It’s hard to judge a TV show based solely off of it’s first episode. Even as the show gets deeper into its first season, it remains hard to accurately judge it until it’s able to find it’s footing. Some shows never do, and meander aimlessly before being cancelled. Some shows figure out what they want to be halfway through the first season, kick into gear, and never look back upon their early days on the airwaves. Still others wander about, trying to find purpose, for a good two seasons or so before, all of a sudden, everything comes together. But on very rare occasions, a show will find it’s footing just seconds into its pilot episode. In some cases, this is a happy accident, and the pilot may be a one hit wonder, so to speak. And so, we are left with the last category: shows that come out of the gate swinging, and then decide that they’re going to be awesome FOREVER.
There aren’t many shows that do this, but Rebels is undoubtedly one of them, at least so far. Though it’s only two episodes in (three, if you count Spark of Rebellion as two episodes), both of those episodes have been awesome. So either the creative team has had two (or three) happy accidents, or this show really is just that great. For now, I’m going with the second option. While Droids in Distress is not quite as mind blowing as the premiere, it still is an excellent installment into the Star Wars universe. Honestly, I think that Rebels would benefit immensely from getting 45 minutes every week, as that would have given this episodes less of a compacted feel, which is really it’s greatest flaw.
It’s going to be interesting to see how long it takes for Rebels to implement the three or four episode story arc format of The Clone Wars, because 21 or so minutes simply does not do the stories of this show justice. That being said, it will be unfortunate if the show does have to convert to that story telling model. The one and done plots, with a few dangling character threads, are great. It allows each episode to zero in on a specific character or issue, and it means that we’ll be getting new adventures every episode. For example, this episode is a very different beast when compared to the first. It deals with different issues, and rather than focusing on Ezra, it takes quite a bit of time to focus on Zeb. Plus, it puts the crew of the Ghost into situations that are utterly different from what we saw in the first episode. This will undoubtedly help keep the show fresh in future episodes.
However, about half of this episode is spent with very little plot or character progression. Sure, that half still has all the trappings that make Rebels feel so special. All the elements of the original trilogy – the excellent dialogue, the lived in feel of the universe, the excellent sound design, musical cues, and art direction – are there, and they keep the episode afloat. It also moves along at a brisk pace, grabbing viewers by the neck, and throwing them to the end of the episode. Unfortunately, there isn’t much substance to those initial ten or twelve minutes. But then, everything changes as soon as Zeb realizes what the team is stealing.
From there, the episode goes to some really dark places, and asks moral questions about genocide and illicit arms trading that make it hard to remember that this is a kids show. Remember when The Clone Wars did that great arc about insurgency and terrorism at the start of season five? This is reminiscent of that, though it’s obvious that Dave Filoni and co have learned some great lessons since then. Rather than just deliver some excellent social commentary, it’s used as a way to augment the characters, specifically Zeb. The second half of the episode sheds new light upon his character. It’s already been established that he isn’t the stereotypical “tough guy,’ but this episode furthers that, and even takes it further.
We see a softer, more sentimental side of Zeb, a side that has been deeply scarred by the Empire. Some of what comes to light in this episode really gives justification for his willingness to fight against the Empire, in the same way that A New Dawn did for Hera and Kanan. Giving him motivation is a key step in further establishing Zeb as a character in the already massive Star Wars universe. It gives viewers even more reason to care about his personal journey, but also about his journey as a member of the crew of the Ghost. Of course, the rest of the cast get opportunities to shine, even guest stars C-3P0 and R2-D2. Rebels is really doing an excellent job of highlighting that this is an ensemble cast, not a show about one or two characters.
Rebels is one of the greatest triumphs of animated television in recent memory. No, scratch that. It’s one of the greatest triumphs in the entire medium in recent memory. It’s what Star Wars fans have wanted more of ever since the original film was released in 1977. It’s the second season of Firefly people beg for. It’s the ultimate animated science fiction experience, and Droids in Distress is only the second installment in the already excellent show. With this episode, and the show in general, Dave Filoni, Greg Weisman, and the rest of the creative team have proven they have a better grasp on this universe than almost everyone else. This is what Star Wars should be, and it’s excellent.
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