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We’ve waited for the longest time, and now after the Clone Wars animated movie of so many weeks back we’re finally here with the premiere of Star Wars : The Clone Wars TV Series (the second actual animated series on TV for The Clone Wars after the minisode series run of a few years ago). Did it live up to all the hype and build-up? You bet it did! Here, I’ll prove it!

Well we’ve been waiting forever it seems, but now it’s finally here!

And the wait was worth it! No longer a mere filler between shows, Star Wars : The Clone Wars hit’s the ground running as a full TV Series with excellent animation that is pure eye candy to view, a soundtrack that is beyond beautiful, great voice acting including several from the Star Wars franchise and the previous Clone Wars series. And let’s not forget solid screenwriting to top off this 5 out of 5 premiere!

Any number of these elements alone would make for a great series, but put it all together and there’s greatness here. Well, that and until now there just wasn’t very much great shows out of America at this time… actually none. There’s Ben 10 Alien Force, sure, and a few others but nothing that rates a perfect score… until now. Not even the newest Secret Saturdays rated the perfect score garnered by Clone Wars. It’s just that, when it comes right down to it, Star Wars : The Clone Wars is a memorable experience that you will never forget. The people over at Lucasfilms Animation really worked their tails off on this one putting together something grand. And with a run of over 100 episodes schedule for this series (and no fear that it’s going to suddenly get canceled mid-run) I think we’re going to have a long lovely love affair with this show (with a projected two more Clone Wars movies coming in the future).

Episode 1 gives you more Yoda than you ever knew you wanted to be exposed to… no, not that way… as Yoda is sent to negotiate an alliance with the Toydarians run by an old friend of Yoda‘s (who also happens to be the leader of the Toydarians on the planet), aka the race from which Watto (Episode I) came from. However the ship sent to transport Yoda arrives only to find the Separtist there negotiating their own agreement with the Toydarians. Not content to turn back and give up the attempt, Yoda takes three clones down to the planet intent on making his meeting and securing the alliance.

From that point forward it’s sorta like going on a camping trip with the little green funny talking JedI Master. Go on a nature hike through the rocky landscape, shoot some droids, camp out in a cave and get a camp counseling session with Yoda about the Force… oh, did I mention the JedI here all are Pro Clone in this series? Yoda is watching out for the Clones he’s assigned to bodyguard him. Next episode JedI Master Plo Koon is out to make sure the clones in the life pod he’s in survives and gives a pep talk to the clones he fights side by side with. Yeah, everyone just loves those clones… too bad it all bites them in the butts in Episode III but whatever.

Anyway if you ever wanted to see Yoda really kick it and show off his true potential this episode really has the little green JedI pulling out all the stops on this one. Yay.

Episode 2 is the first part of a two parter, part 2 coming next week. The episode starts as the Separtists have a brand new major weapon and the Republic is out searching for it. JedI Master Plo Koon’s fleet runs into it in orbit around a red giant star, only to end up becoming the latest victims of General Grievous’ newest weapon in the war… a large Ion Cannon with a firing sequence similar to the Death Star (same long tunnel where the energy pipes through, same lack of railing on the firing chamber monitoring station… gee, somebody fall over into the firing chamber already)! Plo Koon’s fleet is decimated leaving only a few survivors (which are slowly picked off by a Separtist ship left behind to kill off all the survivors). Meanwhile nearby is a fleet run by Skywalker, and his new padawan the ever pretty (and spunky) Ahsoka. Seems she has a little history with the missing JedI Master, and when they’re given orders not to investigate his disappearance she gets all up into the JedI Council’s face (via holograms) over it. Still orders are orders and they’re sent to a new position… well, the fleet is anyway, as Anakin takes his personal ship and with Ahsoka defies orders to find Plo Koon if he’s still alive.

Barely making it in time, they manage to save Plo Koon and the clones he’s with (but not before Plo Koon gives an encouraging pep talk or two to his clone pals before rescue), and coming close to death as they’re set upon by the droids who are eliminating the survivors of the Ion Cannon attack. But even as they manage to escape the return of the Ion Cannon ship with information of the weapon it’s not over yet… so you have to tune in next week to find out what happens as the story concludes.

I think I said it all already, but let’s recap. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen a great animation worthy of it’s hype, and truly praiseworthy… this is that series. Amen. I can’t remember the last time I felt this hyped about an American animated series, but this is that series to be hyped over.

Animation is super sweet, visually you haven’t seen an ongoing TV Series this pretty since… since… actually I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a series this pretty that wasn’t from Japan! Of course it’s from Lucasfilms Animation branch so of course it’s going to be good. Mind you if it’s not followed up by other series from Lucasfilms Animation then George Lucas isn’t putting his resources to the best use, but that’s a story and a discussion for future reference. We can talk about it some other time.

Everything falls into place perfectly with Clone Wars (and if you thought it couldn’t get better with the last Clone Wars animation of a few years ago how wrong you are)! Animation, music soundtrack, voice acting, acting in general, scripting, what is there not to praise about this. Looking forward to seeing next week’s brand new episode (and reviewing it). So hope you saw the premiere, or they repeat it during the weekend for those who missed it, cause this premiere shows off the great potential this series is going to live up to in full. Give yourself a hand Team Clone Wars, you set the bar for animated series of the future to strive for… let’s see who can bring it to this level in the coming years and live up to this high potential.

PS isn’t it a bummer they only ran Clone Wars once while they replayed Secret Saturdays? I thought so.

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