Fair or not, “Star Wars” will always be judged with sky-high expectations. Lucasfilm’s difficulties in restoring their crown jewel to cinemas have been well-documented by now, while the ever-expanding “Mando-verse” seems to indicate a more interconnected (and, frankly, uninspired) endgame full of crossovers and cameos and “Glup Shitto”-levels of pandering to fanboys. Skeptics would be well within their rights for doubting that a family-friendly streaming series specifically made for kids would somehow be the franchise’s salvation. And, to be perfectly honest, it’s not — nor should it be.
Instead, the humble aims of “Skeleton Crew” merely point the way towards a brighter and more hopeful future. At a time when everything always loops back around to the Skywalker family saga, here comes a straightforward, unassuming, and thoroughly entertaining romp that has no greater pretensions beyond telling a worthwhile, self-contained story boosted by the jaunty score of composer Mick Giacchino and his killer main theme. Unlike “The Mandalorian” or “Ahsoka,” there are no red flags of things devolving into Easter egg hunts or a parade of cameos. And where so many prior productions get lost up their you-know-what trying to craft integral additions to “Star Wars” canon, this series manages to balance its world-building ambitions and small-scale stakes with ease. Sometimes, as Wim puts it succinctly early on, simply allowing something to be “totally wizard” can be enough.
Does that mean this “Star Wars” series is the best of them all? Not quite; the series (or, rather, the first three of eight total episodes screened to critics beforehand) still suffers from some of the same issues that have plagued the vast majority of non-“Andor” shows. Sick of that conspicuously flat-looking StageCraft aesthetic and those drab, sludge-grey visuals that define so many Disney releases? Well, it’s back and muddier than ever, though directors of photography Sean Porter and David Klein help make environments look much more dynamic once our crew heads into space. Hoping that this might be the rare case where a murderer’s row of directors finally gets to put its unmistakable stamp on a major blockbuster IP? So far, there’s very little evidence hinting at that, if so. But what this series lacks in visual panache, it more than makes up for with heart, a goofy sense of humor, and clearly-defined storytelling priorities.
There’s no telling whether the creative team ultimately sticks the landing or not but, for once, that almost feels like a secondary concern. The journey to whatever destination remains in store has already earned the benefit of the doubt. In the meantime, “Skeleton Crew” is a breath of fresh air, thanks to the kids leading the way.
/Film Rating: 7 out of 10
“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” streams on Disney+ with a two-episode premiere December 2, 2024 at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT.