As a Star Wars fan who was disappointed by the prequels, the first season of this show was a pleasant surprise, not great but much better than its dreadful pilot movie.
Still kid-friendly (I'd say fine from the age of 8) before darker later seasons, it follows the galactic conflict between Republican and Separatist forces. The whole series bridges the gap between Attack of the Clones (which I loathed) and Revenge of the Sith (which was flawed but I maintain had its moments).
Anakin is far more likable here than in the live-action films - finally the "best pilot, cunning warrior, good friend" he never managed to be in the prequels. However, this season is at its best when it follows not Skywalker and his apprentice Ahsoka (the plucky sidekick here still too obviously the young watchers' avatar) and not even Obi-Wan or Padme, but rather characters the movies either underserved (Yoda, Mace Windu) or treated like extras (Plo Koon, Kit Fisto and other Jedi Masters).
While I've never liked the narrative choice made in Episode II - I still believe the clones of the "Clone Wars" should have been the bad guys and the good guys just ordinary soldiers later forcibly drafted into the Empire, also the fact they are all Fett's clones feels like bad fanfiction - the show made the most out of this dubious premise in terms of characterization of the troopers.
Incidentally, I could have done without the brief newscast introduction to each episode and its overly excited narrator. It feels like a satire, something out of Starship Troopers. It's tonally weird.
Favorite episodes of the season: Rising Malevolence, Cloak of Darkness, Lair of Grievous, Trespass.