Force more 'Star Wars' into your television
Posted Friday, September 4, 2015 at 6:56 PM Central
Last updated Friday, September 4, 2015 at 7:02 PM Central
by Tim Briscoe
Are you tired of Star Wars yet? If yes, then I have some bad news for you -- there's a lot more to come. If no, I have some great news for you -- there's a ton more waiting in the wings. Much more than those previous naysayers can even imagine!
"Force Friday" is almost over but this is only the launch of Star Wars merchandise. Retailers will be busting at the seams with new Star Wars products this fall. There will be forgettable items and there will be exciting things to be had. I'm here to tell you about two new Star Wars entertainment options.
Star Wars Rebels debuted on cable TV network Disney XD in 2014. All 14 episodes of the series first season just debuted on DVD and Blu-ray. The show takes place between events of films Revenge of the Sith (Episode III) and A New Hope (Episode IV, the one that started it all). Anakin Skywalker has turned to the dark Darth Vader and almost all the Jedi have been wiped out.
Kanan Jarrus (voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr.) is one of the surviving Jedi. He has gathered a ragtag group to make trouble for the oppressive Empire. The first episode has his crew meeting up with a precocious young boy named Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray). The gang takes him under their wing and set course for more adventures.
This show is definitely intended for younger audiences but that doesn't mean adults can't enjoy it as well. The previous Star Wars television series, The Clone Wars, was often darker and more complex than this new one. Rebels does tackle weighty topics like maturity and morality but there is also some corny humor and mild action that will appeal to grade schoolers.
I saw many of the episodes during their initial TV broadcast. The show looks far superior on Blu-ray. It's astounding how much more crisp everything looks in this superior format. There is texture and detail to the characters' faces I didn't see on TV. I'm watching it on the same HDTV so it had because of a degraded signal from cable TV. The colors are much more vibrant as well.
Not to be easily dismissed, seeing the shows without the commercials is a big bonus. The loud and annoying ads really took away from the show's flow. Each episode on disc is seamless.
The extras provided on the Blu-ray set are mostly good. The biggest draw is the Season 2 preview with writer and executive producer Dave Filoni. Let me tell you, I can't wait for new episodes to return in October. There's also an "ultimate guide" which condenses Season 1's events to a 30-minute highlight reel. It's like a Cliffs Notes for those who can't sit through all the episodes but still want to get in on Season 2. All TV on DVD/Blu-ray releases should include a feature like this.
Not so great are the 14 "Rebels Recon" shorts that served as publicity previews for each episode on TV and StarWars.com. The Blu-ray exclusive look at this year's Star Wars Celebration is also forgettable. If you were at the event and attend the Rebels panel, you might want to give it a go.
Speaking of faults, there are a few elements to the show itself I didn't care for. I enjoyed the brief glimpses of Darth Vader at the start and end of the season but other elements seemed like fan service. Beloved droids C-3PO and R2-D2 make appearances and so does a young Lando Calrissian. They aren't essential to the plot and seem like forced inclusions.
Overall, the show is very enjoyable. It serves as a good entry point for new fans and helps set up the origins of the Rebel movement. Obviously it took quite a while to establish freedom fighters good enough to destroy the Death Star in Star Wars.
Next up is Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles. This DVD-only release contains all four episodes that also ran on Disney XD. They combine together for a feature-like 92 minutes.
Using the fun Lego comedy style, this show is much more silly than Rebels. It features our favorite characters from the original trilogy after the events A New Hope. Veteran Jedi masters Yoda and ghost Obi-wan must retrieve holocrons to serve in Luke's training.
There are a lot of funny jokes that play on established Star Wars mythology. With his memory was wiped in Revenge of the Sith, C-3PO is now a brave, gun-toting leader. Once again, this is all very silly stuff.
As a parent of "younglings," you might want to start with this one. While both releases are rated TV-Y7, the Lego animation is much milder. Plus the laughs really lighten up the action.
Naturally, this release also omits the annoying TV ads. The only bonus item here is an alternate ending. Lego Star Wars: The New Yoda Chronicles Complete Collection will be available on Sept. 15. Both it and Star Wars Rebels will help you bide time until the big event on Dec. 18, the film release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.