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The Star Wars Clone Wars animated TV series has finally started this week and even though I was very disappointed with the film, I was looking forward to this and I’m quite happy to see that it’s actually better than I expected. Maybe Star Wars animation doesn’t translate well on the big screen or it was a lack of story and not enough going on that ruined the film.

There were many things I disliked about the film, the music wasn’t great, the animation wasn’t great and the facial expressions particularly the eyes seemed very wrong. And it was all about Obi-Wan and Anakin again which to be fair are the main focus of Star Wars, but I was under the impression the series was meant to focus on characters we hadn’t seen before. Of course then there was the introduction of what I assume will be a main protagonist in the series: Ahsoka.

Moving on to the series, so far it has concentrated on Yoda, Anakin and Ahsoka, but I don’t think it actually has as such, but rather on the Clones and their relationship to the Jedi. None of the films ever concentrated on the Clones as they were only brought in at the end of Episode 2 and Episode 3 was already packed full with other essential storylines. Commander Cody and Obi-Wan Kenobi did have a scene which implied they had spent some time together in episode 3 though just before Order 66 was given.

I don’t claim to know Jango Fett’s backstory or his character as there is a lot about him in the extended universe, but he does come across as very ruthless so seemingly the Clones would be as well. This series has shown them to be more than that, given them feelings. Yoda’s attempt to show his Clones they’re more than they think they are was great as was Plo-Koon convincing his Clones help was on the way.

Clone Commander: Do you think we’ve got a chance, General?
Plo-Koon: I don’t believe in chance, Commander. I know if we work together we will stay alive and someone will find us.
Clone Seargeant: With all due respect, General, strategically it doesn’t make any sense for someone to come and look for us. If I was in command, I’d be hunting that weapon down.
Plo-Koon: I value your life more than finding that weapon.

Or at a later part:

Plo-Koon: Sergeant, why are you so certain no one is coming?
Clone Sergeant: We’re just Clones, Sir. We’re meant to be expendable.
Plo-Koon: Not to me.

The series also seems to contain very dark storylines from both sides attempting to negotiate treaties with allies, injured Clones with scratched and dirty armour and the terrible way to kill the survivors in space. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s bad, it’s nice to see a different angle.

Not everything is great about the series either though; the music continues to be very irritating at times and intrusive when it shouldn’t be which goes to show how important the correct music is to set a scene. The narrator at the beginning of each episode is annoying to put it lightly, the fight scenes are typically overdone and whoever picked Anakin’s voiceover artist made a terrible, terrible mistake, as did the person who came up with the idea of droids joking with each other.

But, this is a show that is primarily aimed at children, even if it claims not to be. After all, the last Star Wars film was released in 2005 and whilst the Live action TV series is still in planning [I'll believe it when I see it], most Star Wars fans are inevitably getting older and the next generation needs to be drawn in. As such I think it works well and it has enough to keep existing fans interested.

Either way, anything new about the extended Star Wars universe is good to me as there’s so much still unexplored. I am looking forward to the next episode.