Chris Connor reviews the first two episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew…
Star Wars’ forays to the small screen have been somewhat hit and miss, with rave reviews among the fanbase and critics for Andor and The Mandalorian and a more middling response for the likes of The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka and The Acolyte. The franchise now returns squarely to its escapist and family-friendly roots with Skeleton Crew, a throwback to Amblin’s films in the 1980s.
We begin the first episode with a crew of murderous pirates, first encountered in The Mandalorian, ransacking a ship for its cargo but instead of a hoard of gold or credits they find but a single credit, turning on their mysterious new leader. Instantly from this opening the crew feels more threatening than in their fleeting appearances in The Mandalorian.
Much of the opening episode dabbles in cliché’s found in the likes of The Goonies, ET or Stranger Things but with a Star Wars twist as we are introduced to our new ragtag crew of youngsters. They are all disgruntled with their home world of Ad Adlin, searching for adventure and a greater sense of purpose. Inevitably hijinks ensue and our quartet Wim, Fern, KB and Neel find themselves adrift in a fearsome galaxy, relying on their wits and an old droid to survive.
The aesthetic design of Ad Adlin feels closer to reality than some previous Star Wars projects with the group’s home world giving off a “Hawkins in space” vibe. This suits the Amblin homages, but the show still feels heavily rooted in Star Wars lore with plenty of entertaining moments.
The show’s creator Jon Watts of course cut his teeth on Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy so knows his way around delivering thrills, while episode two is directed by The Green Knight and Pete’s Dragon’s David Lowery, a welcome addition to the Star Wars universe.
Most welcoming for Skeleton Crew is how self contained it feels; beyond the pirate connection, this feels distinctly like its own project so far that can be enjoyed away from the conflicts of the New Republic and Grogu and Din Djarin. There is plenty of mystery involving Jude Law’s mysterious character who we encounter properly for the first time at the end of episode two: how will he factor into this show and perhaps the universe more widely?
Mick Giacchino is on scoring duty, fresh off his work on The Penguin and delivers the closest we’ve come to a classic John Williams Star Wars score in the Disney + shows. His score helps keep events rattling along and is one of the show’s highlights.
If the first episode is focused on buildup and introducing us to our new ensemble, by the conclusion of its second episode, Skeleton Crew has proven itself to be a thrilling new addition to the Star Wars universe. There are plenty of interesting plot seeds teased and perhaps most importantly, it reminds us how fun this franchise can be.
Chris Connor
