Preferred Viewing Order

[{ Emilia }]

Isn't a debate about the viewing order a bit overly complicated?

There are four movies and they're even numbered. So obviously the viewing order is 4, 5, 6, 7.

I do find it odd that 1-3 never got made.

 

[M.A.C.O.]

Isn't a debate about the viewing order a bit overly complicated?

There are four movies and they're even numbered. So obviously the viewing order is 4, 5, 6, 7.

I do find it odd that 1-3 never got made.

I see what you did there.

With the Trek movies, my order is: II, III, IV, VI, ST09 (XI), STID (XII) and BEY (XIII).

1, 2, skip a few, indeed.

 

[Smellmet]

For newbies, ie my daughter when she's old enough to watch them, then it's by release date. All other scenarios episode order.

 

[LJones41]

I usually view the movies - well, it dpends upon how I feel . . . with the exception of "The Force Awakens". I'm rarely in the mood to watch that film.

 

[fireproof78]

When I watch it, it will be 4, 5, 6, 7, RO. AOTC is I feel in a lighter mood. ROTS and RO if I really feel the need for the darker stories.

For my daughters, when they are old enough to be interested, it will be 4, 5, ROTS, 6, 7, RO.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back
Whatever

 

[Prax]

In numerical order, especially for kids. They'll make a lot deeper connections to the characters in the OT after seeing the tragedy in PT.

The story of Vader can be a bit shallow when you don't know the rest. Yoda and Obi-Wan are full of regret and stuck in the past. You just have a greater insight into their characters, and they become a lot more layered after watching the movies in episode order.

Going from 6-7 might be a little weird.

 

[DigificWriter]

Episodic Order for the Skywalker Saga is the only viewing construct that matters and is explicitly prescribed by Lucasfilm.

There are not yet enough Star Wars Story films for an order to be necessary, but it's unlikely that once more of them are released that they'll be officially 'lumped in' with the Saga films in terms of viewing order.

 

[Smellmet]

Episodic Order for the Skywalker Saga is the only viewing construct that matters and is explicitly prescribed by Lucasfilm.

What, and miss out on the Vader reveal in ESB? (first time viewers of course) No way.

 

[Skywalker]

ANH is still the best introduction to the narrative and the setting, so it always goes first. I do love going back to the prequels after TESB (was doing that long before the Machete Order came about, too bad I wasn't a blogger!) because they serve as an excellent mirror to what's going on with Luke in his story, then finish it off with ROTJ before moving on to TFA.

I'm not really sure where RO fits this way. I guess I'd put it after ANH, to show how the Rebels got the Death Star plans in the first place, because the only time it makes any sense if you watch it before ANH is if you're watching all of the movies in chronological order.

 

[fireproof78]

Episodic Order for the Skywalker Saga is the only viewing construct that matters and is explicitly prescribed by Lucasfilm.

There are not yet enough Star Wars Story films for an order to be necessary, but it's unlikely that once more of them are released that they'll be officially 'lumped in' with the Saga films in terms of viewing order.

That is a hard and fast rule that I find rather odd in artistic viewing choices.

 

[Prax]

I realize there is a fascination with the "reveal" of Vader, but I would argue that you gain more than you would lose. Luke is probably the character most kids identify with(at least I did) and you still experience the reveal through him. He doesn't know. There may even be a great anticipation knowing something Luke doesn't know.

That's the case in many movies. You know a character is headed for trouble, but you can't warn them.

This reminds me of a Trek reference:

KELIS: The Rescue of B'Elanna Torres. We begin with Harry Kim reaching Voyager in the escape pod. He tells Captain Janeway that B'Elanna Torres is lost. We continue to the point where they discover a piece of the Delta Flyer. After that
TORRES: It's simple. They search for B'Elanna Torres. B'Elanna Torres is found.
KELIS: Or not found.
TORRES: Or not found. The end. It sounds pretty straightforward to me.
KELIS: That's exactly the problem. Where is the mistaken identity, the discovery, the sudden reversal? Mistaken identity, a character who is someone else. Discovery, the moment when that identity is revealed. Reversal, a situation that turns from good to bad in a blink of an eye.
CHORUS 1: Find the truth of your story and you won't need all those tricks. I don't know how things are done across the Eastern Sea, but here poets have become lazy. They rely on manipulation to move their audience. It wasn't always that way. Welcome.
TORRES: Thank you.
KELIS: The truth of my story. It's an old-fashioned idea. Today, audiences want excitement, passion.

 

[DigificWriter]

What, and miss out on the Vader reveal in ESB?

The "Vader secret" lost relevance in 1999, and trying to maintain it is silly.

 

[CorporalClegg]

There was a thread here years ago about which order to show the films to your kids, and people were actually advocating episode order.

My only thought was why would anyone ever deprive their child from experiencing the Vader reveal?

As one who never saw a Star Wars film until I was well in to high school, I obviously had it spoiled to me long before just from pop culture exposure. That's not something I'd wish on any SFF fan.

 

[FredH]

I think for a new viewer, I would break it up into "sections"--

1 - Star Wars by George Lucas: 4, 5,1, 2, 3, 6
2 - The Disney Films - Han Solo, Rogue One, 7, 8, 9 (i.e. internal chronological order)
3 - TV - [*The* Clone Wars 1-21,] Clone Wars, [TCW 22-end,] Rebels (i.e. internal chronological order)

For a hypothetical *re*watch, internal chronology: 1,2, [TCW 1-21,] CW, [TCW 22-end,] 3, HS, Rebels, R1, 4-9

 

[DigificWriter]

There was a thread here years ago about which order to show the films to your kids, and people were actually advocating episode order.

My only thought was why would anyone ever deprive their child from experiencing the Vader reveal?

Because, as I pointed out earlier, Vader being Anakin ceased being a big "revelation" in 1999.

 

[CorporalClegg]

It's a revelation to anyone who doesn't know about it, hence the definition of revelation.

 

[Prax]

I think for a new viewer, I would break it up into "sections"--

1 - Star Wars by George Lucas: 4, 5,1, 2, 3, 6
2 - The Disney Films - Han Solo, Rogue One, 7, 8, 9 (i.e. internal chronological order)
3 - TV - [*The* Clone Wars 1-21,] Clone Wars, [TCW 22-end,] Rebels (i.e. internal chronological order)

For a hypothetical *re*watch, internal chronology: 1,2, [TCW 1-21,] CW, [TCW 22-end,] 3, HS, Rebels, R1, 4-9

This makes me dizzy.

 

[Smellmet]

The "Vader secret" lost relevance in 1999, and trying to maintain it is silly.

Nope. I'll be showing the movies to my daughter when she's old enough to enjoy them, and she won't have any prior knowledge of the franchise. It will be as relevant to her viewing experience as it was mine in 1980.

 

[Prax]

I don't remember the reveal. I saw them on VHS when I was very young.
I watched them all in order(except 3- I don't own it)with my daughter 2 years ago before TFA came out. She was 10. Episode 1 was her favorite. That may have changed though because both in the theater and after leaving she said TFA was the funniest SW movie, and she really liked it.