Oh how the mighty have fallen. And I'm not talking about Obi-Wan, I'm talking about Disney. For a studio who usually has top-notch stories and writing in their movies, the Star Wars franchise has been a huge step down for them, and Obi-Wan, unfortunately, is no exception. The show had some truly great moments, but they were few and far between, buried under ridiculous, contrived, nonsensical story and plot elements. And the 3rd Sister inquisiter has WAY too much screen time, aside from being over the top, cheesy, and just outright annoying. This is worth a watch, but just don't expect too much.
3,074 Reviews
Colossal letdown
jaydogva25 June 2022
Fails to Justify Its Existence
JayDeeezy24 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Lucasfilm needs to let the past go. This and Boba Fett were so mediocre. It should be a telling sign that the only show with new characters and stories (Mando) is the only one that's succeeding to capture our hearts.
Obi Wan had a few fun moments with a solid climax but the rest of the show was full of boring filler, non-compelling new characters, and an on-the-nose precocious child Leía who could dodge adult assassins with a 10 year old light jog. The ultimate character journeys for Obi Wan and Anakin were not significantly expanded upon - we're left pretty much at the same place as the end of Revenge of the Sith.
Maybe some fans appreciate a plethora of content, but to me this seems like an uninspired notch on the bedpost for the Disney+ repertoire to present at shareholder meetings. Sagas have value because they have a beginning and end. Otherwise if we keep bleeding it dry there's nothing special about It anymore. I'd rather see new characters and new adventures and respect our old heroes by letting them rest in their place in history. Let's move forward.
Obi Wan had a few fun moments with a solid climax but the rest of the show was full of boring filler, non-compelling new characters, and an on-the-nose precocious child Leía who could dodge adult assassins with a 10 year old light jog. The ultimate character journeys for Obi Wan and Anakin were not significantly expanded upon - we're left pretty much at the same place as the end of Revenge of the Sith.
Maybe some fans appreciate a plethora of content, but to me this seems like an uninspired notch on the bedpost for the Disney+ repertoire to present at shareholder meetings. Sagas have value because they have a beginning and end. Otherwise if we keep bleeding it dry there's nothing special about It anymore. I'd rather see new characters and new adventures and respect our old heroes by letting them rest in their place in history. Let's move forward.
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022, Disney+) Great seeing McGregor back but weak plot and villain makes all problematic
hoernkeem24 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
'Obi-Wan Kenobi' is a six episode limited series set in the Star Wars universe 10 years after the events of the 'Star Wars: Episode III' film. It follows the titular Ben Kenobi as he has secrets himself on Tatooine to monitor the raising of young Luke Skywalker in an attempt to ensure the child stays off the Empire's radar. Ewan McGregor who is Kenobi in the prequel trilogy reprises his role in this series. Other returning cast members include Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa and Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader. Deborah Chow, who directed 2 episodes of the first season of 'The Mandalorian', directs the entire season of 'Obi-Wan Kenobi'.
As stated 'Kenobi' picks up with Ben hiding in the desert on Tatooine while Luke is being raised by his aunt and uncle. Obi-Wan remains haunted by Order 66, in which most of the Jedi were killed, as well as the betrayal by his former student Anakin Skywalker. The Empire shows up on Tatooine hunting Jedi and they find one albeit not Kenobi himself at first. One particular member of the Inquistors named Reva seems to have a grudge and is seeking the elusive Obi-Wan Kenobi for some unknown reason. Despite admonishment from her supervision Reva continues to hunt Kenobi and orchestrates the kidnapping of Princess Leia Organa to draw him out of hiding. The balance of the middle episodes involve Obi-Wan trying to remain off the radar yet still recover the kidnapped Princess Leia. This leads to a showdown not only with Inquisitor Reva, but with Darth Vader himself. The whole time Kenobi is struggling with his connection to the force which makes fighting all these Empire enemies problematic. In the final act Reva finds out about Luke and heads to Tatooine for that child only to encounter more resistance than she anticipates, but her own worst enemy winds up being herself. Kenobi is able to track down Leia as well as foil the best laid plans of both Reva and Vader.
The plot of this show is tough to execute because, as these showrunners go back and elaborate on events that occur between the prequels and the original 'Star Wars' trilogy, you have to make sure everything still makes sense. On the good side there are a lot of lost years with Kenobi to work with to make a story, however, it becomes problematic using Luke & Leia when neither ever reference any grand events with Kenobi prior to events in 'Star Wars'. They try to do that dance and make it work for the most part. What we really tune in here for is additional showdowns between Vader and Kenobi which we get finally. They fumble around it for the majority of the show as Kenobi has limited force access to start and is in hiding so runs more than he fights. The final showdown is cool but still lacks the wow factor of some of the better Star Wars universe lightsaber sequences. Reva was a completely botched villain in my opinion. The secret of who she is was pretty easy to discern, and her plans throughout the show are bizarrely complex, and then, along with that, the portion where she goes after Luke at the end makes less than no sense. While it was satisfying to see some Kenobi/Vader action it didn't really live up to how good it should have been, and most of the other characters and plotlines were generally weak. That said it was still nice just to be immersed back in the Star Wars world, and see McGregor back in this role, even if this endeavor fell short in many respects.
Overall: C+
As stated 'Kenobi' picks up with Ben hiding in the desert on Tatooine while Luke is being raised by his aunt and uncle. Obi-Wan remains haunted by Order 66, in which most of the Jedi were killed, as well as the betrayal by his former student Anakin Skywalker. The Empire shows up on Tatooine hunting Jedi and they find one albeit not Kenobi himself at first. One particular member of the Inquistors named Reva seems to have a grudge and is seeking the elusive Obi-Wan Kenobi for some unknown reason. Despite admonishment from her supervision Reva continues to hunt Kenobi and orchestrates the kidnapping of Princess Leia Organa to draw him out of hiding. The balance of the middle episodes involve Obi-Wan trying to remain off the radar yet still recover the kidnapped Princess Leia. This leads to a showdown not only with Inquisitor Reva, but with Darth Vader himself. The whole time Kenobi is struggling with his connection to the force which makes fighting all these Empire enemies problematic. In the final act Reva finds out about Luke and heads to Tatooine for that child only to encounter more resistance than she anticipates, but her own worst enemy winds up being herself. Kenobi is able to track down Leia as well as foil the best laid plans of both Reva and Vader.
The plot of this show is tough to execute because, as these showrunners go back and elaborate on events that occur between the prequels and the original 'Star Wars' trilogy, you have to make sure everything still makes sense. On the good side there are a lot of lost years with Kenobi to work with to make a story, however, it becomes problematic using Luke & Leia when neither ever reference any grand events with Kenobi prior to events in 'Star Wars'. They try to do that dance and make it work for the most part. What we really tune in here for is additional showdowns between Vader and Kenobi which we get finally. They fumble around it for the majority of the show as Kenobi has limited force access to start and is in hiding so runs more than he fights. The final showdown is cool but still lacks the wow factor of some of the better Star Wars universe lightsaber sequences. Reva was a completely botched villain in my opinion. The secret of who she is was pretty easy to discern, and her plans throughout the show are bizarrely complex, and then, along with that, the portion where she goes after Luke at the end makes less than no sense. While it was satisfying to see some Kenobi/Vader action it didn't really live up to how good it should have been, and most of the other characters and plotlines were generally weak. That said it was still nice just to be immersed back in the Star Wars world, and see McGregor back in this role, even if this endeavor fell short in many respects.
Overall: C+
Could've been better but still worth watching
Rob133128 May 2024
Obi-Wan Kenobi may not the best thing from Star Wars that I've seen but it's still worth watching. Ewan McGregor is a great actor and one of the best parts of the prequel trilogy. I was really looking forward to this when I first read about it and the even more so after I saw the trailers. It did not disappoint! I don't consider myself a huge Star Wars fan but I normal fan who does enjoy most of them. I really liked The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett was worth watching. I don't understand most of these negative reviews, it's like most of the people writing them didn't want to enjoy them. If you saw him in the prequels and saw the trailers what were you expecting that you didn't get? Anyway, if you're a fan of Star Wars I definitely recommend you give this a try.
Hold On - I Watched All 6 Episodes
lovefalloutkindagamer23 June 2022
I waited until all of the episodes were released before passing a final judgement on this. I can say I'm glad I did, as the first couple episodes were 3/10 stars for a tv show with the latter being more toward a 7/10.
With that said, I'm trying rate this show as a whole. Would I recommend it to anyone? Would I watch it again?
It's hard to slap a number on this. I did like it more than the recent film trilogy despite it being very campy at times (tbh I'm not entirely sure if that was at all intended, which make some moments even more hilarious) with a weak and noticeable production value that did take a lot of the enjoyment out of it for me.
Reva's arc was a classic Star Wars story that actually justifies its existence in the end, even if it does it poorly. Why it was such a centerpiece in a show titled Kenobi... I dunno. Honestly I think this show would have received much less backlash if it was simply titled something else.
Taking everything into consideration, would I recommend it to anyone? I would recommend it to anyone that loved the prequels. I do think it falls out of purview for mostly anyone else though.
Would I watch it again?
Yes, I will rewatch a few of the episodes just for some of Vader's sequences, as much as I don't want to admit it. The last few episodes focus more on the relationship between 'Ben' Kenobi and Anakin, which in turn give us a better transition of Anakin to Vader than the films did alone.
This show is dumb, light hearted and sometimes heavy. It's a very true to form Star Wars story with the exception of having poorer production and slightly lesser quality in writing, and if you can laugh at the scenes where the child outruns bounty hunters by walking, you'll get some enjoyment out of this.
If you wanted a purely serious tv series based on Kenobi like I did, you won't get that. But maybe you'll find something passable in the meantime.
6/10.
With that said, I'm trying rate this show as a whole. Would I recommend it to anyone? Would I watch it again?
It's hard to slap a number on this. I did like it more than the recent film trilogy despite it being very campy at times (tbh I'm not entirely sure if that was at all intended, which make some moments even more hilarious) with a weak and noticeable production value that did take a lot of the enjoyment out of it for me.
Reva's arc was a classic Star Wars story that actually justifies its existence in the end, even if it does it poorly. Why it was such a centerpiece in a show titled Kenobi... I dunno. Honestly I think this show would have received much less backlash if it was simply titled something else.
Taking everything into consideration, would I recommend it to anyone? I would recommend it to anyone that loved the prequels. I do think it falls out of purview for mostly anyone else though.
Would I watch it again?
Yes, I will rewatch a few of the episodes just for some of Vader's sequences, as much as I don't want to admit it. The last few episodes focus more on the relationship between 'Ben' Kenobi and Anakin, which in turn give us a better transition of Anakin to Vader than the films did alone.
This show is dumb, light hearted and sometimes heavy. It's a very true to form Star Wars story with the exception of having poorer production and slightly lesser quality in writing, and if you can laugh at the scenes where the child outruns bounty hunters by walking, you'll get some enjoyment out of this.
If you wanted a purely serious tv series based on Kenobi like I did, you won't get that. But maybe you'll find something passable in the meantime.
6/10.
Good overall, with some weak acting.
djurocks-723-43226628 May 2024
I love the feel of all of the new Star Wars content. This is a good story.
The only complaint I have about this one is the stiff acting of Moses Ingram. Haven't we figured out yet that a villain has to be more than stern and flat? To say her acting was uninspired would be an understatement.
Not sure why they made Leia so spunky, but I guess it grows on you in a way.
This is my second time watching the series through. The first time I was immersed in the story and the power the character portrayed. The second time around the flat performance really stands out to me.
I still love the show and give it a good rating, but I'm here to say I hope Disney casts better actors in these iconic shows going forward.
The only complaint I have about this one is the stiff acting of Moses Ingram. Haven't we figured out yet that a villain has to be more than stern and flat? To say her acting was uninspired would be an understatement.
Not sure why they made Leia so spunky, but I guess it grows on you in a way.
This is my second time watching the series through. The first time I was immersed in the story and the power the character portrayed. The second time around the flat performance really stands out to me.
I still love the show and give it a good rating, but I'm here to say I hope Disney casts better actors in these iconic shows going forward.
The Sad Fate of Star Wars continues...
DuskShadow24 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
And Kathleen Kennedy is to blame no doubt.
The entire franchise was not only explored and fleshed out almost fully years ago, but had properly explained the Force, all the various users of it, Emperor Palpatine, his real motivation behind creating The Empire, etc. Even stories revolving around the children of Luke, and Leia & Han and other characters were well done enough to satisfy og Star Wars fans. From the first films release in 1977 to the eventual move to novels and comic books, the latter of which fully took the reigns during the late 2000s, and ended in 2011 and directly there after. EVERYTHING needed to create more movies and tales had already been done to compltion, and the world could have been in awe and given over a handful of films continuing the direct saga of Star Wars... But it was not to be simply because of the idiots at Disney that never bothered to read a single comic or book on the franchise.
And as a result, the show of Obi Wan is but another retcon and reimagining which does not pay proper homage, respect, or tribute to how the epic mythos of Star Wars could have, and should have been. Instead we are subject to a fairly boring, lazy, and pulled out of thin air meaningless romp that felt as hollow as the 7th through 9th films of recent years that helped to spell the downfall of what was once so great and awesome.
The only reason I gave Obi Wan a 5/10 was due to Haden's return since nobody else should have played the character of Anakin/Darth Vader. I have no idea if the fellow has been doing well or needed the money, but at the least I am sure he and Ewan Mcgregor had some respect and loyalty to the true nature of how Star Wrs used to be...and thus gave us something akin to a minor amount of satisfaction. We all know how things end with the franchise. We all know what happens to all the characters. They can keep pumping out Mandalorian or Fett stories or anything, but Disney has tarnished, if not almost completely ruined Star Wars.
Stick to the first 6 movies at least, and at most include Rogue One, The CGI Clone Wars show, and articles regarding the novels surrounding the years after Return of the Jedi that were written over a decade ago. I mean you can even include Rebels, The Bad Batch, and Mandalorian for all I care. Its just sad how little it all matters anymore thanks to all the blundering and idiocy from Diseny and their flunkies. *smfh *
The entire franchise was not only explored and fleshed out almost fully years ago, but had properly explained the Force, all the various users of it, Emperor Palpatine, his real motivation behind creating The Empire, etc. Even stories revolving around the children of Luke, and Leia & Han and other characters were well done enough to satisfy og Star Wars fans. From the first films release in 1977 to the eventual move to novels and comic books, the latter of which fully took the reigns during the late 2000s, and ended in 2011 and directly there after. EVERYTHING needed to create more movies and tales had already been done to compltion, and the world could have been in awe and given over a handful of films continuing the direct saga of Star Wars... But it was not to be simply because of the idiots at Disney that never bothered to read a single comic or book on the franchise.
And as a result, the show of Obi Wan is but another retcon and reimagining which does not pay proper homage, respect, or tribute to how the epic mythos of Star Wars could have, and should have been. Instead we are subject to a fairly boring, lazy, and pulled out of thin air meaningless romp that felt as hollow as the 7th through 9th films of recent years that helped to spell the downfall of what was once so great and awesome.
The only reason I gave Obi Wan a 5/10 was due to Haden's return since nobody else should have played the character of Anakin/Darth Vader. I have no idea if the fellow has been doing well or needed the money, but at the least I am sure he and Ewan Mcgregor had some respect and loyalty to the true nature of how Star Wrs used to be...and thus gave us something akin to a minor amount of satisfaction. We all know how things end with the franchise. We all know what happens to all the characters. They can keep pumping out Mandalorian or Fett stories or anything, but Disney has tarnished, if not almost completely ruined Star Wars.
Stick to the first 6 movies at least, and at most include Rogue One, The CGI Clone Wars show, and articles regarding the novels surrounding the years after Return of the Jedi that were written over a decade ago. I mean you can even include Rebels, The Bad Batch, and Mandalorian for all I care. Its just sad how little it all matters anymore thanks to all the blundering and idiocy from Diseny and their flunkies. *smfh *
Anxiety, depression, failure to move on: An analysis of mental illness
malmevik7715 March 2024
Obi-Wan Kenobi
2022 was a rough year for everyone, but a light in the darkness came in the form of an unexpected sequel to both the end of The Clone Wars and Revenge of the Sith. Obi-Wan Kenobi brings the audience up to speed of what has taken place ten years later, which also includes some cameos including one of the remaining clones begging on the streets of one of the planets.
In the 1977 movie A New Hope, we find "Ben" hiding on Tatooine keeping watch over Luke, implying that he's been there for years as a hermit. It took many forms of Star Wars media, plus common sense, to realize that he didn't just sit there doing nothing. I had always wondered why Anakin and his former master didn't meet until the events on the Death Star. Well, wonder no more, as this series fills in a much needed gap.
I write frequently of the portrayal of mental illness, depression and anxiety when I see them in fictional works, and boy does this show feature that. We have learned over the years that not every Jedi perished during Order 66, and this includes several of the younglings who had not yet made it to Padawan status.
In addition, Darth Vader has been searching the galaxy to get revenge on his former master due to the physical state that he left him in causing not only severe damage, but wrecking his mind. Anakin was not made aware that his children survived and that also took a heavy toll because he wasn't present for Padme's death. I can't even imagine that sort of pain, but Anakin channels his pain into an obsession. One of the other things we learn is that he remained on Mustafar, keeping a solitude surrounded by the elements that destroyed him. I still find myself wondering how the Emperor allowed him to just sit there, but that parallels with Kenobi just sitting there.
Speaking of Kenobi, he has allowed himself to fall into despair and shame, dreaming of Anakin's apparent death, and not even caring for himself. I am certain that he would have wasted away if it weren't for his promise to look after Luke.
I know I am not concentrating on the main plot, but the emphasis on Anakin and Obi-Wan's similar journey of self reflection brought forth such an emotional response in me. Both men get lost in blame, Anakin on Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan on himself, that neither may progress or grow as characters.
Neither one of them knew the other lived until we meet one of the Inquisitors, dark Jedi introduced in the Star Wars: Rebels as the elite forces that hunt down the remaining hidden Jedi. Third Sister, Reva, kidnaps Leia Organa in an attempt to flush out Kenobi to win favor with Vader, and chaos ensues. Of course, there is a twist, and I leave it up to the audience to enjoy.
The dramatic conclusion accurately reflects what must be done in order to let go and move forward. A parallel to my own life that I still have strong feelings about.
2022 was a rough year for everyone, but a light in the darkness came in the form of an unexpected sequel to both the end of The Clone Wars and Revenge of the Sith. Obi-Wan Kenobi brings the audience up to speed of what has taken place ten years later, which also includes some cameos including one of the remaining clones begging on the streets of one of the planets.
In the 1977 movie A New Hope, we find "Ben" hiding on Tatooine keeping watch over Luke, implying that he's been there for years as a hermit. It took many forms of Star Wars media, plus common sense, to realize that he didn't just sit there doing nothing. I had always wondered why Anakin and his former master didn't meet until the events on the Death Star. Well, wonder no more, as this series fills in a much needed gap.
I write frequently of the portrayal of mental illness, depression and anxiety when I see them in fictional works, and boy does this show feature that. We have learned over the years that not every Jedi perished during Order 66, and this includes several of the younglings who had not yet made it to Padawan status.
In addition, Darth Vader has been searching the galaxy to get revenge on his former master due to the physical state that he left him in causing not only severe damage, but wrecking his mind. Anakin was not made aware that his children survived and that also took a heavy toll because he wasn't present for Padme's death. I can't even imagine that sort of pain, but Anakin channels his pain into an obsession. One of the other things we learn is that he remained on Mustafar, keeping a solitude surrounded by the elements that destroyed him. I still find myself wondering how the Emperor allowed him to just sit there, but that parallels with Kenobi just sitting there.
Speaking of Kenobi, he has allowed himself to fall into despair and shame, dreaming of Anakin's apparent death, and not even caring for himself. I am certain that he would have wasted away if it weren't for his promise to look after Luke.
I know I am not concentrating on the main plot, but the emphasis on Anakin and Obi-Wan's similar journey of self reflection brought forth such an emotional response in me. Both men get lost in blame, Anakin on Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan on himself, that neither may progress or grow as characters.
Neither one of them knew the other lived until we meet one of the Inquisitors, dark Jedi introduced in the Star Wars: Rebels as the elite forces that hunt down the remaining hidden Jedi. Third Sister, Reva, kidnaps Leia Organa in an attempt to flush out Kenobi to win favor with Vader, and chaos ensues. Of course, there is a twist, and I leave it up to the audience to enjoy.
The dramatic conclusion accurately reflects what must be done in order to let go and move forward. A parallel to my own life that I still have strong feelings about.
I hate sand.
owen-watts28 June 2022
Feels like it's been re-written a dozen different times by a dozen different dispassionate writers who are painfully trying to squeeze creative blood from an algorithmic marketing decision. Makes the rookie prequel mistake of heaping acres of tension onto the unchangeable fates of established characters rather than giving us new characters to care about. Some nice effects work and young Leia is gloriously cast, but the action is shoddily constructed, it treads oceans of water and it is likely the weakest and ropiest bit of live action Wars TV yet made. Severely hope we don't get more.
Hate to say this but it's carelessly written
ACollegeStudent25 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Rating: 5.0
Favorite Episode: Part VI
Being generous with this rating, we had great writing: Vader going full Starkiller, Vader setting Obi-wan on fire, the blend of Vader and Anakin both in voice and saber reflection when he was speaking to obi wan in part VI etc.. But a ton of horrible writing: Vader letting Obi-wan go in episode 3 then getting mad at Reva for letting him go. Reva surviving being stabbed by anakin twice, that random Jedi somehow finding Kenobi in episode 1, Obi-Wan becoming more powerful we've ever seen him in canon in the span of 1 day with zero re-training, grown men unable to catch Leah slowly running in episode 2, Reva interrogating Leah for no reason, Leah being kidnapped twice in a mini series.. The presentation felt cheap: shaky cam, weirdly bright lightsabers, and music that wasn't even Star Wars despite John Williams doing the opening theme of the show. Reva had everything handed to her on a plate making her plight weightless and annoying especially since she took a good amount of screen-time. Only after digging did I find the writer of this series didn't even watch Revenge of the Sith before doing the script. It seems both marvel and star wars are doing quantity > quality, they won't stop until more people raise issue with this level of writing.
Favorite Episode: Part VI
Being generous with this rating, we had great writing: Vader going full Starkiller, Vader setting Obi-wan on fire, the blend of Vader and Anakin both in voice and saber reflection when he was speaking to obi wan in part VI etc.. But a ton of horrible writing: Vader letting Obi-wan go in episode 3 then getting mad at Reva for letting him go. Reva surviving being stabbed by anakin twice, that random Jedi somehow finding Kenobi in episode 1, Obi-Wan becoming more powerful we've ever seen him in canon in the span of 1 day with zero re-training, grown men unable to catch Leah slowly running in episode 2, Reva interrogating Leah for no reason, Leah being kidnapped twice in a mini series.. The presentation felt cheap: shaky cam, weirdly bright lightsabers, and music that wasn't even Star Wars despite John Williams doing the opening theme of the show. Reva had everything handed to her on a plate making her plight weightless and annoying especially since she took a good amount of screen-time. Only after digging did I find the writer of this series didn't even watch Revenge of the Sith before doing the script. It seems both marvel and star wars are doing quantity > quality, they won't stop until more people raise issue with this level of writing.
Entertaining Enough
Supermanfan-1310 December 2023
I actually enjoyed Obi-Wan Kenobi a lot more than I expected to. After reading all the mixed reviews I was expecting a slow moving, boring show but this was anything but. I was very entertained from the very first episode to the last. I was actually wanting more episodes when it was over. I'm glad that it's already been renewed for another season. Some of these negative reviews are just ridiculous, people are hating for the sake of hating. As most here have already pointed out, Ewan McGregor is the best part of this series. He's great as Obi-Wan. You can tell they put a lot of love into this because the attention to detail is very obvious. While it's not as good as the Mandalorian it's still a good show in its own right and definitely worth the time of watching it.
6/10 wish this could deliver so much more
Barbatulus24 June 2022
After finishing all 6 episodes and expecting similar ride as we had with the Mandalorian, I have to say for a big character as Obi-Wan, this was really underwhelming and sad to watch.
Sure it is nice to re-visit characters, connect it with ending of the 3rd star wars episode movie, the nostalgia was working.
Unfortunately, the storytelling and writing felt amateurish and cheap, even for me, as not huge SW fan. I wouldn't go that far to bash these TV series yet, complain about each element... yes Moses Ingram as Reva was not great, almost annoying and completely monotone in portrayal of her character, sometimes I felt the same towards little Leia...
The characters and story didn't have the heart and therefore it was hard to convince us emotionally. Over the top scenes, easy storyline solutions and plot holes just took away more joy for sure.
I might watch 2nd season for the SW nostalgia but if the writing and directing would not make a huge leap for better, I would not bother...
Sure it is nice to re-visit characters, connect it with ending of the 3rd star wars episode movie, the nostalgia was working.
Unfortunately, the storytelling and writing felt amateurish and cheap, even for me, as not huge SW fan. I wouldn't go that far to bash these TV series yet, complain about each element... yes Moses Ingram as Reva was not great, almost annoying and completely monotone in portrayal of her character, sometimes I felt the same towards little Leia...
The characters and story didn't have the heart and therefore it was hard to convince us emotionally. Over the top scenes, easy storyline solutions and plot holes just took away more joy for sure.
I might watch 2nd season for the SW nostalgia but if the writing and directing would not make a huge leap for better, I would not bother...
Acting can't save bad writing
ercfunk-445-95004625 June 2022
New Star Wars with Disney seems to have the same problem, again and again: bad writing. With the exception of Jon and Dave's work, new Star Wars is getting worse with their writing. It doesn't matter how well the actors do their roles when they're poorly written, there's no saving it. Either get a team that knows how to write or just stop.
Mediocre
jecbrown-6195129 June 2022
Why the hate?
gxwvqdwq13 March 2024
Really not sure why this gets so much hate. Sure, it has its flaws but so does every piece of Star Wars media and anyone who holds up any of the films (original, prequel, or sequel) as some sort of high artistic merit is just kidding themselves and needs to check their ego at the door.
In terms of Star Wars itself, this is a damn good series worthy to be placed right up there with the best of what this universe has to offer. The character drama is great, the window it provides into the timeframe between Episodes III and IV is interesting, and Evan McGregor and Hayden Christensen act and perform like they've never left with their confrontations and big moments being the biggest highlight especially for prequel lovers like this reviewer. And seriously....screw the haters who go off on Vivien Blair as Leia. She does a damn good job and has enough fire to carry things on her own and it's great to see Obi-Wan get such a strong connection to her in ways that add to canon and fill in some holes that needed to be filled in.
Yes there are problems. The way every one shakes off a lightsaber wound is very inconsistent with what we've seen, things take a while to get going, and the villains outside of Vader get a bit too much screentime / get a bit too tiresome. I enjoy Moses Ingram as Reva in general but she has a bit too many temper tantrums to really work though her ending is strong enough to where it redeems most of her flaws by the end.
Good god people, it's just a show and a sci-fi show meant for all families at that, not some high art film or whatever matches the ridiculous standard you all seem to have in your head. Nothing is perfect nor is it meant to be nor will it ever be. This is absolutely a great show that's worthy of attention and love.
In terms of Star Wars itself, this is a damn good series worthy to be placed right up there with the best of what this universe has to offer. The character drama is great, the window it provides into the timeframe between Episodes III and IV is interesting, and Evan McGregor and Hayden Christensen act and perform like they've never left with their confrontations and big moments being the biggest highlight especially for prequel lovers like this reviewer. And seriously....screw the haters who go off on Vivien Blair as Leia. She does a damn good job and has enough fire to carry things on her own and it's great to see Obi-Wan get such a strong connection to her in ways that add to canon and fill in some holes that needed to be filled in.
Yes there are problems. The way every one shakes off a lightsaber wound is very inconsistent with what we've seen, things take a while to get going, and the villains outside of Vader get a bit too much screentime / get a bit too tiresome. I enjoy Moses Ingram as Reva in general but she has a bit too many temper tantrums to really work though her ending is strong enough to where it redeems most of her flaws by the end.
Good god people, it's just a show and a sci-fi show meant for all families at that, not some high art film or whatever matches the ridiculous standard you all seem to have in your head. Nothing is perfect nor is it meant to be nor will it ever be. This is absolutely a great show that's worthy of attention and love.
It underestimates viewer's intelligence
xaverloo13 June 2022
When I heard the Third Sister - who is obsessed on catching Obi-Wan Kenobi -saying she left him escape on purpose to catch him later, I lost total interest on watching the series. The character (their writters, actually) lacks on intelligence...
Mediocre At Best
jbvbddtp19 March 2024
I am a big Star Wars fan but this is a little bit lightweight for me.
I was initially thrilled that EM was reprising this iconic role but the storyline really is a bit fluffy and offers nothing to the whole Obi-Wan/Vader dynamic. In fact we are probably better off having left things at the end of Revenge Of The Sith. This series has just stunk up the room as far as the overall story is concerned.
While The Mandolorian adds to the Star Wars story this is like a really terrible spin off that should never have made it to the small screen.
I really wanted to like it but I just didn't. The plot is weak and leaves us with more questions than answers, the biggest one being "Why bother?"!
I was initially thrilled that EM was reprising this iconic role but the storyline really is a bit fluffy and offers nothing to the whole Obi-Wan/Vader dynamic. In fact we are probably better off having left things at the end of Revenge Of The Sith. This series has just stunk up the room as far as the overall story is concerned.
While The Mandolorian adds to the Star Wars story this is like a really terrible spin off that should never have made it to the small screen.
I really wanted to like it but I just didn't. The plot is weak and leaves us with more questions than answers, the biggest one being "Why bother?"!
A failure that should have been easy to deliver on
gwwright30 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Deborah Chow's first crack at full directorial duties with a series at Disney doesn't accomplish what it needed to. News had broken before the debut of the show that actor Hayden Christiansen would reprise his role as anakin/vader, So naturally all eyes were on that delivery.
The show does deliver on the promise to give you the showdown hinted at during "A New Hope" 1977. Its execution during the scenes in the finale are good. It gives you a power struggle between a powerful sith and an aging jedi. However at the very least, these scenes are lessened by the inclusion of a new character's scenes (Reva) in between the struggle of the legendary duel. Where this show would make positive strides it would immediately take 2 steps backwards, casting a negative aftertaste when finishing the series.
The writing of this show bounces between being fun fresh and quirky to dramatic, meloncholy, and stressful for the characters. The transitions to these themes are often shown poorly, to that point i'm not sure whether to blame the writers or director/editing team. I do personally have gripes with the direction of the main characters, in many small instances. Regardless of that, the stories happening in this show are on top of eachother, all in attempt to get your attention. In the chaos there were enjoyable moments, especially from the pleasant surprise of young Leia's character. The actress worked well in this star wars miniseries and gave us all plenty of candid moments.
This show told me Chow's team had the ability expand on Kenobi's story with new content from Disney star wars, but we're not able to execute well enough to be considered "a good tv show". However to die-hard star wars fans, there will be memorable moments that you should see.
The show does deliver on the promise to give you the showdown hinted at during "A New Hope" 1977. Its execution during the scenes in the finale are good. It gives you a power struggle between a powerful sith and an aging jedi. However at the very least, these scenes are lessened by the inclusion of a new character's scenes (Reva) in between the struggle of the legendary duel. Where this show would make positive strides it would immediately take 2 steps backwards, casting a negative aftertaste when finishing the series.
The writing of this show bounces between being fun fresh and quirky to dramatic, meloncholy, and stressful for the characters. The transitions to these themes are often shown poorly, to that point i'm not sure whether to blame the writers or director/editing team. I do personally have gripes with the direction of the main characters, in many small instances. Regardless of that, the stories happening in this show are on top of eachother, all in attempt to get your attention. In the chaos there were enjoyable moments, especially from the pleasant surprise of young Leia's character. The actress worked well in this star wars miniseries and gave us all plenty of candid moments.
This show told me Chow's team had the ability expand on Kenobi's story with new content from Disney star wars, but we're not able to execute well enough to be considered "a good tv show". However to die-hard star wars fans, there will be memorable moments that you should see.
Have you ever heard the tragedy of Darth Kennedy the unwise?
woobs-9361626 June 2022
My problems with Disney Star Wars stem primarily from one person - Kathleen Kennedy.
I'm guessing some of you have heard that the original script for this show was scrapped because it was too 'bleak.' And that baffles me. This is supposed to be the most depressing time in Star Wars history and she didn't want it to be too downbeat. Give me a break. The original writer also shared that his script was related to Job in the bible. He loses everything, but he remains faithful. To me, that sounds like an intriguing premise, and it fits perfectly with Kenobi's character at this point in his life. We get flashes of Obi Wan being in a broken state, but they're brief.
We instead got 4 episodes of a little girl getting rescued. Don't even get me started on the chase scene. Oh yeah and frequent nonsensical breaking of the canon. And then we have Reva. She was pointless. The Second Sister in Fallen Order was miles better. And guess what? She was also a woman of color. The difference is she had good writing!!
Another thing that really ticks me off - Kathleen Kennedy said that there shouldn't be authentic John Williams Star Wars music in the 3rd episode because it would feel too cinematic. What the actual f? Too cinematic?? We finally got authentic music, but only in the last episode. I just can't fathom the ideas this woman has. I am not in any way cut out to be the president of Lucasfilm, but you're telling me there is no one better than this woman?
I mostly enjoyed everything with Kenobi and Vader, and that's really the only reason to watch this show.
I know there are some who really enjoyed this show and that's perfectly fine! I enjoyed enough of it too. But what i want is a Star Wars story written by someone who cares. Not by someone who wants to check boxes.
That's my rant for the day.
I'm guessing some of you have heard that the original script for this show was scrapped because it was too 'bleak.' And that baffles me. This is supposed to be the most depressing time in Star Wars history and she didn't want it to be too downbeat. Give me a break. The original writer also shared that his script was related to Job in the bible. He loses everything, but he remains faithful. To me, that sounds like an intriguing premise, and it fits perfectly with Kenobi's character at this point in his life. We get flashes of Obi Wan being in a broken state, but they're brief.
We instead got 4 episodes of a little girl getting rescued. Don't even get me started on the chase scene. Oh yeah and frequent nonsensical breaking of the canon. And then we have Reva. She was pointless. The Second Sister in Fallen Order was miles better. And guess what? She was also a woman of color. The difference is she had good writing!!
Another thing that really ticks me off - Kathleen Kennedy said that there shouldn't be authentic John Williams Star Wars music in the 3rd episode because it would feel too cinematic. What the actual f? Too cinematic?? We finally got authentic music, but only in the last episode. I just can't fathom the ideas this woman has. I am not in any way cut out to be the president of Lucasfilm, but you're telling me there is no one better than this woman?
I mostly enjoyed everything with Kenobi and Vader, and that's really the only reason to watch this show.
I know there are some who really enjoyed this show and that's perfectly fine! I enjoyed enough of it too. But what i want is a Star Wars story written by someone who cares. Not by someone who wants to check boxes.
That's my rant for the day.
Hugely Underrated
aegairsoft118 March 2024
After hearing all the bad reviews and really not liking Mandelorian post-season 1.. I put off Star Wars in general. I decided to watch this with an open mind one lazy Sunday. What a great series.. edge of my seat the whole time! Amazing acting from everyone involved, tight script, great set & effects, along with an interesting plot. Not overly bleak, nor overly humerus, it does everything right to make it a true edition to the Star Wars stories. Again we're talking about wizards with light swords.. it is suppose to appeal to young imaginations. People are way too critical and expect too much bleakness. The only negative I saw was the pacing is quick! They jump between planets fast and this could have easily been 2 seasons. The characters and acting were so well done, I would have been fine with a slower pace. But the story and ending were fantastic. All loose ends tie together well.. Things really kick into gear in the second half of the season, but the first half is equally important.
Disney dropped the ball
simonthomson-4893023 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Whilst it has some good moments, and the last two episodes redeem the series as little, I feel that this could have been something so much better than it was. This show with so much hype and anticipation could've been the crowning glory in the Star Wars stable, but unfortunately we were let down by lazy writing, poor cinematography, and a washy story. They didn't even bother to de-age Hayden Christiansen for his Palawan Anakin scenes.
I feel sorry for the great talent in the show, like Ewan McGregor, who have been wasted on a less than adequate production.
This was lazy, poorly written, and quite frankly a massive disappointment to fans who bought the hype that this was going to be epic.
I feel sorry for the great talent in the show, like Ewan McGregor, who have been wasted on a less than adequate production.
This was lazy, poorly written, and quite frankly a massive disappointment to fans who bought the hype that this was going to be epic.
Doesn't look like they even tried!
Ashitaka13711 July 2022
First Luke now Obi
cody_condition0430 June 2022
A Good Show that could have been Great if not for an awful Character
JPHReviews9 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Honestly this show gets way too much hate. It has its problems but overall it's more good than bad.
First I'll start with the good. Ewan McGregor is still amazing as Obi-Wan as well as all the other returning cast members such as: Hayden Christensen, James Earl Jones, Jimmy Smits and Joel Edgerton. They all slot back into their roles perfectly. Some of the new additions are also great including a great young Leia, Kumail Nanjiani and Indira Varma.
The bad all stems from one character however the Third Sister Reva. I can't say that Moses Ingram is a bad actor as I've never seen her in anything outside of Kenobi and from looking at her filmography she has got roles in some prestigious films and shows but she is so bad in this show. Reva absolutely drags the quality of the show down, she's a unlikable and annoying character that gets handed plot conveniences on a silver platter. She just so happened to be stationed on the planet Kenobi was hiding on in the opening when discussing looking for him. She unlike everyone else thought to use an Old Clone Wars friend in order to lure him out and the most ridiculous part SHE SURVIVES BEING STABBED TWICE BY DARTH VADER. The fact that the show has the cheek to keep her alive like the audience wants to see her again.
So overall I'd still say it's a good show with some incredible moments especially anytime Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader confront one another but it is lessened by a weak Villain which the show expects us to care about and even feel bad for her when she turns somewhat good in the finale.
First I'll start with the good. Ewan McGregor is still amazing as Obi-Wan as well as all the other returning cast members such as: Hayden Christensen, James Earl Jones, Jimmy Smits and Joel Edgerton. They all slot back into their roles perfectly. Some of the new additions are also great including a great young Leia, Kumail Nanjiani and Indira Varma.
The bad all stems from one character however the Third Sister Reva. I can't say that Moses Ingram is a bad actor as I've never seen her in anything outside of Kenobi and from looking at her filmography she has got roles in some prestigious films and shows but she is so bad in this show. Reva absolutely drags the quality of the show down, she's a unlikable and annoying character that gets handed plot conveniences on a silver platter. She just so happened to be stationed on the planet Kenobi was hiding on in the opening when discussing looking for him. She unlike everyone else thought to use an Old Clone Wars friend in order to lure him out and the most ridiculous part SHE SURVIVES BEING STABBED TWICE BY DARTH VADER. The fact that the show has the cheek to keep her alive like the audience wants to see her again.
So overall I'd still say it's a good show with some incredible moments especially anytime Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader confront one another but it is lessened by a weak Villain which the show expects us to care about and even feel bad for her when she turns somewhat good in the finale.
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