Editor's Note: The review below contains mild spoilers for the first two episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
After redefining Spider-Man for a whole new generation with his Tom Holland-directed trilogy, Jon Watts is poised to leave its mark on the ever-expanding Star Wars franchise with Star Wars: The Skeleton Crew. Announced for the first time in 2022, Skeleton crew was billed as a 1980s coming-of-age story set against a backdrop of space, and if the first three episodes are any indication, that's exactly what Watts and his co-creator Christopher Ford have made.
Despite grainy series like Andor and the more mature side of The AcolyteStar Wars has always been a franchise designed for children. Even when George Lucas used the Vietnam War as inspiration for the original trilogy or George Bushthe political politics of as a launching pad for the business conflicts of the Prequel Trilogy, the franchise was aimed at children and teenagers. Skeleton crew recalls the childlike joy that has always been a part of Star Wars while playing on the aesthetic of 1980s classics that seem designed to appeal to those who are still kids at heart.
What is “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” about?
Fixed some time later Return of the Jedi and the fall of the Empire, Skeleton crew is loosely connected to The Mandalorianthanks to the inclusion of the unscrupulous pirate Vane (Marti Matulis) who was last seen wreaking havoc on Mando and Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) on Nevarro. The synergy between the two series is welcome, as long as Mando doesn't appear in the penultimate episode to steal the show, and that seems highly unlikely, as Watts and Ford have created something entirely their own.
The main four – Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Néel (Robert Timothy Smith), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) and Ko (Kyriana Kratter) – originally from a planet called At Attin, which is a perfect suburban utopia. As the series unfolds, one may begin to wonder if At Attin is more like The Truman Showas children have limited knowledge of events beyond their planetalthough he is part of the “Great Work” of the New Republic and no one beyond the barrier above the planet has ever heard of Attin. A curious mystery has built up in the first three episodes, one that not only makes returning home difficult for the children, but forces them to question what is really going on on their homeworld.
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“Skeleton Crew” quickly escapes the suburbs – for their own benefit
One of the main selling points of Skeleton crew it's the fact that it looks a bit like A Amblin movie set in the Star Wars universee. The marketing deployment which played on AND the alien images with very obvious comparisons with The GooniesThis Star Wars series is perhaps the most blatant with its pop culture references, and it's a clever use of shorthand to not only appeal to a certain demographic, but also to quickly establish property-based dynamics previous ones.
Skeleton crew covers a lot of ground with its two-episode premiere. The first half of Episode 1 introduces the world Wim and his friends live in, filled with picturesque dead ends, frogdogs barking at children, highways and underpasses, trams and hoverbikes. Episode 2 establishes the dangerous galaxy beyond the barrier, namely the pirate-filled Port Borgo, which stands in stark contrast to the serenity of At Attin. The descent from the safety of their homeworld to the world beyond is only part of the structure of the quintessential coming-of-age story, and each of the children is ready to embark on a journey that will undoubtedly change who he is.
The main four make an unlikely team. Wim is a latchkey child, whose single father (Tunde Adebimpe) works long hours, leaving his son to his own devices to dream of Jedi and play pretend with his best friend. Neel comes from a much closer-knit family, with parents who greet him after school and younger siblings who he adores. Fern is the rebel without a cause who doesn't fit the mold of her mother, Undersecretary Fara (Kerry Condon), has in mind for her. Fern much prefers racing hoverbikes with her best friend KB, who also prefers tinkering in her garage to spending time with family. Circumstances force the two couples to reunite at the end of episode 1 when they accidentally steal a long-buried ship and fly to the stars.
Fern positions herself as the children's leader, much to Wim's dismay. Not only does she appear to be the oldest, but she has a good head on her shoulders. She's cunning, strong-willed, and not afraid to fire a blaster or threaten a droid if necessary. Even though Neel is the sweetest kid, Fern is the star of the groupboth because of Armstrong's performance and the position of the story to lead it.
Jude Law's mysterious Jord is a delight in 'Skeleton Crew'
Between Prequel-era casting rumors and wishful thinking, Jude Loi has been around Star Wars for over twenty-five years. Finally, he debuts as Jod Na Nawood in episode 2, directed by his Peter Pan and Wendy director David Lowery. His introduction at the end of the second episode is not much more than a teasing cliffhangerwhere he reveals that he is a Force user to the main four who were thrown into the brig with him. It's a brilliant introduction, worthy of an actor who has been a mainstay of the big screen for nearly three decades. Episode 3 is where the audience starts to understand WHO Jod is as a character, and it makes sense that Lowery was tasked with introducing him to the world.
Perhaps it's the proximity to his brilliant performance as Captain Hook in Peter Pan and Wendybut with Lowery behind the camera, Jude Law's Jod feels like the Star Wars equivalent of Captain Hook being forced to work with the Lost Boys for a common cause. Even in its introduction, there's an air of something dangerous lurking just beneath the surface, but in equal measure there's an understanding that these kids are the closest they've been to freedom in a long time. It's a fascinating dynamic, which might just be the most exciting aspect of the series, beyond the mystery of At Attin.
What’s the final verdict on “Skeleton Crew”?
With the exception of Star Wars: Adventures of the Young Jedi, Skeleton crew is the first Star Wars series in a while that seems intentionally designed to appeal to younger audiences. Even with younger audiences in mind, it never treats its audience like children and wastes no time explaining aspects of the franchise that might bog down the narrative in the same way. The Mandalorian did it frequently. The series is fresh, new and incredibly exciting.
Based on the first three episodes of Star Wars: The Skeleton Crewit's clear that Jon Watts and Christopher Ford have something truly special in store for fans. Maybe it's not as deep as Andoror as bold as The Acolytebut Skeleton crew East poised to become a Star Wars staple. The storylines are tight, the plots are fun and the cast is truly fantastic.
The first two episodes of Star Wars: The Skeleton Crew are now streaming on Disney+. New episodes release at 9 p.m. ET every Tuesday.
Jon Watts' Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is exactly what the franchise needed.
- Skeleton Crew is off to a good start with its first two episodes, which work best when watched together.
- The young cast is very promising, with Ryan Kiera Armstrong among them.
- The introduction of Jude Law is brilliant, and even with his brief introduction in Episode 2, it's clear that he's going to be a fan-favorite character.
- Star Wars has become too reliant on two-episode premieres when the focus should be more on creating standalone episodes.
