The Bad Batch Season One Review

So the first season of The Bad Batch is over, my expectations weren’t the highest, I hadn’t really got attached to Clone Force 99 in the seventh season of The Clone Wars and found them very one dimensional. But as we got the trailers for the show my excitement had gradually crept up, and it’s fair to say the show exceeded my initial expectations.

The first few episodes of the season did a lot to give the Batchers more character, expanding them from one note cartoon characters entirely based off their one trait to feel more fully formed, I really took to Tech and Wrecker, as I’m sure most did, as they often provide the comic relief. But I was disappointed with a lack of further development of most of the central characters during the series, Wrecker and Tech don’t seem to develop anymore in the circumstances they find themselves in, and Echo barely exists most of the time. Hunter does develop a bit in his role as father figure to Omega, mostly learning the same lessons over and over. Crosshair is mostly treated as the dour somewhat blameless villain until the final two episodes where out of the blue we learn he feels betrayed by his brothers and has had his chip removed. Omega really is the focal point of the series and a very likeable one at that. We see the world through her eyes as she sees life outside of the Kamino cloning facility for the first time, and her empathy for others helps her new family make the right choices and make allies as they go.

The world building of the show was one of the highlights for me, showing us a time in the galaxy far, far away that we have rarely seen, the transition from the Clone Wars to the time of the Empire. And we get to see how the Empire imposes it’s rule across former republic and separatist planets alike, and does so with some truly stunning animation. My favorite episode was undoubtedly the first of the season, featuring Caleb Dume and Order 66 from Clone Force 99’s perspective, I really enjoyed ‘Rampage’ the episode with Muchi the Rancor. I also thought the arc in the middle that begins with Rex finding the crew and helping them remove their chips before Crosshair tracks them down, and ends with Cad Bane and Fennec Shand battling it out over Omega was one of the strongest of the series.

There was a lot more canon connectivity than I had expected, Cad Bane showing up was certainly a big suprise, and we also surprisingly encounter the Martez sisters from the Clone Wars seventh season (leading to one of the best jokes ever in Star Wars “Is there an Echo in here?”). I absolutely loved meeting a young Hera on Ryloth along with her father Cham and mother Eleni, and Chopper being as chaotic as ever, which goes to show that in my eyes The Bad Batch is just as much a prologue to Rebels as it is an epilogue to the Clone Wars. And for a fan of Jedi: Fallen Order the visit to Bracca was a joy to behold, but I am glad that other than Depa Billaba and Caleb Dume, no other Jedi showed up, as at this time they should either be dead or in deep hiding. But I wouldn’t be against a Jedi or two briefly appearing and perhaps needing the Bad Batch’s help.

The final episode of the season did come under some criticism for it’s lack of resolution, and while it was an extended escape scene, for me it really explored Crosshair and his brothers relationship, but I think the finale would have worked better if both parts had dropped together. Although I felt Crosshair’s revelations were out of the blue I really enjoyed the way it played out, that he didn’t just cave in and rejoin his brothers, that he is just different and has made his choice. I still think it is possible he may change his mind when as seems likely the Empire turns on him. Ultimately this first season has left us with many more questions than answers, we still do not know much about Omega and her enhancements, how the link between her and Boba Fett (Alpha) will play out. Will Crosshair report his brothers as dead or alive? What are the Empire up to with Nala Se and what does it mean for The Mandalorian and The Rise of Skywalker, will there still be the clone uprising so many wanted?

The prevailing opinions of the first season of the Bad Batch seem to be either it was all filler or the best opening season of an animated SW show, for me it was in between. I did not feel there was alot of filler, certainly no more than in the Clone Wars (probably less infact) which people seem to forget about, and I still think that Rebels has the best first season of any animated Star Wars show. For me the debut season of The Bad Batch was alot of fun that leaves us with a lot of very interesting possibilities for the future.

Overall season score: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑/5

Jonny O

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