Star Wars: Ahsoka

retro junkie · September 01, 2023, 02:18:33 PM

Has anyone started watching this series? I sort-of like this one, even though it does not specifically standout in the over crowded Disney Star Wars clutter. There is a certain something about it that has hooked me. I just hope they do not derail it in the following episodes. It doesn't have that Star Wars feel in it, but I think part of that is the drama aspect. And I think that is part of my problem with any of the Disney+ Star Wars series, other than the sometimes mediocre story telling, canon issues, or writing. Star Wars movies are mostly action orientated. I hope there is some real character development as the story unfolds. This seems to be focused toward her sidekick, Sabine, for the moment. But that is okay because it is causing us to get to know more about Ahsoka.

Who's watching?

BLUEVOODU · September 01, 2023, 04:55:05 PM

Great post @retro junkie ! Funny thing is... I was just logging into post this and saw you did!

Life has been extremely busy the last 2-3 months with many family and life events occurring. Free time has been at a minimum... but we were able to sneak in the last 3 episodes of Ahsoka.

I agree.. it doesn't have the Star Wars feel... but I attribute that to the intermediate time they are in between war, change, and many other events occurring in the time line. To me, the animated Clone Wars series had the same feel in many areas of the series.

I'm excided to see where this heads... hopefully they expand on the series. I've been waiting for Ahsoka for awhile! They teased early on with the trailers.

CreepinDeth · September 04, 2023, 08:12:21 PM

I've only seen episode 1 so far. I'm interested in Sabine and what will happen there but the dialogue seems very wooden to me. Just finished watching other shows so I'll jump back in soon.

CreepinDeth · September 14, 2023, 12:22:31 AM

So I'm now caught up with all of the episodes. I'm definitely digging it. Overall it feels a tad hollow but there's still enough meat on the bone to make it worthwhile.

The

Spoiler: Show

were the highlight for me so far. The flashbacks were really cool. Seeing that stuff visualized in live action was nice.

BLUEVOODU · September 14, 2023, 10:21:51 PM

@CreepinDeth - I 100% agree. Those scenes you highlighted were amazing... and were an enjoyment to watch. Top notch.

@retro junkie — have you been keeping up?

What are your thoughts @mastermario @SpartanEvolved @Grindspine @targetrasp ?

retro junkie · September 15, 2023, 10:56:18 AM

@BLUEVOODU yes I have, still watching. I think there is one more episode.

Grindspine · September 15, 2023, 06:38:39 PM

Spoiler: Show

The above spoiler scene is the best Ahsoka content thus far.

I am a huge fan of the Rebels series. The dialog does seem quite a bit stiff from the live action actors.

Spoiler: Show

retro junkie · September 19, 2023, 09:55:26 PM

I thought that there were only going to be 6 episodes, but I am now finding out that there are eight.
At this point I am feeling like they misnamed the series.

BLUEVOODU · September 24, 2023, 04:07:58 PM

@Grindspine - thought I responded to this but I don't see it. You are spot on... imo those were epic scenes.

Episode 6 was pretty awesome. Can't wait to see what episode 7 holds.

@retro junkie - what do you mean?

I'm absolutely happy they didn't cap at 6. I was hoping they would go to 9 or 10. Hey - I can dream.

@mastermario @SpartanEvolved @trkorecky - are you guys watching Ahsoka?

retro junkie · September 24, 2023, 04:21:45 PM

@BLUEVOODU the whole series has been centered around Sabine Wren. It should have been called something else instead of Ahsoka.

retro junkie · October 05, 2023, 09:49:37 AM

I thought there were going to be more episodes than this. Disney plus is saying that episode 7 is the last episode.
This series is not the best in production and cinematography, none of the Disney plus Star Wars series have been, to me. They have felt more like fan-based in production. And I feel like I am being insulting to some fans because I have seen some fan productions that run circles around professional movie makers. But it has been the only Star Wars series that Disney has touched that I could say I really liked. There were some epic scenes, loved the space whales. Not sure if there will be any 2nd season. A lot of bashing from different sources on this series. I don't understand. It is not that bad. I was thinking that due to the plunging of Disney plus subs and the disappointment that has been going around toward Disney that this series will not get the viewership that it deserves.
A lot of things have changed due to the writer's strike. They said that for a series like this, the cost has been around $250,000,000, total. They will be reducing the amount spent to $5,000,000 per episode. Ouch! I cringe to think what that will mean in going forward, shorter seasons, unheard of actors,poor special effects, sock puppets? (Usually if the writing is good I can use my imagination and get by. For example, the old Doctor Who had poor stage props, costumes, special effects, but great writing.) They are already talking about cancellations and changes in scheduling for a lot of their future projects.

BLUEVOODU · October 05, 2023, 06:28:53 PM

I really dig how it went. I get the perception of Ahsoka being more about Sabine... however, it really rounds out the story of Ahsoka and also Anakin. Seeing these additional pieces (IMO) helped round out the picture.

I believe we watched Episode 8 last night? maybe it was 7... but I think it was 8. Will check this later. The last episode was pretty awesome as well.

Also... I didn't realize the cost was $250,000,000. That seems very expensive, though they have been high quality, effects, sounds...etc.

retro junkie · October 06, 2023, 10:00:37 AM

@BLUEVOODU you are right it was episode 8. Not sure where I was in that.

BLUEVOODU · October 06, 2023, 01:50:30 PM

@retro junkie no problem... except you made me feel crazy for a few!

I dug episode 8. I hope Season 2 comes a bit quicker. Still ... hard to believe - $250Million?! That's a lot of money to put into viewership. But Everything was super well done.

CreepinDeth · October 07, 2023, 12:35:58 AM

Finished this show and it was pretty good overall. I think it was a good thing it wasn't so Ahsoka focused because they didn't write her character well. Way too stoic for my taste.

There were some pretty good fight scenes and Baylan Skoll was an interesting character. I really hope that the actor's death doesn't stop from his story continuing. It was refreshing to see a different take on Jedi that weren't necessarily imperial or part of the order.

Wish there was more Anakin though.

BLUEVOODU · October 07, 2023, 07:29:24 PM

So what do you think the over/under is they are working up an Anakin series @CreepinDeth ??

I ask this without looking at anything ahead of time. I wonder if they are working up an Anakin story. It would be a major wasted opportunity for everything they've done.

CreepinDeth · October 08, 2023, 04:16:31 AM

@BLUEVOODU I don't think there are plans to have an Anakin show and in all honesty I don't think there should be. Not sure what more of his story there is to tell. He seems better showing up as a side character like in Ahsoka.

I've also haven't really followed Anaking/Vader past the movies and some of the Clone Wars animation. So I would be interested in hearing what could still be explored for him.

Grindspine · October 09, 2023, 06:48:03 PM

I am just hoping that at some point, Sabine, Bo-Katan, Boba Fett, and Din Jarin get to be on screen together. We have already seen that these stories are happening around the same time period. Sabine has worked with Bo-Katan before; they had some long history with the Dark Saber.

CreepinDeth · October 09, 2023, 11:22:57 PM

Quote from: Grindspine on October 09, 2023, 06:48:03 PMI am just hoping that at some point, Sabine, Bo-Katan, Boba Fett, and Din Jarin get to be on screen together. We have already seen that these stories are happening around the same time period. Sabine has worked with Bo-Katan before; they had some long history with the Dark Saber.

I'm 99% sure that'll happen. Probably all get together to take out Thrawn.

BLUEVOODU · November 02, 2023, 10:27:49 AM

I personally hope they work up to an anakin series... OR they include him a lot more in the series. It's something that needs to happen now that his character looks a lot better after the Clone Wars series. It would be a mistake to not do this.

targetrasp · November 03, 2023, 10:41:53 AM

I finally watched the series, and it's held me better than most of the more recent Star Wars offerings.

Shoe-horning social issues into their IPs seems to be Disney's main focus, for better or worse. As a lover of rock / metal, comic books, video games, and a bunch of nerdy stuff, I'm not turned off by social / political messaging in the media I consume, it just can't be forced (expect more), or a hinderance to the media itself. Ahsoka has achieved this better than most of Disney's recent offerings. It's probably the most girl-power Star Wars yet but the cast makes sense. Disney didn't just pick out every female Star Wars character and toss them together with no real reason for those characters ever to share space (get it, space). This cast has a reason to be together and it works, nothing feels forced (last one, I swear). What I can't understand, and Creepin alluded to it when he mentioned Ahsoka being stoic, is where's the emotion.

This thing between Ahsoka and Sabine didn't generate the tension I feel it should have, Syndulla felt the same no matter the situation, and Sabine while being a little more dynamic still seemed to fall flat when compared to the situations she found herself in during the series. Heck, every Mandalorian in the Mandalorian series seemed to portray a better sense of emotion despite quite often hidden behind armor.

Detractors hating because of the girl-bossin' aren't looking at it very fairly. If anything, that got tuned down a little. Ahsoka isn't a force monster like Rey. She doesn't win every fight, neither did Sabine. The other side complained because it wasn't girl-power enough. 40 years, 11 movies and a half dozen or so series and this is the first with a predominately female cast. "But sadly, Ahsoka wasn't exactly passing the Bechdel Test." (https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/ahsoka-female-characters-star-wars)

The show was good, definitely worth a watch. The period between the Clone Wars and the Force Awakens has tons of storytelling avenues I want to go down. The events in Ahsoka were in my mind huge. The series didn't adequately portray the emotion and gravitas these events merit. I can't decide if I blame that on the writing or the acting.

BLUEVOODU · January 03, 2024, 01:30:16 PM

@targetrasp Good post.

There is a ton of material they can use. I'm hoping they expand upon it... and expand upon it well. I'm getting close to finishing rebels... which leads into Ahsoka pretty well. I would say the Clone Wars, Bad Batch, and Rebels series are pretty essential to understanding everything in Ahsoka. It's all pretty cool... really dig Rebels a lot.