Not really all that hooked. I kind of feel like I've been watching these episodes as a chore rather than because I am excited. Nothing has really caught me yet and maybe that is because I'm just not into it.
Like people have said already, Ash has personality...If you call "OMG ARORA! LOOK AT MY STUPID FACES HAHAHA A POKEMON JUST HIT ME ISN'T THAT FUNNY?!?" as personality lol? It gets annoying fast and it really makes you question his competence. Okay, him and Pikachu are strong and haven't been reset, we've established that, but he barely ever uses strategy and gets surprised when Rowlet does things he should have thought of.
The cast also has its own problems. The school companions barely appear, and most of the time its just Mallow and Lillie. Lana barely ever says anything when she appears, and none of them really have anything that stands out to me. I like how Lillie is afraid of Pokemon but even her gag is a little dry. It does however open doors for a strong character arc for her and her past. All the companions have a chance to show out in the future especially since all their trials are on the same island coming up, so I am looking forward to that. But then there is Sophocles..
I don't know why Sophocles is on the cast at all. Ash is already the Electric-type guy and he is showing off the Electric-type Z-Move, so why is Sophocles here? He isn't an Akala Island Trial Captain and he never interacts with any of the other school companions in the games until the games' ending. His Togedemaru is cute but very annoying and has random outbursts, just to have outbursts. Sophocles doesn't even add a noteworthy character archetype to the cast. He's just that nerd that specializes in Electric-types. His episode didn't improve on his character at all, honestly made me dislike him even more, and Tapu Koko giving Ash Electricium Z just made Sophocles' role as a Trial Captain completely pointless. What is he supposed to give Ash when he beats the Trial? A high five?
Don't even let me start on Rotom. Man that guy has so much potential but he just intrudes on things and drags things out and kwalege;krengldnj it's just so irritating lol
We are at the 10 episode mark and there hasn't even been a battle yet that I can say I legitimately enjoyed. Maybe because there has been a real lack of battles. Hala's battle was good but it as well as the other battles in SM lack the over the top hand motions trainers would make in battles to keep everything in motion. Most of the time Ash and his opponent are just standing still and it is jarring. Maybe because XY blew me away with this that I'm holding SM up to a higher T
So far I'm just not impressed with the series.