Posted on August 18th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“Choose what is right, not what is easy.”
“Zillo Beast” is a vehicle for exploring the consequences of warfare — for examining the moral dilemmas that present themselves during any act of aggression. Exceptional production values allow this episode to showcase its central themes in ways that are as meaningful as they are entertaining. The result is yet another stellar installment of The Clone Wars.
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Posted on April 3rd, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“Courage makes heroes, but trust builds friendship.”
“Bounty Hunters” is a solid installment of The Clone Wars series. It features a fun story, plenty of action, and a truly fantastic musical score. In almost every respect, the production is solid. It’s also an homage to Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai — which ought to draw the interest of many viewers. As a standalone episode in the Star Wars universe it’s a classic, even if a few awkward moments keep it from being truly exceptional.
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Posted on March 27th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“A wise leader knows when to follow.”
“Cat and Mouse” is a thoroughly entertaining, even visceral installment of the Clone Wars series. There really isn’t a whole lot of thematic work here and while the characters are certainly vividly portrayed, there’s not a lot of development in this area, either. Mostly, this is an action-adventure vehicle and, in that sense, it’s a success, — even if it’s rather straightforward and obvious, it’s still quite enjoyable to watch. Chalk this one up as pure entertainment, even if it doesn’t offer much by way depth.
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Posted on March 20th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“Searching for the truth is easy. Accepting the truth is hard.”
“Senate Murders” continues a remarkable and praiseworthy trend of the Clone Wars series to inject some very topical and mature ideas into what is, otherwise, a wonderfully entertaining installment. In fact, to dismiss this episode simply because it’s presented as a cartoon would involve ignoring major plot, character and thematic elements. What makes the episode successful is the fact that its story matters as much to the audience as it does to the characters.
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Posted on February 13th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“In war, truth is the first casualty.”
“Duchess of Mandalore” is a sweeping, cinematic tale. And it just might be the most mature, allegorical story we’ve seen thus far in the series. What’s remarkable is the fact that this episode is successful despite the fact that a promised battle never materializes. Put simply, the story doesn’t need a battle to be compelling, suspenseful and masterfully crafted.
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Posted on February 11th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“Fear not for the future, weep not for the past.”
“Voyage of Temptation” is another one of those solid installments of The Clone Wars. It doesn’t feature the original conceptualization, riveting pace or pulse-pounding action of some episodes. But it’s a fairly mature and compelling tale, particularly from a character perspective. The concept of “temptation” is prevalent and deftly utilized. And the focus on Obi-Wan’s character, his own history and choices, makes the whole production quite enjoyable. The result is yet another classic installment.
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Posted on January 30th, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“If you ignore the past, you jeopardize the future.”
“The Mandalore Plot” is yet another in a long line of The Clone Wars episodes that is filled with action and adventure and is a lot of fun to watch. Visually, the episode is exceptional. And the interactions of the characters are very entertaining. But there’s something about the halting pacing of the episode and, perhaps, some questionable logic to its featured “plot” which hinders the overall production. Still, it’s a classic episode for its introduction of Mandalore — an iconic planet and heritage in the Star Wars mythos.
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Posted on January 23rd, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“Easy isn’t always simple.”
“Lightsaber Lost” is an amusing diversion. I think it’s safe to say that, of all the Clone Wars episodes to date, it’s easily one of the most “cartoonish” in its approach. The story, the characters, the dialogue all have a simple, juvenile feel to them. The biggest problem for the episode comes from how it compares to typical Clone Wars fare. The juxtaposition of this episode’s approach with that of other, darker, more intense installments will certainly make the mood feel a lot simpler than it actually is. Still, the change in tone can be a barrier for fans of the series.
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Posted on January 2nd, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“It is the quest for honor that makes one honorable.”
“Deserter” is a fantastic episode insofar as it is a sincere exploration of the clones as individuals. In fact, this installment is perhaps the best the series has to offer into real character drama. Unfortunately, the episode is an uneven affair, balancing the character work with a subplot that doesn’t really amount to a whole lot, either in terms of buildup or payoff. The result is a surprisingly arresting story that isn’t given enough time on screen.
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Posted on January 2nd, 2010 by Samuel Walters
“For everything you gain, you lose something else.”
Just in case anyone needed a reminder of how thrilling and heart-pounding The Clone Wars can be, the unfortunately titled episode “Grievous Intrigue” will serve notice that, as far as action-based shows go, there’s almost nothing that can compare to this particular series. Oh sure, the story itself isn’t exactly deep or profound, but in terms of a dark, kinetic episode, you couldn’t ask for a whole lot more than you get from this installment.
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Posted on December 5th, 2009 by Samuel Walters
“Attachment is not compassion”
For those that deride the Clone Wars as little more than a disposable kid’s show, there is an episode such as “Brain Invaders” — a middling installment that has no right be anything more than a “mindless” diversion. And yet, despite a decidedly slow and unimpressive buildup, the episode ends with a tremendously ominous development — an example of using the ends to justify the means.But despite the positive outcome of the episode, it’s clear that this particular course of action will, ultimately, lead to great tragedy. This then is an example of how, even with a relatively average episode, Clone Wars conveys a meaningful story.
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Posted on November 21st, 2009 by Samuel Walters
“Sometimes, accepting help is harder than offering it.”
“Legacy of Terror” is an exercise in creating a mood. As the episode unfolds, events become increasingly ominous and spooky – until the final horrific confrontation. Execution is key to stories such as this, and if there’s one thing that the Clone Wars series has proven of late it’s that it can craft stories with exceptional care. Such is the case here. The pacing helps build the increasing suspense and tension. The characters react plausibly – even providing some illuminating aspects of personality – and action kicks in at just the right moments. The result is yet another classic Clone Wars episode.
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Posted on November 15th, 2009 by Samuel Walters
“No gift is more precious than trust.”
It’s all about character. And action and impressive visuals. But really, “Weapons Factory” is the kind of episode that illustrates why the Clone Wars series isn’t just another cartoon or just another kid’s show. In fact, behind the glitzy exterior is quite a bit of subtle characterization – through dialogue, action and even body language – particularly for Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano. True, these aren’t quite Shakespearean explorations of the human psyche, but they are purposefully placed within the narrative and provide a significant amount of depth. The result is an episode which is very, very good.
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Posted on November 7th, 2009 by Samuel Walters
“Believe in yourself or no one else will.”
I think it’s safe to say that I’ve never seen an episode like “Landing At Point Rain,” from the increasingly superb Clone Wars series. From start to finish it is a tour de force of action, intensity and the brutal reality of war. It’s an episode that pulls no punches and is easily the best action Star Wars has seen since … well, perhaps ever. If there is a criticism to the episode it’s in a story that is relatively thin on character or theme. But this episode set out to be the most intense, action-packed installment of the series thus far and it succeeded masterfully. Or to put it another way, the episode was impressive. Most, impressive, indeed.
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Posted on October 17th, 2009 by Samuel Walters
“A true heart should never be doubted.”
“Senate Spy” is a solid installment of the Clone Wars series. Perhaps what is most interesting about this episode is how deliberately it references the Prequel Trilogy – from characters to settings to specific camera “shots.” It’s clear that series is meant to evoke familiar moments from the films in general, but this episode draws very strong parallels to Revenge of the Sith. The story itself seems tailor-made to such comparisons and the result is a very good installment.
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