Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 1 Reviews/Discussions

Just going to say this right off the bat. I am a big fan of the old EU in Star Wars, however it was not this show that brought that interest for me. I didn't really pursue any EU(now Legends) material till 2011 when Star Wars The Old Republic started getting advertised. This show was released in 2008 and while I was always a big fan of the movies I was a little over the target demographic when it was released; had this show been released a year or two earlier this review and my perception of the show would probably be very different flooded by nostalgia and the fact this was my gateway into anything EU. When I started getting into the EU I was 18-19 so I had a pretty elitist attitude toward this show, it being a cartoon and below the levels of the Novels I'd read in my perception. I had a friend that also got into the EU at about the same time and since the Legends cannon was so big we basically divided the material with him watching the show and reading the comic and me with the novels. If we found something we liked we recommended it to eachother and always shared the basic plots. So with this info I knew what the show did, I'd watched some specific arcs he'd recommended and knew the story. However this topic centers around Season 1 because it's the only season I've watched fully and can really comment as a whole about, though I'm sure there will be elements of future series(from my info it seems the show really kicks up about season 3) talked about in this thread if it sparks discussion. The reason I started the show so late, is because will the new EU a lot of it seems to center around this show, it being the biggest part in terms of material unless Rebels passes it in the future. 

 

Now for my review of this season overall and the characters we see in it. 

 

I'll make a list of main characters and and list individual opinions on them.

 

Anakin- Too mature and masterlike, more on this when I get to Ahsoka, but an ok character it's only season one so I didn't expect him to get too dark although Ironically I'd say Anakin acted more sithlike in Attack of the Clones than he did at the beginning of Revenge of the Sith.

 

Obi Wan- Great loved him, as it seems like I always do this character

 

Padme- Seemed like a plot device completely. Only really started standing out in her 3rd appearance or so, the rest were just filler or questionable moments that seemed they needed to bring her in to remind the audience she was a thing.

 

Ahsoka- Nothing wrong with the character herself I think she's a good example of a Padawan. She however destroys Anakin's character in my opinion by just being in her role. If she wasn't Anakin's apprentice I'd love her, but the fact she's Anakin's just doesn't and never will make sense to me by how he's displayed in Revenge of the Sith which takes place after this. Good character, horrible position and reasoning behind her.

 

Clones- there are a lot so just going to classify them all together, and loved them. Sometimes the most compelling characters which caught me off guard.

 

Dooku- He's good, nothing else to really say yet he hasn't directly been in the show much mostly just the commander 

 

General Grievous- I know he becomes a total laughing stock later, but first season wise he isn't super incompetent through his own means, it's mostly the droids at this point, nothing to complain about yet but I know it will come eventually

 

Other Jedi- Just going to throw all of them in one category since they only showed up for one episode or arc for the most part. None really ventured from their old Eu counterparts that were no doubt the inspiration from their actions, and felt they all were awesome though the standout for me at least is Plo Koon.

 

The season as a whole:

For a 22 episode season I don't feel like a lot progressed in terms of overarching story It just felt like it was one individual story into the next. I'm sure other things will come up later and no arc was bad necessarily but I don't know how memorable they will be by the time I finish the series as a whole. I can recollect all of them right now which says they are at least decent, but the truly good stories for me are the ones I remember and stick with me. That is of course perhaps just from taking the information from a novel medium that most of my favorite stories in star wars come from to a 30 minute show.

 

There are standout episodes that I will mention and most of them center around the clones. The things I would recommend in order of their release

Rising Malevolence(ep 2)- Great look into the clone psyche and how they see the view of them as disposable with Plo Koon being a great character showing them there's compassion. 

Rookies(ep 5)- Completely clone centric episode and by god if you just watch one episode of this season pick this one.

Lair of Grievous(ep 10)- A cool look into Grievous and the sith ways of Dooku throwing him out because of a failure, and the idea that the jedi themselves are falling to some extent.

Defenders of Peace(ep 14)- Loved seeing a viewpoint of someone who wasn't outright evil turning away the Republic and the ending with them looking up at the somewhat foreboding Clone Ships were great.

The whole Ryloth arc(ep 19-21)- Pretty good overall all of the episodes develop the characters or are just fun wish this had just been the season finale rather than following it up with the 1 episode that followed.

and Hostage Crisis(ep 22) just because it seems like a lot of those characters will come back a few times and that event will be called back to.

 

There aren't really any episodes I'd outright say are horrible, but just for the sake of listing a few of my least favorite

Destroy Malevolence(ep 4)- Plot device Padme incoming

 

Bombad Jedi(ep 8) Padme's back and Jar Jar comes too. I know this is a kid's show and they're the target audience so I can't say it's horrible, but if I had to list my least favorite episode of the season this is it

 

The Gungan General(ep 12)- Jar Jar is back and he's the most competent person in the episode.

 

 

So there you have my general opinions into the first season. I was going to get into each arc, but this is too long as it is so I'll leave it at this. I might continue making these as I go through the series and maybe branch out to the new and maybe some Legends novels with rating and recommendations for anyone that wants to get into either the new or old EU. This is of course not my idea solely. I don't know how long it will take me to get through each individual season so if someone wants to make a their own thread about season 2 and so on into Rebels with their own reviews and discussions they are very much welcome to, take your own format or copy this completely up to you, as it would probably be a faster way to get through this series for those that have finished or at least further along, and when I get through each season I'll eventually take part in those threads with my own thoughts and opinions.

 

So final words, this is a great kids show, and I'd recommend it so far to any Star Wars fan. As we get later into the series I might have to differentiate the recommendations to either new fans or Legends fans depending on my view of individual changes and old psuedo retcons(since they're in different universes now they don't really matter but just changes that could be viewed badly by fan of what Legends set up storywise and characterwise).

 I'd give the show 3.5/5. This isn't bad by any means for anyone that loves the show, but for me while the show was enjoyable overall with real standout episodes, the lack of an overarching plot and a few bad episodes in the bunch bring it down slightly.