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Alright, Disney. Alright, Lucasfilm. Alright, Dave and Jon. What do you want me to do with this episode? Seriously.
Before I review this episode, there’s something that I need to cover or else people are going to just try to find it first. Let’s deal with following tweet and subsequent reporting:
Book of Boba Fett predictions! Save this tweet! Baby Yoda and Han Solo will make an appearance. 🤫🤫🤭🤭
— Jay D3PO (@Drunk3po) December 16, 2021
So we’ve talked about that tweet here at That Park Place, and I’m sure I’ve discussed that Harrison Ford has been recorded for Han Solo. I think that’s all still true, and I’m pretty sure that Drunk3po had this right. I also think the IMDB reference to Harrison Ford was correct, and then later removed for appropriate reasons. You may have heard from other sources that they’ve been trying to recut parts of Episode 7 after the response to Episode 4. I believe that’s accurate. I talked about it in the following quote:
“When it comes to them trying to “fix” Episode 7 in time for release, a source says to me that they’re trying to “get the zany out.”
So what I think has occurred, is that a very short cameo appearance from a de-aged Harrison Ford was cut at the last minute. I think the ending sequence with Boba Fett talking to the Vespa Kidz is where that cameo was supposed to appear. And there is one of two reasons that I think caused this to be cut until it can be used in a later series. The first reason is, I think, the most likely. I think Disney has known for weeks that this episode is awful. If you thought this was good, you’re not going to enjoy the review (when I get to it)… just fair warning. I think John Favreau and Dave Filoni know this is bad. It’s really bad. And so, the most likely possibility in my mind, is that they pulled the Han Solo cameo to keep him out of this. The other reason is, based on what I’ve heard, Harrison Ford recorded the clip in December. Perhaps they couldn’t get the footage up to par with the Luke material in time. That’s the only two reasons I can offer you, and we will likely not know for years why the decision was made. Because only a few people were involved in the creative decisions to “fix” this episode, we’ll know nothing until they talk in a way that we can find out. There is no real good chance of a leak on this one.
How bad is this episode? Well… I wouldn’t have released this. Whatever the cost would have been in time and money, and no matter the PR, I would have redone the entire thing. This wasn’t ready for Prime Time in any sense.
I do think this episode is so bad that they would pull the cameo. Robert Rodgriguez should never direct another live action Star Wars property. I’m sure he’s a great person, and I’m not trying to malign him. But Episode 3 was the worst Star Wars thing I’ve seen since the Holiday Special. It was worse than The Last Jedi (although not as damaging). The finale is not as bad as Episode 3, but it’s downright awful.
Robert Rodriguez should never direct or touch Star Wars again 🤦♂️#BookofBobaFett #StarWars pic.twitter.com/1UOFBBJIUQ
— 4e Régiment (@4eRegiment) February 9, 2022
Spoilers Ahead
One thing I’m trying to figure out is exactly who this is made for. I can’t decide what they’re trying to do in Episodes 1, 3, 4, and 7. I get Episode 2. I get the non-Boba Fett episodes. But the episodes of Boba Fett about Boba Fett directed by anyone other than Jon Favreau, I just do not understand. It seems to me that this is an adult’s show which is written as if it is for preschoolers. I can’t figure out why that would make sense as something to aim for.
“Hey, we’re about to be in an all-out war with crime syndicates. Go out there on rainbow-colored mopeds and scout out the situation!”
Here’s my best example: when Mando is trying to repeatedly hit the bad CGI bubble bot with the dark saber (which, by the way, what is there that is all special about this dinky sword now?), he fails multiple times. Then he literally says to Boba Fett, “I can’t get through.” I laughed out loud in a moment that is supposed to be serious (it wasn’t the only time). It’s like somebody trying to start a car three times, then they sternly turn to a buddy and say “it won’t start.” Who in the world wrote this thing? I mean, wow, that’s bad.
Also, I get that the Twi’lek guy is supposed to be a C3P0 style character. But he’s not. C3P0 is enduring because he’s a fish out of water droid with programming not suited to his environment. This liaison style character in Boba Fett just annoys the audience every single time he appears. He’s not funny in the least. The same goes for Peli Motto played by Amy Sedaris. This character is being played like a preschool comedy gag girl in a show that is supposed to be about war, slavery, and syndicated crime. Again, what am I supposed to do with that as a person in the audience? She rides in with cartoon banter on a droid sleigh carrying Grogu into a warzone, and I’m just thinking to myself as it happens “I hate everything about this.” She gives Jar Jar Binks a run for his money. It has to be directing though, because she was tolerable in Episode 5. Given to Robert Rodriguez though, she’s a cartoon clown.
Of course, the Vespa Kidz are back again, just like I said in the spoiler review. They’re toned down from what they could have been, likely due to recent edits. But they’re there, and they’re just as bad as before. We’ve also spent very little time with them, so we don’t care what happens with them. It’s even worse when they interact with characters we’ve never even heard from until this episode and the script tries to make us care about some emotional connection they have.
The writing continues to be awful in ways that are unfathomable. Mando tells the Vespa Kidz and their crew to stop shooting the rancor. Five seconds later he’s blasting it in the mouth with flames. There’s no rhyme or reason to what’s going on. We don’t even get to see Grogu make his big decision or find out how Luke reacts. He just shows up, after Luke apparently sends him and R2D2 into a warzone. “Hope you don’t die,” he must have said. There’s nobody coming to save this little guy anymore. And you’d think Mando would be frustrated that there’s now a child being delivered to him as he’s potentially about to die; nope, he’s just thrilled. Nothing like being in war and someone hands your five-year old to you in the trenches.
Are there good parts to this episode? Sure. Like anything else, you can find some good in it. But there’s not much, and it does the unenviable service of making me truly not care at all about Grogu or Mando or Boba Fett or even Luke at this point. Who cares? I could double this review’s word count going over just how bad this episode was. But what is the point? If all it is supposed to be is Transformers or Godzilla Versus Kong but with lightsabers (sometimes)… fine. Is it a show for small children? Fine. But this is not “Event TV”. This is not worth carving out time to watch.
Alright, I’ve eviscerated this episode enough. If you agree, let me know. If you disagree, let me know. Maybe I’m the only one who feels this way. Comments are there for you to join in, and as always, keep checking out That Park Place for all the latest.
I wish I could be more positive, but I just have to be honest. I wouldn’t have finished this episode were I not reviewing it.
Score: 1.5 (Nearly Unwatchable)
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Update 2/10/2022, 11:06 AM EST: Resolved a typo listing an incorrect episode. Thank you for the catch, Chris Smith!
