What do you think should be the viewing order of the Star Wars saga for someone who knows nothing of it?

For me, I agree with the order and cases overall made here:
http://www.nomachetejuggling.com/2011/11/11/the-star-wars-saga-suggested-viewing-order/

The order presented in that article is as follows:
Episode IV - A New Hope
Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

You'll note that Episode I is skipped, and I agree with the general sentiment that it is both the weakest of the movies and that there's very little, if anything, that it adds to the overall narrative of the saga. Even as someone who doesn't hate the prequels like the majority of people, I have to agree that this viewing order objectively reveals the big twists the best (Vader is Luke's father, Luke has a sister, Palpatine becomes the Emperor) as well as presents a tighter narrative for the saga as a whole. It's still not a perfect viewing order, but for the movies we have, I believe it's the best order for a first-time viewing. Afterwards, I think presenting in chronological order (Episodes I-VI) is fine.

I actually liked Episode 1.

I didn't dislike Episode 1 either. However, in the overall narrative, it's better left as "extended universe" material (like Animatrix, the Hobbit, etc.) as it doesn't fit very strongly into the overall saga.

Also, the link I provided mentioned a "Despecialized" editions of the original trilogy. I am curious to see the Despecialized, only to see if it really is entirely "despecialized" (i.e. no clean-up on things like seeing through the ship cockpits in Hoth) or if they only tried to exclude the more overt special edition additions. I admittedly might be interested if it was the latter, only because I think there wasn't anything good added (reworked music/ending to celebration in RotJ) that wasn't outweighed significantly by the bad that was added (song and dance number in RotJ).

Here's my idea of a viewing order:

I wouldn't juggle them around like you did in that list, that makes no sense at all, especially if you don't know anything about SW. Those are two different eras, after all.

In my opinion, there are two ways.

OT>PT (This preserves the Vader reveal)
PT>OT (This preserves the Sidious reveal and makes especially RotS way more dramatic)

I'd go for PT>OT, as it makes the most sense, is the most dramatic and on top of that you'll save the best for last (sort of)

I agree with the ideas and arguments made in that article. I think it's more important, though, to consider why you want to change the viewing order at all.

There are basically two reasons someone tries to manicure the Star Wars viewing experience for someone who has never seen it:

• To convince your children that the sequel trilogy is actually better than the prequel trilogy. Even though it isn't, not in the ways that matter to kids.
• To convince women that, yes, you care about Star Wars, but no, wait, they're not just kids' movies. where are you going? come back I am so lonely please I need you.

I used to enjoy Star Wars and I do miss when it was something that was genuinely entertaining. Basically what I'm trying to say is that we try to force people to experience Star Wars in the way that we want, so they enjoy it as much as we did and we are somehow vindicated or re-experience the films vicariously. The problem is it'll never work because Star Wars is a bad movie series for pre-pubescent boys. The only "correct" solution to this problem is not to bother at all, stop caring, and let people discover how terrible Star Wars is on their own. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Sounds like your bitter, Jon`C. Then again, I like childish things such as games and cartoons. To each his own, I suppose.

I'm only considering changing the viewing order from a narrative stand-point. Prior to this article, I'd have just had people watch the movies in chronological order, and with kids, chronological order would still be good enough too.

Jon 'C is raping everyones inner child in this thread and I am most amused.

But yeah, I am bored of Star Wars, but I don't mind discussing it really, but I feel like the same few subjects always wound up being debated, this being one of them

I think it depends on who is viewing it. If your trying to introduce Starwars to a younger child- Then Phantom Menace is a good jumping off point, it's easily digestible.

The Empire Strikes Back (1993 VHS) was the first SW film I saw back in November 1997, followed by Return of the Jedi (1993 VHS) and A New Hope (1997 Special Edition). So what most of you people refer to as "Star Wars" or "A New Hope" is pretty much the first prequel movie in the series to me. I've never seen any of the pre-1997 versions of it and, quite honestly, I don't care if I ever do.

Despite all of George Lucas' hanfoolery, I 100% agree with him that ultimately the Star Wars saga is the story of Anakin Skywalker. So while I cannot fathom the idea of someone seeing the movies for the first time in a chronological order (I-II-III-IV-V-VI), that seems like it would make sense. However, there's an absolutely fantastic YT video out there where some kid finds out that Vader is Luke's father and basically reacts like "OMGWTF :OOOOOO". That scene won't have the same impact if you watch the films from I to VI. Of course, that plot twist has probably been recycled to hell and back, so kids today might not even react to it. Or whatevs.

I agree with ORJ_JoS about the order. When I'm going to show SW to my kids, I'll show the movies in a chronological (events-wise, as in PT > OT) order. If they won't be hooked by Episode I, well, I'm not going to force them. The fact that *I* enjoy it is enough for me...

Really? I thought that all he said was that:

1) The reason behind "finding the best order" for the movies is to try to properly impress whoever's watching if you don't think that showing them in order is impressive enough.

2) He used to like Star Wars but now thinks it's childish and is actually a bad movie series for pre-pubescent boys.

3) He's a man, not a boy, and ever since he denounced those shameful movies and started quoting from the Bible, his untamed manly pubes continued to grow wild, and continue to grow unimpeded even as I type this very sentence. Jon'C. The Man. The Pubes. The Legend.

That being said, I personally think SW is an awesome example of a SF space opera. It has swordfighting, spaceship dogfights, different planets, friendship, adventure, betrayal, heroism, self-sacrifice, the conflict between good and evil, a world that appears to be rich in detail, cool tech, a bad guy who's basically a badass cyborg wizard with a laser sword, and lots of other elements that make the movies (including the prequels) so enjoyable for me.



How in the world is The Hobbit "extended universe"? What am I missing here?

It's not in a true sense, only in comparison to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. That is, you don't need to have read/watched the Hobbit to have a complete story from the LotR trilogy. I was simply pointing out that you don't really need to watch Episode 1 to have a complete narrative of the Star Wars saga.

Why would you break up one of the trilogies with a movie from the other? That would be so weird.

I'll agree that Episode I hardly matters to the saga at all. I remember watching it in the theatre the first time and thinking just that, even though Episode II and III still had to be made at that point.

True, true. Still, if it came to that, then I would've rather said that LotR is the "extended universe" for The Hobbit, TBH.

4, 5, 6.

Whilst I don't care about about viewing order or edits and whatnot, one of the articles about this turned me onto the despecialized cuts of the OT in HD that I'm currently downloading. Yay!

I'm just going to tell my kid that there are only episodes 4,5, and 6. I'm also going to tell him that there's only the original Matrix and Indiana Jones is just a trilogy. It's for the best.

And at that point, tell them theres not 37 seasons of the simpsons, just 10

4,5,6. If you like it enough at this point then watch the first 3 too. Otherwise don't.

lol at people "im going to tell my kids that theres only the OT", star wars, especially this clone wars **** will be so ingrained in the culture they will probably know more about the PT and the clone wars just by cultural assimilation than they will know about the OT before they even see the movies

instead of growing up with darth vaders breathing sound and the quote "I am your father" our kids will be walking around going "Delegates of the senate" and "YIYIUIUYIUY HHHEEEAATTEE CCHHHYYYYYOOOUUUU!"

Or none of those things because we will all be wise parents and not ladle star wars bs all over them, hopefully

Doesn't matter, I know people who have never seen Star Wars (mostly because their parents never saw either so had no instinct to pass it on) and they could easily pass a basic quiz, unless your like that bomb shelter hidden family your kids are going to get exposed to the best and worst parts of Star Wars whether we like it or not, its either that or keep abortion legal

huh, my friends who have actually not seen a star wars movie don't really know anything about them. they know who darth vader is, probably jabba the hutt, but not too much else. lightsabers, yoda. chewbacca.

are those not the basics my dear saberopus?

I didn't really mind the prequels, but I did feel that there was quite a lot that could've been done better, especially with Episode One. The only part that I really despise is Jar-Jar Binks, but I don't really feel that it's something to get butthurt about on either side.

I do, though, really like the fan edits of the movies, especially the OT, since they deliver a remaster along with scenes that I liked.

The only thing worse than the prequels and special editions are the crybaby nerds on the internet whining about them.

...got me there

These things do have a way of repeating themselves:

http://forums.massassi.net/vb3/showthread.php?58320-Proper-order-for-someone-who-s-never-seen-the-movies-to-watch-them.&p=1118600&highlight=#post1118600

I'm fairly sure I've been saying the same thing since Episode 3 came out.

I think that TPM is the best prequel. I especially enjoy the podrace & the battle with Darth Maul (my favorite in all of the films). Jar Jar isn't half as irritating as Hayden Christenson.

WATCH THEM IN THE ****ING ORDER THEY CAME OUT JESUS CHRIST I HATE YOU ALL

WHY YOU GOTTA MAKE THINGS SO COMPLICATED

I'M A ****ING MEAT TORNADO

Say what you want about Crystal Skull but it's still better than Temple of Doom.

Also, the 3rd Matrix film is pretty watchable.

I want to agree, but there are so many factors, but ive had this feeling before

Was Temple of Doom really that bad? I haven't seen it in more than a decade.

I'm going to make it my mission to watch it over the weekend.

It's really not that bad. It's definitely the weakest of the four, though.

I can't stand Spielberg's wife and have to turn it off about 20 minutes in every time.

I don't mind it, i need to rewatch all of this though

Maybe I'm thinking about Temple of Doom with rose tinted glasses. Last time I saw it was probably ten years ago. I felt embarrassed watching Crystal Skull though.

I thought the final Matrix was pretty bad. Probably a little better than Reloaded, but it was still stupid. The big fight with Smith was pretty cool, but Neo/Smiths exploding in a bunch of light seemed pretty random. Maybe it was explained with a couple of lines of dialogue, but it seemed pretty weak at the time. Making a peace treaty with killer robots seemed like a really senseless way to end the movie too.