Star Wars The Bad Batch: Truth And Consequence

Summary

The Bad Batch are called in to help Rex steal the data drive from Admiral Rampart’s Venator which proves he was responsible for the attack on Kamino.

I know I have talked a lot of trash about Omega in my reviews of the Bad Batch and for the most part I stand by every word I have said, she ruins a lot of the episodes she is in because her inclusion forces the tone to be goofy and family friendly, however, that is not the case here. This episode is moody and dark despite Omega and for that I am proud to call this an exception to the rule. Moreover, the scene in which Omega is saying goodbye to Echo at the end of the episode hits on all the right notes and really helps these two connected episodes to feel like they matter.

I also enjoyed seeing more of Palpatine, particularly more of his long game playing and how he actually rules the Empire in the day to day, some of the other Star Wars media, that is still considered cannon, has eluded to this but not shown it in much detail. Seeing him as a true villain and master manipulator really reinforced the stakes of not just this episode but the show as a whole he really is the evil of the Empire.

On the action front this one is a little lighter than The Clone Conspiracy and feels too concerned with being family friendly during its shootouts, I have never liked the fact that the Bad Batch and now Rex are only using stun rounds and have long thought it made no sense. You could make the argument that they don’t want to hurt their brothers but surely by this point in the timeline not all troopers would still be clones and there would be some conscripts in there as well and it makes no sense that they hold back from shooting to kill them as they would not do the same for the Batch. Once again it is an example of Disney struggling to know what to do with characters that they can’t stick on a lunchbox, characters that aren’t the clean cut good guys, in many senses this is exactly what went wrong with the Book Of Boba Fett.

Overall, another good episode but the action is a little lacking

4/5

Pros.

Palpatine

The emotional goodbye to Echo

The stakes

The surprisingly dark tone for an episode which features Omega so heavily

Cons.

The action is lacking and the use of stun settings is starting to become ridiculous

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Star Wars The Bad Batch: The Clone Conspiracy

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Admiral Rampart cleans house and has one of the clones who served under him during the destruction of Kamino killed, prompting a Senate investigation and the return of Rex.

I am truly starting to believe that the episodes of The Bad Batch that don’t feature Omega in any major way are examples of the show operating at its best. When the show embraces the darker side of things and moves past the family friendly wrapping that Omega as a character forces on the show then it is truly up there with the hights of The Clone Wars.

I enjoyed seeing the events shown in the end of season one of The Bad Batch come back around to be so important and relevant in season two, it felt rewarding to me as a long time viewer of the show. Moreover, I liked seeing Rex come back and would like to see more of his solo adventures in between this show and Rebels, maybe even a spin-off show?

This episode also benefits from a nice amount of action and is definitely one of the most action packed episode of the whole season, if not the whole show. Honestly the difference between an episode like this and one like Entombed is so night and day that it makes you question whether you are even watching the same show.

Overall, a fantastic episode of The Bad Batch that will be remembered fondly for a long time.

4.5/5

Pros.

Bringing back Rex

Tying in events from both The Clone Wars and earlier seasons of The Bad Batch

It is action packed

The more serious and dark tone

The best episode in a long time

Cons.

The emotional work with the characters could have been better

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Star Wars The Bad Batch: Tribe

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The Bad Batch help the Wookie Jedi Gungi escape capture and return him to his home world.

I enjoyed this episode, and thought that it made a nice change to the filler of the past two weeks as it actually had the Bad Batch play a role in the wider fight back against the Empire and for once they turned off the stun setting on their blasters. Now, whilst I don’t think this episode was as good as the Commander Cody/Crosshair one I certainly think that there was a lot of promise here.

I was also interested to note how the Bad Batch are around Jedi’s after everything that has happened, and for the most part it was a similar fatherly relationship to how they treat Omega. However, this got me thinking about other possible Jedi’s that could appear on the show and also thinking again about how the show needs to get the Bad Batch way more involved with the early war against the Empire rather than just have them do mission of the week episodes with Omega. This episode had a weighty tone which worked for it a lot more than last week’s National Treasure spin off.

Overall, this is the sort of episode that this show should be putting out every week.

4/5

The darker tone

Seeing the Jedi interacting with the Bad Batch

The Bad Batch finally getting more involved in the war

Well-paced, with no lulls

Cons.

I could have done with being longer

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Star Wars The Bad Batch: Entombed

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The Bad Batch crossover into the new National Treasure series and become treasure hunters.

My, my we are in a bad pattern of episodes with these last two, both of which have been the very definition of filler, and whilst last weeks’ at least gave Tech some nice hero moments this one is even worse and marches into tedious territory quickly.

I think my main issue with this episode is that it didn’t feel like Star Wars to me, treasure hunting is at the core of many great franchises but in my mind never Star Wars, I suppose that is why the sequel trilogy that was very MacGuffin searching heavy was so bad.

Also this was a very Omega heavy episode, and many of you who have read my other reviews know my thoughts on her, whenever she is the primary focus of an episode you know you are in for a bad time and or filler. Honestly, when you compare this episode to the Crosshair/Commander Cody one from a few weeks ago it is night and day.

I am also fairly bored already of the new pirate character, they will never replace Hondo and I question why they are even bothering to try.

Overall, an even worse episode than last week’s filler-fest.

1.5/5

Pros.

It is watchable

Hunter’s reactions were quite funny

Cons.

The new pirate character is deeply bland

Omega is as annoying as ever

It doesn’t feel like Star Wars

It is boring

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Star Wars The Bad Batch: Faster

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The Bad Batch get involved in riot racing.

This was a filler episode, no ifs ands or buts about it. Nothing even remotely interesting happened here, and even the tease of finding out more about Sid’s backstory fails to move me as she is already a pretty dull character and I would rather know more about Cody or Rex when it came to supporting characters.

The racing plot line was as dull as they come, but it was nice to see Ben Schwartz voice the cocky racing droid that then almost immediately gets smashed. Schwartz brought some fun to what was otherwise an incredibly dry episode.

The only thing I liked about this episode was that again it gave Tech a moment to shine, I am glad of this as other than once earlier in the second season he really hasn’t had many heroic moments and has been somewhat of a forgotten member of the gang, so it is nice to see him having these moments.

Overall, a dull episode that is probably best skipped.

2.5/5

Pros.

Schwartz

Tech having more moments to shine

It is very watchable

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Star Wars The Bad Batch: Ruins Of War

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Clone Force 99 battle to get off world.

I thought that this second part of the season opener really delivered on what the first set up, we got far more action which was nice to see and also a greater sense of goings on in the Galaxy at that time and off Imperial intrigue.

I liked that this episode gave Tech a heroic arc, as often he is the forgotten about or overlooked member of the group usually only appearing to offer a Deus Ex Machina escape when things seem dire. I thought seeing him try to fight off the clones whilst being wounded was a nice little bit of character progression for him.

The one thing I didn’t like about this episode which will be very familiar to those of you who read my first season reviews for this show is how Omega and Echo interact. The whole thing of Omega trying to prove her worth and then making things worse and needing to be rescued isn’t endearing it is irritating. In many senses the show would be a lot better off without Omega, but Star Wars just has to have that adult child bonding these days so she sticks around.

Overall, a good episode that really delivered on the action front.

4/5

Pros.

The action

The ending

The wider world tease and Imperial intrigue

Giving Tech his moment in the sun

Cons.

The forced in Echo/Omega plot line and the cheap forced emotion of it

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Velma: First Two Episode Overview

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Mindy Kaling turns herself into Velma from Scooby Doo and creates one of the most grotesque vanity projects I have ever seen in my life.

Who is this for? It certainly isn’t for Scooby Doo fans, as the talking dog himself is not even in this, is it for new fans as it feels like a new show? Well maybe, but if that is the case then have the balls to call it something different and not attach it to the Scooby Doo IP. In my mind this is for fans of Harley Quin as this is basically just the same show, but set in a different fictional universe.

Where to begin with why this show doesn’t work. Frankly Scooby Doo as a franchise was never calling out for an adult take, we never needed to hear the gang talk about sex and drugs and for the most part here it just feels like the show is trying to be edgy. However, the issue is that in its attempts to be edgy it just feels desperate instead, and the comedy, if you can call it that, feels at least a few years out of date.

However, I think worst of all is Velma herself. Kaling takes the very worst aspects of her characters from her other shows and forces them all up to the max to create a truly irritating character that only gets worse. In the two episodes that I watched, and believe me I won’t be watching anymore, Velma went from stupid, to irritating to hateable really quick.

Overall, for once Zaslav should have used his axe for good and should have prevented us from ever having to be subject to this, it makes you truly thankful for and remember fondly the James Gunn films and that is saying something indeed. Truly a trash show destined to not find an audience and fail.

0.5/5

Pros.

It gave me a renewed appreciation for the James Gunn Scooby Doo films

Cons.

It is a vanity project and is in no way Scooby Doo

It is unfunny and the adult humour feels try hard at best

Velma is deeply irritating and unlikeable

There is no Scooby Doo

It feels like Harley Quinn but with different characters

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Puss In Boots The Last Witch: Don’t Fear The Reaper Fight Him

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Puss In Boots, voiced by Antonio Banderas, is back after a long wait and is facing the end of his life, is retirement on the cards or one last tale of glory?

I was very pleasantly surprised by this film, the first Puss In Boots was very much meh and on the duller side of meh at that and lived firmly in the shadow of Shrek. However, this film has so much going for it, whether it is the genuinely quite stunning at times animation, or the character of the Wolf/Death, voiced by Wagner Moura, who is downright menacing and is also a fantastic on-screen presence.

I thought the story did justify the need to come back and revisit these characters and that the tale on the whole was surprisingly mature and sombre, it was a reflection on life, love and making the most out of the time you have left. The ending was basically just a massive tag for Shrek 5 Now With Teenager Ogres, and though I should be angrier about how blatantly this is done I think I am fine with it.

The main area where for me this film let itself down is with the supporting cast, they bring back Selma Hayek as Kitty Softpaws, Puss’s partner in crime and love interest, but they give her little new to do and that is without getting into Florence Pugh’s Goldie and the massively wasted opportunity that was. In my mind a lot of the backstory and dynamic between Goldie and her Bear family was most likely left on the cutting room floor and that is a shame, no one would begrudge this film being a few minutes longer.

Overall, a surprisingly needed sequel that does some really interesting things with its animation.

4/5

Pros.

Death

The surprisingly adult tone

Puss’s arc and journey throughout the film

The ending

Cons.

The side characters are wasted

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Star Wars The Bad Batch: Spoils Of War

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Clone Force 99 are back with a mission that sees them return to the base of the infamous Count Dooku.

I enjoyed this episode through a nostalgic lens as it showed us Dooku’s castle from Clone Wars in a way it had never really been presented to us before and we saw new depths and layers to it.

I also liked the fact the Clones are talking about doing more and joining in more formally with the Rebellions efforts, I think in many senses this is the show setting things up for later in the season, but it is an interesting tease as it could go in so many different ways and could end up in a return of some of our favourite characters.

My criticism of this episode would come from the fact that it was a little slow, the action side of things definitely favours the part two of this two parter, but that is not to say that this episode is boring as things do happen just not as many as you would like.

Overall, a solid start to the season that opens a number of interesting doors.

3/5

Pros.

Talking about being involved in the wider Rebellion and teasing things to come

The return to Dooku’s castle

It is good to see the characters back in action

Cons.

It is a little slow at times and the action is a thin

There is some pacing issues with the episode as the relatively short runtime turns into a slog

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The Amazing Maurice: The Pied Piper Was A Cat

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A cat called Maurice, voiced by Hugh Laurie, and his human companion, voiced by Himesh Patel, travel town to town working a racket wherein they pretend to rid each town of their rats when in fact they have brought them.

I thought this was quite a charming animated film, what’s more the setting in the wider world of Terry Pratchett opens it up for all manor of possibilities if there ever was to be a sequel. I found the film to be fairly easy to watch with some likeable characters, but that is not to say everything about it was great.

The film certainly has some lulls wherein it slips into being boring and this is made worse by the pacing of the film. Furthermore, this issue is compounded by the fact that Patel’s Keith is never given much in the way of personality and is fairly bland so any section focusing on him on his own away from Maurice drags on. This is somewhat alleviated by Emilia Clarke’s Mallica who serves as both the narrator of the tale as well as the female lead and is in every respect the stand out character of the film. Clarke makes the character have so much life and charisma that it is hard not to be excited when the film is focusing on her.

Hugh Laurie as the titular Maurice is fantastic but then again you always knew he would be.

Overall, a fun animated film though one that could have worked better if the pacing was tighter.

3.5/5

Pros.

Clarke

Laurie

It is a lot of fun

The world of Pratchett

Cons.

The pace

It drags at times