49/23
Four kids make a mysterious discovery on their home planet that takes them to a strange and dangerous galaxy. Jude Law in «Skeleton Crew»; and more stars from a galaxy far, far away. The holographic circus entertaining Neil’s little siblings is the same as Chewbacca’s family clock in the infamous The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978). Featured in AniMat’s Crazy Cartoon Cast: Silly Old Deadly Bear (2022). I can’t understand why Obi Wan and The Acolyte look any cheaper than this show. From a production standpoint, Skeleton Crew is the first Star Wars show in a while that feels expansive, rich, and fun. For all the passion I’ve felt as a Star Wars viewer for a while, the last place I expected to feel this IP redemption was in a children’s series. My favorite Star Wars movies/shows have always been the darker ones, Episodes 5, 3, Andor, parts of Rogue One, and The Mandalorian. But Skeleton Crew captures a perspective that Star Wars is really missing – the kids. I feel a sense of wonder, adventure, and stakes that I haven’t enjoyed in this universe in a while. Also, rather exhaustingly, it’s the only carefully directed show besides Andor and a decent handful of The Mandalorian. There are real scenes, real character growth, different scenes that tell a story instead of just watching Star Wars. Star Wars has always been about kids and adults – the irony is that it took a kids’ show to remind us that mainstream storytelling still exists like Disney. Keep making shows like this for kids and shows like Andor for adults. It’s the medium that consistently sets the tone for other entries – Obi-Wan is the perfect example. He had no idea who his audience was and didn’t do a good job of trying to accommodate everyone. Boba Fett is another example that comes to mind. Kudos to the showrunners for bringing something new to Star Wars. A heavily influenced by kids’ bike season, of course – but a new take on this universe that my partner and I are embracing with joy. "One Hundred Years of Solitude" is one of the biggest TV and streaming releases this month. See more in our December calendar!