Mini Series The Book of Boba Fett 1.03 - Chapter 3 - Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

I was not in love after first viewing, would have put it down around the level of the first episode but I rewatched it with my wife and ended up enjoying it quite a bit. I still feel like rodriguez's directing style feels off in star wars and the chase had absolutely no urgency or speed... but I really dug the mos Vespa crew (felt like they worked fine in star wars, honestly...) and the twins and the rancor... had fun with it overall. Not nearly as good as episode 2 but enjoyable.

I did feel like there was a sinister tone to the end of the rancor scene, though. Like trejo's character wasn't being completely straight with fett. The delivery of his final line was interesting....

 

Going to give us one another go

 

Why would the Hutts just give Boba a gigantic Rancor? It's a particularly inconvenient gift to arrange and transport. And like giving someone a puppy without warning, it's a bit rude to put that responsibility on the recipient.

So yeah, there has to be a more sinister intent, and it's obvious enough that Fennec at least must suspect it (Boba seems a little naively trusting).

 

I gave the episode a 9/10, cause I really liked it. So far for me:

1. Stranger In A Strange Land 8/10
2. The Tribes Of Tatooine 10/10
3. The Streets Of Mos Espa 9/10

The only thing worse than that in the Star Wars franchise, would be a trilogy by you-know-who for me. I hate 2 of these shows and have not watched the other 2 (and never will). I enjoy gritty and dark and realistic as much as anyone, but not when it makes you feel that everyone is a piece of **** and humans are a plague on the planet. I already have these thoughts every day because of what people do in real life, I don't want them in my shows, let alone Star Wars, a saga about hope. No, a thousand times no to any SW show even reminiscent of any of the shows you mentioned.

Comes to show you how different strokes are for different folks. I love every scene set in the present so far, and got bored with most flashbath scenes (© to @The Regular Mustache - love it), excluding the Sarlacc scene and some of the Tusken scenes)

What I personally don't get, is how people spend so much time criticizing The Book Of Boba Fett specifically. It's a low stakes show, that doesn't really ruin the general story of Star Wars, and it's not like it focuses on one of the most important characters in Star Wars. Sure, I get why Boba Fett fans might have an extra reason to be pissed about it, but on the other hand..... wouldn't they be pissed regardless of what the show had? I have devoted my fair share of criticism on the sequels, but that's only because in my opinion they have diminished the most important part of Star Wars, the 6 classics by George Lucas. To each their own I guess.

I find the writing in TBOBF great actually.

Yeah, I didn't have to log here to know already that some people would hate the episode. There is a fascination around these parts with having decided that Robert Rodriguez is an objectively bad director (faaaaaar from the truth), and "The Streets Of Mos Espa" had a lot of prequel vibes in aesthetics and sillyness, so naturally people who didn't like those vibes wouldn't like this episode either.

That's because everything he has created and everything he has sanctioned is internally consistent, and we thank him for that.

If I replace the word "blame" with the word "thank", I can agree with that.

You have yet not seen a single second of live action in TBOBF written or directed by Dave Filoni. But you can return to criticize him in 2 weeks, I cannot wait to log on that Wednesday and read how certain people hate Filoni's approach. Especially since I love every single thing he has added to Star Wars.

Not while he's sleeping. Bur right after he was in his bacta tank treatment. Which was necessary, I am sure we can all agree at this point.
Is it realistic to have someone keep guard right next to his bacta tank at all times? Probably not.

I don't think so? Did we see an Aqualish or a Klatooinian appearing in front of Boba yet? I only remember the Trandoshans.

Nope, the diner scene in AOTC is awesome, I wish every SW movie had that kind of worldbuilding.

Can't steal something if the owner is spending every second of their lives on it, or having it hidden and stowed away for the few seconds they don't

I wholeheartedly disagree. The throne room scene in TLJ and the slow space chase scene were far worse in my opinion. I actually thought the fight with Krrsantan was directed perfectly.

This. We have seen Wookies being formidable before, but this was SCARY. In the best way possible.

Wait, what? I never got this impression. I always thought he is a hermit on the sands of Tatooine and something had made it impossible for him to reclaim his armor and his life back. That last part, is probably still true, or at least I hope it's true, otherwise, what was Boba Fett doing for 5 years before he saw Din Djarin receive his armor from Cobb Vanth? Why didn't he reclaim it earlier? Was he in an endless The Burning Man (I don't mean Anakin) celebrations with the Tuskens in the Dune Sea? Nah.

I couldn't help thinking how John Turturro would have been ideal for this role, though I think David Pasquesi is doing a phenomenal job.

I loved the episode, I don't understand the amount of criticism.

Can't be. It was mentioned it is a calf and Muchi was a calf more than 20 years prior to these events. Not that rancors can't have a slow aging process and very long lives, but Muchi was quite active in "The Bad Batch" and had met multiple humans and non humans. The calf rancor in "The Streets Of Mos Espa" was blindfolded until it imprinted on Boba Fett.

Totally agree. Perhaps the only part in the episode that bummed me out, was how the speeders seemed to be going slowly, but only in some of the shots. Not that I was expecting pod racing speeds, but maybe a little faster.

Love the word. I think I will keep using it, if that's ok

 

I'm glad for you

 

Liked it more on second viewing. I will forgive the mod speeder gang if they can find the time to flesh out their characters, or at the very least the girl. Had literally no emotional engagement in that speeder chase whatsoever.

 

Hopefully Boba feeds him to the rancor.

 

This does still feel slightly off to me. And maybe it is the directing style. I felt the same way about Tython when he directed.

The plot is good but I also find it confusing. The twins arrive one episode and then leave the next. Boba has been back and forth with the mayor and now we learn the Pykes are going to war.

And we expect Boba to somehow rule- with Fennec, two guards, 4 speeder gang members, 8D8 and an Astromech. And now a rancor.

How exactly will Boba be ready when it looks like he is sitting around an empty palace most of the time? His entourage grew by four this episode.

I think that’s my issue. We don’t really see Boba’s influence…anywhere. Fennec runs around after assassins. His security is so bad that an assassin rips him out of the bacta tank. How can he run an empire when he has no way to enforce his rule?

Also, the entire time with the speeder chase, I kept thinking Boba has a jetpack- use it. And then he just showed up right at the end, proving how pathetic (and slow) that chase was.

The acting is good. I really like Boba and Fennec. But the rest just still feels off. It has a vibe of a fan film and I can’t shake it. The Mandalorian built a world where things were believable. The only reason Boba works half as well as it does is the costumes and the palace set. But outside of that, it doesn’t always have that “lived in” universe feel that the films had.

 

She has a reasonable number of mirrors. Any more would just be silly.

 

Heaps of mirrors on a planet with two suns would get really annoying really fast

(This is not a criticism, in case anyone's worried)

 

Mos Espa is known to be a nicer town than Mos Eisley. And they probably keep the bikes locked in a garage.

 

They weren't broke. The guy was just asking too much for water. And they are a gang of insolent teenagers so they stole the water.

 

I read that comment as reassuring a puppy that their owner would be back (assuming that the rancor will have separation anxiety). And his belief that Boba will survive. Trejo obviously likes Boba because he treats the rancor with respect, rather than as a fighting dog.

 

One of those fluorescent bikes from this episode with 65 mirrors!!!

 

This. I actually like the Vespas, but man are the costumes weak.

Regarding the episode - expectations reset, the episode is now pretty fun to watch. And the speeder chase may end up being legendary in its badness. Also, Black Krrsantan just hightailing it out of there must become the new “Homer backing into the hedgerow” gif. I will use it anytime I want to get the hell out of a thread fast and without subtlety.

That all said, Rodriguez really shouldn’t be allowed to direct anymore Star Wars. He does the opposite of what most directors try to do, and that’s make the silly space stuff look even sillier. It almost feels like behind-the-scenes footage sometimes.

I don’t have a problem with them looking flashy. I have a problem with the costumes looking cheap. Like bargain bin cyber punk Halloween costumes. I also thought the Night Wind costumes looked cheap. Not sure why, but it seems like the costume budget might’ve been slashed. Except for with the tuskens, who looked phenomenal.

I think this should be stickied on the forum. It’s a really important thing to remember before watching anything Star Wars.

This doesn’t mean, though, that the writing and setting has to be stripped of all nuance. Rogue One felt like a real place and the things characters did and said were logical. Same with Mando for the most part. BoBF is stretching believability with the actions of its main character, and the sometimes cheap way it looks. This has nothing to do with wanting it to be like Goodfellas or Scarface. But the writers could benefit from having scriptwriters for shows about organized crime touch up Favreau’s script just to make the proceedings a tad more believable.

 

There’s a big difference between what I said and what you’re responding to. I’m not in any way suggesting that a Star Wars show be anything like the shows I mentioned. But in terms or baking a little plausibility into the criminal underworld story, I do think the scripts could benefit from having writers of such shows have eyes on the script. That’s what I meant by “scrub.” It should still be a “for the family” show, with Favreau’s signature terse scripts, but tweaked a little to add a bit more complexity given the setting and what the main character is trying to accomplish. That’s all. As my grandmother used to say, “beef up the verisimilitude, man.”

If there’s not even an attempt at achieving some level of plausibility in a show set in a complex underworld, why make a show wherein the main character is trying to defeat an organized criminal network by actually being a crime boss or pretending to be one? It’s just an odd choice unless you’re willing to go a little more complicated to make it seem plausible. Otherwise, you risk killing suspension of disbelief. And that happened with me this episode. Hopefully, temporarily. I did give the first two episodes a 9/10 and a 10/10, respectively. So you can’t just chalk this up to not understanding what Star Wars is, or should be.

 

SPACE MODS!!! Being myself a Vespa-riding, motown-dancing, suited-and-booted 60s enthusiast, let me rejoice in the fact that it's now canon there are Modernists in Star Wars. I love the idea haha ok, the power Rangers colour were a step too far and the whole stuff is maybe too on the nose....

That being said, though it was a fine idea it doesnt mix well with the fett story and tone. If we were on coruscant or corellia i think the idea of cyberpunk/mod gang would have been cool , but on tatooine it feels just out of place...

Ok so now, what about episode 3? I didnt think it was better or worse than previous épisodes. It's just that its limits are more and more visible: the writing is often just plain silly:

-So Fett is supposed to be this feared crime boss with a crew of...two pigs and a bunch of teen mods??? Are you guys serious? It just doesnt make any sense. It was already ridiculous before, this episode only makes things worse.

- Boba Fett, the compassionate, justice-hungry, animal-loving, social warrior with a soft heart of gold....hmm are we talking about the same Fett we grew up with? Why couldnt they just talk their talk and make a show about a ruthless, cold bounty hunter? This nice Fett is just a joke.

Some things i enjoyed: the wookie, political/underworld shenanigans, the worldbuilding...but it's all wrapped in a thick layer of unashamed silliness, misplaced sentimentality and bad acting

And why does he have to remove his helmet all the time? Really?!!

 

We just saw a rough biker gang with leather vests and beat up brown swoop bikes in the previous episode. The gang in this episode is an entirely different idea. They're teenagers who trick themselves and their bikes out.

I gave this episode a 7. I think Rodriguez captures the fun and silly aspects of Star Wars well. There is some tonal whiplash with the previous episode, but that's Star Wars. It's stylistically designed to be that way.

 

I think you'll find they're drug dealers

No, seriously though, do these people who live in worse homes in worse neighbourhoods also prioritise plastic surgery? Because that's what the teen scooter gang do. Somehow.

 

I don't think I have ever told anyone they don't understand Star Wars and what it is. Well maybe except from that one dude that said he hates everything that had to do with the Force and lightsabers and wishes they didn't have any of that in The Mandalorian. That dude doesn't understand what Star Wars is

In terms of plausibility and all the complaints that have to do with the lack of power that Boba Fett has, I have the following response:

1. There are 4 episodes to go. Just be patient.
2. There's no reason for anyone to kill Boba Fett right after he takes over from Bib Fortuna. He does not disrupt anyone's criminal activity.
3. As soon as he makes his presence known, he gets attacked by some ninjas, and when he stands ground to the Hutts, he gets attacked by a bounty hunter. Why is this illogical?
4. I think you overestimate the power and strength of the families on Mos Espa. This is a smaller scale story than what you may think it is. And that's fine. There's no reason for any of the families to have hundreds of even dozens of goons.
5. Boba Fett's reputation precedes him. There's no reason initially for any other criminal to go after someone who is notorious for being one of the most dangerous bounty hunters in the Galaxy.
6. Star Wars is space opera. Heightened drama. Jango Fett could roam unscathed anywhere he wanted in the Galaxy, which was full of crime Syndicates with thousands of members in their ranks. Relax. Tatooine"s Most Espa is one medium size desert city. It's not going to have 50-60 mobsters per syndicate going after one bounty hunter who took over Jabba's palace. There will be adversity soon. It's never going to be a large scale war, and it was never supposed to.

 

Locked in a garage. Boy that’ll stop the criminal underworld for sure.

 

Three episodes, three times walking down the same narrow road to see the Mayor. Just walk back again and sit in an empty cavern and talk in slow tones. I get it, hey look, it’s Jabba’s set…but it’s got no atmosphere, no menace. So, let’s go for another walk up that same street to see the mayor…

The overall battle is building, but I thought he’d have the Tuskens as his back up. Not now it seems. The kids on motor bikes..as bad as others have said. The lengthy car chase just to show them off - who is the show trying to appeal to??

The writing is very poor. They march into see the mayor, Boba is fired up, he’s not waiting 20 days, the mayor is betraying him, it’s time to confront him… So Fennec shows her gun - doesn’t even pull it out - and Boba says “That was a bit over the top wasn’t it?”

Such bad writing. Such a slow pace. Slow speaking and serious sounding music does not tension make.

Hope it improves.

 

Every city has a criminal element, but cars and bikes still mostly stay where they are. Sometimes they get stolen, yes. Everyone in Mos Espa who has anything of value risks being robbed. I don't see how these bikes are so different. Anakin kept his podracer in his backyard and nobody stole it.

 

I had similar feelings about Season One of "The Mandalorian". Well, to be honest, I found that season rather frustrating. It first focused around Mando's job for the Client . . . which didn't strike me as very interesting, despite Grogu's presence. I especially found the second episode rather boring. Then it got interesting with the third episode. But following that, Season One focused on stand-alone episodes that was basically about introducing new characters and from a narrative point of view, it got frustrating for me. For me, "The Mandalorian" didn't really get into the swing until the final two episodes of Season One. As for "The Book of Boba Fett", I found the first two episodes very frustrating. I now realize they were about setting up Boba's future conflict with the Pikes - through his new role as a crime lord and his past relationship with the Tuskens. But the flashbacks seemed to be dragging the story. Finally, the narrative is finally moving forward and I hope with as little flashbacks as possible.

 

The second episode of season one of the Mandalorian is perhaps the best 30 minutes of Star Wars since 1977, in my view. To each their own, I suppose.