Should I buy the Clone Wars DVDs for my wife?
January 14, 2016 10:02 AM Subscribe
SHORT VERSION:
What exactly is the revised canon scope with regard to Clone Wars material? The first series only, both series (and films), or what?
Will either of us enjoy it? On prior casual viewing nether show held our attention.
Can I hire a Darth Vader birthday-gram service in Seattle?
Longwinded stuff below.
My wife has always loved Star Wars. She has never watched or shown much interest in any of the Clone Wars series. This makes the DVDs a potentially attractive birthday gift.
However, in attempting to understand what the product offerings might be, I was confused by the apparent existence of two Clone Wars series. I would incline to buy just the first one.
I have heard that the current state of canon includes the Clone Wars material, but there is enough material with that designation that I wonder what the specific subset is. Both TV shows, but not features or comics? Anything that is video content?
Furthermore, we are both old enough to remember attending the very first Star Wars movie in the theater on initial releae in the 1970s. I have on occasion watched an episode or two of each of the Clone Wars series and, honestly, they did not hold my attention because they appeared to be essentially action-oriented saturday morning cartoons. Which is cool and all, but not my bag.
I suspect my wife's apparent disinterest in this material is based on a similar indifference to this genre. Her interest in Star Wars may overcome that.
Should I buy her some or all of this material?
BONUS QUESTION: We are doing a low key thing at a bar in Seattle this weekend. If I could, I would like to arrange for a Darth-o-Gram, a theoretical service in which Darth Vader enters the bar and sings Happy Birthday or maybe tosses some barstools around - you know, like you do. I have not located such a service in Seattle. Is there such a thing?
My wife has always loved Star Wars. She has never watched or shown much interest in any of the Clone Wars series. This makes the DVDs a potentially attractive birthday gift.
However, in attempting to understand what the product offerings might be, I was confused by the apparent existence of two Clone Wars series. I would incline to buy just the first one.
I have heard that the current state of canon includes the Clone Wars material, but there is enough material with that designation that I wonder what the specific subset is. Both TV shows, but not features or comics? Anything that is video content?
Furthermore, we are both old enough to remember attending the very first Star Wars movie in the theater on initial releae in the 1970s. I have on occasion watched an episode or two of each of the Clone Wars series and, honestly, they did not hold my attention because they appeared to be essentially action-oriented saturday morning cartoons. Which is cool and all, but not my bag.
I suspect my wife's apparent disinterest in this material is based on a similar indifference to this genre. Her interest in Star Wars may overcome that.
Should I buy her some or all of this material?
BONUS QUESTION: We are doing a low key thing at a bar in Seattle this weekend. If I could, I would like to arrange for a Darth-o-Gram, a theoretical service in which Darth Vader enters the bar and sings Happy Birthday or maybe tosses some barstools around - you know, like you do. I have not located such a service in Seattle. Is there such a thing?
There is:
1. A Clone Wars 2D Series by the Samurai Jack Guy. This is a really cool visual experiment that doesn't contain much plot. But is cool!
2. A Clone Wars CG animated movie. This is honestly pretty terrible and I'd advise you to skip it.
3. A Clone Wars CG series based on the movie. This varies from totally fine to really excellent (apparently since Lucas stopped paying attention to what they were doing).
4. Star Wars: Rebels, which is a CG series set around the Episode 4 period by the same folks.
I have on occasion watched an episode or two of each of the Clone Wars series and, honestly, they did not hold my attention because they appeared to be essentially action-oriented saturday morning cartoons. Which is cool and all, but not my bag.
Well, they are good series but if a few episodes didn't grab you I doubt you should buy them. They vary in quality but if you don't like the idea of the format, don't bother.
posted by selfnoise at 10:17 AM on January 14, 2016
1. A Clone Wars 2D Series by the Samurai Jack Guy. This is a really cool visual experiment that doesn't contain much plot. But is cool!
2. A Clone Wars CG animated movie. This is honestly pretty terrible and I'd advise you to skip it.
3. A Clone Wars CG series based on the movie. This varies from totally fine to really excellent (apparently since Lucas stopped paying attention to what they were doing).
4. Star Wars: Rebels, which is a CG series set around the Episode 4 period by the same folks.
I have on occasion watched an episode or two of each of the Clone Wars series and, honestly, they did not hold my attention because they appeared to be essentially action-oriented saturday morning cartoons. Which is cool and all, but not my bag.
Well, they are good series but if a few episodes didn't grab you I doubt you should buy them. They vary in quality but if you don't like the idea of the format, don't bother.
posted by selfnoise at 10:17 AM on January 14, 2016
If you want to know if something in the Star Wars universe is canon or not, I have to recommend Wookieepedia. I've been watching the second Clone Wars series and I'm a fan, but I like cartoons. The first series isn't on Netflix, but it was produced by Genndy Tartakovsky , which I'd say is a big point in its favor: he makes great cartoons (Samurai Jack for example). It looks like both series cover the same time period, of the Clone Wars, with a focus on Obi-Wan and Anakin, but the second series is much longer and covers more ground.
Honestly, for a gift, I wouldn't worry too much about whether something is still considered canon, unless you think she's a canon stickler. There is so much great SW material out there that has been un-canonized by the dismantling of the Extended Universe, and it's worth a look. You could probably find a book or comic for pretty much any SW time period she might be interested in, or character. But if you are looking for something that is canon specifically, the second Clone Wars series (the 2008 computer-animated one) and the seven movies, are all that is considered official canon now, so far as TV/movies go.
posted by possibilityleft at 10:26 AM on January 14, 2016
Honestly, for a gift, I wouldn't worry too much about whether something is still considered canon, unless you think she's a canon stickler. There is so much great SW material out there that has been un-canonized by the dismantling of the Extended Universe, and it's worth a look. You could probably find a book or comic for pretty much any SW time period she might be interested in, or character. But if you are looking for something that is canon specifically, the second Clone Wars series (the 2008 computer-animated one) and the seven movies, are all that is considered official canon now, so far as TV/movies go.
posted by possibilityleft at 10:26 AM on January 14, 2016
She has never watched or shown much interest in any of the Clone Wars series. This makes the DVDs a potentially attractive birthday gift. ... Should I buy her some or all of this material?
If she loves Star Wars but has previously tried and not been into the Clone Wars series, I would not suggest you buy her this as a birthday present. I love the Daniel Craig-era James Bond but have maintained my negative interest in the Bond style that came before him, and if someone got me a box set of the Timothy Dalton Bond movies, I'd be disappointed for both of us.
What did she like about the new Star Wars movie? Maybe there's something around that you can get her. A book of the concept art ? A pre-order coupon for the DVD? A really cool movie night out to see it in IMAX with a great dinner and overnight at a fancy hotel and spa? I just found out they made BB8 Christmas ornaments and I'm bummed I didn't have one--maybe Christmas is her thing and she'd appreciate getting one now for next year? I think you could be on the right track with Star Wars stuff, but there are too many questions around Clone Wars to make it a great gift. Good luck!
posted by tyrantkitty at 10:36 AM on January 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
If she loves Star Wars but has previously tried and not been into the Clone Wars series, I would not suggest you buy her this as a birthday present. I love the Daniel Craig-era James Bond but have maintained my negative interest in the Bond style that came before him, and if someone got me a box set of the Timothy Dalton Bond movies, I'd be disappointed for both of us.
What did she like about the new Star Wars movie? Maybe there's something around that you can get her. A book of the concept art ? A pre-order coupon for the DVD? A really cool movie night out to see it in IMAX with a great dinner and overnight at a fancy hotel and spa? I just found out they made BB8 Christmas ornaments and I'm bummed I didn't have one--maybe Christmas is her thing and she'd appreciate getting one now for next year? I think you could be on the right track with Star Wars stuff, but there are too many questions around Clone Wars to make it a great gift. Good luck!
posted by tyrantkitty at 10:36 AM on January 14, 2016 [1 favorite]
If nothing else comes up, for your Darth-o-gram: do you have a tallish friend or coworker who would be willing to wear a rental costume and sing to your wife? Or possibly you could locate a local group of Star Wars re-enactors, one of whom could show up & sing for a fee.
posted by easily confused at 10:46 AM on January 14, 2016
posted by easily confused at 10:46 AM on January 14, 2016
Best answer: I am a woman who was 9 when the original film came out, and who has loved them sense, but in a kind of a low key way. This may or may not put me in the same demographic as your wife.
My husband and son watch Clone Wars and I was at first dismissive of it, but I have come to believe that it is actually the best realized of all the visual SW properties. There is a ton of action, make no mistake -- they're about a war, after all -- but the character development between Anakin and Obi-Wan is terrific (makes up for the horrible Anakin films) and of Ashoka (Anakin's padawan learner) is easily one of the best characters ever in the EU.
However, the full series is available streaming on Netflix, and the original (2003) Genndy Tartakovsky shorts can be viewed in their entirety on YouTube.
in attempting to understand what the product offerings might be, I was confused by the apparent existence of two Clone Wars series. I would incline to buy just the first one.
Yes, there are two things both called "Clone Wars" - they are related and sequential. The original Tartakovsky animations were made for Cartoon Network as "between things" films, and then short 15 minute films. (The segment with Mace Windu being a BAMF is one of the coolest animated things you'll see anywhere.) This then inspired them to make a full CGI series under the direction of Dave Filoni. The TV series is a very very different visual style than the Tartakovsky shorts, and tells a different story. it starts slow, but pretty quickly expands its vision to look at the whole idea of a clone army in a very thoughtful way. Two main themes of the series are a) are the Jedi really the good guys, and b) how can a clone be both a created part of an indoctrinated army but also an independent person with a unique identity. Some of the first season episodes (the ones around Ashoka becoming Anakin's padawan and their first assignment together) were edited into a "movie" for DVD, but there is not a separate stand-alone Clone Wars film with different content than the TV show.
I have heard that the current state of canon includes the Clone Wars material, but there is enough material with that designation that I wonder what the specific subset is.
The Clone Wars material all takes place in between movies episode 2 and episode 3, and focus specifically on what happened during the clone war that starts at the end of episode 2 (the big battle in the arena with all the monsters). I have not heard anywhere that the material shown in the series is not cannon. Certain new characters have moved from Clone Wars into Rebels (by Disney, totally cannon) so I'm fairly sure it must be.
In general, though, I would get her a different gift, but make a date to introduce her to this material when you can sit down together and sample it.
posted by anastasiav at 11:43 AM on January 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
My husband and son watch Clone Wars and I was at first dismissive of it, but I have come to believe that it is actually the best realized of all the visual SW properties. There is a ton of action, make no mistake -- they're about a war, after all -- but the character development between Anakin and Obi-Wan is terrific (makes up for the horrible Anakin films) and of Ashoka (Anakin's padawan learner) is easily one of the best characters ever in the EU.
However, the full series is available streaming on Netflix, and the original (2003) Genndy Tartakovsky shorts can be viewed in their entirety on YouTube.
in attempting to understand what the product offerings might be, I was confused by the apparent existence of two Clone Wars series. I would incline to buy just the first one.
Yes, there are two things both called "Clone Wars" - they are related and sequential. The original Tartakovsky animations were made for Cartoon Network as "between things" films, and then short 15 minute films. (The segment with Mace Windu being a BAMF is one of the coolest animated things you'll see anywhere.) This then inspired them to make a full CGI series under the direction of Dave Filoni. The TV series is a very very different visual style than the Tartakovsky shorts, and tells a different story. it starts slow, but pretty quickly expands its vision to look at the whole idea of a clone army in a very thoughtful way. Two main themes of the series are a) are the Jedi really the good guys, and b) how can a clone be both a created part of an indoctrinated army but also an independent person with a unique identity. Some of the first season episodes (the ones around Ashoka becoming Anakin's padawan and their first assignment together) were edited into a "movie" for DVD, but there is not a separate stand-alone Clone Wars film with different content than the TV show.
I have heard that the current state of canon includes the Clone Wars material, but there is enough material with that designation that I wonder what the specific subset is.
The Clone Wars material all takes place in between movies episode 2 and episode 3, and focus specifically on what happened during the clone war that starts at the end of episode 2 (the big battle in the arena with all the monsters). I have not heard anywhere that the material shown in the series is not cannon. Certain new characters have moved from Clone Wars into Rebels (by Disney, totally cannon) so I'm fairly sure it must be.
In general, though, I would get her a different gift, but make a date to introduce her to this material when you can sit down together and sample it.
posted by anastasiav at 11:43 AM on January 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
As one point of comparison, I love Star Wars and haven't been able to get into the Clone Wars stuff (which my husband loves, so I've definitely been exposed), largely because I am just not a cartoon person. If your wife hasn't shown much interest in them, I wouldn't buy as a birthday gift. But, there are tons of awesome Force Awakens gift options. If you're feeling extra spendy, every Star Wars fan I know is coveting the BB8 robot that you control with your phone. :)
posted by rainbowbrite at 11:50 AM on January 14, 2016
posted by rainbowbrite at 11:50 AM on January 14, 2016
The Tartakovsky Clone Wars is brilliant. Absolutely worth owning on DVD.
The CGI series...yeah, it's a Saturday morning cartoon. A very high quality one, and I've been slowly working my way through it and enjoying it, but I can't see myself going back and rewatching it.
I'd suggest getting a nice bottle of wine or whatever and a Star Wars blanket or something like that and having a little Clone Wars binge-watching party on Netflix rather than buying the series on DVD.
posted by prize bull octorok at 12:16 PM on January 14, 2016
The CGI series...yeah, it's a Saturday morning cartoon. A very high quality one, and I've been slowly working my way through it and enjoying it, but I can't see myself going back and rewatching it.
I'd suggest getting a nice bottle of wine or whatever and a Star Wars blanket or something like that and having a little Clone Wars binge-watching party on Netflix rather than buying the series on DVD.
posted by prize bull octorok at 12:16 PM on January 14, 2016
Mod note: Final update from the OP:
In 2016, I asked about which if any SW Clone Wars discs should I buy for a birthday present for my lifelong Star Wars fan wife. The advice here, while thoughtful, was not firmly disambiguating, and so I did not buy the discs for her. I beleive I bought her a Lego X-Wing kit instead, but honestly, all the Star Wars gifts I have given her sort of blur together because I'm just not as into it as she is. I am damn happy to get her whatever wacky Star Wars thing comes down the conveyor belt if I think she'll dig it, though, up to and including a Columbia Sportwear limited edition Leia coat. I missed the, er, boat, on that one because she figured out how much it cost and won't wear it because it makes her anxious. Humans! How little I understand you!posted by goodnewsfortheinsane (staff) at 5:53 AM on March 29, 2018
So this past week her coworker loaned her the non-Genndy CGI Clone Wars discs and, firstly, I noticed that my childhood pal - also an adoptee, athough he was born overseas - has some supervisory credits on the movie and some of the episodes.
We actually went to see the first movie together at least a couple times, and atayed friends until his family relocated to another college town in the midwest. He pursued a computer-imaging-and-effects course of degree pursuit, like in the late eighties, specifically because he wanted to work at Lucasfilm on Star Wars stuff. His first credits that I know of were on bumpmapped CGI textures on videogames, like probably in the early '90s.
Anyway, as my wife and I have started the actual show episodes (the movie was an incoherent mess) it nearly immediately became apparent that the real subject of ther series is the uncertainty of the and quest for the identity of the Republican clone soldiers.
Which, in a nutshell, is the drama at the heart of *Orphan Black*, as well. Orphan Black is my favorite pop-culture exploration of the uncertainty of identity at intersection of capitalism with the experience of being an adoptee.
So, yeah, we'll check it out. I see Prime has the whole thing, and that the IMBD full-cast credits offer some legitimate surprises. Looking forward to it. Thanks to all here for viewpoints and advice.
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posted by purenitrous at 10:13 AM on January 14, 2016 [3 favorites]