The Acolyte

Okay so I am very aware of all of the internet discourse surrounding the newest Star Wars show, The Acolyte. It became the newest streaming casualty. Of course there are two sides to all criticism where major properties are concerned, the valid critiques and the straight up racist and sexist bullshit. Now I am a very very casual Star Wars fan so I can’t actually speak to how the newest show handles the lore. And quite honestly I don’t care. The Star Wars universe and its canon are so expansive now, every little thing not fitting into the very narrow original movie version of the lore is honestly fine. But the very vague, not really criticism of “bad writing” is something that I can, and will address. So let’s dive into the one season wonder, The Acolyte.

So far I am really a fan of the fight choreography. I think that it is not only executed very well but it is more hand to hand then we have ever really seen in a Star Wars property. With very light use of the force, the hand to hand combat really highlights how it can be used to simply make someone look super badass and I love that.

The conflict is very clearly set up. There are non-jedi force users who have some beef with the Jedi order. The show starting with a Jedi death is honestly an incredible thesis statement. And the way that the fight ended was executed so well. The main character then sparing the bartender because she saw a child was also incredible writing. That is a really well done character moment. She has now been established as capable, violent, but with a heart. She is not needlessly homicidal. Her killing has a purpose, at least to her.

The alien races look fine, like the character design is good but it sounds like their lines were added in ADR because the way it sounds just does not line up with the way that it looks.

So she doesn’t have a beef with all Jedi? She’s friends with one. Okay she used to be a Jedi. That’s interesting. I am assuming that is the lore problem fanboys are having. I think that is something that they need to get over. I think some adjustments in lore in favor of emotionally deepening the world is more than fair. I think the idea of a Jedi disagreeing with the order and leaving them and then inflicting revenge upon them is GENIUS. Seriously a fantastic premise that does a great job of showing the layers and complications of this world and its systems that haven’t been explored before.

I think my only complaint right now is the costumes. Everything looks like it is from Spirit. It's very Halloween costume-like. The world is lit very bright which isn’t exactly a problem but I think the lighting should be more place specific. I’m just being nitpicky but these are the things that me out of the world a little bit.

The first episode set up the main conflict and the characters extremely well while also leaving the audience with questions for the series to answer. I think it was a fantastic first episode with some great character moments. I also love that it seems to focus on how the rest of this world interacts with the Jedi and just the Jedi themselves. It makes the world feel so much richer and more well rounded. I really got nitpicky and I am very judgey and I couldn’t find anything super major wrong with it. Maybe the show gets worse but honestly if it keeps up like this y'all really complained about nothing.