48/35
Four kids make a mysterious discovery on their home planet that lands them lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Jude Law in "Skeleton Crew" plus more stars from a galaxy far, far away. The holographic circus that entertains Neel’s young siblings is the same as Chewbacca’s family hour in the infamous The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978). Featured in AniMat’s crazy cartoon Cast: Silly Old Deadly Bear (2022). I can’t for the life of me understand why Obi Wan and the Acolyte looks any cheaper than this show. Production-wise, Skeleton Crew was the first Star Wars show that felt expansive, complete, and entertaining. Despite the lack of passion that Star Wars audiences have felt for a while, it’s the last place I’d expect this IP’s redemption to feel like a kids’ series. My favorite Star Wars movies/shows have always been the darker ones, Episode 5, Episode 3, Andor, Rogue One, and parts of The Mandalorian. But Skeleton Crew captures a perspective that was sorely missing from Star Wars — kids. It has a sense of wonder, adventure, and stakes that I haven’t enjoyed from this universe in a long time. In a rather exhausting way, it’s the only thoughtfully directed show that’s been shown outside of Andor and a decent handful of The Mandalorian. There are actual scenes, actual character growth, other scenes that tell a story instead of just watching Star Wars. Star Wars has always been for kids and adults — the irony is that it took them to make a kids’ show that reminded us that the basic craft of storytelling still exists under the Disney name. Please keep making shows like this for kids, and please keep making shows like Andor for adults. The middle rider is what keeps influencing the tone of the other entries – Obi Wan is a perfect example of this. He had no idea who his audience was and he took it upon himself to try to fit in with everyone. Boba Fett is another example that comes to mind. Kudos to the showrunners for bringing something fresh to Star Wars. Sure, it was heavily influenced by the era of kids on bikes – but it’s a fresh take on this universe that my partner and I were excited to see. “One Hundred Years of Solitude”; one of the biggest TV and streaming premieres this month. Check out our December calendar for more details!