Just so everyone knows, I watch each episode at least twice, usually three times, before I "review" it.
Dooku Captured
Net Reaction: Negative
Season 1 Record: 5 for (6)
Summary:
I actually was kind of liking aspects of this episode and was more neutral, even lukewarm about it until about the last five minutes. All in all it had too many flaws, was too contrived and do I even need to comment on its second half?
Pros:
The Pirates: Culturally and aesthetically convincing, they made this episode watchable. Everything form being to instantly drawing their guns to kicking and fighting with the Jawa, they provided a convincing environment and background to the story. Note, this is the first episode that really presents another species. There were only 3 Toydarians, 2 Rodians, and 1 Trandoshan. Even in the feature film a large number of non-human species to the point where you could gauge culture and interaction were never presented. I even thought the "Indian" music was fitting and contributed. My only complaint is the Weequayan girls need to get better and non-striped socks.
The Prison Scene: It was really nice to see Dooku strung up in the cell with Anakin and Obi taunting him. Its a nice progression from AOTC and shows how far the war has come, with Obi-Wan's ambivalence on Geonosis turning to confidence and retribution. The only shame was with all the paralells to AOTC, Obi-Wan made no verbal reference to their reversed positions.
Obi-Wan: We haven't seen much of him. I enjoyed his snarkiness, though occasionally it was overbearing. He had some great lines that had some great continuity, including chastising Anakin about loosing his saber and calling Dooku stupid. Even better that his saber got knocked out.
Dooku: Even seemed convincingly chilling and slightly evil. We haven't seen much of this Character in the SW universe at all, seeing him move around is actually really something new lol. The lightinging in the escape shaft was cool, as was his character/action/movement in the hangar. Least we know what happened to his sailer.
The Embarassment: Seeing Dooku cover his face in front of Palpatine was just juciy perfection.
Monkey Lizard: Fun to see, but why is he mute? Actually, I take that back. If I had my hands on one there is no reason why it wouldn't be MADE mute. The red and the yellow made it a nice take on the classic pirate parrot.
The Question: Anakin asks what it meant that pirates could capture Dooku but all the Jedi and all the Republic's men. The only problem... (see "The Answer:"
Cons:
Next Week's Episode: I will refrain from comment save this: If Jar Jar can be an effective Jedi and now an effective commander, the Star Wars universe is simply a bunch of idiotic putzes running around shooting each other. There is no such thing as skill. Its all two-year old humor and fate, making ALL of Star Wars irrelevant.
The Lightsaber Conundrum: Once again this series spends time on cr@p and fails to address important plot points. Dooku's TWO sabers cannot just mysteriously disappear without SHOWING the audience. Sorry, epic fail. This is another "escape the pod" moment from Malevolence.
Plot: Obi-Wan saunters around and into a Sep ship undetected? Anakin starts saberless in Prison? Toxic gas in caves? Random Ashoka rescue? Where is the exposition!?
Repetition: In addition to above: Another monster attack? Another captured Sep? Haven't we already seen this episode?
Weequayan Ships: The 1950's and Star Trek Saucers felt a bit out of place in the Star Wars universe.
Gundark: Lame, boring sequence that accomplished nothing.
The Answer: Once again the series fail. A valid point is raised, the series dodges the question. We end with Anakin and Obi toasting? Toasting to what? The Republic's complete incompetence and hapless victories?
What I want see next:
Dear Dave Filoni and LucasAnimation,
THIS IS A HALF HOUR SHOW CONSISTING OF 23 MINUTES OF FOOTAGE. IF YOU CANNOT MAKE A HALF-HOUR SHOW, FIND ANOTHER NETWORK TO BROADCAST HOUR-LONG EPISODES OR QUIT. IT IS THAT SIMPLE.
I'm eniterly sick of multi-part episodes and pseduo-climaxes shoved into the middle of plotlines. There have been TWO episodes this season that have NO realtion to any other. Gendy could make 5 episodes that were satisfying. I'm sick of waiting weeks to get a plot resolution. Multi-part episodes are ok for season openers and enders, NOT for EVERY FRICKING WEEK. Writing a story for a specific medium and timeframe is perhaps THE most essential part of any writing endeavor. Why can't this be accomplished?