I get the impression the production Team for Rebels is shooting for the 7 and under demographic and only that demographic.

With the next set of movies coming out over the next 6 years or so, gotta hook them young to keep them dragging their parents back to the theater over all those years. Aim too high and the audience will be busy with college, work, and dating.

Perhaps that's their thoughts...

What a bunch of crap.. 7 and under? Amy 7 year old would have nightmares from some of the elements in this show.

The series is written for 8-10 years olds...what exactly were you expecting from a show whose target audience likes this kind of thing?

Go back and watch silverhawks, or thundercats or he-man, or Volron some time. Our old cartoons made far more heinous storytelling crap.

A rebuttal to the theory that All Shows Written for Children Must Be Crap:

and

(although once JMS left the show and Slimer started to talk, I rescind my point)

Is it just me? Or is this show just not connecting in the same way as the spectacular Clone Wars series?

Seriously, I find myself staring at the end titles each week, thinking, "Well, maybe next week's episode will be awesome." I mean, I am having serious trouble connecting to these characters. The kid is annoying, the 'Jedi-cowboy' seems ill-equipped to lead and just does not come across as charismatic, the pilot and Mandalorian are complete cyphers, the big purple cat is okay (I guess), and the droid just looks **** weird. And don't get me started on Rebels' depiction of the Empire... Inefficient troopers, officers with caps pulled over their eyes, squadrons of TIEs that cannot take out a small shuttlecraft (the one that ejects from the back of the Ghost , probably to sell more toys), and the use of Force-sensitive Inquisitors. Yikes.

Honestly, I also have a hard time dealing with any Force sensitives in this show, as the original trilogy made it clear the Jedi were "extinct." And Vader was the last of their "religion." So the use of lightsabers and Force powers reeks of "means to sell more toys."

*sigh*

I'm going to keep watching. Because I love Star Wars and have loved Star Wars since I saw the original film in the theater - as a 5-year-old child - back in '77. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hugely disappointed in this new show.

Maybe Rebels is supposed to appeal to Firefly fans (ugh) or toy collectors or really young children. I don't know.

All I do know is that I miss Clone Wars...

Clone Wars truly shone in its first season and caused many of us who detested the prequel trilogy to give it another look through a different (and much, much better) lens.

The show is far from perfect, but after I watched the first episode I thought, This feels like Star Wars to me , and that's the first time I've been able to say that in decades. I've tried to watch The Clone Wars but it's those characters I struggle to connect with, in part because I didn't connect with them in the movies.

On the other hand, I agree that the multi-media stories around the Rebellion era include too many Jedi and Force-users, focusing on the "all but" and not the "extinct".

I do miss TCW, even if only to have seen how they were going to lead into E3...that would have been epic.

Of course, I can't agree with you on the prequels, Firefly, or Rebels...

I don't think Rebels is as good as TCW...yet. But I've enjoyed every episode so far. What I really miss is the long establishing shots, but I've noticed the shots are getting longer with each episode, the zooming comes in further or starts from further out. Hopefully they'll get back to the TCW length. Building a CGI galaxy takes time, especially when you have to do it all from scratch because you've changed the art style (a poor production decision IMHO).

I do miss TCW, even if only to have seen how they were going to lead into E3...that would have been epic.

Of course, I can't agree with you on the prequels, Firefly, or Rebels...

I don't think Rebels is as good as TCW...yet. But I've enjoyed every episode so far. What I really miss is the long establishing shots, but I've noticed the shots are getting longer with each episode, the zooming comes in further or starts from further out. Hopefully they'll get back to the TCW length. Building a CGI galaxy takes time, especially when you have to do it all from scratch because you've changed the art style (a poor production decision IMHO).

I prefered the old 2D cel animation The Clone Wars that actually came out before Ep3 and did show the lead in to the movie. It made a much better showing of General Grevious and how much of a killer he was... right up until the end of the cartoon.

The 'toon ended with the battle over Coruscant as Grevious took off from the surface with Palpatine onboard. The movie began with Grevious getting to his ship with Palpatine and all the rest of the CGI mayhem.

I do miss TCW, even if only to have seen how they were going to lead into E3...that would have been epic.

Of course, I can't agree with you on the prequels, Firefly, or Rebels...

I don't think Rebels is as good as TCW...yet. But I've enjoyed every episode so far. What I really miss is the long establishing shots, but I've noticed the shots are getting longer with each episode, the zooming comes in further or starts from further out. Hopefully they'll get back to the TCW length. Building a CGI galaxy takes time, especially when you have to do it all from scratch because you've changed the art style (a poor production decision IMHO).

I'm pretty sure it wasn't a production decision, but a result of the switch from CN to XD. I don't think they could keep the original style due to rights issues or something.

I do miss TCW, even if only to have seen how they were going to lead into E3...that would have been epic.

Of course, I can't agree with you on the prequels, Firefly, or Rebels...

I don't think Rebels is as good as TCW...yet. But I've enjoyed every episode so far. What I really miss is the long establishing shots, but I've noticed the shots are getting longer with each episode, the zooming comes in further or starts from further out. Hopefully they'll get back to the TCW length. Building a CGI galaxy takes time, especially when you have to do it all from scratch because you've changed the art style (a poor production decision IMHO).

I'm pretty sure it wasn't a production decision, but a result of the switch from CN to XD. I don't think they could keep the original style due to rights issues or something.

Except that it is LucasFilm behind both productions, which means the materials belong to them.

I remember reading that the change in style (predominately using a brighter color palette) was a conscious design choice to highlight the fact that during TCW, things were getting much darker, befitting the encroaching events of Revenge of the Sith and the downfall of the Republic and thus indicating that the heroes' efforts to save the Republic are ultimately doomed, the galaxy is heading for "dark times" and the color palette reflects that.

Where in contrast, Rebels has things gradually improving, as folks begin to start actively opposing the Empire's oppression; small groups like the crew of the Ghost at first, but gradually more and larger groups until the Rebel Alliance proper is formed, and that there is a "New Hope" (Luke) on the horizon as well as Kanan (and eventually Ezra) being examples that the fire of the Jedi and what they stood for are not yet extinct. Hera's little speech to Sabine at the end of "Out of Darkness" illustrates that as well, that there are people willing to stand up to the Empire and fight back, and that it's not just their small group, which gives the show a greater sense of hope, which again is reflected in generally using a brighter color palette. "Rise of the Old Masters" itself generally used a darker color palette, reflecting that it's a pretty dark episode due in no small part to Luminara's fate and the formal introduction of the Inquisitor, and an instance where the good guys pretty much lost and were quite lucky to escape with their lives thanks in part to Hera's impromptu "fleet."

They probably also consciously decided to alter the character models to help set the show apart from TCW and thus avoid any feelings of Rebels just being a dressed-up sequel to TCW instead of being its own show with its own merits and flaws.

I like the series. Yes Ezra is a bit of an annoying prat (it is a kids show, what do you expect, least he isn't Jar Jar).

There are several reasons why I like it:

It's Star Wars

It's original trilogy Star Wars

It's a bit Firefly like

It reminds me of the roleplaying games, the crew are a bunch of PC's going on adventures just like our characters do.

IT'S STAR WARS!!!

Did I mention it's Star Wars?

A few of the names have double meaning:

Ezra Bridger: the bridge between the last of the old Jedi and the new hope?

Kanan: last of the Canaanites who were wiped out, promise of the future...?

Hera: mother goddess of ancient Greece

Agent Kallus = callous

Any others?

Seriously, I find myself staring at the end titles each week, thinking, "Well, maybe next week's episode will be awesome." I mean, I am having serious trouble connecting to these characters.

I say give it some time. We've JUST now gotten out of the Worldbuilding and the "Lets Meet Our Characters" stage and into the "Things are Starting to Happen" phase. Mysteries and backstory is starting to unfold (especially with the end of Empire Day) and the show can start moving in the story telling direction.

And to be fair, the first season of Clone Wars was pretty gawdaweful. Everyone remembers the end of the series, but seems to forget the truly horrific bad "movie" and the not that good story arcs that made up the early days - where it was finding it's legs too. Give it some time and I'm sure come season 3 or 4 everyone will be gushing about Rebels too.

Hera: mother goddess of ancient Greece

Which has me wondering if they'll play up the vengeful, bitchy side of her namesake?

Desslok's got a valid point about how the initial part of TCW wasn't as good as some folks claim. The movie was passable at best, the first season was pretty **** mediocre, and Ahsoka was a far more annoying "kid appeal" character than Ezra has been, to the point I gave up on the show early in the second season, and what snippets I've seen of later seasons really haven't been that impressive. As cool a guy as Sam Witwer can be, bringing Darth Maul back was 100% pure "boost our ratings!" gimmick, particularly as Savage Oppress could have been fashioned into a leading villain in his own right instead of being Maul's lackey.

Ezra's a teenage boy that spent the last several years of his life fending for himself with no real parental supervision, so it's fitting that he's going to have some issues in dealing with others, and puts on a false front of bravado to hide it. Thus far, Hera's really been the only one to see through it to any extent, though as of "Empire Day" both Kanan and Sabine are getting clued in. And generally, the first season of any TV series is going to be the weakest, as that's when the writers and actors (voice or otherwise) are still finding out what works and what doesn't.

There's been a theory put forth that Hera's contact in "Out Of Darkness", Fulcrum, might be a female. Those who are investigating the clips of Fulcrum talking to Hera have upped the pitch 4 and 6 semi-tones and have found that the voice with the 6 semi-tones up sounds a lot like Ashley Eckstein's voice, who did the voice for Ahsoka Tano in The Clone Wars. Interesting theory, if true.

You can hear the clip here: http://www.starwarsunderworld.com/2014/11/rumor-fulcrum-from-star-wars-rebels.html

Well, if the Force is indeed out of balance, then fulcrum as a code name would make sense. . . .

There's been a theory put forth that Hera's contact in "Out Of Darkness", Fulcrum, might be a female. Those who are investigating the clips of Fulcrum talking to Hera have upped the pitch 4 and 6 semi-tones and have found that the voice with the 6 semi-tones up sounds a lot like Ashley Eckstein's voice, who did the voice for Ahsoka Tano in The Clone Wars. Interesting theory, if true.

You can hear the clip here: http://www.starwarsunderworld.com/2014/11/rumor-fulcrum-from-star-wars-rebels.html

Or could just be a blend of mythology gag and red herring to have Ahsoka's voice actress lend her voice an entirely different character.

Personally, if Ahsoka is going to show up in Rebels, I'd rather it be similar to Bail Organa's appearance and be a fairly minor cameo so as to not detract from what heroics the main cast are involved in.

I am very curious about that senator that keeps hacking Imperial broadcasts to "tell the truth the Empire doesn't want you to hear." The one that looks a lot like David Niven?

I have a theory that he doesn't really exist. He's just Rebel bait in an Imperial entrapment scheme.

I hope I'm wrong though, I mean who doesn't love David Niven...

Seriously, I find myself staring at the end titles each week, thinking, "Well, maybe next week's episode will be awesome." I mean, I am having serious trouble connecting to these characters.

I say give it some time. We've JUST now gotten out of the Worldbuilding and the "Lets Meet Our Characters" stage and into the "Things are Starting to Happen" phase. Mysteries and backstory is starting to unfold (especially with the end of Empire Day) and the show can start moving in the story telling direction.

And to be fair, the first season of Clone Wars was pretty gawdaweful. Everyone remembers the end of the series, but seems to forget the truly horrific bad "movie" and the not that good story arcs that made up the early days - where it was finding it's legs too. Give it some time and I'm sure come season 3 or 4 everyone will be gushing about Rebels too.

What are you talking about?

The first episode with Yoda and the three clones? The follow-up Malevolence arc? That was stellar stuff.

Honestly, I'm one of those fans who has voiced serious concerns with the prequels. Yet, right off the bat, the first season of the Clone Wars series (and, yes, the initial film as well) really won me over. Now, I actually view the prequels differently and much more favorably, all thanks to the Clone Wars.

Rebels, on the other hand, just doesn't seem to be taking itself seriously enough. It's just constant clowning around; even the Empire seems hellbent on making itself look like any local militia could slap together a starfighter and take on a whole squadron of TIEs without breaking a sweat.

I'm not saying Rebels can't turn itself around. But this has been a bad, bad start, folks. That is, unless you're approaching the series as a small child or an absolute apologist.

I am starting to see a pattern, here...

While not exclusively along these lines, there is a vibe of the (very, very often reoccurring) Original Trilogy (OT) vs. Prequel Trilogy (PT) kinda-sorta-fued regarding the view of this show.

In general, the OT folks see "Rebels" as a return to form, of sorts. The PT folks see it as more of a departure from their primary view of "Star Wars".

For those on the other side of the generation gap from me: That feeling of "well it is 'Star Wars', I guess..." that you may be feeling was something many of us felt back with "The Phantom Menace".

I cannot promise it will get better, but it might.

Hey! I am FIRMLY in the OT camp. (Again, I saw the original film in the theater when I was five.)

Yet I absolutely adored the Clone Wars series and am surprised at what a snoozefest Rebels is turning out to be...

For those on the other side of the generation gap from me: That feeling of "well it is 'Star Wars', I guess..." that you may be feeling was something many of us felt back with "The Phantom Menace".

It's not a generation thing. I saw the original when I was 14. I have no problems with the PT because it opened up the galaxy in a way that the OT never could. Dialog might have been corny, but world-building was the reason we're playing this game right now, and not still stuck with WEG and yet another mission for Jabba the Hutt.

Oh, there was no PT-hate intended, just noting that it's take on "Star Wars" comes across as different from the OT.

If that is a good or bad thing is a matter of taste, but a valid choice in either case.

Oh, there was no PT-hate intended, just noting that it's take on "Star Wars" comes across as different from the OT.

Absolutely. To me, the PT to the OT is kind of like the Silmarillion to Lord of the Rings...a legendary time of which the current inhabitants of the universe (Luke, Han, etc) can barely imagine.

Observation on new episode, "Gathering Forces"