Obi-Wan Series - Friday 27th May

[jonamok]

2 hours ago, Eighthours said:

Also, it was Zach Braff!

Heavily channeling Seth Rogen. Was utterly convinced it was him.

[JohnC]

4 hours ago, Vulgar Monkey said:

- given we're about 10-15 yrs before ANH, I'm starting to think Ewan looks a bit too good tbh. Couldnt they gave him a few greys at least?

Funnily enough, I was kind of thinking the opposite. Looking at the PTSD video posted in the last few days, I was thinking Alec doesn't look as old as I remember, so Ewan is probably fine for the time gap.

[The Bag]

6 hours ago, Vulgar Monkey said:

 

I immediately knew after the first line that I knew the voice from somewhere, but never in a million years wouldve guessed Braff!

But also I spent a while wondering if they had haydensen do vaders voice by using a LOT of heavy post-processing to get the effect since JLJ died.... but then realised JLJ isnt dead (dont ask me why I thought he was). So I've had bad luck all round at sussing voices here.

 

Anyway, agree with most points from others, but will add:

- they went fucking hard on the music for this one.

- given we're about 10-15 yrs before ANH, I'm starting to think Ewan looks a bit too good tbh. Couldnt they gave him a few greys at least?

 

 

They’ve confirmed it’s James Earl Jones doing the voice: https://deadline.com/2022/06/obi-wan-kenobi-james-earl-jones-voice-darth-vader-1235036511/amp/

 

Although I suspect they’ll have to be doing some processing on it.  He’s in his 90s now and his voice has aged and is much thinner than it used to be.  I watched the Your Movie Sucks on the Lion King remake and the difference is really obvious, especially when in the film there are lines from the original mixed in, there’s just not that power in his voice any more.

[probotector]

Really enjoyed this ep.

 

The production values seemed higher, apart from Vadars throne room…couldn’t they just use the rogue one assets?

 

Music was still crap apart from a few scenes.

 

Also, it’s kinda weird seeing Vadar being so evil after spending so much time with Anakin and knowing how it all ends. 

[Spatial]

If you'd told me this time last year I'd been enjoying the Obi Wan series waaaaay more than the Boba Fett series I would have called you mad. But then the world's a funny place these days.

 

Dunno if knowing this was supposed to be a film at one point is altering my perception but it feels a bit more grandiose and cohesive in direction and plotting (albeit stretched in parts for the series).

 

And I'm finding it hilarious how they're desperately trying to avoid going full Imperial March and Leia's Theme with the soundtrack. Can just imagine two people fighting over it in post;

 

"Just put the god damn tune in the scene, it's iconic and fits what's going on!!"

 

"Nope, I'm not doing it. But here's something that sounds quite a bit like it..."

[SonOfSoAngry]

10 hours ago, Paulando said:

 

 

  Hide contents

The lightsaber fight was better than anything in the prequels. Scrappy and raw. The fire stuff was a bit weird though. Why did it suddenly disappear?

 

 

Spoiler

The fire being used to torture Kenobi? Vader blows it out using the force, kinda like using dynamite to put out an oil well fire.

 

I thought it was a neat touch.

 

[JohnC]

But then inexplicably couldn’t repeat the trick a few seconds later. 
 

Im enjoying it, but that was weird. 

[FishyFish]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

Funnily enough, I was kind of thinking the opposite. Looking at the PTSD video posted in the last few days, I was thinking Alec doesn't look as old as I remember, so Ewan is probably fine for the time gap.

Ewan McGregor is pretty much the correct age to play the role for this time period too. Alec Guiness was 63 when A New Hope was released  and Ewan is 51 now.

[RFT]

Regarding R2:

 

Spoiler

The buried astromech (or part of one) outside the cave probably isn’t R2-D2. My wife reckons she spotted R2 in the background of one of the alderaan palace scenes which fits with where he was seen at the end of ep3 (on bail organa’s ship, being taken for a memory wipe) and then where he’s seen at the start of ep4. Leia just probably told him “you belong to Obi-Wan Kenobi now, go find him and give him this message”  

 

[Jg15]

1 hour ago, probotector said:

 

Also, it’s kinda weird seeing Vadar being so evil after spending so much time with Anakin and knowing how it all ends. 

 

He is fuelled by anger at this stage more than anything else. His deep hatred of Obi Wan, and knowing that he is on that planet hiding in plain sight, has amplified this. A few civilian deaths was probably restrained for Vader at this point.

[Delargey]

I enjoyed Vader meeting Obi Wan, despite the silliness with the fire but I kinda think it treads on their meeting in A New Hope.

[Paulando]

1 hour ago, SonOfSoAngry said:

 

  Hide contents

The fire being used to torture Kenobi? Vader blows it out using the force, kinda like using dynamite to put out on oil well fire.

 

I thought it was a neat touch.

 

 

Spoiler

I thought that, but why did he just stand there looking sad rather than putting out the second lot of fire?

 

[SeanR]

 

"We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but the learner. Now, *I* am the master."

 

"Only a master of evil, Darth. Whereas I am Hide and Seek Champion of the Outer Rim"

 

"Spose you think you're fucking funny, hiding on my homeworld? You KNOW I hate sand..."

[SonOfSoAngry]

39 minutes ago, Paulando said:

 

  Hide contents

I thought that, but why did he just stand there looking sad rather than putting out the second lot of fire?

 

That ability's recharge was nerfed in the last patch?

[Hamus]

That was brilliant.

 

Actually pretty scary, i didn't expect that!

 

I'm enjoying the way Obi Wan has Obi Waned in his abilities of everything.

What will be interesting is seeing how he becomes the more relaxed, surer of himself, older Obi Wan. 

The first scene you meet him in New Hope, there is confidence there. Acceptance maybe?

 

I wonder how they are going to get there (multiple seasons I suspect).

 

What I was surprised about was the Leia story but now it makes sense in regards to her asking for help in New Hope. Although her words in IV do seem a little off "you served my father in the clone wars" as if she didn't really know him. Surely she may have called him Ben? Unless she's either forgotten her childhood kidnap trauma and/or maybe if the message was intercepted a link between them is less obvious. Not that it would make much difference surely.

 

One thing that has to be explained is; and note I don't know much about anything canon outside of the films and these modern series - where do all the other sith bad guys go? I'm guessing it's explained in the cartoons and all that, but from New Hope onwards it's only Vader and The Emps.

 

That is another thing isn't it. Surely Pallypaps will appear in this! Woop!

[Paulando]

7 minutes ago, Hamus said:

I'm enjoying the way Obi Wan-

Erm, it’s just Ben now, a-thank-you.

[Vulgar Monkey]

1 hour ago, Jg15 said:

 

He is fuelled by anger at this stage more than anything else. His deep hatred of Obi Wan, and knowing that he is on that planet hiding in plain sight, has amplified this. A few civilian deaths was probably restrained for Vader at this point.

 

I remember when he first turns up thinking he was moving at about as brisk a pace as we ever see, too. For Vader I suppose that counts as 'excited'.

[SeanR]

[BitterToad]

1 hour ago, Delargey said:

I enjoyed Vader meeting Obi Wan, despite the silliness with the fire but I kinda think it treads on their meeting in A New Hope.

This is the thing, I'm treating the whole thing as a kind of "what if" comic book and enjoying it much more because of that. 

[Eighthours]

4 hours ago, The Bag said:

They’ve confirmed it’s James Earl Jones doing the voice: https://deadline.com/2022/06/obi-wan-kenobi-james-earl-jones-voice-darth-vader-1235036511/amp/

 

Although I suspect they’ll have to be doing some processing on it.  He’s in his 90s now and his voice has aged and is much thinner than it used to be.  I watched the Your Movie Sucks on the Lion King remake and the difference is really obvious, especially when in the film there are lines from the original mixed in, there’s just not that power in his voice any more.

I was surprised at how great the voice was! James Earl Jones really sounded like proper, powerful Vader, much more so than… say… David Attenborough sounds like 30 years ago Attenborough these days! Or Patrick Stewart sounds like TNG-era Picard. Superb job, however they processed it.

[Darwock]

I’m dead against all the meddling that was done to the original trilogy, but I have to say I wish they would ’special edition’ the young JEJ processing from this onto his dialogue in Rogue One.

[Hanzo the Razor]

6 hours ago, RFT said:

Regarding R2:

 

  Hide contents

The buried astromech (or part of one) outside the cave probably isn’t R2-D2. My wife reckons she spotted R2 in the background of one of the alderaan palace scenes which fits with where he was seen at the end of ep3 (on bail organa’s ship, being taken for a memory wipe) and then where he’s seen at the start of ep4. Leia just probably told him “you belong to Obi-Wan Kenobi now, go find him and give him this message”  

 

 

Only 3PO had his memory wiped at the end of ROTS.

[Barnard]

That pilot looked a lot like Rich Evans from RLM. 😅

[lankysanchez]

I’m quite enjoying this but the pacing is a bit off I think. Ewan is bossing it though. 
 

Spoiler

I think what I wanted was Vader staying away for most of the series but getting more annoyed at his Inquisitors failing to catch Obi-Wan. Losing his temper completely in the last episode and coming to find him personally. But actually, after a tense cat and mouse chase Obi-Wan gets away and they never actually come face to face.

 

[Jamie John]

I thought the latest episode was the best so far. After The Mandalorian, I'm surprised how closely this hews to the film series - I thought going in that it was going to be very separate, but, as had been said, it feels like an extended version of Episode 3.5.

 

I still don't think the casting choice of The Third Sister is a good one, though - she looks too young, and as if she's constantly got a bad smell up her nose when she's trying to appear angry.

[revol]

Late to this, but by jove is it an enjoyable romp! No expectations, but just really good so far. Perhaps I'm numb to cynicism regarding Star Wars over the past few years, it's just pretty good fun. 

[Broker]

This is so bland. Watched the three that are out tonight and there are some good moments, some stupid ones and a whole lot of boring nothing. I’m surprised people aren’t more critical of it shoehorning in a relationship between Ben and Leia which clearly contradicts a new hope, but I’m guessing Star Wars fans are just used to that by now? It’s similar with the empire suddenly having a tonne of Sith wielding lightsabers. 
 

Good things:

 

Spoiler

Ewan is doing his best. I liked the hesitation to use his sabre and the moment where Vader arrived and he just broke down. The fight was a nice middle ground between the acrobatic prequel stuff and the measured duel in ANH. The kid playing little Leia is cute and quite good at acting for a child. Some fun creatures in the first episode or two. Jimmy Smits is great in everything. 

Bad things:

 

Spoiler

The camera work is garbage, as is the lighting. The Galaxy shrinking effect of characters constantly just rocking up wherever they need to be with no searching when it’s supposed to take place across planets/galaxies. The action varies wildly depending on the scene. Vaders polystyrene palace. The little annoyances with where people are like the tunnel bit. After managing to do a decent Vader action scene in Rogue One they’ve gone back to having him clomp about slowly in his silly platform boots. That spinning circle lightsaber the inquisitor has is dumb. Their story about where they came from when vagina face alien gave them a lift was genuinely crap, like why didn’t the storm troopers just shoot them on site then. It’s basically another giant retcon jamming more stuff into whatever gaps they can find in the cannon, after they got rid of the old EU they’re just repeating the problems with it. 

Mostly though it was just a bit boring. Terrible pacing where stuff gets rushed/skipped over but then there’s long scenes like the exploration of the droid hut which dragged on and on. 
 

I guess though maybe I just don’t want to enjoy it. Funny that I decided to watch it if that’s the case, but I guess some fanboy whose standards dive through the floor the second they see a lightsaber probably understands my motivations better than I do. 

[TehStu]

This is so good. Even the earlier sequences showing him punching the clock at his job, trying not to be consumed by the absolute failure of everything he's ever known. I only hope his bouncing back is similarly well acted.

 

Spoiler

I was briefly annoyed they met. But whatever, we seem to be beyond strict continuity these days.

 

Vader randomly snapping a kid's neck just shows you where his head is over Obi-Wan.

 

 

Oops, nearly put that in a quote and can't figure out how to delete it on mobile.

Quote

 

 

[SuperFamiTom]

6 hours ago, Broker said:

I guess though maybe I just don’t want to enjoy it. Funny that I decided to watch it if that’s the case, but I guess some fanboy whose standards dive through the floor the second they see a lightsaber probably understands my motivations better than I do. 

I assume that’s aimed at my earlier comment? 
 

I’m far from a Star Wars fanboy. I thought the Mandalorian was a load a shite, Book of Fett the same and I’ve not even made it to the end of any of the animated series since Rebels. 
 

When I don’t like something though I just move on and find something I do enjoy. Life’s too short for me to be wasting any more of it writing paragraphs of text explaining why. 

[Jamie John]

7 hours ago, Broker said:

This is so bland.

 

7 hours ago, TehStu said:

This is so good.

 

😃