So did you like it?
One on the things I enjoy is watching YouTube reaction videos after a new episode hits. So many of them said this was their favorite episode, and how surprised they were at the 1-2 punch of Ahsoka’s live-action debut followed by, a week later, the return of Boba Fett. And I agree. Two of the property’s most popular characters just appeared on this same show...and none of it felt idiotic, forced, etc. It had all been set up/laid out in such a way that you just go with it.
Mind you, this was one of the shorter (33 minutes?) installments, mostly set in a single location and with no pre-release buzz/hype as we had with last week’s episode.
Think about that. The Little Show That Could, indeed! A good 10-15 minutes shorter than most installments, no elaborate sets or multiple locations/traveling. Nothing “sprawling” or “epic”; it was just a cowboy shootout on a scrubby, rocky hill with characters we like. Sometimes that’s all it takes, or is needed.
Yes, it had a fan-film vibe about it at times, but guess what? Who is it that's making fan films?
Exactly...people who love Star Wars, who want to play in that sandbox and make it look, sound and feel like the movies they enjoy. That's the very definition of the term, and that's what we're getting with this show. People can frame it however they want - to the good or the bad - but it's what it is, and, frankly, after some underwhelming, less-than large-scale efforts, it's exactly what the property - and its devoted fans - need. Because we certainly don't need another rushed, thrown-together and disjointed trilogy headed up by people who don't seem to really grasp or appreciate the property. That's not going to help, or fix, anything. This show is doing all the heavy lifting and post-sequel repair work right now, and, in the bang-for-the-buck department ($15M an episode -$120M for an eight-episode season - compared to the $200M+ spent on
each of the trilogy releases, with both totaling roughly six hours, give or take, of viewable, on-screen content), I'd say they're succeeding more than a lot of people - myself included - would've ever imagined.
It just goes to show, it isn't extravagant budgets or A-list "star power" that makes for entertaining, satisfying fare. Never has been, but those two carts often seem to be placed before the horse on so many Hollywood/showbiz projects. And shows like this, and others, will pop up occasionally to demonstrate the opposite. That it's good writing, characters you want to throw in with/follow and story-telling that grabs people, Star Wars or otherwise.
As for Favreau/Filoni “getting it”, absolutely. It’s clear to me that J.J. Abrams, and especially Rian Johnson, were hell-bent on going the “let’s not do the expected, let’s ‘challenge’ the fans/viewers, let’s undo or ignore the past and all that was accomplished by these characters...” route. And it didn’t sit well with most.
Joyless, divisive and point-missing noise isn’t what people want from this property.
By contrast, everyone on this show acts the way you’d expect/hope, especially these recent two big introductions.
So yes, whatever one may think about this show, it does clearly demonstrate, in sharp contrast to the sequel trilogy, the value of having the right folks in charge and calling the creative shots. And whose egos aren’t compelling them to try and deviate from established lore and tropes, which nobody is asking for. These two guys - and the team they’ve assembled -
like Star Wars, and aren’t looking to change/“fix” it.
Huge difference.
Oddly, I’ve seen behind-the-scenes docs and round table discussions amongst the creative team on this show, and there’s Kathleen Kennedy, right in the middle of it all. So then I get to thinking “okay, so what’s different?”, and I can’t help but wonder/think “are J.J. and Rian just ball-less suck-ups, with no vision of their own and dutifully performed everything she mandated without question? Or were they all three just on the exact wavelength? Have Favreau and Filoni somehow made it known to her ‘hands off...you had your shot, with three big theatrical outings. We’re doing this the way
we envision, and how
we think things should play out and be presented”?
Because somebody, somewhere seems to have told Kennedy to back off and leave the showrunners alone, because her (heavy-handed) fingerprints don’t appear to be all over this show.
I find that interesting, and I can’t help but wonder what happened behind the scenes...how that chat went, and who initiated it? Bob Iger? Favreau and Filoni themselves? Did George Lucas pick up the phone?
“Hey, Kathy...you got a minute? Have a seat...”.
PS - Lest anyone think this show is somehow coming up short in a certain department compared to the sequel trilogy...I’ve seen nothing
but strong, smart, brave, independent, capable, interesting, assertive, savvy, in control, thoughtful and well-written female characters, for 14 episodes now.
So if it’s between Rey Skywalker, Rose Tico and Admiral Holdo
or Cara Dune, Bo Katan and Ahsoka Tano, I sure as hell know which group I’d prefer my daughter look up to/admire (and dress like for Halloween). There's a way to go about things, and a way not to. And this show appears to have grasped the former (and is doing a much better job on that front than three movies ever seemed to).
People know/recognize/appreciate strong female characters when they see them, and don't need to be lectured to/beaten over the head about it.
Show, don't tell. That's filmmaking 101.