Copies, Copies, and More Copies
The Ark 2.1 “Failed Experiment”
You know, the thing between this show and being good is a lack of understanding of the Problem Story.
They simply don’t get it.
If you are doing character-based science fiction, you can get away with your generation ship only have one layer of hull that’s clearly too thin for proper radiation shielding.
In a Problem Story you simply can’t…because the audience you attract is one that cares about such things.
Evelyn should be spelled Evil-Lyn. That pun is awful and not original, I know. Jelena Stupljanin does it so well, though…as usual, it’s the actors that save this show, often without material that deserves them. They make a point with her too; authoritarianism is good for survival, but not so good for humanity.
They’ve promised us “optimistic sci fi” this season, but it’s still a problem story at its heart. Let’s hope they don’t blow up another planet.
Right? (These people aren’t smart. Including the ones that should be).
Killing people when humanity is an endangered species? Also not smart.
Star Wars: Clone Wars 4.3 “Prisoners”
Most of this episode is a big underwater set piece battle and, alas, messages in support of royalty.
Hereditary monarchies work until they don’t. Mon Cala is a lucky planet…until it isn’t. Just saying.
(Also, there’s no need for obvious non-mammals to have breasts. Just saying).
But it is a rather good underwater set piece battle, interspersed with risky diplomacy. Oh, and poor Anakin.
Poor, poor Anakin. Torture by electric tentacle.
Star Wars: Clone Wars 4.4 “Shadow Warrior”
Anakin gets tortured twice in two episodes. No wonder he went to the Dark Side.
They almost get Grievous. Almost.
Way too much of the annoying Gungan accent in this episode. Jar Jar impersonating somebody competent is pretty funny, though. He doesn’t do it badly.
I mean, it was never going to work for long. In any case, all’s well that ends with everyone back with their plot immortality.
(They really can’t catch Grievous yet, there’s several more seasons to go).
Star Wars: Clone Wars 4.5 “Mercy Mission”
A planet named Aleene has been hit by global earthquakes that have killed thousands. The Republic stops to deliver supplies to the tiny inhabitants (they’re substantially smaller than R2).
However, it turns out Aleene has two sentient species, one of which lives underground, and somebody accidentally breached the underworld and let in toxic outside air (it’s mutual). C3PO and R2-D2 fix it. Droid heroics!
Bumbling droid heroics, that is, with a reminder of which one is the smart one. We all know it’s not C3PO.
The pressures of the war continue. The little aliens are adorable (and very huggy…they keep glomping the droids!)
Star Wars: Clone Wars 4.6 “Nomad Droids”
They pack a lot into this episode. Honestly, it’s a bit too much, although the Wizard of Oz reference is humorous.
Specifically, in this episode, the droids:
· Flee a space battle
· Accidentally kill a despot
· Flee the despot’s former minions who want to put C3PO in charge
· Unveil a second despot who is Wizard of Ozing some people
· Flee the second despot
· Run out of power
· Get captured by pirates who want them for a droid fighting ring (who would waste a good protocol/astromech pair that way?)
· Get captured by Grievous.
It’s…a lot. Pretty visuals, but I think this warranted two episodes.
R2-D2 is a reckless little droid, just saying.
Star Wars: Clone Wars 4.7 “Darkness on Umbara”
The Republic is starting to falter morally. The Umbarans don’t want to be part of it, but their system is too strategic, so they have to be conquered.
That’s war.
But what this episode is really about is command. Anakin is recalled to Coruscant to handle another mission, and replaced by another Jedi who is reckless, hard headed, and considers clones subhuman cannon fodder.
He sees his methods as “effective” but butts heads with Rex…calling him only by his serial number. Accusing him of being defective for retreating rather than being slaughtered.
Apparently, Jedi can be assholes. And can see living beings as subhuman. This is what happens when you take no attachments too far, people.
The episode ends on a mid battle cliffhanger…
Star Wars: Clone Wars 4.8 “The General”
In most of these stories, the idiot officer is won over by the smart sergeant. I appreciate that General Krell remains just as much of an asshole and fool at the end as he is at the beginning. He tells Rex he needs to learn to appreciate that battle has a cost.
Obviously, he’s never going to change, but at least he’s out of Rex’s non-hair for now. Or is he? I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of him.
Or maybe that’s because the title of 4.10 is “Carnage of Krell.”
I’m rooting for this guy to die, I really am.
Orphan Black: Echoes 1.5 “Do I Know You?”
Most of this episode is an extended flashback. Turns out that Kira brought back…her wife. Which worked as well as one would expect in this universe.
Lucy isn’t even attracted to her! Oops. We also find out…let’s just say that early onset Alzheimer’s sucks. I’ve witnessed it. All forms of dementia suck. Early onset, though, it’s the worst.
And Eleanor’s own treatment only works well with regular Alzheimer’s. Kira just wants the love of her life back.
You’d think that Sarah’s daughter would have learned from all the mistakes in the first show, but then, that was clearly not going to happen.
Oh, and she didn’t print Jules and she claims she disabled the printer.
Only her research partner knows how to make another one.
Seems she can’t trust him as much as she thought she could…
But why DID they make Jules? And are there any more?
Star Wars: Clone Wars 4.9 “Plan of Dissent”
Okay, so apparently this was a four parter, because we head back to Umbara, where the clone troopers are having more and more difficulty following Krell’s orders.
At some levels, he’s right. Their plan is completely crazy and shows clear influence of our good friend Anakin Skywalker.
On the other hand, the plan works…but Krell is determined to execute the clones who carried it out. It’s more important to him to be in control.
He’s “not like the other Jedi.”
I only have one question: How did Anakin not notice how close this guy was to the edge, because this is some dark side shit right here…this is the Lawful Evil of the Empire rearing its ugly head. Let’s see what part four has to say.
Star Wars: Clone Wars 4.10 “Carnage of Krell”
Yup, I was right, ex Jedi Krell is trying to defect to the separatists. The clones stop him, but there’s a cost.
First of all, they find themselves with little choice but to execute him out of hand, just as he threatened to do to Fives and Jess.
Second of all, they’re starting to question what might happen to them after the war. Interacting with somebody who sees them as completely disposable soldiers…
Of course, we do know what happens…but I have to hope Rex and some of the others escape to the rim somehow.
Krell’s fall appears to have been from pure cynicism…but also racism (bonus points for making Krell not human in a universe that typically paints humans as the worst speciesists).
When he dehumanizes the clones, he dehumanizes himself, and that’s the core message here.
Star Wars: Clone Wars 4.11 “Kidnapped”
“Slavery a great tool it is for the rise of the Sith.”
I guess it doesn’t count when they’re clones?
Anakin and Obi-Wan arrive to liberate a colony only to find the residents are missing and the droids are under the command of a slaver. They don’t immediately realize what happened (obviously he rounded them up to sell them).
It takes a battle, Obi-Wan being beaten up by the slaver, and Anakin and Ahsoka defusing a whole bunch of bombs to get to the point…
What do you mean the colonists aren’t on the planet?
The guy just bragged about slave markets!
(Good guys acting appropriately stupid to spin out the story. Sigh)
Star Wars: Clone Wars 4.12 “Slaves of the Republic”
Oh, Obi-Wan.
Let Anakin take the lead when you’re undercover because you’re too honorable for it.
They’re trying to find the missing colonists, and Anakin honeytraps the slaver queen…but Obi-Wan screws it all up by trying to rescue the colonial governor from the slavers’ cells. Patience, Obi-Wan. You call Anakin the reckless one!
Ahsoka failing to pretend to be a slave girl is funny, but at the same time why did we have to put her in the Slave Girl Outfit
This is a middle episode so it ends with the queen promising to free the others if Anakin will stay as her consort. Padme would not be amused…
(Anakin doesn’t do a bad job of honeytrapping, though).