So since this series was airing weekly on Disney+, I originally wanted to do another live reactions blog like WandaVision and Falcon, but the shorter episodes and slower pace made it seem like there wasn't quite as much to say episode by episode. So, I'm reviewing this first season as a whole, and I have a lot to say about it.
The Bad Batch is about the titular team of genetically modified clones trying to find their place in the galaxy now that the Clone Wars are over and the empire has taken over. Meanwhile, they run into a rare enhanced female clone who tags along with them, so now they have to deal with taking care of a child too. Even more, a member of the Bad Batch, Crosshair, seemingly had his inhibitor chip malfunction and has taken the side of the empire. As a whole, I think this storyline is fine, seeing the empire's slow but painful takeover from a normal person's perspective was easily the best and most compelling part of the series. The Omega subplot felt a bit derivative of The Mandalorian, but she ended up being far more capable than Baby Yoda ever was. However, this season of The Bad Batch suffered from feeling really aimless. Aside from the premiere, two-part finale, and a few episodes in the middle, the central team doesn't actually have a concrete goal. Rather, they're really just wandering the galaxy, doing odd jobs for their new boss, and meeting up with random Star Wars characters. By the end of the season, I still struggle to figure out what the Bad Batch was actually trying to achieve, giving the story a serious lack of momentum.
It doesn't help that the main cast is fairly underdeveloped, so I still have difficulty truly coming to care about them. Characters like Wrecker and Tech are still one-dimensional cliches, and potentially interesting characters like Echo barely got any fleshing out. The only main character I found compelling was Crosshair, but we rarely get to see his side of the story. I thought it would have been fascinating to watch Crosshair adjust to his new team in the empire, but that rarely happened. Thankfully, he doesn't fully redeem himself by the season's end so hopefully we'll get more for him in Season 2. I hate to use the term "filler" since it can discredit character development and important set-ups, but with the lack of depth for the cast and the general focus on other Star Wars characters (we got a two-part Hera backstory!), it's hard for me not to feel like the season was padded out a bit. On the other hand, I do really like the animation. I always preferred the Clone Wars artstyle to that of Rebels, and The Bad Batch feels like that style has been perfected. The sheer attention to detail throughout the season is stunning, and the show is overall a treat to look at. Kevin Kiner also returns from Clone Wars and Rebels, and he still does a fantastic job with the score. As a whole, while I can generally admire a first season that focuses on laying the groundwork for a series (Avatar does this excellently), the lack of character development and paper-thin seasonal arc just left me feeling a bit disappointed with this season.
However, there were some episodes I really liked, such as:
Aftermath: I think this premiere gave me unreasonably high expectations for the show, because I thought it was phenomenal. The first fifteen minutes were chilling, seeing the Bad Batch struggle to figure out what the hell Order 66 was. The rest of this 70-minute behemoth of an episode was great too, from Crosshair's betrayal, to Omega's intriguing origins, to the exciting escape from Kamino. I could only wish the rest of the season was this strong.
Reunion: The midpoint of the series, Reunion finally managed to get the plot going a bit. Crosshair trapping the Bad Batch in the wrecked Star Destroyer was incredibly tense, especially when they used the engine to escape, but the real highlight was Cad Bane's shocking appearance when he comes in, shoots Hunter down, and steals Omega.
Return To Kamino: I feel like this episode could have been the season finale, or even the series finale, given how much ground it covers. The titular return to Kamino really does feel like a farewell tour, culminating in that legitimately heartbreaking scene where the iconic city is completely blown to bits. Crosshair got some great material here too, with the reveal that he had his chip removed, meaning he's not excused from any of his awful actions this season. Sadly, the actual finale was more of a denouement episode with no big status quo changes or revelations.
Overall, The Bad Batch was decent. It had some really strong episodes and moments, but the season felt aimless with a minimal plot and a lack of concrete character development. Still, a weak first season is par for the course for Star Wars series. Hopefully, Season 2 will improve.
2/5 Stars
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