Star Wars: Resistance (2018-2020) (TV Series Review)

    “Star Wars” is without question one of the most time-tested franchises, as it’s a series that seems to find new life, and new fans with each decade. Among its many strengths, I think one of the main appeals of “Star Wars” is that it’s universal for all ages. It’s one of those unique franchises that connects just as much to little kids as it does adults, and I think that’s one of the main reasons why it continues to grow and thrive over the years. In some cases, it’s quiet literal, as aside from the movies, there are various TV shows that aim for specific age demographics, and yet, each of these shows still fit, and belong under the same roof.

 

The more adult programs include shows like “The Clone Wars” or “The Mandalorian”, while the more child-friendly shows come in the form of the 80’s “Droids” and “Ewoks” cartoons. It makes the “Star Wars” franchises one of my most favorites to explore, as I love the different peaks, valley’s, styles, and tones of each individual installment. After coming off the high of two powerhouse animated programs like “The Clone Wars” and “Rebels”, I genuinely wanted the franchise to balance out with something lighter, more simplistic, and aimed at children, as I felt it was time for a new generation of little kids to grow-up with something special in the franchise … kind of like how the kids did back in the 80’s. My hopes were almost granted with the primer of a new animated TV series in 2018 titled “Star Wars Resistance”. This was an odd case in which I felt a “Star Wars” program was both a little better and a little worse than I initially expected. Do the negatives out-way the positives … lets take a closer look and find out.   

    The series is set six months before the events of the movie “The Force Awakens”, but as it goes on, the episodes begin to weave in and around the events of the first two movies of the sequel trilogy. The show begins with a two-part episode titled "The Recruit", and at this point of the show, there’s no galactic war, but the newly formed First Order is raising some alarming concerns, and a young spy named Kaz is sent on a mission to report on their activities. His assignment leads him to an aircraft refueling station called The Colossus, which is on the ocean planet of Castilon. Kaz's mission is to pose as a shop mechanic, while getting to know everyone at this haven for the galaxy's best pilots, and learn who might potentially be working with the First Order. While on the station, he makes new friends, and finds an opportunity to fulfill his biggest dream … to become an ACE Racer. 

Unlike the previous TV shows, with their layered story arc’s, deep character development, and exciting plot twists, this series takes a relatively simple “life and times” approach. Every now and then, something exciting would happen, like a monster or other outside forces attacking the station, but that wasn't always the drive. Tuning in to a new episode was like catching another day in the life of the “Star Wars” universe while on this station, and the show is passed just as such. On the one hand … I absolutely prefer bigger stories, with gripping, wall to wall excitement, and rich character growth. Yet, there was something refreshing about a show that wasn’t trying to impress, and was content to invite its viewers to something simple.

      As an adult, I found myself admiring the shows life and times atmosphere and tone … but then a thought struck me. Would I have enjoyed watching this show back when I was a little kid … the target audience this was aimed at? After giving it some thought, the honest answer is … I think I would have been really board or disinterested in this series. That’s when the most surreal thing happened to me ... I found myself appreciating this obvious children’s program more as an adult then I would have if I was a little kid. I think the “Star Wars” cartoons of the 80’s stood out more as it was a relatively simple time … but animated children’s programming has come such a long way sense then, to the point where current shows really need to do something out of the box to stand out. While this show really wasn’t bad at all, it just didn’t have a special voice to make itself stand out in a positive … or at the very least … interesting way. The stakes are certainly raised in the second season, as we see our heroes constantly on the run from the First Order, and there's a growing sense of adventure … but stories are still very episodic, and simple in narrative.

     The animation and art style on display was certainly unique, and different from anything else that came before it … but I can also see the look of the show effecting viewers differently. Previous shows like “Star Wars: The Clones Wars” might have been animated, but it also had a really mature and adult presentation on display. “Resistance” by contrast definitely has a look and design that’s meant to appeal to little kids, with a simplistic aesthetic, and a relentlessly cheerful color-pallet. Personally, I do find that the animation has a charm on some level, as it is exceptionally unique … but I will admit, it’s certainly not my favorite display of an animated art-style. 

However, if I was a little kid watching this, I think the big thing that would have turned me off personally … beyond the visuals and simple premise … would have be the characters. The line-up of players in “Resistance” were by no-means … awful … but they lacked a certain appeal that would have grabbed my interest back when I was a kid. By contrast, there are contemporary animated Disney programs like “Gravity Falls”, “The Lion Guard” and “Rapunzel's Tangled Adventures”, each of which have distinct groups of both heroes and villains that I know I would have loved and adored if I had grown up with any of those shows as a kid. It’s not something I can explain, it’s really just something I feel … but perhaps a closer look at the characters of “Star Wars Resistance” is called for.  

                

Kaz (voiced by Christopher Sean) 

Once again, we have another animated “Star Wars” TV show in which the main hero is also the comedic goofball. Although, to the credit of Ezra from “Star Wars Rebels”, he was never … this idiotic. I’ll give the character of Kaz credit for at least having a big heart, selfless determination, and even established character motivations, but more often than not he just comes off like a clumsy goof. He's almost a little too quirky, but voice actor Christopher Sean at least lends some charm and charisma to the character. My biggest issue with Kaz is that, despite being the most prominent character on the show, he really didn’t have much of a personal journey. The Kaz we see at the end of the show really isn’t all that different from who he was at the start, and all the best main “Star Wars” characters have a day and night difference between where their stories begin and end. 

Tam (voiced by Suzie McGrath) 

By contrast, the most layered character of the show comes in the form of a young mechanic named Tam, who starts off as a reluctant repair partner to Kaz, gradually forms a friendship with him, yet eventually turns on him in favor of service to the First Order. In essence, she goes on a personal journey of where she belongs, and contemplates what’s truly right for the galaxy at large. While the character was underutilized in the first season, she really fond her footing in season two, and became one of the more interesting characters to watch, as she had her own personal conflicts, and we didn’t always know where her real loyalties lied.

Neeku (voiced by Josh Brener) 

Aside from our main lead, we have a straight forward comedic side-kick named Neeku, who’s an aquodic alien with a big brain for analyzing things, yet is incredibly clueless when it comes to everything else. It makes for a fun dynamic, and the character isn’t without his funny moments. Unfortunately for me, he tended to annoy me just as often as I found him charming, so I really can’t decide if the character worked for me or not.    

Torra (voiced by Myrna Velasco) 

With a team of racers on the platform, Kaz is eager to join their group, but first he has to test his metal against the un-beaten champion … a young girl named Torra … who just happens to be the daughter of the stations Captain. Both Kaz and Torra share the same love for racing, and they’re the only ones who can connect … as not too many others are their age. Torra becomes Kaz’s figurative sister, and I think they share some of the best chemistry of all the show’s players. Also, Torra manages to stand out with her own signature brand of being ridiculously cute.  

    

Jarek Yeager (voiced by Scott Lawrence) 

Watching over these young kids is a former Rebel officer named Jarek Yeager, who’s the only one who initially knows of Kaz’s secret mission. This character had all the potential to be my favorite of the whole show, as he’s got a deep back story, a personal struggle in which he has to face his own demons, and Scott Lawrence delivers a solid vocal performance. Unfortunately, he’s just not utilized in the show enough to leave an impression. It’s as if the writers were afraid to put to-much focus on a character who wasn’t a young person. Half the time I found myself forgetting about him, that is until he would finally show-up, and give me a sign that he could have been really great if he got more attention.     

Captain Imanuel Doza (Voiced by Jason Hightower) 

On the flip side, the stations proud Captain Doza is actually a very compelling character in his own simple way. During the days of the Empire, he was a decorated officer, but he defected just prior to their loss at the battle of Endor. Now he’s a seasoned man who’s just trying to do what’s best for his people. Without exploring too much detail, you get the sense that this is a seasoned man, governed by his faults and experience’s, and there’s just this humbleness to the guy that makes him a warm presence. He also makes for a very loving father, and his relation with his daughter Torra is genuinely sweet. 

Synara (voiced by Nazneen Contractor) 

At last, my personal favorite character of the show by far is a pirate named Synara. She initially set herself up as a victim of an unfortunate accident, when in reality, she’s a mole working for a band of pirates. However, the longer she stays on the station, the closer she gets to our young hero’s, and as you’d expect … she ends up finding favor with a new family … as opposed to pirates who only cared for her skills. While Synara never officially became a main character, she made more appearances than any other reoccurring character, had a presence that was more exciting then any one else, and a story that honestly felt more layered and compelling then the majority of the main cast. This character is likewise brimming with personality, has a sexy voice, and I think actress Nazneen Contractor delivers the sharpest performance of them all.  

Pirates and the First Order   

Unlike previous animated “Star Wars” programs, “Resistance” didn’t have a reoccurring rouges gallery of villains, and instead just focused on two distinct factions. In season one, the threat came in the form of a band of Pirates, lead by one Commander Kragan … who has a cool design that reminds me of Davy Jones from the Disney “Pirates” franchise. Second, and obviously the biggest threat is the First Order … but they don’t start off that way. Throughout the first season, they present themselves as humble lawmen trying the maintain peace. It actually adds more dimension to them as calculating villains … more so then even the movies did. Things change in season two, as they become more forceful in their grand plans of conquest. They become such a threat that our hero’s find themselves making an alliance with the very pirates they were battling in the first season. The First Order also has two stand out figurehead characters to serve as villains. The first is one Commander Pyre, who stands out as a trooper with Gold plaiting, and not much else beyond that. The last is a female Agent named Tierny, who primarily acts as the devil on Tams shoulder, and gets her to see just in their cause. There’s also a washed-out racer named Rucklin, who starts as a rival to Kaz, and joins the First Order without delay. Not too much to say for this character, except for the fact that he’s voiced by Elijah Wood of “Lord of the Rings” fame … that’s crazy.  

   

Returning “Star Wars” Characters

While this series mostly focused on original characters, it still wasn’t without appearances from some recognizable and classic “Star Wars” players. The droid BB-8 is present throughout the majority of season 1, until he gets replaced with another ball droid. BB-8 in general is one of my most favorite characters from the new trilogy era, so I was glad to have him present for a while. Oscar Isaac reprises his signature role as Resistance pilot Poe Dameron, and makes a number of welcome appearances without becoming a main cast member. He basically serves as our connecting tissue to the movies, and not much else, but it’s cool to have him around. Gwendoline Christie likewise reprises her signature role as the voice of Captain Phasma, which would have been cool if the character did more. You’d think a TV show would have utilized her as a main reoccurring villain, and possibly fleshed out her character more, but on the contrary … I honestly think she was more underutilized in this show then she already was in the movies. Other noteworthy appearances included Princess Leia, Kylo Ren, General Hux, and even Anthony Daniels can briefly be heard once again as the voice of C-3PO. 

The show ran for two seasons and had a total of forty episodes, along with twelve shorts. While “Star Wars Resistance” never offered anything too demanding, it at least had some select highlight along the way that made me happy enough to watch the show once. So, if your curious to cherry-pick any episodes from this series, here is a countdown of my own personal ten favorite episodes from the show. 

#10 "Hunt on Celsor 3" (S2: Episode 25) 

The crew of the Colossus is running low on supplies, prompting the pirates to hunt the manta-ray-like Jakoosk on the planet Celsor 3. Kaz and Torra independently join the hunt, but the beast is immune to their fire. Outmatched, the pirates retreat, leaving Kaz and Torra stranded on the frozen planet, and at the mercy of the giant beast. As if there weren’t enough complications, Torra’s pet stowed away, and its presence isn’t making things any easier for our young pilots. While this episode doesn’t really further the characters or the story, it does make for a fun little adventure for the kids. It’s a treat to see Kaz and Torra work together to get out of a situation of this sort, and the flying Jakoosk is arguably the coolest monster to appear in the whole show. Just a fun little episode, and a nice little shake-up from the norm. 

#9 "A Quick Salvage Run" (S2: Episode 22) 

One of the many highlights of setting a “Star Wars” TV show around the movies is seeing big events from a different perspective. Case in point for this episode, our hero’s come across the after math of the fleet battle of D’Qar from the opening scene of “The Last Jedi”. This is a rare situation for “Star Wars”, as many battles have taken place in the films, but this is an interesting case in which we explore the fallout of a giant confrontation. After taking a moment to mourn the fallen, our heroes instigate a scavenging operation to find fuel and supplies among the rubble. Little do they know, they have a short window, as their former ally Tam shows her true colors by exposing our hero’s coordinates, after receiving an apology transmission from Kaz. This episode raises the stakes, showing what lengths the former hero will do to prove her worth to the villains, and it leads into a thrilling battling in a field of wrecked ships.    

#8 "Secrets and Holograms" (S1: Episode 10) 

Captain Doza's daughter Torra, in many respects is a figurative Disney Princess locked in a tower. Despite being an accomplished pilot, she’s also daddy’s little girl, and he’s determined to keep her safe, even if that means keeping her locked away in Doza tower. Naturally, she’s a free spirit who’s itching to fly the coop, and when she spots her racing buddy Kaz going on a stealth mission, she’s eager to let herself get roped in a mini-adventure. This was early season one, during a time when Kaz was keeping secrets from everyone, and this was Torra’s window to get a peek behind the mysterious young racer. On the flip side, this is when Kaz discovers that her father is a retired Officer of the Empire, and secretly working for the new First Order. Beyond that, this is just a cute little venture watching these two kid’s bond while getting into all kinds of trouble … like getting trapped in a trash incinerator, and navigating their way through as if it's the level of a game. Finally on that note, this episode features one of the most surreal things I never thought I’d see in the “Star Wars” universe … teenagers playing video games in their bedrooms. 

#7 "No Place Safe" (S2: Episode 37) 

After an encounter with a new species of Aquatic aliens, the crew of the Colossus feel they’ve finally found a good place to call home, and where they’ll be safe from their enemies. Kaz however feels he’d be more useful fighting with the rest of the Resistance. After a touching farewell scene, Kaz takes to the stars … only to crash into an enemy probe, which radioed the First Order on where their hiding. Thus, it becomes a ticking-clock situation, as Kaz is stranded in orbit, while the enemy fleet is on the advance. Everything builds to one of the shows greatest battle scenes, as the Aquatic's aid our hero’s in their escape. We’ve seen ship-to-ship battles plenty, but this is the first time we see Ti-Fighters engage people on flying fish-creatures, and it makes for a visually awesome action set-piece. There’s also a suspenseful moment in which Kaz’s old friend turned enemy Tam has a clear shot at him, and almost guns him down … had it not been for a rouge missile. The episode ultimately dose a good job setting the stage for the season finale, features one of the shows best battles, and highlights our characters as they move forward. 
      

#6 "The Engineer" (S2: Episode 26)

Kaz and Synara rescue an engineer named Nena, who helps repair the Colossus while befriending Neeku, and expressing her hatred towards the pirates, as she was previously enslaved by them. Curiously enough, the pirates seem to be up to no-good, and are apparently draining power from the Colossus. Synara denies all this and goes on an investigation of her own. As Neeku gets closer with this new engineer, Synara discovers the truth, that she is in-fact a saboteur working for the first order, which leads to dramatic betrayal’s and villains attacking. While the twist is very predictable, the Engineer herself makes for a great one-shot character. We see the hints of a potential good person under the agent, but she’s just too far gone to trust anyone who makes an alliance with pirates. In the end, she fails to see the errors of her ways, and her failure to bring down the Colossus leads to her slated execution at the hands of the First Order … if only she had taken Neeku’s offer of friendship. This episode also highlights Neeku’s friendship with Kaz, and it adds some layers to a character who up till this point had been the one-note comedic relief.

#5 "Station Theta Black" (S1: Episode 11) 

After Kaz rendezvous with Poe Dameron, the two set off on a mission, and find themselves investigating a mysterious space station for vital Intel. Unfortunately for them, the station is slated to blow sky-high, leaving only a short window to get the info they need. To make matters worse, their actions have gotten the attention of Captain Phasma, who engages our hero’s in an exciting laser shoot-out chase through the station. With Poe Dameron, Captain Phasma, BB-8 and even Princess Leia in prominent roles, this episode features the biggest round-up of movie characters in a single episode of the show, and feels the closest to a legit crossover with the sequel trilogy. The voice actress for Leia is spot on in recreating Carrie Fishers voice, and it’s downright un-canny how similar they sound. It’s also fun to watch Kaz and Poe work off one another, and the two exchange some amusing quips … namely during a funny sequence in which Kaz can’t shoot an attacking droid, which Poe takes out with no problem. Also, while Captain Phasma makes appearances throughout the show, this is the only episode in which she physically engages our hero’s in the action, which is cool to see. It’s actually kind of depressing, because this episode suggests what a potentially awesome villain Captain Phasma could have been, if she were more effectively utilized in both the movies and this series. 

#4 "The Doza Dilemma" (S1: Episode 14) 

Under orders from the First Order, Kragan and his pirate gang embark on a plot to kidnap Captain Doza's daughter Torra, and stage a rescue that will force the Captain to accept First Order protection over the Colossus. Kragan's spy Synara is tasked with helping the pirate infiltrators, but having grown attached to Kaz and his friends, she becomes disillusioned with being a pirate. This episode marked an important shift in direction, as the First Order being to take their baby steps in taking over the station through a promise of protection and security. Kaz also begins to suspect that his new friend Synara might just be a mole for the pirates, and Synara herself shows her first signs of being a potential hero. The final chase is exciting, there’s some really nice moments with the characters bonding, and this show effectively highlights the First Order as a smarter and more calculated group then what the movies presented them as.   

#3 “The Escape” (S2: Episodes 39 & 40) 

After the First Order bomb a village on Aeos Prime, as punishment for the residents aiding the Colossus, Tam finally sees what kind of villains the First Order truly are, and she decides to defect. Hoping to reunite with her friends on the Colossus, she arranges a meeting with Kaz & Yeager … only to be taken prisoner by the first order. What’s worse, their wicked commanders have discovered the location of the Colossus, and they aren’t shy about committing a second act of genocide in one day. With no options left, our three hero’s devise a plan, not just to escape the ship … but to take it down, and deliver a devastating final blow to their enemies. This two-part episode marked the series finale, and made for a fairly strong sendoff for the show. The stakes were much higher, the action thrilling, and there’s a noticeable body count … including the satisfying demise of the shows two main First Order villains. 

Oh, and speaking of villains, this finale also marked the only appearance of Kylo Ren in the shows run, and while not voiced by Adam Driver, he’s at least voiced by known “Star Wars” talent Matthew Wood, who’s been the voice of General Grievous sense “Revenge of the Sith”. While Kylo Ren’s appearance is little more than a cameo, it still made for one of the characters more intimidating scenes. In the end, it’s satisfying to see everyone back together, and it made for a fine little sendoff for an okay little show.    

#2 "The Missing Agent" & "Breakout" (S2: Episodes 33 & 34) 

When a lone Resistance operative transmits an SOS, Kaz and a small team find themselves at the mercy of a powerful new enemy … a Bounty Hunter called Ax Tagrin. Despite their best efforts to escape, our hero’s find themselves outmatched by this juggernaut of a foe, most end-up captured, the Colossus retreats, and it’s up to Kaz to put a rescue plan into motion. Straight to the point, this double episode pairing features the absolute best villain in the whole show … in my view, the bounty hunter Ax Tagrin can be placed on the same pedestal as the other iconic "Star Wars" Bounty Hunters. 

This guy is awesome, the voice is chilling, he has a signature weapon, his design is like something from out of “World of Warcraft”, and he’s the first villain in the show to really challenge our hero’s. In general, the action in this show is not very impressive, but thanks to this villain, it marked a special case in which the action felt like it had urgency, and it felt white knuckled. This episode also wasn’t afraid to have some darker moments, like seeing our main leads tortured. Obviously, nothing new by “Star Wars” standards, but for this shows target audience, I was impressed with what was on display. With its tense fight scenes, and note-worthy villain, I’d honestly recommend the casual “Star Wars” viewer to give this episode pairing a watch.         

Before I reveal my #1 favorite, here are some quick Honorable Mentions ... 

"Synara's Score" 

"The Relic Raiders"

"The Platform Classic"


"The Disappeared"

"The Children from Tehar"

#1 “No Escape” (S1: Episodes 20 &21) 

What episode could possibly be stronger than the series finale … how about the season 1 finale. I put this one a peg above it’s successor, because it had to meet the challenge of stirring interest in a second season, following after an admittedly mediocre first season. Thankfully, this season finale succeeded, and in my view provided the most exciting content of the whole show. At this point, the First Order were just really strict security personal, but this was the game changing event when the villains overstep their bounds, show their true hostile intents, and the citizens begin to rebel against them. This also marks the point when Kaz’s close friend Tam turns on our hero’s in favor of the First Order, and what they stand for. 

Finally, I mentioned before the novelty of seeing events from the movies from a different perspective … and this episode arguably has the most impact-full of them all. We see General Hux’s speech and the destruction of the Hosnian System by Star Killer Base, which are events lifted from “The Force Awakens”. This time it’s seen from the perspective of our hero’s, who all have families on those planets. Suddenly, that one minor scene from the movie feels all the more tragic and larger in scale. In the end, Kaz and team manage to free the Colossus from First Order occupation, and after a climactic battle are hurled into the unknown reaches of the galaxy. Despite all the shows short-comings, this season finale admittedly got me excited to see where things were going, and it made me return for its final season with a genuine interest. For that reason, this two-part season finale stands as my personal favorite of what “Star Wars Resistance” had to offer. 

     In the end, "Resistance" lacked the griping stories, exciting battles and menacing villains from previous "Star Wars" TV shows, but it at least compensated with a refreshingly simple premise, a multilayered setting, a unique art style, and it featured some genuinely down to earth characters. Unfortunately, for as much as I try to talk positive about the show, it was still unmistakably a series that simply came and left, with no real staying power. I did admire the effort to give little kids a show of their own, but even in that context … I’ve seen more credible programs to share with children. It really wasn’t even a series that fans were asking for, and it certainly didn’t leave an impact the same way both “The Clone Wars” and “Rebels” did. Still, with all that said, I’d like to plead that this wasn’t a terrible show, by any means. It certainly isn’t a show that I’ll be taking home, but it's still fine for all it aims to be. Maybe it’s for the best to have an okay “Star Wars” program once in a while, as it can make us appreciate the superior shows that preceded it, and the ones to follow after. Not a great animated "Star Wars" program, but an inoffensive and passable one all the same.  

Thanks for reading my review of the 2018 TV series "Star Wars Resistance" ... and continue to enjoy whatever shows you love.