Random TV Show Review - Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) (Seasons 1-3)

Long before the days of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and a more canon timeline, the good people at LucasFilm created this little series that would explore the war set between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith merely as filler between the release of both films. Fresh from doing the then unresolved but critically acclaimed series Samurai Jack, Genndy Tartakovsky was bought onboard to helm this cartoon and from the get go, much of what came from his previous creation helped influence how this cartoon would play out. There would be moments of fast-paced action with very little music and light dialogue, but it was obvious that this would concentrate on the main characters seen in the films at that point. So let's take a look:

Told across three seasons, but separated and merged into two feature length volumes, the series explores the clone wars as the Jedi attempt to reclaim the worlds lost to the Separatists and the Sith with the help of the clone army of which each Jedi leads a squadron of. Throughout the series, Anakin (voiced by Mat Lucas) endures the equivalent of what would've been the Jedi trials and begins to show promise towards chancellor Palpatine (voiced by Nick Jameson) much to the annoyance and disapproval of the Jedi Council. Plus we also meet new characters who would later appear in future films and media all before Disney decide to make this series part of the Star Wars Legends timeline.

The animation is perhaps the best thing about this series which I expect nothing less of from the great Genndy Tartakovsky. And it was also perhaps the first time people and fans began to realize how much George Lucas left out from his big screen films (intentional or otherwise) which isn't to say he's a bad filmmaker. He's just not that great at directing, but much better as a producer and writer. Some people prefer the more simple and direct to the point approach to a Star Wars thing and this one while not canon any more, is a suitable alternative to the more fleshed out The Clone Wars if all you really care about are the characters you see only in the films. 9/10