Also, it’s really striking how much of the praise for the show is focused on fan service. But it’s not a substitute for a strong narrative and risks turning Star Wars into a zombie franchise.
I can’t speak for others, but I’m not enjoying the show so far because of fan service but because I think it has so far has been an interesting character story and I hope it will continue to be so. Sure, not every SW story needs to be a redemption arc, but it is very baked into the DNA of the franchise and I don’t think a series where Boba Fett is just a ruthless bounty hunter would be all that interesting. A character driven series needs more depth than that, and based on what we’ve been give so far I think we’ll get it.
Just because we’ve gotten one mediocre episode with some wonky effects and action I don’t think there’s any need to panic. I mean we’re not even halfway through the series yet.
We’ve had two mediocre episodes - 1 & 3.
To each their own, I think the first episode was a solid introduction to the show and much better than what The Mandalorian did with it’s first episode. It wasn’t fantastic, but it was entertaining and a good set-up for what was (and still is) to come.
Where is this interesting character story? Can you explain why you think it is compelling? In what way do you think this is adding to the characterisation of Boba Fett?
Why does a supposedly ruthless bounty hunter who’s been left for dead in the stomach of a monster and then experienced the loss of his new tribe want to rule with ‘respect’ (especially when almost everyone around him blatantly disrespects him)? Why doesn’t he want to get revenge or at least impose order? That would at least be consistent with his characterisation prior to this show. Why is he seemingly so naïve?
Isn’t revenge and imposing order more or less what he’s trying to do? And again, we’re only three episodes in, so we don’t know how he’s going to treat the Nikto swoop gang or the Pykes, but based on the Tosche station scene and the train heist I can’t imagine it will be peaceful.
And why wouldn’t being swallowed by a monster and being left for dead give someone a second look at life? I think it’s time we accept that the ‘Man with No Name’ archetype that we saw in the 80’s doesn’t really exist anymore after Lucas changed (or rather created) Fett’s origin with AOTC, and it is this version the show is based on. We have someone who was raised by a bounty hunter–raised to follow in his footsteps, who then saw him killed before him, tried to avenge his death and failed, and who ended up spending the rest of his childhood living with criminals in the dingiest parts of the galaxy. Not to mention spending time in prison as a teenager. This guy has had a very tough life with a lot of conflicting morals, and after his humiliation during the fighting at Jabba’s sailbarge and his humbling experiences with the Tuskens he’s had what I feel is a very natural change of heart.
And let’s not forget that his solution to all of this is still effectively to become a better crime lord, so its not like he’s gone full hero-mode yet. He’s still interpreting things through the lens of a life lived surrounded by criminals, but his motivations are generally noble now and he’s not just looking out for himself anymore. The Tuskens became the family he needed and he saw how strong they were as a group, a new thing to someone who’s had to fend for himself since he was a child. Their brutality was something he could relate to, but the tribe mentality was something he never got with his fellow bounty hunters and criminals. (There’s even a TCW episode where his bounty hunter “friends” leave him behind to save themselves which results in him ending up in jail as a teenager.)
As for Fett being naïve, well, he’s been a killer for hire most of his life, and it’s not like he should know how to be a crime boss just because he’s worked for several of them, and he’s trying to do it in an unconventional manner as well. It’d have been pretty silly if he was just instantly good at it considering his background and his current motivations.
I cannot think of any well regarded series where the plot is as aimless as this. It’s like watching a Star Wars screensaver.
At least BOBF is focused on the main character unlike something like The Witcher which seems hellbent on being about almost anyone but the titular character. And although BOBF is less episodic than The Mandalorian I still feel like I’m getting more out of each episode than I did watching something like GOT, which felt more like a 300 hour movie split into unstructured segments. Now I don’t watch too many new series, so maybe I’m missing out on some masterpieces, but BOBF has, despite its flaws (and again we’re not even halfway through the series), managed to engage me more than most new TV series that I’ve seen.
Episode 2 showed this could be better - I want it to be better. But even a good director can only take a story so far if the writing isn’t up to scratch.
We shouldn’t have to wade through an hour of mediocrity in the hope later episodes might be better. There are only seven episodes - they should all be high quality. If the producers can’t manage that then they should cut the number of episodes.
I still don’t see what was so bad about episode 3. Less good than the previous two–especially chapter 2, yes, but even the slow speeder chase was still leagues ahead of the kind of VFX that would have even been possible a little over ten years ago on a TV budget.
And I don’t consider it filler either. Episode 1 was Boba Fett earning the respect of the Tuskens while failing to earn it in the present. Episode 2 was Fett becoming a member of the Tusken tribe and setting himself up as someone who fights for others rather than simply himself. Episode 3 is Fett taking the first steps in successfully leading with respect and starting to build up his new “family”. I’d say this series is more structured than many popular modern TV series and that it has a reasonable pacing for a miniseries.