The Bad Batch - The Clone Wars Spinoff show

[Laserschwert 475]

On 5/17/2021 at 3:01 PM, mstrox said:

I’m now caught up on the show and think it’s really good!  
 

I don’t know if I saw this expressed here or elsewhere and I don’t care to look really, but it’s a bit of a missed character opportunity to attribute the sniper guy’s heel turn to the chip in his head.  Would have been a much more interesting/nuanced approach to have it be an actual choice, but whatever - I’m willing to go on whatever ride they’re taking us on.

Heh.

[mstrox 6,647]

Whee!

[Tallguy 3,381]

I was under the incorrect impression that the show was 15 episodes not 16. So that ending had me screaming at the TV.

 

I'm not a prequel fan, but

Spoiler

when the blew up the city at the end it was a bit of a gut punch.

 

Also, did Kiner drop in a fair amount of prequel music in that episode? I know he didn't use nearly as much Williams in The Clone Wars as he did in Rebels. I loved it last week when he used the Star Wars Darth Vader theme for the new stormtroopers.

[mstrox 6,647]

He definitely quoted a good amount of it around the arrival at Kamino.  Didn’t notice any other stuff, but might have just been wrapped up in the story.

[DarthDementous 1,059]

I enjoyed hearing the Arrival on Kamino motif being used and it worked quite well for the initial scene…then it kept being used and it started being ridiculous. Mostly because it was almost the exact same in presentation each time, so it was like the same needle drop (I know it’s a synth recording) over and over.

[mstrox 6,647]

Heck of a one-two punch finale.  If you didn’t stick with this show through the more episodic middle episodes, give these last two episodes a try!

[CGCJ 394]

Tracklist and duration's for the vol. 2 soundtrack releasing tomorrow (Just over two hours of music!):

Spoiler

01 Omega the Prisoner (02:26)
02 Bane vs Shand (03:01)
03 Weird Creatures (02:45)
04 Target is Getting Away (04:01)
05 Raxus Under the Empire (03:37)
06 Move In (03:42)
07 Walker Chase (03:52)
08 Tension in Ryloth (03:56)
09 Different Perspectives (02:10)
10 Flying is a Feeling (02:50)
11 Guilty of Treason (03:59)
12 Rampart Interrogates (02:53)
13 Hera's Plan (04:33)
14 Howzwer's Sacrifice (04:11)
15 Farewell to Hera (03:21)
16 Roland Durand (02:28)
17 Mining Tunnels (03:55)
18 The Hive (03:12)
19 Retrieving the Spice (04:17)
20 Searching for Gregor (04:35)
21 Into the Base (03:16)
22 Hallway Fight (02:06)
23 Rescue Mission Escalates (04:27)
24 Secret Landing Pad (03:52)
25 Into the Labs (02:12)
26 Back to Tipoca City (02:36)
27 Weren't Loyal to Me    (03:11)
28 Fire When Ready (02:34)
29 Standoff (04:01)
30 Collapse (05:18)
31 Underwater Tunnel (03:25)
32 Saberjowl Attack (02:16)
33 To the Surface (03:59)
34 Leaving Kamino (02:50)
35 Lama Su (02:30)
36 End Credits (Star Wars: The Bad Batch) (00:43)
37 Cid's Jukebox Mix Vol. 2 (07:24)
38 Roland's Jukebox Mix (05:31)

 

I've updated my spreadsheet with a speculative chronological ordering but I will update this with detailed information once the soundtrack is available.

 

Samples are available!

[Thor 7,479]

On 8/17/2021 at 2:29 PM, mstrox said:

Heck of a one-two punch finale.  If you didn’t stick with this show through the more episodic middle episodes, give these last two episodes a try!

 

Yes, I liked them. While the show is very light and kiddie in tone (like all these animated shows), it's quite gutsy to

Spoiler

destroy Kamino

, which is such an iconic place in this universe by now.

[Manakin Skywalker 4,891]

Really glad that bit when Hunter is brought to Kamino is on the set! I thought they might end up cutting it considering it contains material from the films, like they usually do for the video game releases.

[Thor 7,479]

36 minutes ago, Manakin Skywalker said:

Really glad that bit when Hunter is brought to Kamino is on the set! I thought they might end up cutting it considering it contains material from the films, like they usually do for the video game releases.

 

What does that mean for those of us not that versed in STAR WARS mythos?

[Manakin Skywalker 4,891]

Just now, Thor said:

What does that mean for those of us not that versed in STAR WARS mythos?

 

When the Rambo clone is brought to the watery planet in the second to last episode.

[mstrox 6,647]

Yeah, it includes quotes/adaptations of Williams’ Kamino (rain planet) material from Attack of the Clones.  I did notice another use of that material in the finale, which was either somewhat more subtle/altered to reflect the more dire situation, or just drowned out in the mix.

[Jay 37,326]

3 minutes ago, mstrox said:

drowned out

 

I see what you did there

[Manakin Skywalker 4,891]

[greenturnedblue 372]

I was so happy to hear the Kamino theme return it has always been my favourite guilty pleasure theme 

[CGCJ 394]

Interestingly, Farewell to Hera features the cue for Omega's first time offworld from Cut and Run! (the second episode, 10 episodes before the rest of the track) I have no idea why. Was that a cue people were disappointed to not have on the first volume?

[Raiders of the SoundtrArk 2,429]

Here's the second volume of The Bad Batch

[Chewy 2,382]

I guess Kiner was really really inspired by Minority Report here:

 

 

and that second example is almost completely copied/pasted  :

 

 

[Faleel 5,345]

 

[Stark 312]

On 21/03/2022 at 5:15 PM, Chewy said:

I guess Kiner was really really inspired by Minority Report here:

 

 

and that second example is almost completely copied/pasted  :

 

 

Clone Wars and Rebels had extremely direct references to Schindler’s List and Indians Jones and other Williams works, he’s continuing the tradition!

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

Season 2 premiers January 4th.

 

Excited for this

 

 

[Tallguy 3,381]

I'm in!

 

I was expecting it to be later in the year. Wizard!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Watched Bad Batch S2E1 and 2 this evening.  They felt more like mid season episodes than an opener, but it was nice to be back with the characters.  The closing scene with Rampart sets up an interesting dynamic though!

[Tallguy 3,381]

6 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Watched Bad Batch S2E1 and 2 this evening.  They felt more like mid season episodes than an opener, but it was nice to be back with the characters.  The closing scene sets up an interesting dynamic though!

 

It was... OK. Nice to hear Hector Elizondo. It was certainly a good episode but I'm not sure why it had to be a two parter.

 

Spoiler

What has become of Crosshair? If the Empire knows he's alive don't they know CF99 is?

 

Omega's theme never fails to delight.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

7 minutes ago, Tallguy said:

 

It was... OK. Nice to hear Hector Elizondo. It was certainly a good episode but I'm not sure why it had to be a two parter.

 

What has become of Crosshair? If the Empire knows he's alive don't they know CF99 is?

 

Omega's theme never fails to delight.

I guess it makes sense that their first adventure back would be relatively low stakes since they wanted the Empire to continue thinking they’re dead, but yes it was a tad weird as a season opener.  It eased us back into the characters though, which are as compelling as ever.  I thought they’d make more of the Dooku connection but it ended being not much basically.
 

Like I said though, it will be an interesting dynamic as they come up against an Empire where Rampart has to keep it secret that they survived.  He can’t openly devote resources to hunting them, but the more messes they get into the more likely it as that Tarkin will discover.

[Tallguy 3,381]

It makes sense except as the opening episode of a TV show. I'm 1000% on board and I was a little meh. What's it like for people who aren't that invested?

 

Also for me it was fairly well buried in Disney+'s menus. I haven't seen advertising this subtle since Young Indiana Jones. ("Hey, Harrison Ford is playing Indiana Jones on TV. Don't tell anyone!")

[Disco Stu 15,495]

6 minutes ago, Tallguy said:

It makes sense except as the opening episode of a TV show. I'm 1000% on board and I was a little meh. What's it like for people who aren't that invested?

 

Also for me it was fairly well buried in Disney+'s menus. I haven't seen advertising this subtle since Young Indiana Jones. ("Hey, Harrison Ford is playing Indiana Jones on TV. Don't tell anyone!")

 

Huh, it was first banner for me.  I don’t know how the banner might differ from account to account though.

 

Spoiler

I do see your point about Crosshair though, it’s a weird incongruity.  Either (a) he hasn’t actually returned to the Empire yet which would be strange because the whole thing was that he chose the Empire over his squad or (b) he returned but didn’t tell the Empire which would be more than a tad treasonous, but kind of in line with Crosshair’s ambiguity

 

[DarthDementous 1,059]

3 hours ago, Tallguy said:

What's it like for people who aren't that invested?

I was bored pretty thoroughly by both episodes. Nothing has been set up that has me excited for the rest of the season and the episodes themselves were action pieces with very little stakes or setup to get you to care about them connected by thin character stuff. Unfortunately, that's what I remember Season 1 being like as well

Really not looking forward to yet another incompetent Imperial villain who's motivation is not owning up to his mistakes. I have a feeling the constant attempts at 'covering up' is going to stretch credulity really far. Could buy this kind of arc if Rampart was set up as this prim and proper Imperial who slowly goes more and more insane in a sunk cost fallacy kind of way (see Colonel Belkor in the novel Lords of the Sith) but I'm not seeing any hints of instability, just doubling down on a bad decision. A character needs to be at the point where they behave pretty irrationally to not see how they're going to do far more punishable damage to the Empire trying to cover up rather than being honest that a group of insurgents inexplicably survived. I don't remember the events of the Season 1 finale too well but I'm fairly sure Rampart didn't do anything egregiously bad in trying to destroy Clone group 99, so for Tarkin to execute him for that would be very unreasonable.

[Giftheck 916]

Quute frankly, these two episodes reeked of pointless filler. Usually you save this kind of guff for the middle of a season, which doesn't exactly bode well for the rest.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Yeah that's essentially what I think but I'm not as negative on it.  The action was well put together and fun to watch (boy the action sequences of Lucasfilm animation have improved so much since those early TCW seasons) and the character dynamics are still compelling to watch.  So yeah it was filler but not pointless filler.  Again, just super weird to start the season like that.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

I think omega, appart from a fett clone, will be force sensitive…

[Disco Stu 15,495]

8 minutes ago, Luke Skywalker said:

I think omega, appart from a fett clone, will be force sensitive…

 

That's certainly been the most common theory I've seen.  We'll see!

[Tallguy 3,381]

Funny thing is that I'm usually in favor of stand alone adventures rather than needing "the arc". But there were a few things this episode that just felt like it was lacking somehow. Foremost, it felt like the Dooku connection was underbaked.

 

I like a slow burn. This (so far) felt too slow a burn. But as for a nice heist episode, it was a nice heist episode. And it had lots of good Tech scenes. ("Tick".)

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

The 3rd episode of S2 was incredible!!

I really liked episode 1 & 2 but this was so much better.

 

Crosshair is such a great character and it was cool to have a full episode focused on him. His discs with which he shoots from distance and corners are so cool!

I'm really curious where they're gonna go with him this season.

And always a treat to see Cody and the battle droids (how incompetent they might be)

 

I also really liked Kiner's music. Lot's of snare drums and cool brass.

[DarthDementous 1,059]

6 hours ago, JNHFan2000 said:

The 3rd episode of S2 was incredible!!

I really liked episode 1 & 2 but this was so much better.

 

Crosshair is such a great character and it was cool to have a full episode focused on him. His discs with which he shoots from distance and corners are so cool!

I'm really curious where they're gonna go with him this season.

And always a treat to see Cody and the battle droids (how incompetent they might be)

 

I also really liked Kiner's music. Lot's of snare drums and cool brass.

I find it funny that the best episode of the show featured none of the Bad Batch except for Crosshair. Makes me wish that they never deserted the Empire because there's clearly far more ripe storytelling here than doing random side quests for a smuggler on Ord Mantell

[Disco Stu 15,495]

“The Solitary Clone” was definitely a more dramatically interesting story than the premiere.

 

Good stuff:

• Showing the early days of the Empire strong-arming its way through the former Separatist worlds via this cool looking new planet
• Bringing Commander Cody back into the story, nice to have him struggling with the cruelty and tyranny of the Empire
• Crosshair left completely alone, pathetically hanging on to being a good soldier who follows orders
• Very cool action set piece when the clones infiltrate the tower

 

How quickly will we find Cody crossing paths with the Bad batch?

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

I really hope Cody & Rex get to interact this season. But I'm not really positive on the fact that Cody will survive the full season. But we'll see

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Filler episode this week.

 

Cid remains a nothing character, Ben Schwartz is always annoying.  The final race was pretty good though, Tech approached it like an eSports gamer 

[DarthDementous 1,059]

That was dreadful. I fell asleep twice

 

I hate that the show has the ability to do the occasional interesting episode but also the ability to be the most dull Star Wars ever conceived

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

I really really liked Ep. 5. Like last weeks it wasn't yet part of the bigger story, but this was just really a lot of fun!

The whole treasure hunting thing was fun and it really reminded me of Indiana Jones/National Treasure. And Phee (Wanda Sykes) is also fun. And I feel some tension between her and Hunter.

 

I thought the music was spectacular this episode I felt. The adventure/choral parts were especially cool. And the action scene at the end when the mountain collapsed was also imcredible. I really hope there are 2 volumes just like last season. I do feel overall S2's music is better than S1's

[DarthDementous 1,059]

I thought the music was quite good and so was the design of the giant robot, that's about it though.

I don't know why one of the reviews I heard said that this series had more of a through-line than the last because so far it has just been random side adventures that have no lasting consequences. Something is seriously wrong with the dialogue as well, it made the new character Phee fall very flat.

I get that it's meant to be a mystery, but if you're going to invent this never-before seen civilization that predates the Republic then some context beyond 'giant robot that you get to via a map, has booby traps, and activate by turning its crystal which automatically puts it into automatic destruction mode, that then deactivates for good if you put the crystal in again and turn it'. I feel like it tells me nothing about what this thing was for or what the people who made it were like, and that's a real shame.

Every recent Star Wars project except Andor has been so light on plot and characters (except for maybe some of the Tales of the Jedi episodes?), and it feels weirdly hollow every-time. This show keeps promising that it'll delve into what the galaxy is like immediately after post order 66 but it gives you nothing but scraps when it can be bothered giving you anything at all. That's where the real meat and potatoes of the story lies, with Crosshair and his experience in the soon-to-be Imperial army. That's what the 'Bad Batch' is supposed to be about, Clones out of time forced to adapt to a galaxy changing for the worst. I don't see how frivolous treasure hunts advance this idea in the slightest.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

The big automaton weapon thing reminded of the God Warriors from Nausicaa

[Groovygoth666 650]

As has been said, the first two episodes didn't feel like a strong opening, personally would have liked Crosshairs episode to have been the first episode, but drop Cody leaving at the end and stretch his arch of becoming disillusioned over the course of the season as it felt rushed by having it done in one episode. Episodes 4 and 5 were enjoyable if not predictable. I feel that with Cid towards the end of the series she's going to sell out the Bad Batch to the Empire to save her own skin, with Omega asking "how could you?" and Cid replying "Sorry kid, it's just business", later having a change of heart and trying to save the Bad Batch by calling in favours from people like Millegi. But still looking forward to what's in store.

[JNHFan2000 2,944]

Really liked epiaode 6.

It was great to see Gungi again and I always love me some more Wookies.

 

I've heard to till episode 6 they're more standalone adventures. From Ep. 7 on it will be more a continuing story. I'm looking forward to that.

[Tallguy 3,381]

Pod racing was fun. At the very least this needs to be fun and this was.

 

Give Star Wars enough time and it will turn into Indiana Jones. That was a hoot. And I loved the not-quite-Zeffo monster.

 

This week:

Spoiler

And the Wookie episode. I hate Kashyyyk. For one thing it has too many Ys. For another everything there tries to kill you. I was unfamiliar with Gungi, I haven't seen those Clone Wars episodes. I liked a lot about this episode. I like the Batch. I liked Omega. And it had something that the previous village under siege episode this season lacked.

 

Oh, and the music has been terrific!

[DarthDementous 1,059]

Was neat to see Kinrath from KOTOR 1 again, although not unsurprising given models were created for the cancelled Clone Wars Kashyyyk arc, as can be seen in the released animatics

 

[Tom Guernsey 2,282]

13 hours ago, Tallguy said:

Pod racing was fun. At the very least this needs to be fun and this was.

 

Give Star Wars enough time and it will turn into Indiana Jones. That was a hoot. And I loved the not-quite-Zeffo monster.

 

This week:

  Hide contents

And the Wookie episode. I hate Kashyyyk. For one thing it has too many Ys. For another everything there tries to kill you. I was unfamiliar with Gungi, I haven't seen those Clone Wars episodes. I liked a lot about this episode. I like the Batch. I liked Omega. And it had something that the previous village under siege episode this season lacked.

 

Oh, and the music has been terrific!

Agreed, the music has been terrific and quite enjoyed this week's episode. It made me realise how much better ROTJ would have been had Lucas stuck to his original plan of having the finale on Kashyyyk instead of Endor. I kinda feel like kids would actually probably love Wookies just as much as Ewoks without it all needing to be quite so obviously kid friendly. They don't always need to be pandered to.

[GerateWohl 4,345]

3 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said:

Agreed, the music has been terrific and quite enjoyed this week's episode. It made me realise how much better ROTJ would have been had Lucas stuck to his original plan of having the finale on Kashyyyk instead of Endor. I kinda feel like kids would actually probably love Wookies just as much as Ewoks without it all needing to be quite so obviously kid friendly. They don't always need to be pandered to.

I guess concerning Kashyyk George Lucas still had nightmares from the Holiday Special and therefore wanted to have something different.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

24 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

I guess concerning Kashyyk George Lucas still had nightmares from the Holiday Special and therefore wanted to have something different.

Suposedly making kashyyk and wookies would have costed too much.

[Tom Guernsey 2,282]

3 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

I guess concerning Kashyyk George Lucas still had nightmares from the Holiday Special and therefore wanted to have something different.

Hah possible. Although it does show a bit of a failure of imagination not to conceive how they could be portrayed as strong, loyal warriors who would obviously want to fight alongside the rebellion.

2 hours ago, Luke Skywalker said:

Suposedly making kashyyk and wookies would have costed too much.

Depressingly, that doesn’t unlikely even when the two prior films are two of the highest grossing of all time and therefore you might want to, you know, push the boat out for your final (“final”) episode.