# Star Wars: Going to watch the series for the first time. All together or spaced apart? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 29, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473 "2012-05-29T19:31:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![LaurenIpsum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@LaurenIpsum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LaurenIpsum)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/61 "2012-05-30T19:11:48Z")
> [@CyclopticXander](#): > > This is ESPECIALLY true of children, it’s very hard to find a kid these days who prefers the original trilogy over the new one. Yeah, but how do we know that it’s not just because the like the more modern special effects? No matter how much fiddling Lucas does, the original trilogy is never going to look like a new, modern movie, and I know kids who don’t like “old” TV shows and movies, for no reason other than the fact that they are old. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/62 "2012-05-30T19:35:36Z")
> [@CyclopticXander](#): > > This is ESPECIALLY true of children, it’s very hard to find a kid these days who prefers the original trilogy over the new one. Although it’s easy to use this fact as another attack against the prequels by saying they are childish or whatever, I think it is an important indicator in a series that’s best enjoyed as a kids Saturday morning cartoon anyway. I’ll make a hypothetical counter-bet, which is that, given another 5-10 years, this will no longer be true. Why? Because the visual effects in Episodes I-III will age, just like the visual effects of every movie before them (original trilogy included). The difference is, the original trilogy had an appealing story with interesting characters - things that hold up over time. The prequel trilogy does not. Audiences give a shit about Luke, Han, and Leia in a way that they do not about Anakin, Prequel-Kenobi, and Padme. And they fear Darth Vader in a way that they do not for Maul, Dooku, or Palpatine. As the CGI effects for Episodes I-III age, the relative wizzbang differential between them and the original trilogy will decrease for new and young viewers. Hell, it’s already happening - the space battle in _Jedi_, shot with real models, is already “better”-looking than anything that happens in Episode I, which looks like the primitive, poorly composited first run CGI that it is. Kids who grow up on the comparatively more sophisticated effects in _The Avengers_ or the upcoming Hobbit films will see Episodes I-III as being dated, much in the same way that kids who saw Episode III in the theaters would consider _Terminator 2_’s liquid metal effects to be hilariously dated. At that point, the problematic storytelling of Episodes I-III will become glaring even to young audiences, as the effects will no longer be “enough” to maintain their interest. If anything, such audiences will be even less likely to tolerate the interminable politicking of Episode I or the ham-fisted romance of Episodes II and III. They’ll be crying out for another rewatch of _Latest Explodey Blockbuster 2020_ thirty minutes into _The Phantom Menace._ ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/63 "2012-05-30T20:00:23Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > I think the more interesting experiment would be to watch them in release order, ie. 4 5 6 1 2 3. There is a fair bit of argument as to whether the widespread negativity towards the prequels is reasonable. In short, and not attempting to hash out all of the various permutations: > > The majority view appears to be that the prequels are just bad movies and particularly disappointing because they followed the good original movies. > > Some claim that all of the movies are good and that many fans are being unrealistically critical of the prequels, possibly due to the long wait and unmet expectations. > > Others claim that all of the movies are bad and the fans good opinions of the originals are rooted in having watched them at a young, impressionable, uncritical age. > > This is a great opportunity to get an opinion from someone who is not infuenced by nostalgia and interminable waiting. It would be even better if the OP was completely unspoiled as to the plot, but that is probably impossible. Very impossible. I would give a pinky finger to un-know two things that were spoiled for me due to pop culture: What “Rosebud” meant, and that Vader is Luke’s father. I’ve seen a couple of suggestions for the order to watch the movies in:[ul] [li]4, 5, 6 only[/li][li]1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6[/li][li]4, 5, (1), 2, 3, 6[/li][li]4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3[/li][/ul] Any others? Should I make a poll? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/64 "2012-05-30T20:24:07Z")
If you **must** , then 4, 5, 2, 3, 6. There is no reason to watch 1. Ever. Not even at gunpoint. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/65 "2012-05-30T20:32:44Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Should I make a poll? Why not? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/66 "2012-05-30T20:52:47Z")
All I’ll say on the order question, is that if you do decide to see I, II, III first, know going in that they’re not representative of IV and V, and so you shouldn’t give up on them. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/67 "2012-05-30T20:52:59Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Very impossible. I would give a pinky finger to un-know two things that were spoiled for me due to pop culture: What “Rosebud” meant, and that Vader is Luke’s father. > > I’ve seen a couple of suggestions for the order to watch the movies in:[ul] > [li]4, 5, 6 only[/li][li]1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6[/li][li]4, 5, (1), 2, 3, 6[/li][li]4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3[/li][/ul] > Any others? Should I make a poll? Besides Vader being Luke’s father, there’s one other reveal/spoiler that’s almost as well known. If you know what that is, I’d say you can watch the trilogies in any order you wish. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/68 "2012-05-30T21:23:17Z")
Luke is gay?! Noooooooooooo… ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/69 "2012-05-30T21:24:44Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Luke is gay?! Noooooooooooo… You saw the way he was making googly eyes at Wicket. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/70 "2012-05-30T21:25:58Z")
I’d go with machete order. But then again, I haven’t really watched I, II or III; just seen enough snippets to know I’m not particularly interested in sitting through them all. But, if you can, get the biggest screen you can to watch the beginning of IV, sit as close as you can (you can move back later) and pay attention. The opening shot of the planet and spaceships is one of the best arguments I know of for watching movies in the theater with a big big screen. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/71 "2012-05-30T21:30:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Not exactly a controlled study, but I saw the original (_Star Wars_, with no bloomin’ episode number) in a theater recently, and there were some kids sitting behind me. I certainly heard plenty of "ooh"s and "aah"s from them. More so than I hear in any contemporary movies, though to be fair I haven’t heard those particular kids in the Star Wars prequels specifically. As a counterpoint I saw The Phantom Menace 3D in a full theatre this past February. Lots of parents and lots of kids. The kids all thought Jar-Jar was hilarious. Also a lot of oohs and aahs from the pod race, Darth Maul fight, and even cheers when Anikin blew up the control ship. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/72 "2012-05-30T21:32:28Z")
And feather your hair, hike up those jeans and wear your best ringer tee – 1977, here he comes! ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/73 "2012-05-30T21:33:54Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > As a counterpoint I saw The Phantom Menace 3D in a full theatre this past February. Lots of parents and lots of kids. The kids all thought Jar-Jar was hilarious. Also a lot of oohs and aahs from the pod race, Darth Maul fight, and even cheers when Anikin blew up the control ship. Hmmm. Maybe we _should_ give Congress lightsabers. (we already know which side gets the red ones, and who gets the blue) ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/74 "2012-05-30T21:36:36Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Very impossible. I would give a pinky finger to un-know two things that were spoiled for me due to pop culture: What “Rosebud” meant, and that Vader is Luke’s father. > > I’ve seen a couple of suggestions for the order to watch the movies in:[ul] > [li]4, 5, 6 only[/li][li]1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6[/li][li]4, 5, (1), 2, 3, 6[/li][li]4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3[/li][/ul] > Any others? Should I make a poll? 5, 4, 1, 6, 3, 2 (alphabetical by number name) ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/75 "2012-05-30T21:39:39Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > As a counterpoint I saw The Phantom Menace 3D in a full theatre this past February. Lots of parents and lots of kids. The kids all thought Jar-Jar was hilarious. Also a lot of oohs and aahs from the pod race, Darth Maul fight, and even cheers when Anikin blew up the control ship. Perhaps, but that makes it a kids movie. Kids love Jar Jar. Many adults don’t. Kids love to see the “kid hero” do amazing things. Adults go :rolleyes: Yeah, its all a matter of degree but IMO the later movies (ie, the earlier numbered episodes) are more kiddy oriented. I don’t hate the later movies, but I don’t care for them that much either (not nearly as much as the earlier ones). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/76 "2012-05-30T22:09:51Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Any others? Should I make a poll? Here’s mine, based on the fact that you may decide the whole thing, how shall I say this, sucks. Without spoiling anything, I’d say the heart of the entire franchise is Episodes IV and V. Watch those two first. If you decide you want to go on, check out Episode I. True, there are many people in this thread who will argue that Episode I is the weakest one. I’d argue that the key to appreciating II and III is appreciating Episode I. If you don’t like it, you probably won’t like the other prequels, so don’t waste your time on them. If you like IV, V and I, then go ahead and watch II, III and VI. If you like IV and V but don’t like I, then go directly to VI. But if you don’t particularly care for IV and V, then stop. You’ll have seen what the big deal supposedly is. Episode VI is more about giving things a happy ending, and you can always come back and ask us to tell you what important plot developments it may have. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/77 "2012-05-30T22:16:32Z")
We expect a full report, on our desks, come Monday. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/78 "2012-05-30T22:45:41Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > I suggest watching the Original Trilogy over the course of a night or two nights and then watching the prequels the next week. That buffer’ll make it easier to say “the prequels suck!” rather than “Star Wars sucks!” Nah, do it the way the rest of us had to. IV, V, VI, wait sixteen years, then I, II, III. ---
**Author:** ![Rhaegar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/51bf81/32.png) [@Rhaegar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhaegar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/79 "2012-05-30T23:10:53Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > I was kinda interested in the events that lead Anakin Skywalker to become Darth Vader, which is what prompted me to finally watch the movies. Aren’t those events in the prequels? Dang, if you already know that Anakin becomes Darth Vader, then it probably doesn’t matter what order you watch it in anymore. That was probably the coolest part, watching the Empire Strikes Back in the theater as a kid and hearing Darth Vader saying in his James Earl Jones voice, “Luke, I AM your father.” Everyone in the theater screaming NO!!! along with Luke. Hilarious. I personally didn’t find the prequels all that bad other than for Jar Jar Binks. The plot isn’t the greatest, but the special effects are worth the price of admission alone. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473/80 "2012-05-30T23:22:01Z")
Not if you paid more than $2 a ticket. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-going-to-watch-the-series-for-the-first-time-all-together-or-spaced-apart/623473.md?page=5)