The Bad Batch is currently sitting at a very respectable 8.0 user rating on IMDB which is no small feat. However, I have made multiple attempts to get into it and I am always put off by some of the more “cartoon-ish” or kid oriented aspects of the show. In addition to this, a general consensus is that the episode count is too high and there’s some pretty forgettable filler content that really bogs down the core story. There are some really great moments in this show, but like The Clone Wars dealt with at times, it seems to be a show where certain parts are specifically made for an older audience and certain parts are specifically made for a younger audience. Personally, I am only interested in telling the best story possible rather than forcing elements into an episode in order to appeal to certain demographics.
As I wrap up my workprint production of my Star Wars Legends Sequel Trilogy, I have the plan to go through the Bad Batch and make an edit of this show into movie arcs that are focused on telling a good Star Wars story without as many of the shenanigans that comes along with it also being marketed to children.
I plan to watch the entire show again to make sure I understand each plot point and how I can improve the pacing, character interactions, and ultimately tell a darker, more mature story that fits into the timeline we see this show take place in.
Off the top of my head, the 3 main issues I need to fix are:
- A lot of the episodes follow a formulaic structure of “We have to save them, Hunta!” “No, it’s too dangerous” “Please, Hunta.” “Fine.” Or another example being “Okay, Omega, wait at the ship.” “But I’m part of the squad!” “If you are part of the squad then follow orders.” Then one of the two parties inevitably needs saving by the other. This is fine if it happens like once to get the point across to the audience, but when nearly every filler episode follows a structure like this it just gets really old throughout 16 episodes.
- Obviously the squad is built as cliche, steroetypical character archetypes which is fine in theory. Most “squad shows” are. Even think back to the Republic Commando video game which gives us the best comparison, but all 4 of those characters were written very well within their own lanes. In The Bad Batch, I felt like sometimes the archetypes go way over the top to the point of being overly cartoonish characterizations of their archetypes which becomes distracting, and I would even say at times makes it hard to watch (looking at you, Wrecker). I want to maintain their individuality while cutting down on some of the over-exaggerated traits and repeated stereotypical moments.
- Streamline the plot to remove the unnecessary filler. I haven’t seen a single review where the filler content isn’t criticized. The problem is that it’s not even filler that gives you insight into something new about a character… It’s filler that copy-paste rehashes the exact same insight we learned about a character in one of the “main” episodes. Filler is fine if you’re still learning new things about the characters and bonding with them, but time spent with characters does not automatically translate into liking them more or knowing them better. If the filler stories aren’t teaching you anything new, it just feels like you’re taking AWAY from the characters rather than adding to them.
I would love to hear some thoughts from those of you who have watched the show, haven’t watched the show, or started and didn’t make it through. What would make it more interesting to you? How could I cut it into a version that would make you want to watch? Which plot points need to be highlighted or altered? Would love to hear your thoughts all around.
It will likely take a while for me to complete the project, as I still need to go through watching everything, but overall it shouldn’t be that hard of an edit as I imagine most of what I will be doing is reorganizing and cutting.