Top 8 of '08: #2 - The TV Show

What could be better than seeing a new Star Wars film hit the silver screen? How about a Star Wars TV show every Friday night in the comfort of your living room? In 2008, both became a reality, as the August release of the Clone Wars movie was quickly followed by the October 3 Cartoon Network debut of the new Clone Wars show. The series debuted with two episodes back-to-back, a great decision that quickly introduced the breadth of the show and the variety of stories we are going to be seeing. My, was I excited to see this years-in-development project finally unfold; I probably watched each of the episodes four times before the weekend was over.

This wasn't the first time Star Wars had been on the small screen. In fact, there have been several prior takes on bringing its epic scope home. First there was the infamous and oft-maligned Star Wars Holiday Special, aired once and then buried by George Lucas, apparently out of embarassment. Then, after Return of the Jedi, Lucasfilm took several shots at translating the saga over to television. We got twenty-six episodes of the Ewoks cartoon, thirteen episodes of Droids (plus a special), and two Ewok live-action movies. So it wasn't really a new idea to attempt a small-screen Star Wars event when, at Celebration III, Lucas announced plans to do two series.

What felt different for me this time was the level of Lucas's involvement. The past shows were all markedly tangential to the main saga, in three out of five cases focusing on Ewoks. This time Lucas was in from the beginning and apparently over time has become more and more closely involved in the story development. Having his direct involvement and approval is significant to me as a fan. Although there are many, many things I love in the Expanded Universe, nothing replaces getting more story from the creator of the saga. Probably no one out there would agree with every creative decision he has made, but for my part, I'm good with the vast majority of them.

So far I am highly impressed with the quality of The Clone Wars. The show has gone a long ways towards bringing back the fun, adventurous spirit of the Original Trilogy. Especially impressive is the filling out of Anakin's character. We know he was a great hero of the Clone Wars, but prior explorations have dwelt more on his brooding, troubled side rather than on his good aspects. Personally, I don't want to have Anakin's life shown as a constant series of little steps towards the Dark Side. I accept the reasons behind his sudden fall as depicted in Revenge of the Sith and at this point am more interested in why Obi-Wan considered him a brother and how the Chosen One made a difference during the three-year war.

We got ten episodes in 2008 and are now rolling forward with the rest of Season One. What truly makes me shiver in anticipation is Lucasfilm's stated plan to make one hundred episodes (or more). What a wealth of material fans are going to be seeing in the next few years! Coupled with the promise of the live-action series to come, it is truly a great time for Star Wars.