TAGGED AS: Disney, Star Wars, streaming, TV
The latest Star Wars series has arrived on Disney+, and the first reviews have marked it as the best live-action TV show in the franchise since Andor. Titled Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, this eight-episode streaming series follows a group of kids who accidentally end up in space and on the run from pirates. Jude Law co-stars, while a batch of auteurs handle the directing duties, including Jon Watts, David Lowery, the Daniels, and Lee Isaac Chung. The result is a throwback adventure show reminiscent of fan-favorite kids’ movies of the ‘80s, which should entertain audiences of all ages.
Here’s what critics are saying about Star Wars: Skeleton Crew:
As much fun as some previous Star Wars shows have been, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is the series that I’ve been waiting for all my life.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
If you accept the mantra that not every Star Wars series needs to be Andor, it’s probably my favorite non-Andor Star Wars series since The Mandalorian launched.
— Daniel Fienberg, Hollywood Reporter
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is the best thing Lucasfilm has produced since The Mandalorian.
— Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
Skeleton Crew takes a new, unchallenging angle on a beloved entertainment institution, and does it well enough that it could easily become the most universally popular Star Wars product since The Mandalorian.
— Garrett Martin, Paste Magazine
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is the closest the Disney+ era has come to revisiting the franchise’s galaxy-sized creative potential.
— Ben Travers, IndieWire
For those seeking a Star Wars production that actually seems original and refreshing instead of giving us more of the same overgrown nostalgia, this is the one for you.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
It may not be as profound as Andor, or as bold as The Acolyte, but Skeleton Crew is well on its way to becoming a Star Wars staple.
— Maggie Lovitt, Collider
(Photo by Matt Kennedy/©Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The show is clearly aimed at a younger audience (don’t expect high stakes or edge-of-your-seat thrills).
— Mark Cassidy, ComicBookMovie.com
If you happen to be a ten-year-old kid who has been raised on the Star Wars saga and loves everything about it, then this is the show for you.
— Allison Rose, FlickDirect
It is safer, family-friendly fare than most.
— M.N. Miller, FandomWire
Skeleton Crew is easily the most kid-oriented addition to the franchise since the old Ewok TV movies.
— Joshua Starnes, Firing the Canon
Audiences of all ages will find something to love… [It’s] a Star Wars story with truly universal appeal, never catering too much to a singular demographic.
— Jacob Fisher, Discussing Film
Skeleton Crew may seem like it is for younger audiences, but it’s a good time for all ages. Every generation of Star Wars fans can enjoy the charming adventures of Skeleton Crew.
— Andres Cabrera, Geeks of Color
Showrunners Jon Watts and Christopher Ford attempt to recapture the sense of wonder and adventure an entire generation of fans felt the first time they saw George Lucas’s original trilogy — and, based on what we’ve seen so far, they’ve succeeded.
— Mark Cassidy, ComicBookMovie.com
In a way, it’s the most true to the saga’s DNA — or at least a particular strain of it.
— Alison Herman, Variety
It is, at its core, a heartfelt coming-of-age story. The kind that Star Wars was originally built to be.
— Joonatan Itkonen, Toisto.net
The first episode, “This Could Be A Real Adventure,” mirrors the legendary intro of A New Hope, but instead of the Empire looming large, we get pirates.
— Adrian Ruiz, But Why Tho? A Geek Community
The world is notably different from any previous Star Wars project, which may scare hardcore fans away.
— Andres Cabrera, Geeks of Color
(Photo by ©Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Skeleton Crew will no doubt be a more popular show than last summer’s The Acolyte, which dealt heavily in shades of gray while following its main character down what would traditionally be considered a villain’s path, but it’s also less daring, less provocative, and less memorable.
— Garrett Martin, Paste Magazine
Similar to the franchise’s most successful series, The Mandalorian, there are enough fun beasts and droids, including an entertaining pirate bot SM-33 (voiced by Nick Frost), to keep everyone pleased.
— Jake Helm, Times (UK)
Unlike The Mandalorian or Ahsoka, there are no red flags of things devolving into Easter egg hunts or a parade of cameos.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
The series is so invested in marketing toward children that it almost doesn’t seem like it belongs in the world of The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, or Ahsoka.
— M.N. Miller, FandomWire
What Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has that others don’t is a considerable amount of heart.
— M.N. Miller, FandomWire
It’s a Star Wars show that’s actually rooted in childhood rather than evoking memories of one’s own.
— Alison Herman, Variety
What’s most refreshing about its tale are its original characters and distinctive marriage of Lucas-style grandeur and Spielberg-ian wonder.
— Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
The most interesting thing about Skeleton Crew so far is the disconnect between how its characters react to the predicament they’re in and how we, the viewers, react to it. It’s a weird situation where what’s unknown and adventurous to the kids—droids with attitude, space cruisers launching into hyperspace, galactic backwaters filled with scum and villainy—is old hat for us.
— Garrett Martin, Paste Magazine
One of the standout elements… is the world-building. From the opening suburban-like setting to the gritty, alien-packed pirate hub of Borgo, Skeleton Crew makes the galaxy feel alive in a way that not every Star Wars project does.
— Adrian Ruiz, But Why Tho? A Geek Community
What makes Skeleton Crew feel so special is that it’s not trying to feel special.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
(Photo by Matt Kennedy/©Lucasfilm Ltd.)
This charming coming-of-age tale transports the earnestness of ET, the innocence of The Goonies, and even the exploratory spirit of Flight of the Navigator into the comfy confines of Star Wars.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
Skeleton Crew creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford have made no secret of their inspirations in attempting to do an Amblin-style story set within the Star Wars universe, and through the three episodes sent to critics, they generally succeed.
— Daniel Fienberg, Hollywood Reporter
This Amblin influence is immediately noticeable, but not in a way that is grating for the audience. The ’80s inspirations work to embolden the atmosphere and characters of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew and make it an even stronger show rather than just feeling derivative or like cheap nostalgia bait.
— Jacob Fisher, Discussing Film
Skeleton Crew doubles as an homage to The Goonies, and what fondness you have for Richard Donner’s 1985 kids’ classic, dear readers, may dictate your tolerance for Skeleton Crew’s conventional scripts.
— Ben Travers, IndieWire
It’s less like Spielberg (or George Lucas, even) and more like the Spielberg pastiche of J.J. Abrams’ Super 8.
— Garrett Martin, Paste Magazine
It’s a revitalizing head-first dive into the sillier side of Star Wars that is often disregarded or chastised.
— Andres Cabrera, Geeks of Color
The smart script blows these [coming-of-age] fears up into a grand galactic adventure full of danger and wonder, yet never loses sight of what makes it so personal.
— Joonatan Itkonen, Toisto.net
If you’re looking for Andor levels of mature and complex storytelling, you’ll be sorely disappointed.
— Kelly Lawler, USA Today
The dialogue, written mainly by Watts and Ford, struggles with how the young cast interacts on their own.
— M.N. Miller, FandomWire
The show spends more time developing its story and background of their world than it does developing each of the kids as people.
— Jonathan Sim, ComingSoon.net
(Photo by ©Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The special effects are spectacular.
— M.N. Miller, FandomWire
The practical effects on the aliens are stellar, and the environments feel immersive, like something you’d experience at Galaxy’s Edge or on the Galactic Starcruiser.
— Adrian Ruiz, But Why Tho? A Geek Community
Smashed together, the CGI and practical effects feel more disaffecting than immersive, even if the idea to overwhelm viewers with unfamiliar ambiance is the right one.
— Ben Travers, IndieWire
Jon Watts and his all-star directing team actually managed to make The Volume look magical again.
— Jacob Fisher, Discussing Film
If there’s one notable issue in these early episodes beyond that groan, it’s that everything outside of the practical set of the kids’ spaceship feels very “filmed on The Volume”—the virtual set technology used on The Mandalorian and other Star Wars shows.
— Sam Barsanti, IGN Movies
They are primitive at best and remind one of the special effects done in Star Wars: A New Hope or worse, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
— Allison Rose, FlickDirect
Despite being preteens, the main cast is pretty good.
— Allison Rose, FlickDirect
The show works because the kids bring that magic with their comedic timing, chemistry, and genuine heart that is felt across the screen.
— Andres Cabrera, Geeks of Color
All four young actors have no trouble channeling that unmistakable Amblin tone as they bicker, pout, and bumble their way into franchise lore.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
All four performances, primarily vocal in Smith’s case, are in that well-curated Spielberg vein encompassing both wide-eyed wonderment and insistent spunkiness.
— Daniel Fienberg, Hollywood Reporter
The young cast has a lot of fun, including Smith’s Neel, whose adorable miniature Snuffleupagus-like character stands out.
— M.N. Miller, FandomWire
It would be wrong not to highlight Robert Timothy Smith’s hilarious performance as the little blue elephant child, Neel.
— Jacob Fisher, Discussing Film
The breakout star is Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the tough girl Fern. At just 14, she exudes a swagger and confidence well beyond her years, shining in her leather jacket in a manner reminiscent of Harrison Ford as Han Solo.
— Jake Helm, Times (UK)
(Photo by ©Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Law is the headline act and his penetrating eyes alone are fitting for the space saga. His turn as Jod Na Nawood, a mysterious figure who ends up joining the crew, is packed with charisma and mystique.
— Jake Helm, Times (UK)
[Jod Na Nawood] is a role that taps into many of the things Law is best at playing — namely, the sort of man you’d follow into battle even while suspecting that he’s a cad.
— Daniel Fienberg, Hollywood Reporter
It’s delightful to watch Law let his mask slip into the caddish glee that marks one of his more enjoyable modes.
— Alison Herman, Variety
While Law excels, Nick Frost is a scene-stealer as a droid pirate, SM-33. He offers the perfect comic relief and edge that the show needs at times.
— M.N. Miller, FandomWire
Skeleton Crew’s pacing is all over the place. It is, once again, a feature film cut into eight episodes. It doesn’t feel like a TV series, nor does it feel like a film.
— Joonatan Itkonen, Toisto.net
This isn’t the first Star Wars project to face scrutiny over its pacing… but for a show like Skeleton Crew, where so much depends on the audience connecting with the characters and soaking in the richness of the galaxy, it’s a risky gamble.
— Adrian Ruiz, But Why Tho? A Geek Community
It stoutly refuses to be ponderous or self-important even when engaging with life-or-death struggles or the anguish of parental loss, a choice which keeps things breezy and easy to watch in the early going but may be a problem by the end.
— Joshua Starnes, Firing the Canon
(Photo by Matt Kennedy/©Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew injects a much-needed breath of fresh air into the franchise at a time when it needs it the most.
— Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew offers a new hope — and this time, it does deliver.
— Jake Helm, Times (UK)
This is the most fun Star Wars has felt in years… Can we have ten more like it, please?
— Joonatan Itkonen, Toisto.net
95%
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew: Season 1
(2024)
premiered on Disney+ on December 2, 2024.
