I thought the last episode was pretty pointless, and I was looking forward to seeing more episodes that look at the new Empire's effects on different planets. The last episode explored this idea but in a very cursory way. If that means taking a detour from the lead characters, that's fine by me. After all, the series takes place at the end of the Clone Wars and the beginning of the Empire, so exploring the theme of a slow descent into totalitarianism and imperialism on former Republic worlds or allied worlds is par for the course.
I think the nuance that goes into these characters and their different ideologies regarding the Empire's occupation gives them more depth and makes you care about them more. (Also I don't think the fact it has Hera in it really adds or subtracts from the episode's quality overall; you don't need to have seen Rebels to understand what's happening in the episode). What makes the episode interesting is the internal disagreement between the Syndulla family members about whether the Empire's occupation is the price they have to pay for peace, or whether they've basically shaken hands with the devil. Also it continues to delve into the recurring theme of Clone's opposition to their commanders, which will probably be expanded upon in the next ep of the arc.