Star Wars is a powerful franchise. After its original release in 1977, Star Wars took the world by surprise, and inspired people from across the globe to pursue their passions. Strangely enough, Star Wars is to thank for this article you’re reading now. The sense of wonder evoked by Star Wars: Rebels and the books leading up to The Force Awakens, as well as the film itself, sparked my interest in storytelling, which led to me becoming a journalist. Watching Star Wars: Skeleton Crew reminded me of those times.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew brought me back to that childlike wonder I had when I originally got into the franchise. So many fans pretended to be in Star Wars as kids, and in this show, we see that play out with the story focusing on children who do the same thing. Getting to experience this Star Wars story from the eyes of kids in the Star Wars universe made for a more relatable viewing experience. Skeleton Crew is also a great jumping on point for new audiences, as you don’t need to have seen other shows to get started with the series.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew premieres December 2, 2024 on Disney+. This review covers the first three episodes of the eight-episode season.
Review – A New Beginning for a New Generation.
Star Wars television has a wide variety of shows. Beginning with 2019’s The Mandalorian, the Star Wars landscape on Disney+ has grown quickly. From a pair of spin-off shows with The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka, to other series focused on the Jedi such as Obi-Wan Kenobi, and The Acolyte, there have been a wide range of stories told in the galaxy, far, far away. The critically acclaimed series Andor set itself apart by focusing on working class citizens of the galaxy, and their everyday struggles under imperial rule. Skeleton Crew likewise sets itself apart by showing a new corner of the Star Wars galaxy: suburban life. This series is also geared towards younger audiences, but it doesn’t talk down to the viewer, and is enjoyable for all ages; it feels very Star Wars in its DNA.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is extremely relatable in a different way from other Star Wars projects. Created by Christopher Ford and Jon Watts, the series follows a group of kids, initially starting in a middle school setting on the planet of At Attin, which is not too dissimilar from our own. The kids take a bus to school, study for exams, and their parents have a “9-5” type job. Skeleton Crew incorporates the mundanities of everyday life into the lives of these children, but because it’s in a Star Wars setting, it’s so much fun to watch. Seeing a suburban town full of alien creatures, where one shot features an Ithorian walking their pet “frogdog,” adds an exciting spin to this series; but our leading characters might not feel the same way.
The leading ensemble includes Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), and my personal favorite, Neel (Robert Timothy Smith). Wim is bored with their planet, and he dreams of more. He thinks the planet is so boring, though it may not be (more on that later). Wim is deeply interested in stories of the Jedi, always reading about them on his data pad. His best friend is Neel, an adorable and kind-hearted blue Ortolan (a species you might recognize from the Max Rebo band in Return of the Jedi). In one of the early scenes, the pair pretend to have a lightsaber fight, before eventually finding themselves lost, away from home, in a dangerous galaxy, alongside KB and Fern. Fern has a personality similar to Han Solo, and is quick on her feet to protect her friends. KB has some augments around her head, similar to Lobot from The Empire Strikes Back, and a really cool haircut. It will be interesting to learn why she has these cybernetic implants. She’s also a great addition to the group with her knowledge on their journey.
After an accidental departure from At Attin, our group meets SM-33, a battle-worn droid voiced by Nick Frost. 33 has a great action scene in one of the episodes. He’s tall, strong, and missing an eye, which adds to the pirate aesthetic of the show. Typically, adult or tall human leads are accompanied by a smaller droid, so it’s fun to flip the dynamic here and have kids accompanied by a large droid.
The crew then lands on a pirate spaceport. After getting into some trouble with the locals, the crew ends up meeting the Force sensitive Jod Na Nawood. Rounding out this cast is Jude Law as Nawood, a mysterious and intriguing pirate who teaches our leading kids that there’s more to the galaxy than they know. Law’s performance adds an intrigue to the character, and you’re not really sure whether or not you can believe him. He has scoundrel-like qualities in the way he talks (or lies), which feel familiar to the franchise.
I’m already anticipating that some people will call the first episode’s exploration of suburban life in Star Wars “boring”, as people do any time a filmmaker does anything new with this franchise. But this look at suburban Star Wars life works. There is also a Star Wars-y twist to At Attin that makes the planet more intriguing. In the first episode, there is a shot of the night sky filled with red dots, and the mention of a barrier near the planet.
The series is also an homage to 80’s sci-fi adventures, using classic techniques in this show, from stop motion animation and matte paintings; blending the old and the new. The series looks fantastic, and the creature work is amazing; there are so many legacy aliens in this series. One character we meet is an owl and looks incredible.
Skeleton Crew also has some interesting firsts for the franchise:
- Fans may be familiar with the word “kriff”, which is an in-universe expletive/curse word used in Star Wars media, but hasn’t been used on screen until now.
- The bus driver in the first episode is an RX droid that visitors of “Star Tours” at the Disney Parks will recognize, also marking the droids’ first live action appearance!
- In one scene, pirate is seen throwing up on their arrival to the space station, which I believe is the first time that getting sick from travel has been shown on screen.
The fear I have watching this series is about its future. What’s going to happen with this show? Lucasfilm just recently cancelled The Acolyte, and with this as their latest project, will Skeleton Crew suffer the same fate? How can audiences be expected to get attached to new characters and worlds when the future of new Star Wars projects are so uncertain? After The Acolyte, fans may feel hesitant to latch onto a new story and brand new characters. But from the stellar artistry, visual effects and costumes, to the talented actors and stacked lineup of directors for the season, and a range of other Easter eggs, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is an enjoyable series that deserves its chance to win the families over.
Rating – 4/5 Pocky
Jorgie is a Senior Writer at POC Culture and a passionate pop culture fan. Jorgie loves learning about visual effects, production, film, and art, and how they all come together to make epic films like Star Wars.
