Though they are written off by most fans as extraneous, the "filler" episodes of the high-stakes political intrigue of the larger narrative, they are some of the most important of the series.
In the early seasons of the show, there was a more procedural approach taken in of storytelling, likely thanks to George Lucas's influence and vision. There were small, two- or three-episode arcs. There was plenty of room for side adventures, such as season 1's "Rookies," which focused on a group of clone cadets surviving a Separatist invasion or season 2's "Lightsaber Lost" where Ahsoka Tano seeks out her missing Jedi weapon.
These are highly specific examples, and they are far from the only ones. Though these installments weren't the most popular, they served a logical purpose. Despite being phased out as the series went on, the "filler" episodes were still important to the series' world-building and fleshing out the characters.
Later in the course of The Clone Wars' six seasons, with season 7 recently premiering, larger narratives began to take over. There have been plenty of iconic stories told over 4-5 episodes. Fans revere ones like the Mortis arc in season 3, where Anakin saw a glimpse of his dark future. Even the journey Master Yoda took on Moraband to uncover secrets of the Force during "The Lost Missions" of season 6 is well-regarded for its world-building and expansion of the lore. There were great character moments in these episodes and ones like them, but this type of development always managed to take a backseat to the larger themes, such as the Sith plot to overthrow the Jedi or the Clone War itself.
This is where the standalone, or "filler," episodes came into play. Many write them off as unnecessary or even boring at times. They're especially a nuisance taking into that the show is traditionally presented out of order. While they may not be for everyone, they did not exist for nothing. They made the scope of The Clone Wars much smaller, putting the spotlight on particular characters and the personal journey they were going on during the much larger war at hand. Series creator Dave Filoni understood the necessity for these kinds of episodes and sprinkled them in from time to time. They did a better job than long-form storytelling at strengthening the bond the viewer has with the characters, making the surrounding program more emotionally resonant.
As season 7 of The Clone Wars prepares to hit Disney+, it would be disservice to the show as a whole to disregard these oddball episodes. They're important because they made characters feel like more than pawns in a much larger story. It is unlikely the final season will have any like these, with only 12 total episodes and plenty of narrative to cover, but at this point it is no cause for concern. Back then, they did what they were designed to ultimately do, grooming characters like Captain Rex and Ahsoka Tano into fan favorites while improving upon the depth of established characters like Anakin Skywalker or Obi-Wan Kenobi. For these reasons they should not be ignored.