- Created by Jon Watts and Christopher Ford
- December 2, 2024 to Present
- Based on Star Wars created by George Lucas
- Disney+
Main Cast
- Jod Na Nawood-Jude Law
- Wim-Ravi Cabot-Conyers
- Fern-Ryan Kiera Armstrong
- KB-Kyriana Kratter
- Voice of Neel-Robert Timothy Smith
- Voice of SM-33-Nick Frost
Recurring/Guest Cast
- Wendle (Wim’s dad)-Tunde Adebimpe
- Fara (Fern’s mom)-Kerry Condon
- Tuut Orial-Alan Resnick
Four children discover an old spaceship. Now far from home, they must find their way back.
I can’t say I was particularly excited for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. Given the poor execution of The Acolyte there was absolutely nothing that gave me much hope for this.
So here we are at the first two episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
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This Could Be a Real Adventure
- Directed by Jon Watts
- Written by Christopher Ford and Jon Watts
- December 2, 2024
A group of children stumble across an abandoned spaceship buried in the ground just outside of town.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is here and the first episode This Could Be a Real Adventure starts with a strong action sequence. A pirate attack headed by a mysterious masked captain (most likely Jude Law based on their voice alone). It’s a good sequence reminiscent of any number of adventure films or even the original Star Wars. It sets the tone for the show quickly.
After which it cuts away and we are introduced to Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) and Neel (voiced by Robert Timothy Smith) who is clearly of the same species as Sy Snootles. The character of Neel is easily influenced as needed by the plot or not for the same reason while Wim is a dreamer with no real plan on making anything happen who drags Neel along. The former is grating while the latter in the films this show draws inspiration from can grow into something.
Wim gets bullied and tricked rather easily by Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong). Most of her actions consist of berating him or just being irritated with Wim. What kind of message are they sending? Who is going to be the driving force of the story? Fern’s sidekick KB (Kyriana Kratter) who takes mild pity on Wim and Neel but not really enough to do anything.
I think Neel and some of the other child aliens we see are designed a little too cute. There is a bit of cute that needs to be applied but some look like plushies while Neel looking like a blue version of a toy elephant so many children of a certain age owned. Star Wars is certainly fanciful with the alien designs but the kid aliens look like product placement.
This sets up the basic premise of the series which appears to be individuals finding their place in the world despite what society says. These are kids about to take an assessment test to determine the rest of their lives. At this young age the system is going to decide what career they are best fit for and set them on a career path from there. Hints/connection to a line from the sequel trilogy about how they develop their stormtroopers? Is At Attin a First Order World cutoff purposely from the rest of the galaxy? The episode drops numerous homages to other films or references to previous Star Wars but not so strong that your face is shoved in it. It allows you to decide.
Nothing gets exceedingly serious. This Could Be a Real Adventure accomplish an 80s kid-friendly adventure by doing shots or general visuals reminiscent of Goonies or ET or any number of movies about a spunky group of kids. That combined with the upbeat music gives this a positive vibe. It promises a grand space opera adventure.
Having been utterly disappointed by The Acolyte I am given a bit of hope watching This Could Be a Real Adventure. Despite a need to continually beat down the dreamer of the series, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew starts out with some serious promise that I hope it fulfills.
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Way, Way Out Past the Barrier
- Directed by David Lowery
- Written by Christopher Ford and Jon Watts
- December 2, 2024
Wim, Fern, KB, and Neel find themselves far from home on an old pirate ship.
There is little that moves the story forward in Way, Way Out Past the Barrier. The whole point is to connect the final two characters to the cast and solidify that the kids aren’t in Kansas anymore.
We are introduced to SM-33 (voice of Nick Frost) which when written out is an obvious reference to Smee from Peter Pan. I think it used one too many times the space mouse popping out of the robot eye gag. It is good gag once. He is unnecessarily intense for kids but not so for murderous adults providing mild humor.
Two episodes in and we finally get the only real star of the show Jude Law as Jod Na Nawood. That does not include him in the mask from the first episode. As a force user who could have escaped any time why did he wait for these kids to show up rather than get the key and take a ship? Hopefully we get an explanation rather than it just being contrived.
The shot of the shipyard at the pirate port is appropriately epic. It’s packed with ships and impractical style design that is often the hallmark of Star Wars. The station itself has a very lived-in and roughhewn feel. You sense there’s danger all around and you stepped into a very different world. It is packed with a variety of aliens.
Once again Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) gets repeatedly berated by those around him. Some smack is warranted considering Wim pressed the button which started the ship, but they are putting all the blame on him even though they followed him in there and Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) usurped his claim not once but twice. She took the claim when they were digging and tricked SM-33 into giving her command of the ship. Neel (voiced by Robert Timothy Smith) even gets in on the act!
Neel is portrayed as a very fair-weather friend and that bothers me. He’s leaning into just blaming Wim for everything and I am left asking why are they even associated with each other? He followed him on all of his adventures, but I have no idea why. The bond between the two is not well done. The same goes for Fern and KB (Kyriana Kratter). Fern pushes and orders KB. Do these people understand friendship?
We learn more info about the kid’s planet of At Attin such as the galaxy at large viewing it as a mythical world filled with fabulous wealth from the days of the Old Republic with its location being unknown. It quickly makes the kids a target and raises intriguing question whose answers were alluded to in the last episode.
There’s not too much story in Way, Way Out Past the Barrier. It’s just the final phase of set up and probably could’ve been attached to the previous episode. It’s enjoyable and keeps the fun tone of the previous episode. I am bothered with these kids being kinda crappy people.
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So far so good on this latest Star Wars project. It accomplishes the feel of the spunky kid adventure film by liberally borrowing if not outright stealing from those kid adventure films. That’s despite the issues with that I have with how Wim’s character is treated.
Wim as the dreamer who gets the adventure going should be a lot more front and center but too often that role is given to Fern. The attempt is clearly to make Fern a strong female character but strong characters be they male or female or not strong because others are weaker or they beat others down. They are strong because they are the equal of those around them. If they continue to make Fern better by making others purposely weaker that could end up harming the show.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew at the moment is not held down by previously existing shows or movies. It’s its own thing set within the Star Wars universe showing a set of events set in its own corner of that world. While familiar alien species may show up, there doesn’t appear to be a logical ability to shoehorn in known characters.
This is certainly a fun family-friendly adventure. Despite being aimed at children with its inspiration of spunky kid, friendly adventure movies Star Wars: Skeleton Crew will certainly get their parents interested as well. This has more right than wrong. I eagerly anticipate the following episodes. So far…
Warren Watched A Movie 