Chris Connor reviews the third episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew…
The latest entry into the Star Wars universe Skeleton Crew, may have flown under the radar a tad compared to other series but its more family-focused tone and vibe has won over many fans. The opening two episodes introduced us to the mysterious planet of At Attin and our new crew of young protagonists. While clearly paying homage to the likes of ET and The Goonies it felt like a refreshing, self-contained adventure that reminded us how fun the franchise can be and the breadth of the Star Wars universe.
The third episode picks up where we left of with Jude Law’s Jod, potentially a Jedi taking centre stage while Neel and Wim believe he is the answer to their problems and their ticket home, Fern and KB are more suspicious. Is he really a force user or is he tricking them to get his way? Jude Law is clearly having a blast as the swaggering, Jod trying to keep one step ahead of the pirates on their tale. He is a welcome addition to the Star Wars universe and helps anchor the episode showing the show is not merely for children. It will be fascinating to uncover some of his characters backstory to see how he ended up in the cell prior to meeting the four kids.
We briefly see the parents of the missing children on their home world wanting to get in touch with the Republic to see if they can help, however as they have gone past the barrier they are forbidden from making contact. This continues to raise questions about what has occurred at At Attin and why it is so cut off from the rest of the galaxy. We will doubtless uncover more as the series progresses but it is an intriguing central mystery, that has not overly distracted from the main story.
The visuals, aesthetic and score of Skeleton Crew continue to stand out with this episode again directed by David Lowery (The Green Knight, Pete’s Dragon) showing how he is a great fit for the series. Kh’ymm a map reader who looks like an owl is a fun addition and the design of the moon we meet her on gives way to a thrilling space dog fight. The visuals of this show are certainly more up to scratch than some other recent Star Wars shows, making the action sequences really stand out.
‘As An Astrogation Problem’ continues Skeleton Crew’s early momentum with the introduction proper of Jude Law who is a charismatic lead, adding an extra dynamic to the ensemble. This episode rarely lets up with constant danger and excitement, introducing new worlds and characters and adding new questions about the mysteries at its heart surrounding Jod and At Attin in particular. Should it continue at this level it will be a Star Wars show to remember, with whisperings of a second series we may see plenty more of our new ragtag crew.
Chris Connor
