Wan and Anakin throw at Dooku. Again it's an enjoyable episode but not much else.

Rankings

Films:

1) Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - 9/10
2) Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones - 6/10

TV series:

1) Hidden Enemy - 9/10
2) Shadow of Malevolence - 8/10
3) Clone Cadets - 8/10
4) Cat and Mouse - 7/10
5) Rise of Malevolence - 7/10
6) Rookies - 7/10
7) Supply Lines - 7/10
8) Lair of Grievous - 6/10
9) Cloak of Darkness - 6/10
10) Dooku Captured - 6/10
11) Bombad Jedi - 6/10
12) Ambush - 5/10
13) The Gungan General - 5/10
14) Destroy Malevolence - 4/10
15) Duel of the Droids - 4/10
16) Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film) - 3/1
17) Downfall of a Droid - 2/10

 

Dooku Captured/Gungan General 8

Contextually Dooku being captured works for me. I enjoy Hondo as a character and this is where he was introduced. The dialogue in these episodes is generally really fun.

 

Fifteen minutes! Blue Shadow Virus & Mystery of a Thousand Moons up next!

 

Final poll results for Dooku Captured and The Gungan General:

10: 1 votes or 12.5%
9: 2 votes or 25.0%
8: 2 votes or 25.0%
7: 1 votes or 12.5%
6: 2 votes or 25.0%
5: 0 votes or 0.0%
4: 0 votes or 0.0%
3: 0 votes or 0.0%
2: 0 votes or 0.0%
1: 0 votes or 0.0%

 

POLL IS NOW OPEN!
Rate the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episodes: Blue Shadow Virus & Mystery of a Thousand Moons
Poll will close on Saturday, February 9, 2019
After you've given the episodes a rating feel free to post your review in thread!


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Jar Jar and Kharrus were handled poorly. Wish the team had been Padme and Bail.

 

I'll give both of these a 7. They were fun episodes. I don't have much to say about them. They aren't bad.

 

Lord Chiznuk, penny for your thoughts. Er, wupiupi for your thoughts? Ahmed Best didn't do the voice work for The Gungan General, Blue Shadow Virus, & Mystery of a Thousand Moons. Do you think he objected to Jar Jar's portrayal?

 

I don't know. I always wondered why he didn't return to voice Jar Jar. I don't know if he had other commitments or maybe he wasn't interested in just a voice role. I'd be interested in hearing him comment on it though.

 

I'm afraid to say this is probably the reason... Very sad. Let's be kind...

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/entertainment-arts-44708983

 

Ahhh, took a hiatus for a bit. My wife and I joke about the Blue Shadow Virus episode and the none-too-subtle Nazi scientist nods (he's … a Faust. That's his actual species name ...), but it makes sense as I think it's been well-established that they were going for a strong World War II vibe for the Clone Wars era. Using bio-warfare isn't something often touched on in Star Wars, with the possible exception of Death Troopers/Red Harvest in Legends (two of my favorite Legends books despite them being, well, kind of over-the-top, but I think that's part of the fun of it), so it was cool to see that explored.

My wife and I are also of the opinion that Boss Nass and the rest of the Gungans still really didn't care much about galactic politics after the events of TPM and their designating Jar Jar as senator was to just get rid of him while still apparently honoring him for his role in TPM. But that's beside the point.

Did they sterilize the bunker/lab before they opened it?

Anyway. These episodes aren't high on my list, but they are overall interesting and have good moments. I give them above average, 6/10.

 

Blue Shadow Virus - 2/10

This episode puts some of the more outlandish Bond films to shame. An over the top Nazi caricature of a villain with a paper thin motivation wants to infect the entire galaxy with a virus killing potentially trillions. And why exactly is he funded by the Separatists? How does it further their goals or the goals of Dooku and Sidious. Short answer... it doesn't. The episode makes no sense. I can't believe it was actually made without someone involved coming to the realization... "Hey, guys, this is actually a really stupid idea." I give it points because yay Naboo and I like Padme getting involved more. Other than that there isn't much redeeming this putrid episode.

Mystery of a Thousand Moons - 6/10

This one has a little more tension to it which makes it more enjoyable. Iago and her moons are visually spectacular and the Separatist trap rather ingenious. I actually enjoy this episode even though it is part of one of my least favorite episodes. Love the kid and his army of battle droid servants. Overall a fun episode. Not perfect but definitely better than the previous one.

Rankings

Films:

1) Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - 9/10
2) Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones - 6/10

TV series:

1) Hidden Enemy - 9/10
2) Shadow of Malevolence - 8/10
3) Clone Cadets - 8/10
4) Cat and Mouse - 7/10
5) Rise of Malevolence - 7/10
6) Rookies - 7/10
7) Supply Lines - 7/10
8) Jedi Crash - 7/10
9) Lair of Grievous - 6/10
10) Cloak of Darkness - 6/10
11) Dooku Captured - 6/10
12) Bombad Jedi - 6/10
13) Mystery of a Thousand Moons 6/10
14) Ambush - 5/10
15) Trespass - 5/10
16) The Gungan General - 5/10
17) Destroy Malevolence - 4/10
18) Duel of the Droids - 4/10
19) Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film) - 3/10
20) Downfall of a Droid - 2/10
21) Blue Shadow Virus - 2/10
22) Defenders of Peace - 1/10

 

Season two begins now!