What I don't like about this one...

Rating: 6/10 (24 October 2004)

I'm probably gonna be the Most Unfashionable & Despised Reviewer Alive for saying this, but I am not a huge fan of this episode. In fact, I consider it to be the weakest in the story. Now, when you've stopped hyperventilating, I'll explain why.
The worst scene I feel is when Luke and Han say goodbye to each other at the ice hanger. One copy of the script I read says that they gaze at each other with a "deep sense of admiration for the other's wisdom and heroic endeavor" (- or something like that). Well I'm sorry, but all I could see were two truculent teenagers behaving like immature brats. The sexual tension between Han and Leia had, IMHO, been ham-fistedly set up almost from the first scene. In a hectic rush, it felt like the audience was banged over the head that there was "unresolved chemistry" between the two characters - almost straight out of a dime novel. Which leads to the big farewell scene, and we get that sullen sour look from Han as he and Luke say "Well, see ya". (Wow - high quality drama!)
**Spoiler warning**
And to top that off, just look at how Luke behaves with Yoda. After leaving Hoth, he has this determined quest to find this mysterious individual he's never met, breaking Rebel orders in the process. Then when he crash-lands on the planet, he seems to go into a hissy fit when everything isn't quite what he expected. Then this little green man (believe it or not!), turns up and asks if the young man wants any help. There's some comic schtick as the little fellow bumbles around in the camp, with Luke harping like a nanny throughout. Then the guy beckons the Hero to follows him back to the hut. And Luke, "with a deep sense of destiny", follows him. They arrive at a little forest house. Luke whines about the situation, and then - (tada!)- we find out that the little fellow is ... Yoda! (Could see that one coming a mile away!!!) So our interstellar hero is then all gushing and plaintive - practically fawning over the little guy!.
Geez, the whole episode plays like a two-bit soap.
If this is supposed to be the best episode in the series; well I'm sorry, but I'd rather stick to the original. At least that had some style and a tight whup-ass plot! And the sexual tension was handled more subtly, with a tinge of comedy.