Skeleton Crew

As most children of the Eighties I have fond memories of The Goonies, but I would be lying if I said that's the direction I desperately wanted for new Star Wars content.

I mean, after the disappointment of the sequel trilogy and many others - all Disney live-action content except Andor, Rogue One and the first two seasons of Mando I'd rate between mediocre and bad - I'm just starving for good mature, epic Star Wars content. Give me an Andor-like show set in the Old Republic with Jedi, Sith and Nick Gillard as stunt coordinator for the lightsaber battles.

HOWEVER... to be fair I will say that Skeleton Crew is okay. It's not offensive or poorly made; not obviously cheap like The Book of Boba Fett; not aimless like Season 3 of Mando; not lore-breaking like the sequels and Kenobi; not tone-deaf like the Acolyte.

Hooray?

This is basically Star Wars Goonies, a neat little story of a bunch of kids having an adventure in the Star Wars universe. The writing is decent: effects, costumes and locations look great: the whole thing has a certain charm.

I'm guessing this, similar to Andor, is a passion project for its creators and was seen as a minor side-project by the higher-ups, who did not therefore bother to get involved, which nowadays in Lucasfilm is a blessing.

So far, so good.

7,5/10.

From the previews I thought this was going to be terrible. I have only watched the first episode and was amazed at how enjoyable it was. I have high hopes for this one. Sort of Star Wars in the style of Spielberg. It might be intended for kids, but I still enjoy this style of story telling at my advanced age. The first episode was fun and engaging, and flowed well, and it didn't take itself too seriously. There is even a little social commentary. So far it's the second best series behind Endor, but that might change upon watching more episodes. I think this series is a good direction for the Disney/Star Wars combo.

I'm approaching this review cautiously, acknowledging that 'Skeleton Crew' appears to be targeted towards a younger audience. While children may enjoy it, I found the first four episodes quite underwhelming.

The story lacks depth, feeling more like a children's movie that jumps from location to location without much consequence. The war backdrop feels superficial, and the action sequences lack the impact they should have.

The acting, while not terrible, could be stronger, especially considering the caliber of some of the cast members. Even Jude Law, at times, seems to be phoning it in.

The production design is impressive, but it can't save a story that feels slow-paced and ultimately rather forgettable.

Perhaps the series improves later on, but based on my initial viewing, I remain unconvinced. Please prove me wrong!

I think the series is great so far, but there is one problem that really annoys me: the running time. When I saw the first episode, I was so happy that it was about 40 minutes long. Then came episode two: if you include the flashback and the credits, it's not even 25 minutes. If I get 25 minutes of the series every week, I have to watch what happened the week before last. As soon as you can't really lose yourself in the universe, you've warmed up to it, it's already over. Incredibly unsatisfying! I'm probably not going to watch it for months and try to avoid all spoilers so that I can see the whole thing next year. As for the actors: my God, they're children. It's clear that they didn't have years of acting training. Nevertheless, the protagonists are likeable, the music fits and the action isn't too child-friendly. After two episodes, I'm excited to see what happens next, but unfortunately I won't find out until next year.

Since I know a lot of hate will be directed towards this show because of the up-and-down of recent Star Wars, I'm happy to say that this is an up. So far...

The first 2 episodes don't tread new ground, or very original, but that's not a bother, since it delivers well on everything. The cast and their acting are great, costume/set design are probably the best we've seen since Andor, the writing, especially the hilarious banter between the kids, was good. Again, nothing new, but it's intriguing nonetheless, and I'm excited to keep watching. It gives me heavy Treasure Planet vibes.

As someone who hasn't enjoyed recent Star Wars myself, I was surprised by Skeleton Crew. I do hope that everyone slightly interested, or even upset with recent shows, gives it a chance. Don't let the "for kids," talk put you off. Star Wars is made for all, and so is this.