How Star Wars Fans Really Feel About The Bad Batch
May 4 will always hold a special place in the hearts of "Star Wars" fans, but this year they're getting something more than a few fun social media campaigns.
Thanks to the cavalcade of "Star Wars" related projects lined up at Disney+, it feels like there is always a new series ready to drop. The latest is the cartoon action-adventure "Star Wars: The Bad Batch." A spin-off series to "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," the newest installment follows the squadron of genetically modified warriors known as Clone Force 99 aka the Bad Batch.
As their nickname suggests, the Galactic Empire née Republic perhaps should have left these particular additions to their massive clone army in the oven for a bit longer. Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, Crosshair, and Echo (all voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, who does have a favorite) have superior skills and combat ability but little of the obedience and subservience required to be a good footsoldier. "The Bad Batch" sees them taking on new challenges following the end of the Clone Wars. And like so many "Star Wars" heroes before them, they encounter a mysterious child, Omega (Michelle Ang), who may have powers beyond what they could have ever imagined.
The series was hotly anticipated by fans of the animated sagas. So, now that the first episode is out on Disney+ how is it being received? It's still early days for "The Bad Batch," but thus far, fans are very pleased with what the squad has to offer.
The Bad Batch premiere was a big hit with Star Wars fans
At the time of writing, "The Bad Batch" has only been out for a short while. However, fan reaction across the internet has already been roundly enthusiastic for the latest entry in the franchise.
"Star Wars" fanatics have been excitedly tweeting their reactions to the first episode of the series. User @Jellieddna wrote, "Bad Batch didn't disappoint, high hopes for the rest of the season," while @trillyrobinson said, "I don't typically watch the Star Wars cartoons but Bad Batch was real good."
"Star Wars" fan account @sw_holocron tweeted a glowing review of the show. They exclaimed, "Star Wars: The Bad Batch kicks off with a cinematic, polished & surprising premiere. Feels like a Clone Wars sequel, evokes The Mandalorian & has an opening that is among the best SW animation. Deliberate pace & unique character development excites us for what's next."
Social media wasn't the only place fans were heaping praise on the series. On a Reddit discussion thread about the show's first episode, the overall vibe was that the premiere was, as user u/TheGent316 tactfully put it, "pretty f—ing awesome!"
Multiple users chimed in to note that they hadn't been excited for a series that focused specifically on the Bad Batch themselves, but, as u/sugarmetimbers said, "I think that was the best premiere an animated series has had. That was really good." Similarly, u/CheeseQueenKariko wrote, "Kickass start. As someone who didn't much care for the Bad Batch characters back in Clone Wars, they feel much more in their element here."
And user u/tyo_sharlye touched on another popular opinion: "Star Wars" found their next hit character with Omega. They wrote, "Friendship ended with Grogu. Now Omega is my best friend."
Fans are clearly loving the show, but what do the critics have to say?
Critics think the series had a strong start, but still has room to improve
While professional critics have been more, well, critical of "The Bad Batch," most still found quite a bit to commend about the series. In a review of the premiere episode, Jesse Schedeen of IGN praised the shows' handling of its titular characters, writing, "This episode is able to add far more depth and nuance to these characters than we saw in The Clone Wars ... the end of the war has an immediate and profound effect on all five characters." They concluded by declaring, "Star Wars: The Bad Batch is a worthy successor to The Clone Wars."
In a more critical review for The Guardian, Jack Seale took issue with the dialogue, which they said, "keeps making cringeworthy stabs at maturity, like a teenager in a bow tie." However, they concluded that "The Bad Batch" excels elsewhere, writing, "But we are here for the action, not the nuances of the script, and the opening episode has a couple of corking set pieces."
John Nugent of Empire drew a connection between "The Bad Batch" and its predecessor in their three out of five star review. They said, "Like The Clone Wars — which began with a mixed bag of a feature-length story, before finding its feet in later seasons — the best of The Bad Batch may yet be to come."
Based on the responses from fans and critics alike, it sounds like "Star Wars: The Bad Batch" is launching with a strong premiere that still leaves the series some room to grow and improve. You can stream it now on Disney+.