STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS

(Cartoon Network, Friday, Oct. 3, 9 p.m. ET/PT)

Cartoon Network is entering the Star Wars galaxy once again with its new half-hour series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Like Cartoon’s previous foray into the subject matter, the Emmy Award-winning 2003 Star Wars: Clone Wars series from Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky, the new series takes place in the interim between theatricals Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

The series picks up where this summer’s animated movie of the same name left off, following the Jedi Knights and clone troopers of the Galactic Republic in their fight against the Confederacy of Independent Systems and its droid army.

Anakin Skywalker and his padawan learner Ahsoka Tano, who played a major role in the movie, are a big part of the series, but they are by no means its main focus. The show also includes characters viewers will recognize from the movies — Yoda, Obi Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Emperor Palpatine, Count Dooku, General Grievous — as well as one introduced in the first Clone Wars series: Assajj Ventress.

The characters are voiced by different actors than from the movies and the first series. Dave Filoni (Avatar: The Last Airbender) picks up the directorial duties in the new series.

While the 2003 series featured hand-drawn animation in Tartakovsky’s distinctive style, the characters were redesigned for the new 3D CGI version, using the first series as a touchstone. And that animation is fantastic. The elegant backgrounds give the impression of being hand painted, while the characters practically leap from the screen. The immensely detailed spaceships look almost as realistic as they looked in the last round of live-action theatricals.

The episodes that were available for review were tight and full of action and, if they are any indication, the series should hold the attention of all Star Wars fans.

Not everything is perfect though. The battle droids have become even more annoying and their lame jokes and slapstick bumbling become grating after a while. And the Starship Troopers-like voice over that begins each episode is irritating to those of us who grew up with the famous Star Wars crawl.

Overall, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a worthy enough addition to the Star Wars canon, and should delight fans young and old.

— Eric J. Smith

SANCTUARY

(Sci Fi Channel, Friday, Oct. 3, 9 p.m.)

Sci Fi Channel’s new Friday night drama, Sanctuary, has a lot of drawing cards.

Amanda Tapping, known better as Samantha Carter of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, heads the list. She plays Dr. Helen Magnus, an enigmatic, very long-lived Brit scientist who protects strange beings that (a la Torchwood) live in hiding on Earth. Assisting her are Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne), a forensic scientist troubled by lingering monster-related childhood trauma, and her blonde, kickboxing daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup).

The episodes are shot in front of green screens with visual effects added later, including the elaborate underground sanctuary, far-off locales and, of course, beasties. It’s a first for Sci Fi and for TV series in general, borrowing from movies like 300.

Sanctuary’s extremely high-resolution “RED” cameras add to a distinct overall look.

The series was conceived as a community-based Web project that Tapping and show creator Damian Kindler (another Stargate alum) made into a TV series after finding financial backers. Sci Fi ordered 13 one-hour episodes.

The premiere introduces the main characters and tees up mysteries to be unraveled later, including how Helen has lived so long and who is that dynamic bad guy John Druitt (Christopher Heyerdahl)? Supporting roles by Stargate Atlantis (Kavan Smith) and Battlestar Galactica (Kandyse McClure) actors add spice.

Seek shelter here.

— Kent Gibbons