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The Clone Wars Series Links & Reviews

Posted By Mike on January 6, 2009

Let's begin a big post of reviews and links leading up to the October 3rd premiere of The Clone Wars animated series...

In case you missed it, Genre Online had what seems to have been the first review.

"In short, the TV series in my opinion is among the best Star Wars I have seen outside of the feature films and it is much better than the animated feature. In fact there should be no worries for anyone who missed the feature film because in my opinion one does not necessarily have to be all that familiar with Star Wars in general to enjoy the show, which is suitable for adults too. I guess the only thing I cannot shake from my mind is a direct comparison between this and Paul Verhoeven�s 1990s CGI television series Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles though The Clone Wars offers storytelling potential the animated Starship Troopers TV series could not in that since the opposing sides are anthropomorphic in one way or another, it is easier to portray the opposing point of view in episodes and give viewers more backstory into the characters of Asajj Ventress, Count Dooku, General Grievous and even the battle droids. If we are going to get episodes that show the plight of the Clone Troopers, why not do an episode from the point of view of an ordinary Battle Droid? In Star Wars sometimes the droids are more human than the humans so perhaps this is not entirely out of the realm of possibility. So whether or not a character is human, alien, or mechanical or a bit of everything, it is a lot easier to relate to the Star Wars villains than it is the bugs of Starship Troopers."

We have a pretty positive review from Variety:

"First the good news: "Clone Wars" -- the "Star Wars" animated series that amounts to an "interquel" between Episodes II and III -- is vastly superior to the advance theatrical movie. That's mostly because the half-hour episodes are so jam-packed with action the clunky dialogue flies by less obtrusively, and the irritating characters have less time to annoy. Those factors suggest the program should successfully scratch an itch for movie-deprived fans and yield dividends to Cartoon Network, even if the tone hews more closely to those born after "The Phantom Menace" premiered in 1999."

TVWeek.com talks sponsorships and the limited commercials of the premiere episode:

"As Yoda would put it: In the premiere of Cartoon Network�s �Star Wars: The Clone Wars,� limited will commercials be.

The animated series from George Lucas launches this week, and EA Games and 20th Century Fox will be the lone sponsors. EA will be offering viewers a code to help them play its new game, SimCity Creator, and 20th will be running a trailer for its upcoming film �City of Ember,� starring Bill Murray and Tim Robbins."

(via ClubJade.net)

More to follow...

UPDATE: Toon Zone thinks The Clone Wars series is off to a "strong start."

"Ultimately, I think this is a strong start to the series. You could make the argument this is money for old rope, but I think the production team have brought a fresh angle to the story. I'm sure some of the elements have appeared in novels and such, but Star Wars has really always been a visual experience. Obviously there's more episodes to come, but so far, Clone Wars starts its TV campaign with a good strategy."

TheLogBook.com has started an episode guide for TCW and the first entry centers on the theatrical release. Updates should show up on their main page on a weekly basis. (Thanks Philip!)

UPDATE #2: Lots of links following the debut...

Reviews:

Wired.com - '"The Clone Wars" TV series - Better Than Expected, Still Not Great"
Wired.com - "Clone Wars TV Series Packs Action, Kiddy Humor"
Zap2it.com - "TV Review: 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars'"
ChicagoTribune.com - "Bland 'Clone Wars' doesn't live up to brand"
The Los Angeles Times - "Cartoon Network's 'Clone Wars' a better fit"
Chicago Sun Times - "'Clone Wars' tanked in theaters but is tops on TV"
BostonHerald.com - "�Clone Wars� lacks lively plot"
KansasCity.com - "�The Clone Wars� TV series gets it right"
IGN.com - "Star Wars: The Clone Wars - "Ambush" Review"
TwinCities.com - "Show of Force"
CraveOnline.com - "Star Wars: The Clone Wars"
HollywoodReporter.com - "TV Review: Star Wars: The Clone Wars"
Slate.com - "The End of Star Wars"
io9.com - "The Force Is Strong(ish) With Clone Wars' Opener"

"Ambush" Episode Guide from Starwars.com

"Rising Malevolence" Episode Guide from Starwars.com

Starwars.com interview with Tom Kane (Yoda)

Starwars.com interview with James Arnold Taylor (Obi-Wan, Plo Koon)

IGN interviews Dave Filoni

Animation World Magazine talks The Clone Wars

Dave Filoni offers up Episode Commentary at the main site for "Ambush" and "Rising Malevolence."

New main site Databank entries:
King Katuunko
Rugosa
Twilight

3 New TCW TV spots:
TV Trailer 01
TV Trailer 02
TV Trailer 03

Sources: Starwars.com & ClubJade.net

UPDATE #3: See below for some more TCW reviews and links...

Review of the first 2 episodes at Greencastle Banner Graphic: (Thanks Caine!)

"Exactly what you expected, yet nothing like you've experienced before; The Clone Wars is an achievement on so many levels. Lucasfilm Animation sought to bring a big screen adventure to the small screen without sacrificing a thing. The result? A half-hour adventure that is guaranteed to leave loyal fans eagerly anticipating the next installment and bring new fans to the fold."

io9.com recaps/reviews episode #3:

"Compared with last week's double-bill, it was a disappointing episode overall saved by the animation and the slow-to-show space battles... But if the show is to live up to its potential, the creators are going to have to work out how to make us care about the characters when they're not in danger of being blown up, shot down or any other form of being killed."

IGN reviews "Shadow of Malevolence" (Ep. #3):

"Several times this episode evoked a specific and familiar Star Wars vibe, whether it be the shots of the Y-wings flying away from the camera or the cross-chatter between the pilots. There was also nice continuity with the prequels, as we saw that the clone medical station was under the command of a Kaminoan and echoed the look of the Kamino clone facility seen in Attack of the Clones (I think I just won the award for most use of the word "Clone" in a sentence)."

UPDATE #5: A couple new TCW reviews today...

Crave Online reviews TCW series:

"All-in-all, I�m along for the ride. I know my Star Wars and want to know more, and that�s what it seems like this show is all about: Taking the lore and making it bigger. But the producers are going to need to re-evaluate their storytelling methods if they think the show is going to make any new fans of the property."

IGN reviews TCW Comic #2:

"After following the "Vector" arc in Knights of the Old Republic, I was quite sure I never wanted to see Scott Hepburn on a Star Wars comic again. Hepburn proves he can be adept with this universe in the right circumstances. My central qualm with his art before was an almost complete lack of order and structure. Now that Hepburn has the show as a references, he's able to instill some semblance of law to his exaggerated drawings, and his style is reigned in a bit.

Star Wars comics are increasingly becoming a valid outlet for fans disenfranchised by the more mainstream projects. The Clone Wars comic manages to outdo the source material, and in the process becomes one more oasis in a desert of dreck."

UPDATE #6:

io9.com repcaps "Destroy Malevolence" (Ep. #4):

"I can't tell if Destroy Malevolence's "Greatest Hits Of George Lucas" - I'm not the only one who thought that the train sequence was reminiscent of Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom, right? - was what made it the most satisfying episode of the series so far, but I have to admit: there's just something perfectly Star Wars-ish about watching the heroes trying to rescue the kidnapped Princess - who fights back herself, of course - from the bad guys' new destructo space weapon."

Den of Geek reviews "Ambush" (Ep. #1):

"Ambush works as a great reintroduction to �franchise� that will hopefully put paid to the perceived negativity surrounded the recent theatrical release. It�s worth pointing out that, if you haven't seen the recent cinema release, then you needn�t worry - there's no essential info from the �film� needed. These episodes are clearly designed to be viewed as a single entity (though there will be ongoing story arcs) so don't worry about any 'story baggage'. You can catch this beauty on Sky Movies later this month but (looks around sheepishly) I recommend that you catch it by �other means�, you won't be disappointed."

Den of Geek reviews "Rising Malevolence" (Ep. #2):

"These scenes in the space debris are incredibly well realised and directed, with a real sense of tension as a handful of Clone Troopers and the sole Jedi are left to be picked of by �The Hunter� � a ship manned by Battle Droids (looking not unlike miners with lamps on the heads) that tears apart the pods like a tin opener. There�s even a slightly horrific moment as Plo Koon and co. watch as another pod turns slowly around revealing the death inside with one sole trooper slumped in the window frame � half in his ship, the other half in space. Later, we even see some sucked out of their pods. Younger viewers may want to look away. (Not me though, I lurved it!)"

IGN reviews "Destroy Malevolence" (Ep. #4):

"There were certainly some stronger sequences here though. First off, it was very clever introducing the aforementioned railway system on the Malevolence. Star Wars has shown us plenty of huge ships, but nothing beyond an elevator to explain how people would get around them. And that railway was used for some good action sequences, including a tantalizing but too brief lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan and Grievous."

FilmThreat.com thinks the series works better than the film:

"So far, so good. I know many people felt burned by the movie, but that really wasn�t the series at its best. It�s no Batman: The Animated Series, but Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a good solid action adventure show that boasts decent writing, acceptable acting, and promises to actually add to the vast Star Wars canon. If you�re a fan, it�s at least worth a try."

UPDATE #7: WeAreMovieGeeks.com have been posting reviews for each of The Clone Wars episodes, and will continue to do so weekly. You can link to them below:

Ambush & Rising Malevolence (Ep. #1 & #2)
Shadow of Malevolence (Ep. #3)
Destroy Malevolence (Ep. #4)

Thanks Zac!

UPDATE #8:

Den of Geek reviews "Shadow Of Malevolence" (Ep. #3): (Thanks Cameron!)

"Speaking of �only hope�, A New Hope gets referenced; much as last week�s gave more than a nod to The Empire Strikes Back. Visually, the aforementioned Y-Wings (or their prototypes) receive much screen time and the battle scenes evoke the �classic� trilogy, along with: the �team talk� at the start - very reminiscent of the Rebel Troops rally before their attack on Death Star; and lines like, �Cut the chatter� and �From a certain point of view�.'

Den of Geek also reviews "Destroy Melavolence" (Ep. #4): (Thanks Cameron!)

"The aforementioned visuals continue to impress but I�m already feeling a bit jaded about the �characters� on show and this was made all the more obvious when we get a holo-glimpse of the rarely seen Jedi, Luminara Unduli; I wanted to see what she was up to, not these guys! But, this enjoyable mini-trilogy has come to an end and next week�s features none of the regulars as it concentrates on a troop of Clone Troopers. Some much needed fresh blood - as it were."

Den of Geek offers up one more TCW review with "Rookies" (Ep. #5):

"As usual, we are presented with some nice nods to the films: the station is almost exactly the same as the Detention Block from A New Hope; in said station there�s pin-ups of some Twi�lek ladies (though you have to look close mind!); there�s thermal detonators; an appearance of the �gonk� droid; and a mention of liquid Tibanna (for those wondering � Cloud City is a Tibanna gas mining colony). But this is the first story so far that doesn�t rely on our previous cinematic Star Wars experiences - it�s an all new adventure with its own distinctive feel and I hope that the rest of the series takes its cue from this outstanding episode.

Sadly, we have to wait two weeks for the next installment (bloody Hallowe�en!) but the future looks fresh for The Clone Wars if they can produce a tale like this every few weeks."

IGN reviews "Rookies" (Ep. #5):

"It's difficult to make individual characters out of identical clones, but the creators did a good job here, starting with the uniquely armored Cody and Rex. Some have wondered how we're supposed to root for characters we know turn on the Jedi eventually, but the sympathetic portrayal of the Clones adds to a more tragic overall landscape � Obi-Wan notes what a "good man" Cody (seen in Revenge of the Sith) is, and it's a nice touch of poignancy. Little kids can still just enjoy the action, but it's a smart little beat if you're looking for it.

That being said, this episode pointedly skewed older. The normal Battle Droids that can be so vexing were barely present, supplanted as the main threat by new Commando Battle Droids, who were sleeker and far more dangerous. These were emotionless killing machines that seemed genuinely threatening, rather than the goofy morons the regular Droids come off as � and yes, they spoke in a more menacing, robotic voice, which was far less annoying."

Wired.com talks about Clone evolution through the animated TV series: (Thanks "Master Devwi"!)

"Continually fleshing out the Lucasfilm multiverse meant giving everyone a reason for being. Counting "Rookies," we're only five episodes into the new Clone Wars TV series, but already at least two episodes have taken valuable air time to humanize the clones and explain, via Yoda in "Ambush" and Master Plo Koon in "Rising Malevolence," how each of them is different from the others.

And you thought stormtroopers were just target practice for Han Solo."

The article also proclaims: "Clone Wars is the best kids' show on television..."

io9.com recaps "Rookies" (Ep. #5):

"As with every episode of the show to date, it was flawed, but it was also different, and that counted for a lot. While we didn't see enough of the individual clones for them to be anything other than a collection of stereotypes (and, thanks to the voice acting of Dee Bradley Baker, a collection of stereotypes all with the same quasi-New Zealand flat voice, which didn't really help matters), there was enough potential to earn the goodwill to see the episode through relatively unscathed. If the show can build upon episodes like this, that show a smaller, more mundane and, yes, more realistic side to the war mixed in amongst the high adventure of last week's shenanigans, then the series as a whole may end up building up into the most satisfying of all of the Star Wars to date."

io9.com also takes a look at The Clone Wars expansion for Star Wars Miniatures: (via ClubJade.net)

"This Friday (Halloween!), the Clone Wars expansion for the Star Wars Miniatures Game will be released. All your favorite characters from the movie and TV series will be available, and they'll only be one inch tall. Want to pit the 501st against a horde of battle droids? Check out our preview gallery, with figures and full stats cards."

UPDATE #9:

WeAreMovieGeeks.com has added their review of "Rookies" (Ep. #5): (Thanks Zac!)

"Overall, Rookies, is another solid entry into The Clone Wars and is further cementing this film as the real deal for some time to come. This is a good first step for the Jedi less episodes as well, but I think we need to focus on a squad that gets lost in battle at some point to really hit the best story you can with the clones. If they even killed off the entire squad, it would make a hell of episode, but for now, there is already plenty of death and loss for these clones."

UPDATE #10:

io9.com recaps/reviews "Downfall of a Droid" (Ep. #6)...and doesn't love it:

"There's no way around it; "Downfall Of A Droid" was pretty much a failure in nearly every way. We know that R2-D2 is in no danger thanks to his appearance in all of the movies that take place after the series, so it's hard to buy into any of the faux drama surrounding his disappearance, and Anakin's reaction - pitched somewhere between grief and guilt, I'd guess - is just as unconvincing; he just comes across as more of a d#$@ than usual (The underperforming replacement droid, meant to show how wonderful R2 really is, also stretches credulity; he doesn't know how to switch engines on? Really?). No wonder the show's creators added their version of Star Wars Techno to the dramatic sequences; how else would we know when we're supposed to care?"

UPDATE #11:

Den of Geek reviews "Downfall of a Droid" (Ep. #6)...and is a bit more positive: (Thanks Cameron!)

"I wasn�t expecting much from this episode as I knew it was an Anakin/Ahsoka adventure but this appealed to me greatly. No real script gaffs (there are a few Battle Droid moments however) and the story is allowed to breathe as it forms the basis of an ongoing story. Of course, we all know that Artoo will be found, but how and when is undoubtedly worth tuning in for."

UPDATE #12:

IGN reviews "Downfall of a Droid" (EP. #6) with a score of 7.2 out of 10:

"As it turned out, this was a bit of a "to be continued" storyline, as things ended with R2-D2 still trapped by Gha Nachkt and on his way to be turned over to Grievous. Though this episode wasn't thrilling, I continue to be glad this show is allowing storylines to be spread out over more than one episode."

UPDATE #13:

The NY Daily News delves into The Clone Wars series and talks with Dave Filoni: (Thanks Michael!)

'"Looking back on the movie," said "Clone Wars" supervising director Dave Filoni, "while the tone of it was skewing younger, that was never really the intention."

Filoni, who was elevated from a brief stint working on the animated series "Avatar: The Last Airbender" to nab the coveted role of director of "The Clone Wars," felt the light tone was more about the writers finding the proper balance between the light and dark sides of "Star Wars."

"As we developed our dialogue with George [Lucas] in terms of how he wanted the story told, a lot of our instincts were to go very dark," the 34-year-old explained. "And he didn't really want it to go that dark."

As a result, the series intentionally moves back and forth, with light-and-fluffy faire mixed with darker, more intense stories."

Wired takes a look at "Commander Cody and the Lost Clone Wars Airmen": (via Starwars.com)

"Like every fourth kid in our city, (our son) dressed as Commander Cody for Halloween.

That night has turned our kid into a miniature cultural historian. The husband at the third house we visited had never heard of any Clone Commander Cody, but he immediately asked my boy if he knew Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, or if he'd seen Commando Cody. Alas, he had not."

TCW write up at Perth Now includes lots of quotes from The Maker: (via Starwars.com)

From George Lucas: �As a TV series, it gives more depth and understanding about how Republic fell, and what a fantastic hero Anakin Skywalker was.

�We got focused on him turning into Darth Vader, that it�s easy to forget that he was one of the biggest heroes of the entire Clone War.

�I think seeing him as a great Jedi Knight reminds viewers that before it gets dark and tragic, Star Wars is a fun adventure story, too.�

Video at Kewego.co.uk takes you behind the scenes of The Clone Wars. (via Starwars.com)

UPDATE #14:

Den of Geek reviews "Duel Of The Droids" (Ep. #7): (Thanks Cameron!)

"This two-parter makes a most engaging story. Although we know that Artoo is not going to be destroyed (or go missing) from the get-go, the tight pacing and direction take our minds off this fact with the visuals and set pieces entertaining the eye, diverting the mind. On a more serious aside, it also highlights Anakin�s petulance and non-Jedi traits."

UPDATE #15:

IGN reviews "Duel of the Droids" (Ep. #7):

"What a pleasant surprise. On the heels of a somewhat lackluster episode, the second part of this two-parter about R2-D2's abduction turned out to be one of the best episodes yet for the series, only surpassed by "Rookies" so far."

io9.com recaps / reviews "Duel of the Droids" (Ep. #7):

"Even more than last week's episode, this week's Clone Wars, "Duel Of The Droids," felt like it was a quiet reboot of the series - The animation seemed smoother (with the painterly touches and textures even more pronounced, and the characters less blocky and awkward), the incidental music more overwhelming - but at least it wasn't more of last week's ill-chosen techno - and the writing... well, much less annoying than last week, at least."

UPDATE #16:

io9.com recaps/reviews "Bombad Jedi" (Ep. #8):

"Given all the slapstick humor and "Oh, Jar-Jar" eye-rolling from the other characters - "He was always such a misfit," as C3-P0 said during one of the times that they thought Jar-Jar was dead -it's clear that this episode was meant as a comedic breather between the kid version of sturm-und-drang from the other episodes, and on that level, it was probably a success; certainly, fans of the peculiar, unfunny Star Wars comedy wouldn't have been disappointed by Jar-Jar accidentally destroying his space ship, or the dumb evil droids falling for the old "hiding in a corner" escape trick. For everyone else, though, this was a half hour of throwaway television that didn't particularly excite or entertain. Better luck next time, I guess."

UPDATE #17:

Den of Geek reviews "Bombad Jedi" (Ep. #8): (Thanks Cameron!)

"This episode will only give fuel to those who hated the prequels, as it concentrates on some of the less favourable aspects of The Phantom Menace and Attack Of The Clones and contains none of the visually pleasing sights or stout direction that I have become accustomed to over the past couple of months. I sincerely hope this is not the start of downward trend."

UPDATE #18:

IGN reviews "Bombad Jedi" (Ep. #8):

"In the end, I'm not too bothered by "Bombad Jedi." The biggest problem with the Battle Droids in most episodes is that their juvenile humor is inserted into the midst of otherwise tense or dark situations. Here, the creators of The Clone Wars were not hiding that they were making an episode meant to be extremely lighthearted and silly. For those who loathe Jar Jar, it's easy to skip his specific episodes if they're like this and don't tie in too much with the main characters� though we'll see how frequently Mr. Binks pops up on this show as time goes by."

UPDATE #19:

io9.com recaps and gives a favorable review of "Cloak of Darkness" (Ep. #9):

"Everytime that the show is this good, I get optimistic -overly so, perhaps - that this is the sign of a new era where every episode moving forward will be this good, and everytime, I get disappointed. I should just be thankful for what I get, of course, but still; if every episode of Clone Wars managed to get the mix of influence and originality as right as this one did, then it'd be must-see TV. As it is, I'll just recommend that you all go download this when it appears on iTunes."

UPDATE #20:

Den of Geek provides a SPOILER heavy review of "Cloak of Darkness" (Ep. #9): (Thanks Cameron!)

"So, a mixed bag this week in Cloak Of Darkness with the good just outweighing the bad, though there�s not really anything that�s �bad� here � just a little annoying. Most interesting is a line from Luminara who states that terror is not a weapon employed by the Jedi. I wonder who that remark was aimed at?"

UPDATE #21:

Den of Geek asks "Why Aren't You Watching Clone Wars?":

"Now that the show is on the air on a regular basis (9 episodes and counting) we've been shown how the series works. And I'm here to tell you, it's bloody wonderful. In the way the prequels added nuance and meaning to the classic trilogy, the Clone Wars adds it to the prequels in a fashion that has made even prequel-bashers I've talked to admit to liking the prequels more than ever. They still don't like them as much as they should, but it's a start.

My advice to you is to start watching with Friday's episode. It's called "The Lair of Grievous" and it's about Kit Fisto and his former Mon Calamari padawan finding themselves in Grievous' lair and it looks to be dark and thrilling and fantastic. (Here's the trailer.) I can practically guarantee that, after a few episodes, you'll want to watch the prequels again and when you do, you're in for a pleasant surprise."

UPDATE #22:

Den of Geek reviews "Lair of Grievous" (Ep. #10) - BEWARE OF SPOILERS IN THE REVIEW:

"So, another corker from The Clone Wars. The tone was spot on and the series seems to work best when it deals with the peripheral characters in the Star Wars galaxy (though they�re not peripheral in the war, of course) rather than concentrating on the more familiar names like Anakin and Obi Wan. Top marks to everyone involved and if I do have a negative point to make it�s that I have to wait �til 2009 before the next episode."

UPDATE #23:

IGN reviews "Lair of Grievous" (Ep. #10):

"This was one of those episodes that qualifies as "decent." Nothing outright bad about it, but nothing to really stand out either. Which is too bad, as there was potential here for something really cool."

UPDATE #24: BigShinyRobot.com has also been keeping up with reviews and previews of The Clone Wars.

UPDATE #25:

io9.com recaps / reviews "Dooku Captured" (Ep. #11):

"Space pirates, shady dealings and a rescue from the clutches of bad guys - It can only be the return of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, with another episode that thrills and impresses... surprisingly."

UPDATE #26:

IGN reviews "Dooku Captured" (Ep. #11):

"This episode had the best interplay we've had on the show so far between Anakin and Obi-Wan, the latter of whom hasn't really been that featured much up until now. On this episode however, there was a lot of time spent with the two, including the exciting way they dealt with a Gundark without having the help of a lightsaber, which ultimately involved some synchronized force-powered boulder throwing � Also, it was nice to see a Gundark in action, following Han Solo and Obi-Wan having both mentioned the creatures in the films."

Big Shiny Robot! also offers up a review for "Dooku Captured" (Ep. #11):

"The banter between Obi-wan and Anakin was particularly well written and actually had me laughing out loud. Specifically, their exchange about Anakin being a Master of getting caught. The action was quite well put together in this episode as well, with the first third of it feeling very much like an adventure akin to the first forty minutes of Revenge of the Sith or Return of the Jedi."

UPDATE #27:

Den of Geek reviews "Dooku Captured" (Ep. #11) with Spoilers: (Thanks Cameron!)

"Dooku Captured has a lot going for it (namely all the fun that the pirates have and Dooku�s characterization), so stick with it through the opening five minutes or so, it�s worth it."