The Book Of Boba Fett (December 2021)

[chrisstbh]

This episode looked kind of… cheap..?

 

[Bart]

I understand the change to the Gamorreans, Tuskens, and even the Jawas from Mando are simply to sell more toys, but what is the reason for the change? One thing the PT and OT did well was justification for the change in characters outfits were story driven (or even no change at all). Anakin from Youngling to Padawan to Knight. Yoda and Mace stayed the same. Kenobi from Padawan to Master with a beard and haircut being the main differences. Luke from farmer to pilot to Jedi. The Endor/Hoth gear made sense too. Clones from Phase I to Phase II even made sense. But Offworld Jawas? New Tribe of Tuskens? Gamorreans… too hot? I don’t know. I can’t get over the Gamorrean Guards short shorts. Barely cover the cheeks. Feels like the fur skirts were longer.

I don’t see good enough justification here to change classic designs.

Parkour stuff felt out of place too, that scene did feel fan made-ish. Kind of took me out of the Star Wars feel the show initially set up well for me.

 

[chrisstbh]

I understand the change to the Gamorreans, Tuskens, and even the Jawas from Mando are simply to sell more toys, but what is the reason for the change? One thing the PT and OT did well was justification for the change in characters outfits were story driven (or even no change at all). Anakin from Youngling to Padawan to Knight. Yoda and Mace stayed the same. Kenobi from Padawan to Master with a beard and haircut being the main differences. Luke from farmer to pilot to Jedi. The Endor/Hoth gear made sense too. Clones from Phase I to Phase II even made sense. But Offworld Jawas? New Tribe of Tuskens? Gamorreans… too hot? I don’t know. I can’t get over the Gamorrean Guards short shorts. Barely cover the cheeks. Feels like the fur skirts were longer.

I don’t see good enough justification here to change classic designs.

Parkour stuff felt out of place too, that scene did feel fan made-ish. Kind of took me out of the Star Wars feel the show initially set up well for me.

I think the black robe Tuskens look pretty cool at least.

 

[matticus]

Hype train derailed!

 

[Asta]

I understand the change to the Gamorreans, Tuskens, and even the Jawas from Mando are simply to sell more toys, but what is the reason for the change? One thing the PT and OT did well was justification for the change in characters outfits were story driven (or even no change at all). Anakin from Youngling to Padawan to Knight. Yoda and Mace stayed the same. Kenobi from Padawan to Master with a beard and haircut being the main differences. Luke from farmer to pilot to Jedi. The Endor/Hoth gear made sense too. Clones from Phase I to Phase II even made sense. But Offworld Jawas? New Tribe of Tuskens? Gamorreans… too hot? I don’t know. I can’t get over the Gamorrean Guards short shorts. Barely cover the cheeks. Feels like the fur skirts were longer.

I don’t see good enough justification here to change classic designs.

It likely is just to sell more merchandise, because that's what these series are partly made for.

Though I'd think they'd sell just as much if they stuck to the classic designs instead. The classics are generally better. Even though the original Gamorreans had rubbery foam suits they were more imposing, and making them more realistic now actually makes them look less convincing.

Parkour stuff felt out of place too, that scene did feel fan made-ish. Kind of took me out of the Star Wars feel the show initially set up well for me.

Parkour was such a big thing at one time that there were entire films based around it. So whenever it shows up in a film or episode now it feels old hat, and I can't not see the 'actors' as merely a parkour troop that the producers hired for the job.

 

[chrisstbh]

Also what was with the Boston Dynamics robots? Look really out of place.

 

[ZE_501]

I tend to agree with most of what's been said here. The episode is ... fine ... but it's very uneven and they got caught with their budget showing a lot for what should have been a flagship property. Guess they know we'll watch anyway.

Spoiler

• I love Jawas even more now. *******s.
  
• The barge wreckage doesn't seem to line up with the obliteration we saw in ROTJ, but that's a Star Wars Thing of Convenience it seems.
• Boba's "Get me to the tank" thing seems to indicate he's got a lot of damage to heal, but that's weird since he fought hard in Mando and right after getting Sarlacc'd he was choking out Harryhausen monsters.
• He really does come across as soft and personable. Like a municipal politician looking for votes rather than a crime lord.
• Boston Dynamics 'bots could have been deep background Easter eggs but way too obvious as-is.
• The Power Ranger Assassins were lame. As was the lack of gunplay. I get plot conveniences but they could have shot him in the head, Fennec could have finished it quickly with blasters up on the roof (even leaving one alive) ... at least he blew one to smithereens, that was Fett-like.
• Harryhausen-esque chameleon-eyed six-limbed monster was a nice callback to simpler times.

I'll keep watching but that first episode is mediocre primarily because he talks too much. And perhaps therein lies the problem. Everyone wanted more Fett! Well be careful what you wish for.

I stand by my contention that the heart of Star Wars is mystery; Lucas started to destroy that with the Holiday Special, tripled down with the Prequels and Disney ... bloated, soulless, gibbering inhuman parasitic virtual organism that it is ... Disney is simply finishing the job.

 

[TurdFurgusonsHat]

For most of the time I didn't feel convinced by what they were showing us. The Mandalorian felt authentic. This one seems to lack a strong controlling hand, or a clear vision.

This episode started well with the Sarlacc escape, the barge wreckage and the Jawas. Even the capture by Tuskens, who are now even more Bedouin with their black robes and tents.

Then it started to veer off into something like a Disney World version of Star Wars. Where did the ruthless Boba Fett go? This one's a big old softy. No wonder the mayor didn't take him seriously - though I couldn't take the mayor's major domo seriously either.

Watching this episode reminds me of the first time I saw The Phantom Menace. It's Star Wars, but not quite Star Wars.

This show is definitely going to be measured against The Mandalorian and I can't help but feel The Mandalorian thus far handily beats it after this small one episode sample. The reservations I had of Morrison playing Boba Fett post ROTJ have also only been magnified after the first episode.

 

[TurdFurgusonsHat]

I tend to agree with most of what's been said here. The episode is ... fine ... but it's very uneven and they got caught with their budget showing a lot for what should have been a flagship property. Guess they know we'll watch anyway.

Spoiler

• I love Jawas even more now. *******s.
  
• The barge wreckage doesn't seem to line up with the obliteration we saw in ROTJ, but that's a Star Wars Thing of Convenience it seems.
• Boba's "Get me to the tank" thing seems to indicate he's got a lot of damage to heal, but that's weird since he fought hard in Mando and right after getting Sarlacc'd he was choking out Harryhausen monsters.
• He really does come across as soft and personable. Like a municipal politician looking for votes rather than a crime lord.
• Boston Dynamics 'bots could have been deep background Easter eggs but way too obvious as-is.
• The Power Ranger Assassins were lame. As was the lack of gunplay. I get plot conveniences but they could have shot him in the head, Fennec could have finished it quickly with blasters up on the roof (even leaving one alive) ... at least he blew one to smithereens, that was Fett-like.
• Harryhausen-esque chameleon-eyed six-limbed monster was a nice callback to simpler times.

I'll keep watching but that first episode is mediocre primarily because he talks too much. And perhaps therein lies the problem. Everyone wanted more Fett! Well be careful what you wish for.

I stand by my contention that the heart of Star Wars is mystery; Lucas started to destroy that with the Holiday Special, tripled down with the Prequels and Disney ... bloated, soulless, gibbering inhuman parasitic virtual organism that it is ... Disney is simply finishing the job.

Great post, I agree with all of this.

 

[chrisstbh]

There was just no hook, really, at the end of the first Mando episode every one was raving and discussing this "Baby Yoda", even non-Star Wars fans were hooked on it.

After watching this episode all I can is that it was definitely an episode of a new Star Wars show.

 

[Asta]

The Mandalorian gave Fett a triumphant and brutal return, after his embarrassing faux pas in ROTJ.

As ZE_501 wrote, Star Wars is best when some things are kept mysterious. Fett was cool and mysterious in the OT. He obviously lacked his helmet at first in The Mandalorian, but his savagery compensated for the lack of mystery.

Now he wanders around among his subjects helmetless, unprotected in a hostile environment. A sniper from a rooftop could've simply ended him, which would've made more sense than what actually happened.

 

[ZE_501]

Now he wanders around among his subjects helmetless, unprotected in a hostile environment. A sniper from a rooftop could've simply ended him, which would've made more sense than what actually happened.

Next they're gonna tie him to train tracks.

 

[chrisstbh]

Next they're gonna tie him to train tracks.

Where the trains hover

 

[Asta]

Something else that took me out of the episode was the repeated use of the term, daimyo, to address Fett.

It's such a particularly Japanese word that it sounds out of place, especially when the primary language of Star Wars is English - hence Lord Vader.

 

[Otomofan]

There was just no hook, really, at the end of the first Mando episode every one was raving and discussing this "Baby Yoda", even non-Star Wars fans were hooked on it.

After watching this episode all I can is that it was definitely an episode of a new Star Wars show.

Exactly. That baby and his connection to Mando was the hook that made it transcend a mere "SW spin-off" and turned it into something universal, not just for nerds.

Hell, without Grogu I honestly don't see the point of a 3rd season of Mando. "Oh, who's gonna get the Darksaber? Who's gonna rule Mandalore?" I don't know. I don't give a ****, and I bet a lot of other viewers don't either.

Also....exactly how time passed while Boba dug his way out? We saw the wreckage of the barge, but there was also what appeared to be a very lifeless Sarlacc tentacle laying there. Was the Sarlacc killed by the blast? Seems unlikely considering how deep it's buried.

 

[Otomofan]

Something else that took me out of the episode was the repeated use of the term, daimyo, to address Fett.

It's such a particularly Japanese word that it sounds out of place, especially when the primary language of Star Wars is English - hence Lord Vader.

LOL....yeah, I'm watching in Japan and that's one of the first things my friend and I brought up when it was over! Totally bizarre choice to use that word!

 

[chrisstbh]

Exactly. That baby and his connection to Mando was the hook that made it transcend a mere "SW spin-off" and turned it into something universal, not just for nerds.

Hell, without Grogu I honestly don't see the point of a 3rd season of Mando. "Oh, who's gonna get the Darksaber? Who's gonna rule Mandalore?" I don't know. I don't give a ****, and I bet a lot of other viewers don't either.

Also....exactly how time passed while Boba dug his way out? We saw the wreckage of the barge, but there was also what appeared to be a very lifeless Sarlacc tentacle laying there. Was the Sarlacc killed by the blast? Seems unlikely considering how deep it's buried.

Grogu will 100% be back in S3, he’s just too much of a cash cow.

 

[Asta]

LOL....yeah, I'm watching in Japan and that's one of the first things my friend and I brought up when it was over! Totally bizarre choice to use that word!

I know they probably want to tap into Kurosawa, as they did with The Mandalorian, but it worked better there when it was only hinted at through clothing style and cinematography.

The quality of dialogue in this episode was generally lacking.

 

[TurdFurgusonsHat]

The more I think on it, the more I think they really dropped the ball on the sarlaac escape scene. It's a mystery hardcore Fett nerds have been discussing since '83. Could he have survived, how could he have survived, etc etc. It should have been a 10-15 minute high budget dramatic action sequence involving a Krayt Dragon or some other fortuitous event. Instead we got Fett stealing some oxygen, gathering himself enough to(almost unbelievably)punch through and cauterize the side wall of the sarlaac's body, and inexplicably burrow to the surface like a gopher.

 

[Otomofan]

Grogu will 100% be back in S3, he’s just too much of a cash cow.

Yeah but that can only happen if Luke "loses" him, which will make Luke seem like a complete ignoramus.

Oh wait....it's Disney. Yeah. You're probably right.