Star Wars has had a rough time since Disney bought the franchise from George Lucas. There have been a few gems, such as The Force Awakens, Rogue One, The Mandalorian, and Andor, but there have been far more disappointments than successes. Things are at the point now where any newly announced Star Wars project is met with more skepticism than exuberance. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew may just be another gem in Disney’s streaming catalogue.
Skeleton Crew focuses on four children who get lost in the Star Wars galaxy, with only the pirate scoundrel Crimson Jack (Jude Law) to help them get home. On the surface, it’s a concept that feels destined to fail in the current Star Wars mythos, but after watching the first three episodes of the eight episode series, it’s off to a promising start.
What makes Skeleton Crew intriguing is the fact that creator Jon Watts absolutely nailed the 80s adventure vibe. The kids feel genuine, yet naive, the effects are widely practical, and Jude Law is just smug enough to pass as a jaded adult who’s soft enough to help a few lost kids get home. There are little touches of a more modern Stranger Things, coupled with classics like Monster Squad, The Last Starfighter and more, that will make any 80s kid feel right at home.
All of the kids are full of wonder, with Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) filling the role of adventurous and reckless, Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) serving as the de facto leader, KB (Kyriana Kratter) being the cautious brains of the squad, and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith) just trying to stay out of trouble. If that sounds like a crew straight out of Goonies, that’s the intention. Skeleton Crew adds the fun that’s been missing from Star Wars for some time.
So many of the Disney Plus Star Wars shows have suffered from poor writing and uninspired plots, and can’t decide if they’re for children or adults. It doesn’t help that many of them are forced into a specific time period so they can properly line up with the films. Skeleton Crew doesn’t worry about any of that. It’s unabashedly fun, and doesn’t take itself seriously at all. It’s a love letter to the 80s, and while it does take place in a specific time in Star Wars lore, so far that’s not relevant to the story at all.
In traditional Star Wars fashion, the resident droid is the highlight of the show. This time around it’s SM 33, masterfully voiced by Nick Frost. It’s basically a rundown pirate version of K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) from Rogue One. It offers comic relief, but far more subtle than the one-liners of most Star Wars droids. The pirate accent is front and center, and as ridiculous as it is, it fits right in with the tone of the show.
All that said, Skeleton Crew won’t be for everyone. If you’re looking for serious Star Wars, like Andor, this isn’t it. But it’s also not as insulting as The Acolyte, which suffered heavily from uninspired characters and an overload of plot convenience. There’s a mystery at the heart of Skeleton Crew, and while it may end up being a dud by the time we get to the final episode, as a kid who grew up in the 80s, the show feels great so far.
The first two episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew are available now on Disney Plus, with each additional episode airing on 6pm PT every Tuesday night until all eight episodes are available. If you’ve become jaded about any new Disney Star Wars, give Skeleton Crew a chance. At the very least, the first two episodes will give you a good idea of how the rest of the show is going to play out.
About Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Synopsis: The story of four kids searching for their home planet after getting lost in the Star Wars galaxy, and the strange aliens and dangerous places they encounter on their adventure.
Creators: Christopher Ford, Jon Watts
Stars: Jude Law, Nick Frost, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Robert Timothy Smith, Kyriana Kratter
Number of Episodes: 8
Average Runtime (based on the first three episodes): 37 Minutes
Bryan Dawson has been writing professionally since the age of 13. He started his career as a video game writer and has since worked for Random House, Prima Games, DirecTV, IGN, AOL, the British Government, and various other organizations. For GNN, Bryan taps into his passion for movies.
