Clone Wars Season 3: Episode Top 10 (S3.1-S3.10)

Ten Episodes into Season 3: Secrets Revealed is a good time to take a look back at the season so far and rank the episodes from worst to best.

#10 Corruption (Episode 5) 

Corrupt government officials allowing smugglers to import toxic tea, makes Mandalorian school kids sick.  Yawn.....This was unfortunately one of the worst episodes of the entire series.  Pacifist Mandalorians are boring enough, but the plot felt contrived and pretty pointless.

#9 The Academy (Episode 6)

A return to pacifist Mandalore.  This Scooby Doo like episode was better then "Corruption," but that is not saying much.  There was some interesting foreshadowing that potentially suggests Duchess Satine Kryze isn't the political idealist she has been portrayed as.  Could she be a wolf in sheep's clothing, a villain to break Obi-Wan's heart?  I doubt it, but it would be a much more interesting direction to take her character.

#8 Supply Lines (Episode 3)
I will say this for Jar Jar Binks, he works better in the cartoon series then he did in the movie.  But for some reason Senator Bail Organa, doesn't feel quite right to me in the series.  I'm not sure why, but his character is just kinda blah.  Jedi Master Di and his last stand on Ryloth was the highlight of this episode.

#7 Sphere of Influence (Episode 4)

Riyo Chuchi, the Pantoran Senator is a interesting and cool looking character, but other then establishing that she and Ahsoka know each other and are friends, I'm not sure what this episode contributes.  Its  disappointing that George Lucas didn't voice Chairman Papanoida, that would have given the episode more buzz.  It wasn't bad, it just felt more like a story from Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina, then anything else. 

# 6 Evil Plans (Episode 8)

A dinner party interrupted by Droid torture.  Nobody asks what Anakin is doing at Padme's apartment for a dinner party with other Senators.  Are the citizens of Courscant as naive as the citizens of Metropolis?  Surprisingly this episode actually worked for me, I enjoyed the R2-D2 and C-3PO focus.  But Cad Bane was slightly disappointing.  The coolest part of the episode was the Holo-Hutt Counsel at the end.  Hutts were pretty prominent in the Bantam era expanded universe, I miss those filthy slugs.

#5 Clone Cadets (Episode 1)

The first of the two-part season premier was actually  part 1 of the 3 part story arch, Clone Cadets-Rookies(S1.E5)-ARC Troopers.  It was cool to return to Kamino and get a glimpse at clone training.  It was very dissappointing they didn't use Mandalorian training sergeants.  To me that seems like an easy way to tie the EU into the series, you don't even have to use the particular Mandalorians mentioned in Karen Traviss' novels to make it work. 

#4 Heroes on Both Sides (Episode 10)
The new demolition droids were pretty awesome.  The new character models for Anakin, Ahsoka and Palpatine also look great and make this episode a keeper.  A lot of criticism I have heard is that the terrorist attack by the Separatists wasn't a big enough threat to cause such fear by the Republic Senators, but I think critics are forgetting just how important power is on a planet that is entirely reliant on technology.  Courscant is a planet covered by layer upon layer of cityscape.  From solar mirrors to atmosphere scrubbers, everything from light, heat, oxygen relies on power to keep the planet functioning.  The subplot of Ahsoka-Padme behind enemy lines was interesting, in that it causes Ahsoka to shift her perspective on the war.  The Separatist Senate scene was pretty cool, as we haven't seen much of what goes on behind the Separatist lines among the flesh and blood members of the CIS. 

#3  Assassin (Episode 7)
Ok, so admittedly we know going in that the assassination attempt is going to fail, but Aurra Sing is just really cool and evil looking.  Who cares that they ignore her force using abilities as described in the EU, as long as they don't explicitly contradict it, there are no continuity issues for me.  Ahsoka having force visions and consulting Yoda, is a nice nod to Episode III.  Padme traveling to Alderaan, the future home of her daughter is a nice connection to Episode III and IV.  Just a fun episode overall. 

#2  Hunt for Ziro (Episode 9)
This episode stars the two weirdest creatures to figure prominently in the series.  Ziro and Sy Snootles were strange, but they worked very well.  Mama the Hutt makes Jabba look handsome.  The return of Obi-Wan and the introduction of Quinlan Vos were great.  Cad Bane fighting with a lightsaber.  The betrayal at the end was a little telegraphed as soon as that scene started, but overall this episode was a home run.  Felt like an hour instead of 20 minutes. 

#1  ARC Troopers (Episode 2)
The Clone Wars on a grand scale.  The invasion of Kamino was awesome.  This episode has some of the best visuals of the entire series.  The scene with Ventress entering the DNA chamber looked like something out of one of the Prequel movies, stunning.  Great story, great action.  I would gladly have paid $15 bucks to see this on the big screen. This series needs more episodes like this.   Credit writer Cameron Litvak and Director Kyle Dunlevy for a great episode.

Blu Ray.  If you haven't seen this series on Blu Ray, you have no idea what your missing.  It is the best looking Blu Ray product I have seen.