It's very easy for people to dismiss The Clone Wars as "just a kids show." It's a cartoon, which is often (mis)categorized as a medium just for kids, it's Star Wars, which some people (mis)categorize as something only kids and misanthropic basement dwellers enjoy, and it's on Cartoon Network.
I'm here to let you know that it's okay to enjoy the show. It's for everyone. Sure, some of the episodes that kicked off the series might have been aimed at a younger audience, the show today bears only a passing resemblance to then. First, the visuals on the show rival our expectations of what we've wanted The Clone Wars to be since Alec Guinness mentioned it in 1977. Then, the Lucas animation department is the only one working today I'd match toe-to-toe with Pixar animation, the work, passion, and artistry they're pouring into the show is unheard of. Third, the writing is expanding the mythology of Star Wars in ways that fill in gaps between the classic films and the prequels, add intriguing shades of gray, and give us wonderful science fiction quandaries on weekly basis.
Don't believe me?
Check out the new trailer for Season 5 (which starts on Saturday):
This show is simply incredible. If you can buy into the mythology of Star Wars, this show is the best thing going on on television.
I'm a nerd for Star Wars across the board. I spend more time studying and pondering it than most (in fact, I just started a series on the official Star Wars website about the film influences on Star Wars and The Clone Wars). If you're like me, the next EXCLUSIVE clip from Season 5 is going to make you salivate:
That's the Jon Favreau voiced Mandalorian Pre Vizsla, the Sam Witwer voiced Darth Maul, and the Clancy Brown voiced Savage Opress, meeting up with the leaders of the criminal organization Black Sun, which made its first appearance in the 1996 Star Wars novel Shadows of the Empire. On Mustafar, which is the planet where Obi-wan and Anakin have their final duel in Revenge of the Sith. This show is just dripping in Star War mythology, but never in a way that gets in the way of enjoyment for anyone in the audience.
Take my word for it. Check out this show. Season 5 starts on Cartoon Network on Saturday 29th. Set it up on your DVR. You owe it to yourself.
Bryan Young is an author, the editor in chief of the geek news and review site Big Shiny Robot!, and an unabashed fan of Star Wars.