I don't like the Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple show

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

I struggled with whether or not I should even post this as I don't want to ruin it for others. If you have not seen the show and would not like spoilers (not that there's anything earth-shaterring) you should stop reading now.

The title is a little strong and had I never seen the previous iteration of this show I suppose I would like it just fine. I've seen this new show now several times since it started late last year and I have some problems with it...a few major problems.

1. The villain is so obscure that nobody recognizes her. If you've seen the Star Wars: Rebels cartoon, I guess you have no problem with this. Everyone recognizes Darth Vader and most people recognize Darth Maul and Kylo Ren, but unless you're more than a casual Star Wars watcher (like myself) the Seventh Sister from the Star Wars Rebels cartoon series is just not a good fit here (I had to look her up). This takes a lot away from the show as you don't get any of the references she makes (if there's even anything to get).

2. I know I'm picking on the women in the show (sorry), but Nedriss is so annoying. It's not the actresses fault...she is just terribly written. I find myself wishing she would turn to the dark side just so she would be interesting.

3. Continuing point 2, the focus of the show is on the character Nedriss instead of on the children. This is the biggest problem I have with the show. The old Jedi Training Academy, the plot was that Darth Vader and Darth Maul are trying to lure the younglings to the dark side, and the younglings prevail...a great story. My favorite part of the show was when the Jedi Master, after seeing his/her students prevail, suggests that Darth Vader leaves. I know it's a little much but I really felt like they made the children the center of the show and we, the audience, cheered on the children. In Trials of the Temple, the younglings are asked to cheer Nedriss on and help her to defeat her fears, which puts the children in the position of spectators instead of participants. It just shouldn't be this way.

4. The fact that it is a temple that produces conjured images of the villains instead of the actual villains takes a lot away from the dramatics. In the original, Vader's appearance is a surprise, and the added suspense of his goal to convince the younglings join the dark side is genuine and makes the audience actually invested. Facing a conjured image from a cave as part of a pre-arranged test summons nothing more than a shoulder shrug from me.

5. A lesser point is the absence of the stormtroopers. I liked the interactions the jedi master had with them and I liked the way they were used in the show (even if it was minimal). They try to insert the levity back in with Nedriss, but as I mentioned, it doesn't work.

What do you think? Am I just way off base on this? Am I being too hard? I found myself today unable to comfortably sit through this show because of the above.

 

[lorijohnhill]

So the kids aren't using light sabres and fighting the villains anymore? Darth Vader is not in it at all?

 

[Flickor]

The kids all fight one on one with Ahsoka's sister or Darth Vader, Ren still comes out afterwards.

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

The kids still use light sabers and fight villains, one of which is Darth Vader. I guess the first point should begin "One of the villains". Sorry for not making that clear.

 

[frisbeego]

I completely agree with OP.

The character Nedriss is particularly annoying. They shortened the children's fight sequence to leave more time for dialogue. I think someone without kids came up with the idea "we'll tell them that the villains are just images, so the kids aren't afraid." Kids see flesh and blood villains; they aren't listening to the dialogue.

I'm not suggesting that the old show was perfect, but I definitely preferred it over the current version. My son watches Star Wars Rebels, so he was happy to fight someone different in Seventh Sister. But, I can appreciate that she's a bit obscure to the casual Star Wars fan.

 

[GatorChris]

I guess they're trying to keep the show fresh. If kids come back each year, they might want something different. Also, they're really trying to push SW Rebels because that's a money maker for them. Just like turning a classic ride into a Marvel off-shoot money maker, they need to draw attention to their movies/tv shows.

 

[frisbeego]

I guess they're trying to keep the show fresh. If kids come back each year, they might want something different. Also, they're really trying to push SW Rebels because that's a money maker for them. Just like turning a classic ride into a Marvel off-shoot money maker, they need to draw attention to their movies/tv shows.

Good point. I guess we should be thankful that they left Vader in the show instead of switching entirely to SW Rebels. I think the script can be improved, regardless of the characters. But, my son enjoyed both the old version and the current version, so I'm thankful for that.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Eh, I'd never seen the old one, but my three-year-old loves watching the current one. She can't wait to turn four so she can participate. I do wish they had a more well-known villain than the Seventh Sister (no idea who she is), and sure, the dialogue is pretty cheesy... But neither of those things really detract from our overall enjoyment, and lots of things at Disney feature obscure characters and cheesy dialogue! ;-)

 

[BrianL]

The kids all fight one on one with Ahsoka's sister or Darth Vader, Ren still comes out afterwards.

The Seventh Sister is not Ahsoka's sister. She is one of the Inquisitors, a cadre of psuedo-sith run by Vader to help him hunt down the remaining Jedi. They all have names like "Fifth Brother" or "Seventh Sister" based on their rank within the group. The leader was the Grand Inquisitor, who was a primary villain in Season One of Rebels.

 

[GatorChris]

The Seventh Sister is not Ahsoka's sister. She is one of the Inquisitors, a cadre of psuedo-sith run by Vader to help him hunt down the remaining Jedi. They all have names like "Fifth Brother" or "Seventh Sister" based on their rank within the group. The leader was the Grand Inquisitor, who was a primary villain in Season One of Rebels.

Nerd status confirmed! .... Says the guy who wears a Goonies shirt to DL.

 

[BrianL]

Nerd status confirmed! .... Says the guy who wears a Goonies shirt to DL.

Oh, my nerd status is very confirmed! I love Star Wars and never miss Rebels. It's a great show, as was Clone Wars.

I also have a Goonies shirt!

 

[Epek]

The Seventh Sister would be very well known to the kids, who are the target audience. Rebels is pretty popular. The villains all being images has two points- 1: to kids who are up to date with all things Star Wars, they're all (except Kylo Ren) dead! Well, at least in the forms that they appear. 2: It's a playback to Luke's training on Degobah. He entered the creepy cave and had to fight his fear. They did a similar thing with an old Sith temple on Rebels, too.

But, I'm totally with you on the Nedress front. I think it's both actors and writing, because I've seen one whom I thought did better with the part, not so annoying. Finally write an important female character into the show, and she's weak and whiny.

 

[bumbershoot]

The villain is so obscure that nobody recognizes her. If you've seen the Star Wars: Rebels cartoon, I guess you have no problem with this. Everyone recognizes Darth Vader and most people recognize Darth Maul and Kylo Ren, but unless you're more than a casual Star Wars watcher (like myself) the Seventh Sister from the Star Wars Rebels cartoon series is just not a good fit here (I had to look her up). This takes a lot away from the show as you don't get any of the references she makes (if there's even anything to get).

Yes. So very much yes.

I know I'm picking on the women in the show (sorry), but Nedriss is so annoying. It's not the actresses fault...she is just terribly written.

I don't care if you're picking on women. They wrote this woman horribly.

She's whiny and just idiotic. And how is she, a full grown adult, still being trained??? She's ridiculous.

It reminded me (and only one who has seen my posts about ot on the DCL boards knows this isn't going anywhere good) of the utterly atrocious (IMO) Golden Mickey's show on Disney cruises. That's a show that's about an awards show that has a slow start because the host isn't there, so a backstage employee comes out and talks. She is EXACTLY like Nedress. Oh, am I good enough, oh how could I be good enough, omg I'm good enough! Bah! In GM she ends up somehow winning the "best host" award for a show she...isn't hosting. And HOW could they have chose her as best host when she only went out there 15 minutes earlier?

Anyway, it's the same nonsense. Poor little girly girl me, oh I need somee support and for people to tell me I can do it, because I don't have the backbone to KNOW I can do it. I don't have a girl, but if I did I would never EVER take her to see that junk.

the focus of the show is on the character Nedriss instead of on the children.

YES. And it's just so horrid.

The Seventh Sister would be very well known to the kids, who are the target audience.

But the PARENTS are the ones taking their time away from the rest of the parks to go do this. If the parents are sitting there going "what on earth?" as I was, even though I'm sure I've been in the room for the show (I despise the sound of the Clone/Rebel shows nearly as much as I dislike the sound of football on TV, and that's a lot) but I pay no attention.

If the show isn't catching my eye, if the female character is annoying and a horrid role-model (seriously, HOW can Disney think she's a GOOD role model?), and if I don't know the villain, there's no way I'm taking up my time to come back.


I'm so glad DS is 12 and will likely out-age the thing by the next trip. (even if the outgrown-age is 13, he's already 5'6", so they probably won't believe he's young enough)

 

[kirstie101]

The Seventh Sister would be very well known to the kids, who are the target audience. Rebels is pretty popular. The villains all being images has two points- 1: to kids who are up to date with all things Star Wars, they're all (except Kylo Ren) dead! Well, at least in the forms that they appear. 2: It's a playback to Luke's training on Degobah. He entered the creepy cave and had to fight his fear. They did a similar thing with an old Sith temple on Rebels, too.

But, I'm totally with you on the Nedress front. I think it's both actors and writing, because I've seen one whom I thought did better with the part, not so annoying. Finally write an important female character into the show, and she's weak and whiny.

Totally this. My kids knew who the Seventh Sister was immediately and they enjoyed schooling my mom on it! My kids are 5 and 9 and Star Wars Rebels is actually how they were introduced to Star Wars. As far as the movies go, I'm pretty sure they've only seen Episode 4 and 6. 7 is next on the list for both. IMO kids are the target audience here so it doesn't surprise me that they went with a character that kids who have watched Star Wars Rebels recognize. Most adults watching the show are there to watch their kids in the show or to watch the show with their kids.

I agree I'm not a fan of Nedress either, she is pretty whiny.