Ryan Shoots First: The Acolyte (S1 Eps1&2)
It’s that fresh Star Wars feeling here at the Campbell house as The Acolyte arrives on Disney+. More than most shows I have tried to avoid watching a lot of the featurettes and “first looks” for this show in an attempt to come in as fresh as possible. For those in the know the show takes place during what’s called the High Republic era. This new timeline is around 100 years before The Phantom Menace at the height of the Republic and the Jedi Order. This new timeline started with a series of books and comics and this show is our first look into this era in live action. And I will say that was one of my favorite things about the show. It’s not too old to not feel familiar but new enough to feature all kinds of new locations, ship designs, and droids. Much like when the Prequels came out this was a chance for creators to go crazy and build a new world to tell stories in. Of course, as with anything Star Wars before we even saw a still from set the fandom was split on just about everything. One sticking point many had was that in The Phantom Menace, the Jedi said the Sith had been extinct for millennia. You know, the Jedi, who were slowly losing connection to the force and largely had become bogged down in politics and dogma… those Jedi. As usual, let’s enjoy the show and how they work that fact into the story but my guess is this show will introduce the beginning of the fall the Jedi will experience which Yoda himself was aware of about 100 years later. Side note but Yoda is part of the order at this time and is in the books but it seems he will NOT be in the show… as far as we know.
So with all of that out of the way was it any good? Well, this may shock you but I really enjoyed it. It’s not a shoot ’em up, action everywhere but largely this is a time of peace. The Jedi are well-established and respected across the galaxy. The show will probably be a bit of a slow burn as the greater mystery unfolds and the fabric of the Jedi begins to unravel. That being said it was cool to see the Jedi as a well-oiled machine. If you have read my reviews of The Bad Batch and Andor one thing I enjoyed was seeing the early days of the Empire when they were competent and feared, not the weakening overconfident version we see by the time of the Rebellion. This is kinda the same feeling, the Jedi are a well-oiled machine and it’s cool to see a glimpse of what that world looked like. For instance, you know those abandoned Jedi temples we’re always seeing in games and movies? Walls crumbling remnants of a forgotten time? Well in this show they’re just established outposts, where Jedi are there just doing their thing, and everyone knows it and respects their presence. Totally different vibe.
The cast I really liked as well, led by Amandla Stenberg as Mae, her character has been a big focus of the marketing and she is a massive Star Wars fan. So props to that but she is joined by Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game) who plays Master Sol and I really like his approach to being a Jedi and just how he handles situations. Again, its refreshing to watch someone be competent and make the right choices in situations. Multiple times I felt the show was going to go into lame tropes of misunderstandings that could all be easily solved if people just talked. But here they do talk! And they get to the bottom of stuff and then move on! I was so pleased to not spend 3 episodes on a misunderstanding. But one of my favorite new additions was Master Sols Padawan Jecki played by Dafne Keen (Logan), she has that Padwan kind of respect but also she asks questions, has a personality, and plays well of her Master. I like their dynamic and if more Master Padawan combos went like them the order may have been ok.
The Acolyte will be a bit slow to start but it sets an interesting status quo and enough intrigue to keep you coming back. It’s no Hot take to say this show will likely have split impressions online but I’m sure some will say it is boring and nothing happens but Empires aren’t brought down in a day, they are chipped away one stone at a time.
Observations
Episode 1: “Lost/Found”
- Love this crawl
- Star Wars loves gateways
- Well, that’s a cool little guy
- Alien bar!!!
- Mae’s outfit gives Revan vibes
- Jedi Trinity!
- Frikin lightsabers!! Never gets old
- They really offed Carrie Anne Moss in the cold open?
- Namodians!
- Haha they toned down the racist accents but kinda there
- Dang that’s a cool ship.
- I love a whole new galaxy of ships and droids
- So it starts. The Jedi worried about politics.
- Holy crap that looks like Gear Head
- And people were complaining about the lack of aliens after the trailer.
- Nice guys finish last.
- I like Jecki
- A lightsaber as a flashlight is always cool.
- It’s refreshing to have someone believe someone and not spend like 5 episodes dragging out the obvious
- Ooooh Dark side voice
Episode 2: “Revenge/ Justice”
- That’s a neat trick
- The theories over who the Acolyte main dude is will be wild.
- Is that the first plus-size Jedi?? Let’s go!
- He speaks!
- Oh the Jedi torched that town
- Again thanks for not making that a whole thing
- That Garment dealer was an awesome design. New Glup Shitto!
- I like Master Sol it’s nice seeing competent Jedi
- We need a name for Force Kung Fu. Force Fu?
- Are you ready for a Wookie Jedi??
- Haha well, I suppose that’s an ending.
