You Would Think The Content of the Character Would Be More Important
This week on the podcast, Brian and Darryl review the first 2 episodes of The Bad Batch. Then they dive into the announcements about the new Superman from Coates & Abrams, and the exclusion of Doctor Strange from WandaVision, and what that means for storytelling, or lack thereof, coming from Hollywood.
Episode Index
The Bad Batch:
WandaVision:
The Bad Batch Episodes 1 & 2
Directed by: Steward Lee, Saul Ruiz, and Nathaniel Villanueva
Written by: Jennifer Corbett and Dave Filoni
Release Date : May 4, 2021
Near the end of the Clone War, the Bad Batch are sent to Kaller to aid Jedi Master Depa Billaba and her Padawan Caleb Dume. However, shortly after their arrival, Order 66 is issued and Billaba killed. The Bad Batch receives the order too, but except for Crosshair do not feel compelled to obey it, and Hunter lets Dume escape. The Bad Batch return to Kamino, to learn that an Empire has replaced the Republic, and meet Omega, a female defective clone. Soon after, Admiral Tarkin arrives to evaluate the clones’ viability, and after testing the Bad Batch’s skills, he sends them to eliminate a group of insurgents on Onderon. When they discover that these “insurgents” are actually Republic fighters and civilians under Saw Gerrera who refuse to submit to the new Empire, the Bad Batch decide to abandon their mission and return for Omega, but are arrested for treason. Crosshair has his still-lingering obedience programming enhanced by Tarkin to turn against his teammates, forcing the Bad Batch and Omega to flee Kamino without him.
Dee Bradley Baker as all of the clone troopers in the series, including the members of Clone Force 99 / the Bad Batch
Stephen Stanton as Admiral Tarkin
Bob Bergen as Lama Su
Gwendoline Yeo as Nala Se
Andrew Kishino as Saw Gerrera
Archie Panjabi as General Depa Billaba
Freddie Prinze Jr. as Caleb Dume
Ben Diskin as AZI-3
Matthew Wood as battle droids.
Ian McDiarmid as Darth Sidious
Tom Kane as the narrator
Cara Pifko, Nika Futterman, and Kath Soucie as Suu, Shaeeah, and Jek Lawquane
Ming-Na Wen as Fennec Shand
Directed by: Brad Rau
Written by: Jennifer Corbett
Release Date : May 7, 2021
The Bad Batch and Omega arrive on Saleucami to meet with deserter Cut Lawquane and his wife Suu. Cut reveals the existence of the inhibitor chips inside the clone troopers’ brains, explaining why the clones have turned against the Jedi. While Cut and Hunter go into town, the rest of the Bad Batch stay behind with Suu and Omega bonds with Cut and Suu’s children. Cut reveals to Hunter that he plans to leave off-world with his family, but with the Empire now ruling over the galaxy, a newly established law states that civilians need a chain code to legally book a transport. Back at Suu’s house, Omega accidentally throws a ball outside a restricted fence, grabbing the attention of a monster, but is rescued by Suu. To get the chain codes, Tech and Echo plan to infiltrate the ship impound to retrieve them, but accidentally bring Omega along and get caught. Omega delivers the chain codes to Cut and his family; however, five are made rather than the original four, with the fifth chain code made specifically for Omega, as Hunter explains it is too dangerous for her to be with him. Despite this, Omega chooses to stay with the Bad Batch, while Cut and his family manage to flee.
Dee Bradley Baker as all of the clone troopers in the series, including the members of Clone Force 99/the Bad Batch
Stephen Stanton as Admiral Tarkin
Bob Bergen as Lama Su
Gwendoline Yeo as Nala Se