Review: 'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew' is the Star Wars show we've been waiting on
Packed with adventure and childlike wonder, "Skeleton Crew" reminds us why we fell in love with "Star Wars" in the first place
If the last decade has taught us anything when it comes to “Star Wars,” it’s to be wary. Getting your hopes up for a new project? Take a note from Admiral Ackbar: “It’s a trap.”
Between an up and down sequel franchise, mixed products on streaming, and a list of canceled projects growing longer by the day, it’s getting harder and harder to feel the pure joy and wonder a “Star Wars” title once brought – especially now that the franchise is so calculated and risk averse.
Now, it’s no surprise that the latest Disney+ series, “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” – a show without any ties to the Skywalker Saga, reappearances from beloved characters, or attempts to explain the franchise’s lore – marks the best “Star Wars” entry since “Andor.”
Crazy what happens when you focus on a good story above all else!
At its core, “Skeleton Crew” is the story of a child growing up in the shadows of Jedi, Sith and rebellions – and yearning for that same kind of adventure.
That’s why it’s so easy to relate and invest in these kids, because we’ve all been them. Anyone who was raised on “Star Wars” has spent countless hours with their action figures and plastic lightsabers imagining the same adventures, which gives “Skeleton Crew” an earnest and authentic take on fan service.
Rather than easter eggs and cameos, “Skeleton Crew” is servicing “Star Wars” die hards by reminding us of our inner children – and letting us see what it would have really been like had our wildest dreams come to life.
For Wim (Ravi Cabot-Convers), that’s exactly the case. Living in an idyllic “Star Wars” suburb, life is no different than here on Earth – other than, you know, the aliens, spaceships and all those basics. Wim takes the bus to school, hangs out with his best friend Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), and spends a bit too much time daydreaming instead of doing homework.
But when Wim, Neel, and newfound friends, Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) and KB (Kyriana Kratter), stumble upon something buried in the woods, those dreams quickly become reality. What Wim hopes is an ancient Jedi Temple turns out to be a buried spaceship – and turns out it still works, blasting off and taking the four children deep into hyperspace and a long way from home.
This may be a dream come true for Wim, but the other three are far more concerned with finding their way back home… if they can.
The series’ first episode immediately lays a foundation that channels a sense of Spielbergian childlike wonder and heart. Like “The Goonies” or even Season 1 of “Stranger Things,” we’re introduced to kids with big imaginations. In the mystical world that is “Star Wars,” “Skeleton Crew” throws its audience into the most ordinary possible place: a suburban neighborhood. We’re lightyears from the Skywalkers and all their drama, instead focused on high stakes like school exams and making the bus on time. In the era of excess and easter eggs that has consumed “Star Wars” lately, it’s the everyday life that feels so refreshing and exciting.
The production design is completely immersive “Star Wars”-ifying the simple life in a way that will have you packing your bags and ready to move planets. But the simplicity can only last as long as Wim lets it.
Ravi Cabot-Convers is delightful as the series’ leading child actor, playing a kid whose dreams are just a little too big for his home planet. His humor and innocence is charming, and he truly serves as a vessel for the audience to experience the awes of the galaxy through his eyes. Robert Timothy Smith’s Neel – an Ortolan species, à la Max Reebo from “Return of the Jedi” – is the more pragmatic best friend, helping to keep Wim grounded, often with hilarious results. If Wim is the adventure of the story, Neel is the heart. Rounding out the core of child actors are Ryan Kiera Armstrong and Kyriana Kratter as Fern and KB, respectively. The two young women add a rational boldness to the group to help balance out the overeagerness and timidity of the boys.
Episode 1 does all the heavy lifting a pilot should: it starts with a tease, establishes the world, introduces compelling characters, and then leaves us with a thrilling cliffhanger. Of course, that’s why a two-episode premiere makes the most sense, as the second turns the swashbuckling space piracy all the way up. While our new space pirate, Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law), is limited through the first two episodes, trust the process. Law is oozing charm as a conniving and shady scoundrel, but it’s clear the kids bring out a soft spot in the character as he learns to operate on a different level.
Without getting into spoilers, there’s also an extremely compelling subplot that is hinted at throughout the first two episodes that adds an interesting wrinkle to the main conflict. It’s clear there are big plans to explore this mystery throughout the series, which is more than enough to keep me interested.
By the time the credits roll on the second episode – and definitely after the third – “Skeleton Crew” has already achieved something recent “Star Wars” entries have struggled to pull off: it feels alive.
Free from the weight of legacy characters and convoluted timelines, the series embraces its simplicity, telling a universal story about curiosity, friendship, and the cost of chasing our dreams. It’s thrilling, heartfelt, and brimming with just the right amount of galaxy far, far away magic. If this is the direction “Star Wars” is capable of when it ditches the baggage, then consider me strapped in for the ride.
Adventure? Check. Heart? Check. A fresh reminder of why we all fell in love with this universe in the first place? “Skeleton Crew” nails it.
Star Rating: 4 out of 5
The first two episodes of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” premiere at 9 p.m. ET on December 2 on Disney+, followed by new episodes every Wednesday.