“Star Wars” fans are fortunate to be living in a time when one can watch it regularly on TV. These animated series serve as the best introduction for young fans to the franchise.
‘Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures’
Combine the crazy, self-aware humor of the Lego animated screen pieces with the depth of the “Star Wars” mythos and you get “Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures.”
The show centers on a family of space scavengers simply trying to eke out a living when they accidentally get involved in the galactic civil war.
With the help of the enigmatic Jedi Naare, Rowan Freemaker discovers he can channel the Force and, accompanied by the reprogrammed battle droid R0-GR, attempts to find the broken crystal pieces of the fabled Kyber Saber despite the protestations of older siblings Kordi and Zander.
“Lego and Star Wars are all about family,” executive producer Bill Motz said, noting that the show is set in the time of the classic trilogy between “A New Hope” and “The Empire Strikes Back.”
Director Michael Hegner said, “The show sets up a perfect world for us with the humor mixed with the drama.”
Motz explained, “The stakes are real, the fate of the galaxy is at stake.”
Set in the original trilogy period, “Freemaker” features appearances by classic characters like Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Lando Calrissian—in distinctively Lego mini-figure form, of course.
“Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures” premieres on Disney Channel and Disney XD on Sept. 10.
‘Star Wars Rebels’ Season 3
“Star Wars Rebels” has gained a strong following with its high-octane, in-canon events over the last two seasons.
Set years before “A New Hope,” “Rebels” is essentially the sequel series to “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”
But after the dramatic events at the end of last season, the crew members of the Ghost are all changed. Ex-Jedi Kanan Jarrus (voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr.) is blinded. Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray) is now more powerful but may be falling into the Dark Side, aided by the Sith Lord who seeks to be his master, Darth Maul (Sam Witwer).
“He wants to make Ezra a reflection of himself,” executive producer Dave Filoni said. “Jedi and Sith are always opposites.”
The Ghost crew must get its act together to pull off even more dangerous missions. Most of them sport new looks, particularly Ezra and Sabine Wren (Tiya Sircar).
“She has a new look I’ve always wanted,” Sircar said. “She has some new gadgets, and interacts with some Mandalorians she may or may not be related to.”
Similarly, Filoni remains cagey as to whether or not the other ex-Jedi Ahsoka Tano survived her duel with her former master Darth Vader.
“You might not have seen the last of Ahsoka Tano,” Filoni said.
Aside from firing up the “Rebels” fans with the promise of even more propulsive adventures this season, Filoni happily shocked the fans with the panel’s big revelation.
One of the expanded universe’s most popular characters, the evil Grand Admiral Thrawn from Timothy Zahn’s “Heir to the Empire” books, is coming to “Rebels” as he takes the lead in ending the Rebellion.
The show’s scope—and the danger—is getting bigger.
“Star Wars Rebels” Season 3 premieres on Disney Channel and Disney XD on Oct. 15.
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