Star Warsjust brought in a star from classic bar-dwelling sitcomCheersin a guest spot and, ironically, nobody knew her name. The recent episode of the Disney Plus seriesThe Bad Batchbrought in a fan favorite from the ’80s series to play a character with the potential to return, but it’s hard to imagine anyone expected this particular actress to cross over into a galaxy far, far away.
Episode 5 ofThe Bad Batchsaw the titular batch of misfits from Clone Force 99 seeking out an old friend of the Jedi order to help them find some information about the bounty hunter on their trail. After their contact, Cid, initially conceals her identity from them only to be deduced by the clever young Omega, she sends them on a rather unorthodox rescue mission in exchange for finding the information they seek. Naturally, hijinks ensue, because this isStar Warsand hijinks seem to be the most popular form of ensuing, right next to chaos.
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What many fans didn’t realize is that the trandoshan informant Cid was actually voiced by an alum fromthe hugely popular classic seriesCheers. Rhea Perlman, who played the opinionated and occasionally violent server Carla Tortelli onCheers, lent her distinctive vocal talents to the guest character of the week onThe Bad Batch, and looking back, many fans of both series will likely be surprised they didn’t pick up on it. Cid’s no-nonsense attitude is conveyed perfectly by Perlman’s distinctly New York-style mannerisms.
Perlman charmed audiences with her abrasive server character Carla through all 11 seasons of the Boston-basedCheers, constantly clashing with other bar staff and patrons alike while always finding time to maintain her turbulent family and love life. She was loud and proud of it, and while she wasn’t exactly the sensitive or compassionate type, everyone knew her heart was usually in the right place.
Bringing in Perlman for a character like Cid was an inspired decision, but it’s not as if she was just plucked out of obscurity. In the years sinceCheerswent off the air, she’s kept her own steady career going with supporting roles and guest spots alike. She even appeared on an episode of thetruly excellent HBO Max animated seriesHarley Quinnas Golda, former CIA operative and former lover of Jason Alexander’s geriatric half-metal man Sy Borgman.
It’s just the latest ininteresting developments forThe Bad Batch, and there are sure to be plenty more on the horizon. Who knows? Maybe a guest spot from Ted Danson is in the cards now. They’ve finally got a precedent for it, after all.
Star Wars: The Bad Batchreleases new episodes Fridays on Disney Plus.
