New 'Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi' Animated Series Begins Streaming on Disney+ (cnn.com) 33
The animated series "Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi" premiered this week on Disney+, witih all six 15-minute episodes released on Wednesday.
CNN calls it a slick and well-produced "kind of super-service for the Star Wars faithful, rekindling old flames, and comfortably submerging them in the past." But they also add that animation "has also become a vehicle for greater experimentation, as witnessed in the Star Wars: Visions anime shorts that premiered last year." It's hardly a surprise that this latest addition to the mythology comes courtesy of producer Dave Filoni, who oversaw such series as The Clone Wars and Rebels before throwing his fertile mind for all things Star Wars into The Mandalorian and other live-action fare. Filoni wrote five of the six shorts, which are split between Ahsoka Tano (again voiced by Ashley Eckstein), soon to be featured in her own live-action spinoff; and Count Dooku (played in the movies by Christopher Lee, and voiced by Corey Burton).
Beyond a glimpse of a baby Ahsoka (just in time for holiday gift-giving, kids), in an episode that illustrates her home planet and its warrior streak, the episodes leap around in time. That includes additional insights into Dooku and his abandonment of the Jedi order to embrace the dark side and Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid). The anthology format creates the opportunity to drop in at different inflection points scattered across the "Star Wars" timeline.
"Fans will likely be particularly intrigued by some of the gradations surrounding Ahsoka, her relationship to Anakin Skywalker and the aftermath of the Clone Wars," the article teases...
CNN calls it a slick and well-produced "kind of super-service for the Star Wars faithful, rekindling old flames, and comfortably submerging them in the past." But they also add that animation "has also become a vehicle for greater experimentation, as witnessed in the Star Wars: Visions anime shorts that premiered last year." It's hardly a surprise that this latest addition to the mythology comes courtesy of producer Dave Filoni, who oversaw such series as The Clone Wars and Rebels before throwing his fertile mind for all things Star Wars into The Mandalorian and other live-action fare. Filoni wrote five of the six shorts, which are split between Ahsoka Tano (again voiced by Ashley Eckstein), soon to be featured in her own live-action spinoff; and Count Dooku (played in the movies by Christopher Lee, and voiced by Corey Burton).
Beyond a glimpse of a baby Ahsoka (just in time for holiday gift-giving, kids), in an episode that illustrates her home planet and its warrior streak, the episodes leap around in time. That includes additional insights into Dooku and his abandonment of the Jedi order to embrace the dark side and Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid). The anthology format creates the opportunity to drop in at different inflection points scattered across the "Star Wars" timeline.
"Fans will likely be particularly intrigued by some of the gradations surrounding Ahsoka, her relationship to Anakin Skywalker and the aftermath of the Clone Wars," the article teases...
No excitement whatsoever. (Score:4, Interesting)
Disney has lost me as a fan with their treatment of Star Wars. I have no excitement for the characters, the universe, or the stories anymore. The poor planning that led to the botch of the final three films; the way they've treated characters like Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi (with Obi-Wan being essentially reduced to a supporting cast member in the show named for him); the constant stream of content that seems like it's being shoveled out to "do something" with the brand.
I don't feel like "muh childhood" is being ruined. It's not hatred I'm feeling toward Star Wars or J.J. Abrams or Kathleen Kennedy, or anyone involved at this point. Just apathy. Just a feeling of ... enough, already.
The only thing I still hope for is a carefully-done Blu-Ray transfer of the original trilogy (i.e. Episodes 4, 5, & 6) as they were released in the theaters - not the "Special Editions." It would sell like crazy ... but, I'm not holding my breath for that to happen.
Re: No excitement whatsoever. (Score:1)
I dont know. Maybe some more broadcast stations efforts to bring this stuff to people who might not have access?
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They haven't lost me completely.
The new movies have been ho-hum for me. I subscribe to Disney+, but literally haven't bothered watching the last movie yet after the previous dreadful film. But I've quite enjoyed The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and... Obi Wan was decent, if not spectacular. Haven't started any of the others yet. Star Wars: Visions was interesting, but the other animated series I couldn't get into. I have no idea why studios feel the need to "kiddify" animated series so much, sin
Re:No excitement whatsoever. (Score:4, Interesting)
Do take a look at Andor. Created by the same guys as Rogue One, which is generally considered to be the best movie in the Franchise since Empire Strikes back, and starring one of the protagonists in the movie.
It is of course Darker And Edgier, but so far it's also been pretty damn good.
Re:No excitement whatsoever. (Score:4, Informative)
BTW. Do watch two or three episodes before you decide to leave it.
Too many people have stopped watching prematurely because they saw only the first episode, and found it too slow.
I'm also a fan of the old Star Wars, before Disney's takeover. That includes my personal selection of the Star Wars Expanded Universe, i.e. books, comic books, radio dramas and video games before 2013.
Then, Disney threw all the EU into the bin, and the character Andor in Rogue One is a discount version of the old EU character Kyle Katarn, basically.
But I find that I can put that aside for a moment, because Andor - the series, still reminds me of some of the grittier, more adult books from the Star Wars EU that I had read ten-fifteen-twenty years ago. Books that vary more in their pace, and portray the everyday man in the Empire - and Rebels in the trenches.
Of course, me being massively disenchanted with how Disney has treated Star Wars, and the fan community, I have not paid Disney a dime to see the series. I have seen it "at friends' ".
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Too many people have stopped watching prematurely because they saw only the first episode, and found it too slow.
I've watched them all so far and I still find it too slow.
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The droid is in it? Awesome!
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A droid is in it, but not THE droid you are looking for... at least not quite yet. Eventually.
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Do take a look at Andor. Created by the same guys as Rogue One, which is generally considered to be the best movie in the Franchise since Empire Strikes back, and starring one of the protagonists in the movie.
I've seen it's gotten generally good reviews, and I did really enjoy Rogue One. I'll give it a look.
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which is generally considered to be the best movie in the Franchise since Empire Strikes back
Wrong.
-Fails basic moviemaking 101
-Describe any major character without using their title, occupation or physical appearance?
-Fails basic dialogue writing
-Disguises failed dialogue writing with decision to use actors with thick foreign accents who are difficult to understand. Film producers' disrespect for audiences paid off handsomely, here.
-Destroys moral tone of franchise
-Proves Star Wars universe is teeny-tiny in the minds of all associated with it.
-Blatant pandering to Chinese market (who lost interes
Re: (Score:3)
I have this feeling that they now got this brand for a couple billions and now they feel like they have to monetize it ... somehow. The whole deal with the movies fell through, so something else has to be done. SOMETHING. ANYTHING.
At this point, it feels a lot like they're throwing shit at the wall and hope that something will eventually stick. Maybe someone should tell them they ought to try something that's not shit...
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The best possible explanation is that they were stupid beyond belief and made plans without any actual star wars fans in the room.
Disney's plan was:
-corrupt Kathleen Kennedy (not that she had far to go). She went from gofer to George Lucas's trusted assistant to the person who assured him he'd stay in control even if Disney bought the franchise... which was a planned lie.
-get George to resign the Big 3 actors with fine print in the contract saying they had to work for Disney if the franchise was sold
-overp
Re: (Score:2)
I think it's simpler yet more sinister than that.
I hope we can agree on Hollywood not giving a fuck about "woke". Because, well, why would they? What Hollywood cares about is money. And on paper, "woke" looks like a great tool. First, you have a built-in defender for your content. No matter how bad. Because anyone who dares to criticize you and think your movie is anything but the second coming isn't put off by your flat script, your predictable plot, your wooden actors or your ridiculous effects, he's just
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Andor is okay. Some episodes are very slow, but the second half of the season is really picking up. It's for a very 1970s British TV feel, believe it or not.
Tales of the Jedi is crap. Feels like a student project. Poor, generic animation, and very simple and uninteresting stories.
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The question is, though, what could they do at this point to rekindle the interest? Or rather, what doesn't work in the current batch of movies, series and other content? Is it the pacing? The characters? The storylines? Too much or too little focus on something that made the old movies work? I mean, hell, even the old Star Wars animated series had a cult following (frankly, I never watched them more than by accident on occasion).
What worked in the old animated series that doesn't work in this one?
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The question is, though, what could they do at this point to rekindle the interest?
I've got an idea. Build a giant hotel that's meant to resemble an imperial starcruiser. Go all in on the immersion--no windows--and you don't go outside at all for two days. Fill it with awkward cosplay and cheap plastic environments. Charge an easily affordable for uber fans $1500/night for two nights, and bam, rekindled interest in Star Wars!
Re: No excitement whatsoever. (Score:2)
If Rey's soul had been crushed out of existence and her body taken over by Palpatine, it would have TOTALLY saved the three Rey movies. But, they didn't. So, it sucked.
They could have then gone to make a now nubile, flexible and female Palpatine into a seductive, galactic evil badass and turned up the darkness to 11. But no, they passed up that opportunity. Too bad. Darkness is what makes things interesting.
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It was even more disneyfied than the prediction foretold [youtube.com].
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Agree about Tales of the Jedi, it's made like the cheap Hanna-Barbera rubbish, dull recycled plot lines and the lowest budget animation available, probably out-sourced to where the labor cost is lowest.
I totally missed that there is an Andor series, Pirate Bay's marketing dept sucks. I like to wait for there to be a full series + 1ep anyway (In case of cliff-hangar).
It's still there when you want it (Score:1)
Disney has lost me as a fan with their treatment of Star Wars
I tend to think people who think like this have more chosen to be lost, primarily because of the sequel trilogy.
But real Star Wars is still there. Rogue One had it, and that was made by Disney. The Mandalorian absolutely had it. And the final season of The Clone Wars animated series did as well....
Others have mentioned Andor so I won't bring that up, but it's not an exciting show so much as it is an intellectual and massive world-building show.
A
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Can't remember where the project sits legally, but for a high-fidelity transfer of the original theatrical versions of the trilogy, check out Harmy's Despecialized Edition. Watched it a few months ago, and thought it was pretty well done.
This is almost certainly paid advertisement. (Score:2)
Why isn't it marked as such so that I can adblock the hell out of it?
Star Wars Holiday Special! (Score:2)
Nobody cares (Score:3)
Star Wars is a dead property.
Tales is pretty good but is mostly parts of others (Score:1)
I really like Tales of the Jedi, but to really appreciate any of the episodes except for the first and the last one, I think you'd have had to watch either the the prequel movies, or for the next to last one especially, you'd really have to have watched the last few episodes of the Clone Wars animated series. They come off almost more as clips from those other stories.
Both Ashoka and Dooku are interesting characters and it presents some nice background as to how they got to be the way they are, so the show
The Simpsons already did it (Score:3)
The POV from a non-fan (Score:4, Insightful)
Yeah, the first films were okay (4,5,6) but I've never been a huge fan, it's just too...family friendly for me. But neither here nor there. What irks me about everything else made, is they took the core ideas of 4,5,6...and never bothered to try to go in different directions. Everything has to tie back into either the original characters, or original plot points. C'mon gang, you've got a whole galaxy built with endless possibilities, let's branch out to something really new.