The Clone Wars: Rookies

My friends and I are embarking on an exploration of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.  Every Tuesday, we will be featuring an episode from the series which began in 2008 (as opposed to the one that started in 2003).  All are welcome to join us for all or parts of the fun.

Episode: "Rookies"
Series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Season 1, Episode 5
Original Air Date: October 24, 2008

via Wookieepedia

A small unit of inexperienced clones are stationed at a listening post on a remote moon in the Outer Rim.   Droid commandos attack, preparing a broader invasion by General Grievous, threatening Kamino, the clones' home world.  Quickly finding themselves at a severe disadvantage, the rookie clones must find a way to undermine the Separatists' devious plan.

"Rookies" provides something you don't get much in the Star Wars movies: the experience of the common soldier.  Just as in the real world, hours of tedium are peppered with moments of sheer terror, death and disaster a constant threat.  Take away the space opera trappings and "Rookies" could fit in nicely with the military adventure movies of the 1950s and '60s. 

*****

via Twitter

"Rookies" features eight individual clone characters: Hevy, Echo, Fives, Cutup, Droidbait, O'Niner, Cody and Rex.  All are voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.  Baker was born August 31, 1962 in Bloomington, Indiana, though he grew up in Greeley, Colorado.  He majored in philosophy at Colorado College.  He got his first big break as the announcer and the voice of Olmec on the Nickelodeon game show, Legends of the Hidden Temple.

Apart from Star Wars, Baker's extensive television work includes American Dad! and Phineas and Ferb.  His most significant big screen performance came in 2014's The Boxtrolls, for which he was nominated for an Annie Award.  In video games, he has contributed to the Halo franchise and numerous television tie-in games.  He met his wife while both were working in children's theater.  The couple have two daughters.

If you would care to join us for all or part of our travels, sign on to the list below.  Please visit the other participants today.  Next week: "Downfall of a Droid."

Creative Blogger Award

I am both honored and humbled to be nominated for the Creative Blogger Award by Spacerguy, Star Trek Enthusiast, First Class.  His site, Star Trek - Sci Fi Blog, is one of my favorites.  Spacerguy is one of my companions for the Animated Series project.  Thanks for the nomination, sir!

The rules:

1. Thank and post the link of the person who nominated you.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself to your readers.
3. Nominate 10-20 blogs and notify them.
4. Pass on the rules.


Five Facts:

1. We just got back from a family vacation in Montana.  We spent a week on the northern edge of Flathead Lake, not far from Glacier National Park.  It was the first time in the state for me.

2. I'm trying to learn more about food, partly by reading but also by cooking.  One food hobby I really enjoy is mixing cocktails.  While I'm generally more likely to drink beer or wine, I love the mad scientist aspect of amateur bartending.  My wife generally favors fizzy gin drinks: gin rickey, gin fizz and gin and tonic.  Sidecars have also been a gratifying discovery.  Mixing doesn't exactly qualify as cooking but I think there's a lot to learn in terms of balancing flavors.  Citrus, for example, can overpower a drink, even in modest proportions.  Every once in a while, though, a delightful combination emerges.  Almond and lime are a dazzling duo.

3. Playing table top games is one of our favorite family hobbies.  Our most satisfying recent discovery has been the card game Gloom.  Each player has a family.  The object is to make each family member miserable before killing them off, one by one.  Colorful storytelling is encouraged.  Any fan of Edward Gorey would be charmed by this game.

4. I took my first yoga class a couple weeks ago. My wife had done yoga before but it had been a few years since she took a class.  We went together to a Saturday beginner class at a relatively new studio.  I'm hoping it's a hobby we'll be able to pursue together.  I was actually pleasantly surprised by my own flexibility though several of the poses provided ample challenge nonetheless.
 
5. The Armchair Squid began life as a sports blog, initially tennis.  While I don't write about sports nearly as often now, I still watch plenty.  Wimbledon kicks off this week, always an exciting time of year for me.


My nominations for the Creative Blogger Award:

1. What's Up, MOCK?
2. Hungry Enough to Eat Six
3. Servitor Ludi
4. Strange Pegs
5. The ToiBox of Words
6. Cherdo on the Flipside
7. WOMEN: WE SHALL OVERCOME
8. mainewords
9. WORD + STUFF
10. Stephanie Faris

The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: July 2015 Blog List

 

Greetings to all!  I hope you'll join us for the next installment of the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, an online gathering of bloggers who love books.  The next meeting is set for Friday, July 31st.  If you're interested, please sign on to the link list at the end of this post.

The idea is simple: on the last Friday of each month, post about the best book you've finished over the past month while visiting other bloggers doing the same.  In this way, we'll all have the opportunity to share our thoughts with other enthusiastic readers.  Please join us:

The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: June 2015

Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the tomes they enjoyed most over the previous month.  Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.  If you wish to add your own review to the conversation, please sign on to the link list at the end of my post.

Title: Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
Author: Mary Roach

via Amazon

My Wife's first book swap choice of the summer for me was Bonk, Mary Roach's survey of sex research.  Just as The Omnivore's Dilemma inspires an assessment of one's relationship with food, Bonk inspires a re-examination of one's sexual being.  Am I going to share that assessment with you as I did with the other?  Well, no, I'm not that kind of blog (I can hear your collective sigh of relief).  Suffice to say, the book did leave me feeling grateful for my own lot in life and gave me plenty of reason to hope for continued health in the future.

I wouldn't consider myself particularly prudish.  In fact, I am of the opinion that people should be able to talk about sex openly and respectfully.  I don't mean the locker room talk.  That's about ego gratification.  I simply mean that we shouldn't all be so embarrassed by the idea that sex is a significant element of human life.  Learning more about it and being able to discuss it frankly with the important people in our lives is both healthy and responsible.  I wouldn't say I'm always able to do that but I think it's a worthy goal as a society.  As such, I think Mary Roach and the scientists she studied are to be commended for their contributions.

That is not to say the book didn't make me squeamish from time to time.  For me, the discomfort had more to do with surgery than with sex.  I'm okay with discussing body parts unless you're talking about cutting them open.  Yick!  There are plenty of leg crossing moments for both ends of the gender spectrum.  I was tempted to skip a few particularly cringe-worthy passages but I soldiered on.  Even with the occasional wince, I think I'd be up for more from Roach.

Be forewarned, the book is very funny.  I would not be comfortable reading Bonk on an airplane - less for the subject matter than for my own incessant chortling.  Roach's commitment to the project is total, even offering herself and her husband as study subjects.  Her sense of humor about both sex and herself make for a highly engaging read.

Please join us and share your own review of your best read from the past month.  This month's link list is below.  I'll keep it open until the end of the day.  I'll post July's tomorrow.  Meetings are the last Friday of each month.  Next gathering is July 31st.

Star Trek: The Pirates of Orion

My friends and I are embarking on a new journey to watch all 22 episodes of Star Trek's animated series.  We'll be posting on Wednesdays.  All are welcome to join us for all or parts of our adventure.

Episode: "The Pirates of Orion"
Series: Star Trek: The Animated Series
Season 2, Episode 1
Original Air Date: September 7, 1974

via Memory Beta

The animated series's second and final seasons begins with Spock sick and dying.  There is a plan to acquire the necessary medicine but the ship bringing it, the SS Huron, is intercepted by Orion pirates.  With the clock ticking on our Vulcan friend, Kirk must negotiate terms with the pirates.  To complicate matters, the Orions are walking a tricky diplomatic tightrope.  Their planet is officially neutral and if word gets out they're attacking Federation ships, it'll mean trouble.  The pirates are willing to destroy themselves and the Enterprise, too, for the sake of preserving the lie.  Stinking pirates...

The episode tends to do well with credits but I sense the series beginning to slip a bit.  Overall quality is generally good but eye-rolling is on the uptick for me.  There's an argument at the end between Spock and Bones at the end about the virtues of green blood that doesn't sit well, for instance.  I don't know whether to expect a death spiral akin to TOS's third season or not.  If there is one, at least it will be quick.

*****

via Memory Alpha

Captain O'Shea is the commanding officer of the Huron.  This is his only television appearance.  In the book adaptation of the episode, author Alan Dean Foster gave him a first name: Svenquist.  Svenquist O'Shea is a truly inspired name.  O'Shea was voiced by James Doohan, naturally.

If you would care to join us for all or part of our travels, sign on to the list below.  Please visit the other participants.  Next week: "Bem."

 

The Clone Wars: Destroy Malevolence

My friends and I are embarking on an exploration of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.  Every Tuesday, we will be featuring an episode from the series which began in 2008 (as opposed to the one that started in 2003).  All are welcome to join us for all or parts of the fun.

Episode: "Destroy Malevolence"
Series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Season 1, Episode 4
Original Air Date: October 17, 2008

via Wookieepedia

His ship of terror left damaged in last week's story, General Grievous makes a desperate move: capturing a Republic vessel, intending to hold its occupants hostage.  Unfortunately for all involved, his intended prisoners are Padmé and C-3PO.  Obviously, Anakin and Obi-Wan will have to rescue them.  The adventure provides ample opportunity for Jedi swashbuckling and acrobatics.

The episode's title doesn't leave much suspense.  Even so, the means of destruction are quite clever.  While both Andrew and Maurice claimed last week's show as one of their favorites, I think I liked this one more.  Padme's entrance brings us back to the secret life which we all know will ultimately lead to Anakin's undoing.  The Republic's victory is satisfying but, alas, temporary.

*****

via Pirates of the Caribbean Wiki

Obi-Wan Kenobi, moral guide to two generations of Skywalkers, is performed by James Arnold Taylor.  Taylor was born July 25, 1969 in Santa Barbara, California.  His voice credits are extensive.  Among many film roles, he was Muzu in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.  In television, he has performed in Scooby Doo, as well as various DC and Marvel cartoon series.  Video game work is clearly a major part of a voice actor's resume these days.  Taylor has contributed to numerous major franchises including Final Fantasy, Star Wars and Spider-Man.

Taylor has been married to his wife Allison since 1991.  They have one daughter, Lydia.  Taylor is a published author, penning JAT 365: 365 Inspirations for the Pursuit of Your Dreams.

If you would care to join us for all or part of our travels, sign on to the list below.  Please visit the other participants today.  Next week: "Rookies."

Star Trek: The Jihad

My friends and I are embarking on a new journey to watch all 22 episodes of Star Trek's animated series.  We'll be posting on Wednesdays.  All are welcome to join us for all or parts of our adventure.

Episode: "The Jihad"
Series: Star Trek: The Animated Series
Season 1, Episode 16
Original Air Date: January 12, 1974

via Memory Alpha

Jihad is a word of enormous gravity in the global politics of the 21st century.  I somehow doubt it would have carried the same weight with the Saturday morning cartoon audience of 1974.  In this week's story, Kirk and Spock are summoned to help search for the "Soul of Skorr," a stolen artifact of great importance to the Skorr, an avian race.  If it is not recovered, it is feared that the Skorr will embark upon a holy war against the rest of the galaxy.  A team of specialists from various alien species has been assembled for the task, including Tchar, the hereditary Prince of the Skorr.

A team of adventurers on a quest for an object of great value: it's a classic fantasy template but an unusual choice for Trek.  For some critics, that was a good thing.  For others, not so much.  Personally, I'm always happy to see a break from formula.

*****

Thoughts on Season 1

General Impressions

I don't know if the animated series would be enough to sell a newcomer on Star Trek but it's a lot of fun for the faithful.  The animation technology was hardly cutting edge by 21st century standards but it was still light years ahead of the live action capabilities of the era.  The writers for the series were encouraged to take full advantage of the broader canvas.  The result is a deeper experience of Trek's universe.


Favorite Episode: "Yesteryear"

"Yesteryear" is the most important TAS story in regards to the overall Star Trek canon.  In fact, it provides more back story for a principal character than any TOS episode either.  Through the miracle of time travel, we visit Spock's childhood on Vulcan.  While that would be enough on its own to qualify "Yesteryear" for the top spot, the clincher for me is the character of Thelin.  Thelin is the Enterprise's First Officer in an alternate time stream.  Even though he knows it will have significant consequences for himself, he gives Spock his blessing to go back and set the past right.  His generosity is well in keeping with the spirit of the show.


Least Favorite Episode: "The Infinite Vulcan"

I've gotta say, there aren't too many clunkers in this collection.  While the best TAS episodes fall well short of the best TOS stories, the quality of the first TAS season is reasonably consistent.  The writing for "The Infinite Vulcan" isn't the greatest (sorry, Walter) but even so, there were story elements I enjoyed.  For instance...


Favorite New Character: Agmar

via Memory Alpha

Scanners failed to detect intelligent life on the planet Phylos because the Phylosians are plant-based.  Agmar, essentially a walking, talking dandelion, is the landing crew's primary contact with these beings.  I love the idea of intelligent plants.  I realize their mobility challenges the definition of what a plant is but that's why I like it.


Onward

Amazingly, there are only six episodes left.  The second and final season of TAS was a short one.  1974 was all about Watergate.  By the time Trek returned in September, Richard Nixon had resigned as President of the United States.  The day after the second season premiered, Nixon was pardoned by his successor, Gerald Ford.


If you would care to join us for all or part of our travels, sign on to the list below.  Also, be sure to join the gang for the live Twitter feed on Tuesday, June 23rd, 5 pm EDT, #StarTrekTAS.  Next week: "The Pirates of Orion."