In a franchise as storied and cluttered as “Star Wars,” it can be tough for new projects to stand out. But the newest TV series in the franchise, “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,” differentiates itself from the plethora of available “Star Wars” media by allowing audiences to see the galaxy far, far away through the eyes of children for the first time.
This galaxy-spanning epic centers on four kids and their adventures in a classic coming-of-age style. It’s refreshing to experience this universe through a different lens, as so often the franchise falls back upon similar stories about Jedi and scoundrels.
Thankfully, the four kids are mostly likable, with Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) being the standout with his cute appearance and genuine attitude. On the other hand, Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) can be annoying at times with his fixation on adventure, but that was likely intended, as it is a relatively accurate depiction of child behavior.
The kids are not the only notable characters in “Skeleton Crew.” Jod (Jude Law), a mysterious force-user, is well-developed, and his murky background keeps the audience guessing where his motivations come from. Law’s performance of the character is excellent and ensures his time on the screen is never wasted.
While the plot change is certainly welcome, the storyline fails to adequately compensate for the loss of familiar “Star Wars” themes and motifs. In short, there are large sections of the story that feel as if they could take place in any sci-fi franchise with only minor adjustments. This could have been rectified by grounding the children’s story into one of the series’ major galactic conflicts, like the rise of the Empire or “The Clone Wars.” Instead, “Skeleton Crew” takes place after the fall of the Empire, in an era of the series that is relatively devoid of an overarching direction or storyline.
Moreover, the stakes of “Skeleton Crew” are rather low for “Star Wars” media, and they’re not raised until far too late. The only stakes present are the fates of each of the children. Needless to say, these stakes seem inconsequential to those who are used to stories in which the fate of the galaxy rests in the balance.
For what it lacks in stakes, “Skeleton Crew” compensates with its compelling mystery, weaving in hints about its intriguing characters and locales throughout the series to great effect.
These mysteries are not all resolved and many questions are left unanswered by the time credits roll on the eight episodes. This can leave some viewers feeling shortchanged, but will surely leave others excited to see more.
Most of my complaints regarding “Skeleton Crew” are stylistic because the show succeeds in its fundamentals. Having said that, the one big flaw the show has on a fundamental level is the story plays it too safe for most of the runtime. There are not enough moments that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats, or left in shock as the plot takes an unforeseen twist. Killing off a character or throwing in more plot twists would have been welcome to keep the audience engaged.
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” is not a perfect show, and some stylistic and fundamental errors keep it from being a revolutionary title. However, the show’s unique premise makes it a worthwhile addition to the “Star Wars” canon and more than justifies its existence.
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