Each Reside-Motion Star Wars TV Season Ranked

Spoilers forward for all live-action “Star Wars” exhibits.

It has been practically six years because the nice Disney+ “Star Wars” venture started with “The Mandalorian” season 1 in 2019. Within the absence of any theatrical movies since “Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker,” streaming has develop into the de facto platform for the franchise, and Lucasfilm has put out an actually staggering quantity of live-action tv in simply over half a decade. That is along with the improbable work consistently being accomplished by Lucasfilm Animation, however as we speak, we’re particularly speaking concerning the live-action “Star Wars” collection.

As of proper now, the way forward for live-action “Star Wars” on Disney+ is unclear, with “Ahsoka” season 2 being the lone exception to the rule. Not solely that, however “Andor” creator Tony Gilroy (whereas addressing the present’s large price range) has additionally claimed Disney advised him, in his personal phrases, “Streaming is useless, we do not have the cash we had earlier than.”

Admittedly, not all live-action “Star Wars” tasks have to value the $650 million that “Andor” apparently did. However the query stays: Is that this a sustainable mannequin going ahead? Disney CEO Bob Iger and different Disney execs have stated repeatedly they plan to focus extra on high quality over amount with streaming, whereas “Star Wars” itself will lastly return to the large display in 2026. Given all of that, and within the wake of “Andor” season 2, let’s look again in any respect the live-action “Star Wars” exhibits to this point and rank them.

It is a disgrace to start out this record off with such a big-name present — one with a lot potential — however right here we’re. Sure, “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” the collection apparently named by a four-year-old pointing on the display, bought respectable opinions upon its preliminary launch in 2022. However it had main points even then, and looking out again, it is develop into one of the forgettable “Star Wars” tasks of the complete Disney period.

This could have been a house run. After buying the franchise from George Lucas, Disney appeared scared of invoking the then-still-hated “Star Wars” prequels in any means, as a substitute creating new movies hyper-loyal to the aesthetics of the unique trilogy. This present was the large break from that development, bringing again each Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen. And it simply…flops.

Initially, that is the worst-looking live-action “Star Wars” present by a parsec. Within the years main as much as it, Disney saved pushing the bounds of the Quantity soundstage know-how used on “The Mandalorian,” and that is the place it broke. The units really feel tiny, the costuming is a far cry from the prequels, and the whole lot appears to be like as if it is bathed in some fuzzy Instagram filter. Take the supposedly climactic rematch between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan, which is so darkish, nauseatingly shot, and confusingly choreographed that it instantly removes all drama from the event.

The writing is one other ache level, with a wild quantity of filler packed into simply six episodes. Whereas the visible points may be blamed on price range to a point, the entire angle of the present additionally feels off. “Obi-Wan Kenobi” earns a couple of factors again with nice performances from McGregor and Christensen, equally sturdy work from Moses Ingram and Vivien Lyra Blair, and a handful of genuinely touching moments. However these excessive factors cannot save the present from being a near-complete fumble.

Many would most likely put “The Guide of Boba Fett” on the very backside of this record. In spite of everything, it has area mopeds, and we hate that, proper? Properly, sure, it’s kind of foolish. Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau’s much less tactful samurai homages come out right here within the “daimyo” arc for Boba (Temuera Morrison), who insists that he’s each against the law lord and the type of “cool” native cop who encourages delinquent teenagers to play chess as a substitute of smoking dope. Tatooine has by no means appeared extra boring, and there is the Jedi Temple of all of it — the present’s gravest sin, for my part. Nonetheless, there are some redeeming qualities right here.

Initially, Morrison is improbable. You would argue that no actor has ever been better-suited to a task in “Star Wars.” In the meantime, Ming-Na Wen makes for an ideal companion in (very mild) crime as fellow ex-bounty hunter Fennec Shand. There’s additionally a little bit of welcome reparative work accomplished on the Tusken Raiders. They’re actually much less regressive than Lucas’ “Sand Individuals,” however nonetheless pull closely from each “Dances with Wolves” and extra generic “Noble Savage” stereotypes, so it is type of a wash.

Maybe probably the most damning factor about this present is that the majority would name the Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) episode the spotlight, which it mainly is. The finale is a fairly enjoyable battle of “Star Wars” motion figures, however the character assassination of Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and CGI Deepfake Muppet Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) carry the vibes down laborious. In the end, “The Guide of Boba Fett” simply seems like a multitude.

It is a disgrace to see a present that is had such historic highs attain the place “The Mandalorian” has. Season 3, already two years outdated now, nonetheless has some nice materials, which is why it ranks a couple of locations up from the underside on this record. However by its third outing, the inaugural live-action “Star Wars” present had already been dragged down by the collective weight of the franchise.

It isn’t hyperbole to say that for a couple of years, “The Mandalorian” was “Star Wars” within the eyes of informal followers. It was an enormous hit that everybody cherished after a controversial finish to the sequel trilogy, and as such, it grew to become the franchise standard-bearer. That bloating principally happens in season 2, which stealth-pilots “Ahsoka” and brings Luke again, amongst different world-build-y issues. Season 3 tries to get issues targeted once more by centering on the Mandalorians themselves, however it simply winds up feeling disjointed.

The one-off episodes do not have the identical legibility or accessible resonance as they do within the earlier seasons, and the bigger Mandalore plot meanders aimlessly till the ultimate couple of episodes (which, admittedly, are fairly sturdy). Your mileage could fluctuate based mostly on how a lot you get pleasure from darksaber politics, however the final showdown with Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) makes good on a show-long arc, and the bigger bits of world-building we get in season 3 concerning the New Republic and Grogu are fairly attention-grabbing for probably the most half.

That Jack Black episode, although? And the pterodactyl? Nope.

This can be probably the most controversial rating right here, however please, bear with me. The primary three seasons on this record are all fairly messy, with frequent pacing points, visible lapses, and struggles with the plot. “Skeleton Crew” is decidedly higher throughout the board, kicking off what I’d name the second tier of this record. It is a present that graciously dodges the worst craft offenses of the previous seasons. The units look nice, there are tons of sensible results that work wonders on the sense of immersion, and the story is sensible sufficient to not chunk off greater than it might chew. It is a very simple “Star Wars” journey anchored by a robust forged of younger actors and a few actual star energy from Jude Regulation.

So, why does it fee so comparatively low on this record? As a result of, no less than for me, “Skeleton Crew” performs it slightly too secure. It appears to be like unimaginable subsequent to the sloppiness that has plagued Disney+ “Star Wars” (together with in seasons and exhibits we’ve but to debate), however there’s additionally little or no ambition right here. Do not get me incorrect, I like a self-contained narrative. I’m actually, actually glad that we did not get Exegol coordinates or some historical Sith weapon hidden on this present. However I additionally battle to get enthusiastic about any a part of it. To me, “Star Wars” is about grandeur and scale, even when the tales are smaller. However “Skeleton Crew” by no means feels prefer it has actual stakes.

Sure, it is meant for teenagers and households, however so is most of “Star Wars” and different tasks have taken greater swings. For that purpose, I am placing it beneath a few exhibits with greater issues however definitively greater highs.

“Star Wars: The Acolyte” ought to have gotten one other season.

Sure, I am a kind of individuals, and you ought to be too. Are the primary 4 episodes stuffed with unusual pacing, imprecise mysteries, and writing that would have used some tightening? Completely. However the again half of the present is so dramatically higher in each respect that it practically pushes this season into the higher half of this record.

That is traditional “Star Wars” prequel trilogy dilemma: ambition vs. execution. The execution on quite a lot of “The Acolyte” feels unfinished, just like the manufacturing crew ran out of time, cash, or each. However then you definitely hit “Evening,” and also you notice the place the entire focus went. The lightsaber fights on this present are most likely the most effective we have gotten because the prequels, and there are some all-timer performances right here from Manny Jacinto and Lee Jung-jae. Whereas the meat of the story is admittedly about twins Mae and Osha (Amandla Stenberg), it is the disgrace of the Jedi and the (very potent, sexual even) attract of the darkish aspect that anchor this plot and make it shine.

Had “The Acolyte” been renewed, season 2 may have been spectacular. All the Coruscant politics, poisonous love tales, completely unimaginable darkish aspect gear — it was proper there on the desk, with a lot of the present’s kinks seemingly labored out by the top. Generally, manufacturing groups simply want slightly additional time to click on with one another. “The Acolyte” seems like such a present, however even with only one season, it does some unimaginable issues for the franchise.

“Ahsoka” season 1 is type of a curious case. It isn’t as clear or constant as “Skeleton Crew,” nor as formidable as “The Acolyte.” However as an entire, I feel it is the strongest general season of the three, largely due to some back-half boosting from Lars Mikkelsen, Eman Esfandi, and the late Ray Stevenson.

For probably the most half, “Ahsoka” appears to be like fairly good, mixing sensible results for issues just like the area battles with the higher bits of Disney+ period CGI. The places are placing, the motion is fixed and various, and the treasure-map construction of an extragalactic journey is novel for “Star Wars” but suits completely inside the franchise. It is also price noting that the Kiners, who primarily compose “Star Wars” animated exhibits, flip in some improbable music right here, mixing the traditional John Williams aesthetic with one thing extra cosmic and swashbuckle-y.

My important challenge with “Ahsoka” season 1 is Ahsoka herself. She does not actually really feel something like her animated counterpart, which might be high quality given how a lot older she is right here, however the brand new angle on the character additionally does not actually work for me. The primary emotional hook of the season is the terse master-apprentice dynamic between her and Sabine (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), however the origins of that rigidity occur off-screen, leaving viewers to fend for scraps of constant character work in a relationship between characters who each really feel completely totally different. Fortunately, the likes of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Mikkelsen), Ezra Bridger (Esfandi), Baylan Skoll (Stevenson), Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), and Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) present rather more compelling materials.

And sure, the Clone Wars flashback episode is nice. A sugar rush of gooey fan-service, certain, however I am unable to say I did not like it.

Easy strategy of elimination can inform you what stays to be ranked on this record, and it is the actually great things — two exhibits which have demonstrated totally different however equally compelling visions of what serialized live-action “Star Wars” can appear to be. Up first is “The Mandalorian” season 2, an eight-episode run that is dragged down at instances by its obligations to the bigger franchise however which principally nonetheless delivers on season 1’s improbable precedent.

Season 2 actually excels on the energy of its supporting forged, from Timothy Olyphant’s Tatooine marshal Cobb Vanth to Invoice Burr’s ex-Imperial scoundrel Migs Mayfeld and Katee Sackhoff’s live-action debut as Bo-Katan Kryze (a personality she had beforehand voiced in a number of “Star Wars” animated collection).

This season can be answerable for bringing Morrison correctly again as Boba Fett, delivering all the overall cool man vitality you’d anticipate after many years of fan-fiction and Expanded Universe/Legends storylines. Then there’s the late Carl Weathers, who not solely turns in one other stellar efficiency as put-upon Justice of the Peace Greef Karga but additionally directs one of many season’s finest episodes.

In fact, it is the “Mandalorian” season 2 finale most individuals bear in mind — that climactic montage of Luke carving his means by a shipload of un-killable Imperial battle droids. The ramifications of that second on the franchise writ giant are substantial, and never essentially in a great way. If something, the optimistic response appeared to encourage Disney to proceed down the darkish path of CGI Deepfakes as a substitute of precise re-castings. If you happen to can take away that bigger context out of your thoughts, although, this primary Luke scene nonetheless works fairly properly.

Though a lot of the Disney+ “Star Wars” period has delivered middling outcomes, it began with an infinite bang in 2019. “The Mandalorian” season 1 was about as hyped as a present may be, and it gave the franchise the mass-appeal, appointment viewing, status TV cultural zeitgeist that Lucasfilm gave the impression to be on the lookout for. Child Yoda, later named Grogu, grew to become an in a single day sensation, turning the present into probably the most common hit the property had seen since “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

That is all properly and good, however how does season 1 maintain up six years later? Fortunately, the reply is extremely properly. From the detailed, lived-in units and sensible results to the strategic use of the Quantity to create grand vistas, grounded episodic storylines with attention-grabbing aspect characters, improbable motion, and a standout main efficiency from Pascal, there’s tons to like right here.

The place later seasons arguably made the present too central to the bigger “Star Wars” lore, season 1’s world-building is admittedly sturdy. We get attention-grabbing appears to be like on the remnants of the Empire and the rise of the New Republic, in addition to a imaginative and prescient of Mandalorian tradition that, for higher or worse, has come to dominate the fandom. In brief, “The Mandalorian” season 1 is about pretty much as good as your typical “Buck Rogers”-style “Star Wars” will get outdoors of the unique trilogy.

It is most likely been stated too many instances already, however I will say it once more: “Andor” is a miracle. I imply that in probably the most literal sense, too. The mix of timing, technique, and personnel scheduling that needed to come collectively for this present to occur is, frankly, unbelievable. It was commissioned at a time when Disney was throwing cash on the wall to fill out its streaming library and constructing off the success of “Rogue One,” which Gilroy was solely introduced in on as a fix-up artist. Mix that with the actual collision of writers, actors, costume designers, composers, and the whole lot else that simply hits completely on this collection, and it is a surprise it exists.

Fortunately, although, it does. “Andor” season 1 is an ideal season of tv and an ideal “Star Wars” story — the story of 1 man’s gradual radicalization towards fascism, set towards an epic backdrop of shifting galactic politics and localized oppression. We get plots concerning the Imperial Safety Bureau and the fractured early Rebel, whose central spymaster, Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), hides in plain sight on Coruscant. That is additionally the place Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) started her journey to turning into everybody’s favourite “Star Wars” character. And on the core of all of it is Diego Luna delivering debatably the best main “Star Wars” efficiency of all time as Cassian Andor.

There’s not sufficient room on this article to reward the whole lot price praising in “Andor” season 1. I may spend 1,000 phrases simply on Nicholas Britell’s gorgeous musical rating or Andy Serkis’ visitor flip within the jail arc or the impeccable pacing and awe-inspiring climax of the Adhani heist episode. However the huge image right here is that “Andor” treats “Star Wars” with the best degree of respect — sufficient to make each single scene, character, plot level, and even lone TIE fighter really feel powerfully, inescapably actual.

I spent quite a lot of time weighing which “Andor” season was going to wind up on high right here. And for all my inner reasoning, I am unable to say for sure that recency bias hasn’t performed an element. I famous that “Andor” season 1 is an ideal season of tv, and I would argue season 2 is a hair lower than excellent. It takes greater swings, makes an attempt much less conventional plot arcs, and is general riskier than season 1. As a pal of mine as soon as put it, “Andor” season 1 is a ten/10 however season 2 is a 19/20.

In sports activities, when two gamers appear tied up for the MVP, you will probably vote for the one who hit the most important shot in extra time. And the again half of “Andor” season 2 (particularly, episodes 8, 9, and 10) is the one-legged behind-the-back buzzer-beater of all time for “Star Wars.” Season 2 delivers each probably the most stunning and probably the most hideous romances in the complete franchise. It is a story the place Noticed Gerrera’s (Forest Whitaker) respiration equipment provides delivery to a Shakespearean monologue concerning the incendiary intuition to struggle fascism. Years cross over the 12 episodes, granting characters you by no means would have thought of core gamers among the most affecting arcs in all of “Star Wars.”

In my coronary heart, no “Star Wars” venture will probably ever topple “Andor” season 1. It was such a shock, week after week, because it continued to one-up itself. However season 2 is the factor all that work builds towards, and the status on the finish hits completely. So, I will simply barely give “Andor” season 2 the sting, in addition to the title of “Finest ‘Star Wars’ I Have Ever Seen.”