Star Wars: The Bad Batch spins its wheels in a bug-infested episode
“Infested” is a thematically empty but otherwise adequate filler episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch
TV Reviews Star Wars
Sometimes you just want a bowl of sugary cereal, and this week Star Wars: The Bad Batch obliges. Just don’t go rooting around the box for any surprises.
Following an abrupt insurgency story arc on the planet Ryloth, which worked wonders for other Star Wars shows but only managed some minor place setting for The Bad Batch, “Infested” ventures back into the series’ patently familiar mission-of-the-week rhythm. Rife with a horde of gnarly flying bugs and little else, this week offers up a modestly amusing heist episode that tosses Hunter, Tech, Echo, Wrecker, and Omega into the center of black market maven Cid’s criminal enterprise. Seems that when the Bad Batch were off wrestling with gundarks, Cid’s tavern was overrun by crime impresario Isa Durand’s favorite son, Roland, who shows up with a squad of flunkies and gives Cid the ol’ heave-ho. Once Cid is reunited with Hunter & co., however, a plot is hatched to turn the tables on the wanna-be Devaronian despot.
Cid’s plan? It’s a stealth mission for the Batch this time around, which breaks down like so: they wheel through the abandoned caverns underneath Old Ord Mantell City and enter her office through a hidden passageway; Cid creates a diversion using her only two regulars to kidnap Roland’s prized pet, “Ruby” (more on Ruby in a minute); then they snatch Roland’s spice shipment meant as payment to the Pyke syndicate, that imposing spice cartel from The Clone Wars (they’re the type who don’t take complications lightly, as Roland later finds out). Sounds easy until Cid happens to mention that the caverns are home to “The Hive,” a nigh-endless swarm of flying man-eating bugs. (I presume they’re man-eating bugs?) In, out, a small hiccup here, some blaster fire there. And once half the episode is spent and the Batch have lost the spice to the swarm, the Pykes send Clone Force 99 back into the caverns to retrieve their ill-gotten gains. Plus, scummy gangsters that they are, they use Omega as their bargaining chip.
Simple stuff. But it’s hard to complain when “Infested” at least goes to the trouble of installing Rhea Perlman’s gravelly Cid as the episode’s center of gravity. (It’s no bad thing to perpetuate this series’ cheeky Cheers joke. Maybe Woody Harrelson’s Beckett can swing by for a cameo as Cid’s new bartender?) In a way, “Infested” is Cid’s episode; we don’t learn much more about her as a character (a recurring malady for this series), but we at least grok that Hunter and the Batch have developed a vague sense of loyalty to the scaly hustler—despite the fact that she constantly omits crucial details to their missions that put their lives at risk. And while she does extort Hunter to score the Batch’s cooperation (“Don’t forget,” she says, pointing her walking stick at the bandana-ed renegade, “I’ve been good at… keeping secrets.”) she later displays a semblance of responsibility for Omega’s safety. (“I got the kid into this mess, I’ll get her out.”) Hey, family’s family, right?
“Infested”, which was directed by Saul Ruiz and written by Amanda Rose Muñoz, does have some interesting things to offer, even if it is just spinning its wheels. For one, Old Ord Mantell City looks better than ever; its Blade Runner influences are more pronounced here, with choice uses of neon signage and alleyways stuffed to the gills with all sorts of scum and villainy. Also, it should be mentioned, the sound in this episode rules. The thin echoes, the low rumbling, the stale silence of the cavern, it all works to compound a deep atmosphere of dread. (Even if the inevitable payoff is slight.) And once Wrecker naturally pulls a Peregrin Took and clumsily drops his flashlight down a hole the Hive spills onto the screen in a rush of senseless horror which periodically explodes in a mess of green goo, a nice (and rare) visceral touch for The Bad Batch.
As for Omega, she gets to pull out her Zygerrian crossbow for a bit of bug blasting, but largely she’s kept quiet next to Roland as an imprisoned guest of the Pykes. And, like anybody who has ever been stuck sitting next to someone they have absolutely nothing in common with, she uses a nearby pet to relate to him. Ruby, the wee lizard the Batch “intercepted” from the Rhokai gang back in episode seven, comes up for a belly scritch and instead of nuzzling up to Roland, she sits on Omega’s lap. “She likes you,” the criminal prince notes, impressed. Later, Omega uses this fleeting moment of connection to plead for her fellow captive’s life to the Pykes. Somehow, despite the Pykes’ overwrought reputation for being unreasonable, they go for it. Roland lives to glower another day.
It’s about as undercooked as this kind of character moment gets, but at least the episode sticks to its guns in its final moments: “Why did you help him?” Hunter asks, and Omega, a class-A optimist if there ever was one, gives Hunter a big shrug: “I dunno! Ruby liked him. Maybe he’s not all bad.”
And that’s your show. “Infested” is a perfectly adequate filler episode for The Bad Batch, a thematically empty yarn that looks like a couple million bucks and works around the show’s faults even if it does in some respects perpetuate them. About as far away from the character-rich entry port that was the series’ premiere, we enter the final leg of this Star Wars story knowing almost as much about these characters as we did from the jump, major-league character nudges notwithstanding. That’s okay. “Infested” is loud and boisterous Saturday morning fodder, and as such it’s not supposed to mean anything. Not really. Sometimes, bugs are just bugs.
Stray Observations
- I tried looking up Isa Durand, but it seems the shadowy criminal queen is a new addition to the Star Wars lore? (Unless I’m missing something.) In my investigations I did end up learning a lot more than I ever wanted to know about Rio Durant, that four-armed monkey guy from Solo: A Star Wars Story. So there’s that.
- Cid’s two tavern regulars play cards on top of poor ol’ Gonky. Nice touch, poor Gonky.
- Cid Nicknames Checklist: Wrecker is “Muscles”; Tech is “Goggles”; Omega is “Tiny”. She didn’t call Hunter “Bandana” this week, but you could tell she wanted to.
- It’s like poetry, it rhymes: Big stretch this week, but the Batch’s chase through the Ord Mantell caverns via rickety trolley vaguely recalls the mine cart chase in Lucasfilm’s Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom.
- It’s honestly strange how much The Bad Batch just glosses over Echo, the one Batcher who arguably has the most character backstory out of all of these characters. Did Echo even get a speaking line this week? The heck is going on?
- The Pykes mean to kill Roland but Cid ends up arguing for his life: “If you kill him, you’ll be starting a war with Isa Durand.” It works: The Pykes simply maim him. And while Roland loses a horn he gets to keep his life, and better, he gets to keep Ruby. It seems Roland’s momma has some serious juice in the galaxy, something to keep an eye open for.
- So, what did you think, group? Is Cid primed for a heel turn, or what? Will Isa Durand pop up somewhere down the line? Is Ruby some kind of scaly lizard cat? Let’s break out some cereal in the comments below.
51 Comments
It is a breather episode, and there is nothing wrong with that. Not everything has to be all about “the arc”. One of the things that made all these old properties that are being revived now so popular in the first place was that they all had standalone episodes to develop characters rather than mere plot. This is a perfectly fine episode that gives us character moments and worldbuilding, and we need more standalone breather episodes like this among the arc plots.
Normally I agree but I don’t expect a second season so why waste so much of it on filler that don’t seem to play into the larger narrative at all? They’re the Star Wars equivalent of the ‘A-Team’, which, again, would be totally fine if ‘The Bad Batch’ were going to be an ongoing series.
It ain’t filler. That is where you have the problem, you’ve got into the mindset that the only thing that matters is “the arc” and nothing else matters or can exist. Yes, they are the A-Team of Star Wars, with a new adventure every week. Get into the mindset of tuning in for an adventure, a mini movie each week, and watch it for the adventures. Put the idea of an arc out of your mind.
No, the problem is the last 3 episodes haven’t done anything to explore and expand on these characters or bring us any closer to the eventual outcome between the batch and Crosshair. Omega is still a mystery for the most part. I mean if you want to spend 2 episodes on a Hera origin story, fine but at least do it in a meaningful way so that the main cast doesn’t become second fiddle in their own show.
See, you are still trying to make it all about an arc. The characters all went out and had an adventure. In the case of the Hera, they had an episode of set up and an episode of resolve, expanded the world building and brought back a fan favorite from the franchise’s past/future. But above all, characters went out and had an adventure. Learn to love the adventure.
Then the adventures need to be more interesting. I love a good standalone episode…but almost none of the standalone episodes of Bad Batch have been very compelling so far.
The elite Squad of the GAR is in the wilderness, reduced to being gun-runners, drug couriers, and enforcers because they refused to blindly serve this new Empire. Every Clone trooper who choses to to the right thing suffers for it. Howzer’s going to suffer. I also respect Hunter for not immediately signing up to any effort to restore the Republic which treated the Clones like shit.
Weekly adventure yarns for kids are always fun. Bad Batch always delivers that, no doubt about it! There’s always some laser fire and some weirdo aliens and that’s all par for the Star Wars course. But I don’t think my editor would appreciate it too much if I wrote “I liked it when the guy blasted the thing,” I don’t think. I’m following the show, its characters, and its story. For now? It’s all over the place, and there’s no momentum towards its finish. That’s just the way it is.
Your editor sucks then. You should tell them I said so, and then make pew-pew-pew laser gun noises at them with finger-guns.
it just feels like too much of this show is comprised of filler or mostly filler episodes.
The squad are not progressing towards any kind of goal or confrontation (I assume EVENTUALLY Crosshair will get around to actively hunting them), and there’s barely any kind of character development after 13 episodes. (it feels like Hera had more character progression than any of the squad did throughout the whole season in her two episode mini-arc)
Both had their own fillers and throwaway episodes, but I don’t remember either ‘Clone Wars’ or ‘Rebels’ feeling this stagnant, even in their earlier weaker seasons.
For the final season of Clone Wars, I felt as though there was a 4 episode stretch of filler before the incredible finale arc. If I had to guess, Bad Batch is getting the same treatment. I expect things to kick into high gear in the final few episodes.That said, as much as I love Star Wars and The Clone Wars, I’m not sure this needed 16 episodes. Or if it did, tell some more relative stories. What happened to the Jedi they let go in the first episode? What are the Kaminoans up to?
Eh both are extremely clear in terms of where they are going. That Jedi Padawan becomes Kanan Jarrus. A MC in Star Wars Rebels, master of Ezra Bridger, and Hera Syndulla’s lover/ father of her child. His story is far from over, but won’t be told here. It can’t be as Kanan dislikes clones until meeting Rex in Rebels, so he won’t be returning. The Kaminoans want to maintain their contract with the Empire for clone troopers. It’s why they want Omega as a source for genetic material, and why they’ve repeatedly pushed back against recruits in all their interactions with Imperial officials.
Ah okay, I haven’t watched Rebels yet, but I’ll take back my criticism on that front then. Thanks!My Kaminoan Komplaint is more just about the fact that they seem to be skimming on that arc even though it’s much more important than, say, fighting bugs in a cave over spice. Also, I just love Kaminoans from a character perspective 🙂
For the final season of Clone Wars, I felt as though there was a 4 episode stretch of filler before the incredible finale arcWasn’t that arc just to set up this spin-off?
I think he’s talking about the arc with Ahsoka and the sisters(which felt like a single episode plot which somehow got stretched to 4)
I liked that arc, it didn’t feel like filler to me. It was needed to get Ahsoka’s character back into position for the finale arc.
In a sense, yes, but I think it had more to do with Asohka (IIRC) and the BB were a small by-product of that, with their assignments. I understand your point, those episodes just still felt very filler-y to me in the grand scheme of things. And I think this show is doing the same (in that we’ll expect some major upticks these last few episodes).
There was another multi-episode arc that paired Jar Jar Binks and Mace Windu, of all people, which filled time before Ahsoka’s return.
What happened to the Jedi they let go in the first episode:
Kanan – The Last Padawan (2015 – 2016) | Comic Series | Marvel
Unless I’m much mistaken the Jedi at the start was Kanan Jarrus, the mentor in Rebels.
I mean, it was fun and all, but there are what, three episodes left in
the season? Unless Roland or Isa proves to have some impact on the final
story I’m not sure they really have time to be wheelspinning right now.
There’s a lot of stuff they’ve set up that they need to answer in the final episodes and they’re gonna have to pack it all into 90 minutes.
That said, this ep has to fall later in the season, since early in the season they hadn’t established the whole “family dynamic” necessary for them to be motivated to either go after Cid or plead for Roland.
Only thing I can think of is it’s somehow setting up more interactions with the criminal cartels and eventually setting up the reintroduction of Maul and Crimson Dawn. Maybe CF99 is what brought him down.
Absolutely agree, this whole damned show has been wheel spinning. I know at their core this and TCW are ‘kids’ shows, but that doesn’t necessarily need to come at the expense of a strong, engaging story. It’s hard not to think about how much Loki did with only six episodes and how ambitious it and say The Mandalorian was, and consider BB something of a wasted opportunity.
Thank you for mentioning the show’s weird treatment of Echo! I don’t think the show knows what to do with him, and it doesn’t feel like spending the time to figure it out. Maybe longer-term he’ll mean more?
The “insects” affected by light and the cable cars reminded me of the Kryll levels from Gears of War:
TBB gives their kid sister to the lethal Pyke Syndicate as a hostage while they try to retrieve the drugs, errr I mean “spice” they stole for Cid, the Trandoshan female whose been loan-sharking and blackmailing them all along. Hmmm.
Yeah, there’s no dodging that bit.
TBB’s parenting skills are still crap — and I’m not sure if this is a bug, or a feature.
Ruby is a space pangolin, obviously. Yes, Echo had a line. Just one though.I feel like if Cid were going to turn on the Batch, she would have by now.
Pangolin? I had the same thought. Next week deals with space COVID.
I feel like if Cid were going to turn on the Batch, she would have by now.I absolutely think she’ll turn on them at some point when it’s financially (and narratively) advantageous to do so… and then she’ll probably have a last second change of heart – probably because of her growing affection towards Omega – feel guilty about it, and then help to save them from the mess she’s made.
Whether that will lead to the end of the character’s arc on the show or the full integration of the character into the crew remains TBD
A pangolin. It was so obvious. I need to brush up on my chordates. (Chordatas?)Echo’s getting the broom this season, and I can’t fathom why.Still giving Cid the side-eye, never too late for an eleventh-hour betrayal.
It’s honestly strange how much The Bad Batch just glosses over Echo
Echo and Tech barely do anything outside of delivering technobabble exposition, it’s kind of amazing for a 16 episode season with only five main characters.
I’m gobsmacked by it.
My guess is that this filler will turn out to be setup for something later. Roland and his mother will probably turn out to be important for something, and this episode was to have them on good terms with, or at least beholden to, the Batch in general and Omega in particular.
True. I dissed “Devil’s Deal”… and then regretted it because “Rescue on Ryloth” paid everything back in spades, the best ep IMHO. This was fun. I like Perlman’s Cid. Roland is an interesting new character, a breath of fresh air. I love the expanded role of the two barflys. TBB and Hunter continue to have crap parenting skills, which I believe is an intentional subplot.
We’ll see Roland and meet his mother at some point, of that I am almost all the way certain.
Roland Durand sure is a handsome devil. Or was. Actually, he still is … even after becoming less symmetrical. This episode seemed like it was an introduction for his character nothing more & nothing less. He’s got a nice film noir sounding name. Can’t argue with the grade. This might go up in future estimation if they return to the bug tunnels in some larger climatic story resolution.
So I guess we’ve all just decided not to talk about the problematic voice casting for this show
Correct.
What makes The Bad Batch the exception? Seems hypocritical to criticize casting Alison Brie as Diane in BoJack Horseman or basically the entire cast of Avatar and Legend of Korra but give The Bad Batch a pass.
Not criticizing those shows either. I suspect your motivations here.
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that you were. I’m speaking broadly of the trend, on this site and elsewhere, to decry voice actors portraying people or characters they don’t resemble. I am genuinely curious as to why some shows get a pass while others get slammed.
This show may be called The Bad Batch but the main character is definitely Omega, for better and (mostly) for worse. She isn’t a bad character by any means but she’s always the one that has to convince the team that they should help someone and it’s becoming very repetitive. Also, the other characters aren’t being developed and are still mostly defined by what they are good at. This is disappointing.
I couldn’t help but think having him end up with a single horn was almost a “hereditary call-out” to Gault Rennow from SWTOR, as it was the first thing I thought of at the moment he lost his … symmetry. (As one of his optional appearances has him also missing his right horn, even though it appears more broken off than cut off)
Slight non sequitur but I’m curious how one guy seems to be doing half the voices in this show. Whoever voiced Charles Smith in Red Dead Redemption 2 has done the Admiral guy, one of the Pykes and at least two other characters I’ve spotted so far. At least with Baker there’s a good reason for him to do so many voices. It’s oddly kind of cheap.
Thought about it and this ep might be “The Hive”’s set up story. I can see them coming back, somehow, in a big way down the line. Now we know about ‘em, that is.
Could be might!
I got a Kyp Durron notification for this?
The team is building its roster of allies. Every episode ends with them having forged new connections across the galaxy, and when the finale comes (maybe next season, depending on the size of the story being told) all those debts will come due and these are the characters who will swing in to help TBB.
Definitely getting Rise of Skywalker vibes concerning the finale to the Bad Batch: one big buddy rodeo against the bad guy. I hope I’m wrong, but also, lining up allies for the Batch is exactly what the show’s been doing all along.
After seeing the “governor” get shot directly in the head, I thought they might actually go through with the decapitation here.