Star Wars Resistance | Disney Channel and XD (Fall 2018) | Sequel Era "Anime inspired" animated series by Dave Filoni

[Darth Lehnsherr]

Damn what an ending to today's episode

[Porthos]

Soooo...

Spoiler

Neeku executes a (near) blind hyperspace jump to escape the First Order?

 

Yeah, sounds about right.

 

that was a pretty excellent episode and season finale.  It only had one minor bad beat, but enough to discuss:

Spoiler

I wish that Kaz had thought to try to tell Tam about Hosnian Prime's destruction.

 

It probably wouldn't have mattered in Tam's current mindspace (he's lying I don't believe it), but it would have planted a seed in her head for the future.

 

Now it's not like he had a lot of time, and when people are first grieving and THEN have a huge jolt of adrenaline, AND then dealing with a stressful situation AND they don't have much time they don't think straight.  So perhaps it is believable.  Maybe.  But I still would have liked to see Kaz try to mention it.

 

So take off a half or full point for that, I think.

 

Aside from that an excellent, logical episode where plot points came together nicely.   

 

I will admit I wasn't sure they'd have the guts to have Tam to in fact leave, but it does set up Season Two quite nicely.  Be interesting to see where her character arc goes and how she reacts to the much less savory side of the First Order when she gets the full brunt of it.

 

Over all a fairly good season that ends on a high, if not perfect note.  Very interested to see just where this leads.

 

EDIT:::

 

re: my second spoiler box, an interview with the producers of SW:R that talks about <SPOILER DELETED>. So I can see why they didn't bring it up as a beat inside the story and makes me think it WILL be coming down the road.

 

Maybe. 

 

Time will tell, I suppose.

 

SECOND EDIT:::

 

Spoiler

Upon reflection, I just realized that Kaz might not know that Tam didn't know about SB doing its thing.  Maybe it didn't cross his mind that Tam was unaware until it was too late.

 

Of course that then bring up the notion that he still could have screamed about it when she was equivocating, but then we're back to my first point about Kaz's emotional state.

 

So, no, not a plot hole (not that I thought it was one).  Just a direction not taken that I would have preferred was at least examined slightly (yes, I realize that only so much can be stuffed in 20+ minutes of showtime ;))

 

Edited March 18, 2019 by Porthos

[Porthos]

So I think maybe I should give a season in review post.  Mostly non spoilery.

 

It's an odd series for me to review, as I'm clearly not quite in the target demo.  It is a family show, of course, so it's not like my demo was being ignored per se.  But I do think it is fair to say it was targeted at a slightly younger audience than say, Rebels.  Though not nearly as young as say the LEGO Adventures, so we're not talking about THAT big of a difference. 

I think the best way to describe the difference between the two shows is that it seemed to me that the amount of story told vs running around being a goofball/silly in some episodes of Resistance seemed to be more geared to the goofball end of things than in Rebels.  Just a sense I had after a couple of episodes that not much was advanced in them.

 

And here I also include character arcs and moments and things like that, so don't think I'm calling any of the episodes filler coz I detest that word.  And I don't think they were filler, anyway.  But the story/goofball ratio was skewed a bit more is I suppose what I am saying.

 

That being said, the series absolutely got stronger as it went along.  I could see various character arcs unfolding, and they all made sense.  I suppose my one real gripe about the series is that the Aces weren't nearly the focal point I thought/hoped they would be.  That's not something that will lower my grade, but it is an observation.  The Aces were pushed back into the background for the most part, with the notable exception of a couple of them.  

 

But speaking of characters, when the show focused on character interaction, it sang.  Sure it might have been a bit... simpler? --yeah, let's go with that-- simpler at times.  But the show was best when it focused on its characters and their dilemmas.

 

Turing back to the moments of comedy/silliness, I actually thought they did work for the most part.  Kaz has gotten some guff in some parts, but I thought the show did a pretty good job of depicting someone who wants to do well, has a kind heart, but is slightly over his head while not WANTING to show that he is in fact adjusting on the fly.  It's the "make it up as I go along" Solo/Indy school, but someone who is still learning how  to do it.

 

Now it is true that there were some episodes/plots I could do without, as I just find them teeth-clenching to watch.  Thankfully there were only a couple of them.  But their presence, and the overall balance of story/goofiness being a bit too much for myself personally does cause me to lower the grade.

 

So, let's say... I dunno.  7.8/10?  I can't in good conscience say 7.5/10 as the series was better than that.  But I don't think I can quite give it an 8/10 (though I suppose I might after a complete binge re-watch).  I guess if I was closer to the target demo, I'd give it that 8 or 8.5/10. But I'm not, so I won't.

 

That 7.8/10 does seem a little harsh though.  So consider a second grade of 8.5/10 for potential. Maybe even as high as 9/10 on the potential scale.  I can see the potential of this series and where it could go.  And where it could go is a series that, while different, deserves to stand shoulder to shoulder with both The Clone Wars and Rebels.

 

Time will tell if it meets that potential.  I sure hope it does.

 

PS:  If I split the season, I think I might give the first third a 7/10, the middle third a 7.75/10 and the last third an 8.25 or 8.4/10, It's clearly on an upward swing.  And while I expect the second season to ramp up the goofiness again during the beginning of the season, I think the trajectory is fairly clear.  We'll see if I'm right or not as the second season unfolds.

[4815162342]

decided to check this out now that the first season is done

[4815162342]

Burned through it pretty quickly.

 

Felt like the show dropped the ball big time when it came to handling Tam's character

[Porthos]

 

Sadly, this will be it for Resistance.  I look forward to The Discourse surrounding this news.

(Even odds give it that it was planned to be a short run, but that won't stop The Discourse from running rampant)

 

Looking forward to what we do get though. 👍

[4815162342]

Only 2 seasons? That's strange, even for trigger-happy Disney TV

[Porthos]

Nice! 👍  

 

I have no idea if it was always planned for two-and-done seasons or not, but glad to see it getting some love while it can. 

 

(Also, not exactly supposed to cheer from the podium there, Ashley. )

Edited September 14, 2019 by Porthos

[Porthos]

With everything else going on in SW land right now, be easy to forget that this is coming back up soon:

 

 

So consider this a reminder than the next/last season starts in a few days.

[Porthos]

 

Very nice (and long!) interview with the folks behind Resistance on what to expect for S2.

 

edit:::

 

 

Edited October 2, 2019 by Porthos

[Porthos]

For folks who don't have XD, or a cable subscrpition (to watch in on something like Disney/Disney XD), the Star Wars Kids channel has put the season premiere of the second season free to view without restriction:

 

 

===

 

I personally thought it was a nice set up episode.  Nothing groundbreaking, but pretty good overall. Obvs a table setter in some respects and also a sign that the entire season might be one long story, ala Season Four of Rebels

 

(for what it's worth, already a lot of good buzz for the second episode coming up)

[Porthos]

 

Hope Christopher Sean invested in some good throat lozenges after these recording sessions! 

[Porthos]

Preview is up for next week and, damn:

 

 

 

Pretty obvious she'll turn in the comlink.  What's less obvious is the consequences as the season unfolds.  That is what's interesting to me to see unfold.  Just how much Tam's obvious regret at how things turned out plays versus her ambition and her hurt at being betrayed by her friends.

 

Ambition and hurt feelings versus regret and dissatisfaction.  Now where have I heard THAT song before? 

[4815162342]

I'll catch up on the episodes over the weekend

[Porthos]

1 hour ago, 4815162342 said:

I'll catch up on the episodes over the weekend

Only been one episode so far, with the second airing on this coming Sunday, so you don't have much to catch up with.

Edited October 10, 2019 by Porthos

[Porthos]

Now that was a good episode.  Tightly plotted, tie ins to both TLJ and Solo and advances various character plots.  

 

I liked how Tam was handled realistically here, as well as Tierny.  All in all a very solid episode.

 

Keeping things light on the spoiler side, but if the rest of the season is close to quality as this one, it should be a fine ride.

[Porthos]

I am going to add one spoiler observation:

 

Spoiler

While the chickens came home to roost, fast, on Kaz's message, I actually think it might help out Resistance in the long term.  Tam being forced to see her old friends nearly blasted out of the sky clearly unsettled her.  If she hadn't been forced to face that so quickly and so soon after joining up, she might have continued a slow slouch into First Order-dom.

 

Now though she has to keep wrestling with her conscience.  Commander Pyre recognized this immediately and did the smart thing and said she should be set up for brainwashing classes.  But Tierny obviously has further plans for her, and I don't think it's just in regards to the Colossus.

 

And that might just prove to bite the First Order in the ass in the end.

 

So, sure, Kaz was irresponsible on one level.  But I suspect this will be an ultimate net good in the end. Call it a sense that this might be like where in sparing Gollum's life in the Hobbit/LotR lead to a difference being made in the end.  Not exactly the same situation.  Perhaps not even close.  But more file it under "good, unselfish, deeds will get rewarded.... Eventually.  If after a long and twisting road.

 

THAT'S a bet I'm willing to make as this season unfolds.

 

(setting aside that the attack actually freed the coaxium, as they probably would have figured out a way to open it eventually on their own)

 

Edited October 14, 2019 by Porthos

[Porthos]

Just had a chance to catch up with the latest episode.

 

Always always always great to see something beyond the Jedi/Sith dichotomy*.  One of the reasons I love the Nightsisters so much.

 

Speaking of which, don't think our newest friend is one of them.  Not creepy enough, for one thing.   But she was able to use a Sith power source, so she might live up to her name in more ways than one.

 

Be interesting to see just what she gets up to in the coming episodes.

 

* I've always viewed the Jedi/Sith fight as more of an inter-doctrinal fight than anything else.  For all that they claim to be vastly different, they really are two sides of the same coin.  Which makes sense given that the Sith were founded by breakaway Jedi.