Star Wars Rebels Season One (spoilers)

[ALF]

Well these times are finally upon us and Star Wars is coming back to the small screen. Spark of Rebellion, the two part hour long premiere will be released Friday, September 26 2014 via WatchDisneyXD (it's an app) followed by a regular season airing Oct 3rd onward for 16 episodes on Disney XD.

The new series was announced March 10th, 2013 so there's been a 1.5 year wait. Many regard this as the series that "replaced" Star Wars: The Clone Wars which enjoyed a run of 121 episodes (including The Lost Missions). Personally I think Star Wars Rebels will lead into Episode VII nicely... season two of this series should be airing next year as the film hits theaters. Disney will not miss an opportunity cross promote each other so this is clearly an exciting time to be a Star Wars fan (from a certain point of view).

Four web shorts were recently released online late this summer. If you missed them (they sluiced out during intermittent trailers) they are an excellent starting point at 3 mins each, they appear to cover the main protagonists as the series begins. Not sure if they are 100% canon or not but they're short. I think they are and they take place just before the pilot episode as they have production numbers (101A, 101B, 101C, 101D). They are linked to the YouTube vids below so you can check them out now... if you're into that kind of thing.
Looking forward to the discussion.

101A "The Machine in the Ghost" August 11, 2014
101B "Art Attack" August 18, 2014
101C "Entanglement" August 25, 2014
101D "Property of Ezra Bridger" September 1, 2014

Season 1 (2014)

1 "Spark of Rebellion (Part I) October 3, 2014
2 "Spark of Rebellion (Part II) October 3, 2014
3 "Droids in Distress" October 13, 2014
4 "Fighter Flight" TBA
5 "Rise of the Old Masters" TBA

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

I think the series looks great. Can't wait for it to start. Love the use of the McQuarrie concept art for inspiration.

Never bothered with the CG Clone Wars, though, because Tartakovsky's was so perfect.

 

[Skywalker]

I think the series looks great. Can't wait for it to start. Love the use of the McQuarrie concept art for inspiration.

Never bothered with the CG Clone Wars, though, because Tartakovsky's was so perfect.

You should check it out. It's vastly superior to Tartakovsky's microseries, IMO, although to be fair the two shows were doing totally different things.

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

No, thanks. Not a fan of CG animation in general, plus my kid would want all the damn toys.

 

[Mr Light]

I am extremely excited about this show. I loved Clone Wars, though the anthology aspect of the series bored me at times, so I'm excited to follow the same group of characters. And I'm also looking forward to the OT-aping

I was initially concerned about early reports of low budget animation, but the mini-sodes look great!

 

[Reverend]

I think the series looks great. Can't wait for it to start. Love the use of the McQuarrie concept art for inspiration.

Never bothered with the CG Clone Wars, though, because Tartakovsky's was so perfect.

No, thanks. Not a fan of CG animation in general, plus my kid would want all the damn toys.

Does anyone else spot the contradictory reasoning here, or am I just imagining things?

 

[Hound of UIster]

Yes how dare someones personal tastes be arbitrary and inconsistent.

 

[Masiral]

I think the series looks great. Can't wait for it to start. Love the use of the McQuarrie concept art for inspiration.

Never bothered with the CG Clone Wars, though, because Tartakovsky's was so perfect.

No, thanks. Not a fan of CG animation in general, plus my kid would want all the damn toys.

Does anyone else spot the contradictory reasoning here, or am I just imagining things?

I see it too.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

The first episode was supposed to air on the regular Disney Channel on October 3, but it hasn't appeared on the guide yet.

 

[JD]

I'm was really looking forward to this until they announced the main airing will be on Disney XD, a channel I don't get. I guess I'm just going to have to wait for the Netflix and/or Blu-Ray release.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I'm was really looking forward to this until they announced the main airing will be on Disney XD, a channel I don't get. I guess I'm just going to have to wait for the Netflix and/or Blu-Ray release.

So, they've officially backtracked on the announcement they made here?

 

[Masiral]

I'm was really looking forward to this until they announced the main airing will be on Disney XD, a channel I don't get. I guess I'm just going to have to wait for the Netflix and/or Blu-Ray release.

So, they've officially backtracked on the announcement they made here?

No, they've always said the series would air on Disney XD, it's just the premiere that's airing on Disney Channel.

ETA: You should be able to watch online - http://www.starwars.com/tv-shows/star-wars-rebels - that's how I watched all the shorts.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I'm was really looking forward to this until they announced the main airing will be on Disney XD, a channel I don't get. I guess I'm just going to have to wait for the Netflix and/or Blu-Ray release.

So, they've officially backtracked on the announcement they made here?

No, they've always said the series would air on Disney XD, it's just the premiere that's airing on Disney Channel.

ETA: You should be able to watch online - http://www.starwars.com/tv-shows/star-wars-rebels - that's how I watched all the shorts.

Ah, I may have misread what JD said, because I've never heard anything except that the series will air on Disney XD, as well. I still don't see the premier showing up on the regular Disney Channel in my guide, though.

 

[shapeshifter]

The first episode was supposed to air on the regular Disney Channel on October 3, but it hasn't appeared on the guide yet.

Unless your guide service lists future programming beyond seven days you may be looking too soon.

Beyond 7 days mine says, "No Data". I suspect this show will appear at the far edge of the listings within the next 24-36 hours.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

The first episode was supposed to air on the regular Disney Channel on October 3, but it hasn't appeared on the guide yet.

Unless your guide service lists future programming beyond seven days you may be looking too soon.

Beyond 7 days mine says, "No Data". I suspect this show will appear at the far edge of the listings within the next 24-36 hours.

No, it's already filled in with Fish Hooks (October 3, 9pm ET).

 

[shapeshifter]

That could change between now and then. Keep checking for it to be updated and if it isn't then watch or set it to record (2 hour manual recording) anyway, just in case.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

That could change between now and then. Keep checking for it to be updated and if it isn't then watch or set it to record (2 hour manual recording) anyway, just in case.

Right. Yeah, I hope so. I just thought I'd check to see if they'd backtracked on the plan to air the first episode on the regular Disney Channel.

 

[Sto-Vo-Kory]

My program guide for Disney Channel just updated with a listing for the hour-long Rebels premiere on Oct. 3 at 9pm. My DVR is set.

Those of you that found Fish Hooks listed instead may want to check again now.

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

I think the series looks great. Can't wait for it to start. Love the use of the McQuarrie concept art for inspiration.

Never bothered with the CG Clone Wars, though, because Tartakovsky's was so perfect.

No, thanks. Not a fan of CG animation in general, plus my kid would want all the damn toys.

Does anyone else spot the contradictory reasoning here, or am I just imagining things?

You're mistaken. No reasoning involved here at all.

I dislike CG animation in general but make exceptions based on arbitrary and idiosyncratic criteria. Plus I didn't appreciate the way the title Clone Wars was expropriated to make more money while Tartakovsky's masterpiece was consigned to the memory hole. I've seen the whole sordid thing happen before (viz. Battlestar Galactica).

 

[ALF]

So... it's Sept 26 in certain time zones now. That means people with that obscure Disney app will be able to now watch Spark of Rebellion. Anyone watching it yet?

There are a number of advance reviews from some lucky folks who screened it. Overall they sound promising. Here are my thoughts on the available four shorts, overall:

- The lightsabers being so thin is somewhat distracting. Does this makes it more MacQuarrie-esque?
- Not sure how I feel about the Disney-shaped faces but the backgrounds are beautiful. There's an extra layer of polish about the scenery and it's outstanding.
- Hera and Kanan... they appear to be in a romantic relationship. I wonder if that was necessary and wouldn't it have been more engaging to watch a romance bloom over time? Or not have a romance at all? The Clone Wars gave us very little of Anakin and Padme smooching in the trees and for that I'm thankful.
- Sabine. I'm sold on her art/explosives angle but I admit to being confused over the pink/orange theme. Nearly every scene from the trailers shows her with the Mando helmet on... but those colors don't exactly blend in. I guess because she enjoys outwitting the imperials for fun, like Zeb.
- There appears to be the potential for a lot of space combat in this series and that's excellent.