Unlikely friends sent out on a galactic size adventure that involves space pirates and a mystery to solve? Skeleton Crew is the kind of Star Wars fun the whole fandom will enjoy and it makes a great starting point for newcomers to the galaxy far, far away.
Skeleton Crew Review
Spoiler alert: Star Wars began as a story for kids. Just ask George Lucas. Now that that reminder is out of the way, I need you to understand that Skeleton Crew is a story for the whole fandom that just so happens to star a cast of talented young performers (and Jude Law). Sure it's not the gritty politics of Andor or the Sith/Witch/Jedi triangle of The Acolyte, but it encompasses all the reasons Star Wars took the world by force in 1977 and remains near and dear to our hearts to this day. Essentially, Skeleton Crew taps into the energy of a child playing with Star Wars action figures for the first time, creating new stories about the heroes and villains, all while wishing they could be a part of them, if only for a moment.
It's also worth getting out of the way early the inevitable comparisons the show will draw. Yes, it does pull from 80s and 90s kid-led stories like The Goonies, E.T. and The Little Rascals. (I would also argue there is a heavy influence of Treasure Island and Pirates of the Caribbean) The nostalgia is certainly there. But creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford know how to balance that feeling without falling flat on their faces or relying solely on it to carry their show. What they have accomplished here (at least within the first 3 episodes) is capturing the vibe of those films, along with the Original Trilogy, while still blazing their own path in this era of the New Republic that feels exciting and new.
After a brief and brutal introduction of the space pirates, Skeleton Crew begins on the retro-futuristic suburban planet of At Attin. There we meet Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith). Wim and Neel are best friends and neighbors. The two spend their time swapping stories, playing Jedi, and dreaming up what their lives might be like if they could ever harness the Force. Fern is the daughter of Undersecretary Fara (Kerry Condon) and feels trapped by her mother's expectations. She is rebellious, choosing to race hoverbikes and get into mischief with her best friend KB instead of doing her classwork. Soon these four unlikely friends get launched off their home planet and into space. Desperate to find a way home they end up on the pirate port of Borgo where they learn that At Attin is a legend that no one believes is real. With the help of a “Jedi” named Jod Na Nawood (Law), the kids hope to make it back home in one piece.
Each Star Wars show has a distinct aesthetic that still ties into the galaxy at large. Skeleton Crew is no different. At Attin not only feels at home within Star Wars but also matches what we would expect a retro-futuristic world to look like– think the Jetsons or even the upcoming Fantastic Four First Steps. It seems like a place we would live and it's not hard to imagine a space Trader Joe's or Super Target is hiding around the corner. However, there is a brilliance to the “perfect” design that also clues you in that something isn't quite right long before it is revealed that At Attin isn't real, at least as far as the galaxy is concerned. That is just one mystery Skeleton Crew boasts. The other is Law's Jod Na Nawood, a cloaked figure (of course) who uses the Force to help himself and the children escape Borgo's brig. For the observant you realize that Jod is the same person as the Pirate Captain in episode 1 but that still doesn't explain why he can use the Force or why he waited so long to escape the brig himself.
Their ship, the Onyx Cinder, is a meticulously detailed set that makes you completely understand why Wim would push the blinking button. You want to explore it, just like the children, in an attempt to find any secrets that may be hidden. Equally impressive is SM-33 (voiced by Nick Frost), the pirate droid who essentially becomes the nanny for these kids. If you ever wondered what a droid talking like a pirate would sound like, you're in luck. This gruff droid becomes increasingly endearing from what we were given to watch and I can't wait for him and his little eye rat to kick more space pirate butt. SM-33 isn't the only walking, talking pirate cliche. This world is populated with peg legs, eye patches, and Arrrs! We get a great look at the colorful inhabitants of this corner of the galaxy in episode 2 when the kids end up at Borgo which is just a giant hive of scum and villainy. If all that wasn't pirate enough for you, Mick Giacchino's score invokes that of Hans Zimmer's Pirates of the Caribbean and Law is clearly enjoying playing the rogue pirate. Not quite Jack Sparrow but certainly always plotting and scheming.
What brings all of this together and makes you invested in this show are the great performances by the leads. Law is reliable as always, being cryptic at times, cheeky at others, while also nailing the exasperated adult trying to wrangle four children. The kids themselves are delightful to watch, playing well off of one another and proving they are more than just their defining character trait.
It's worth mentioning that the pacing is also excellent, something that can be hit or miss with shows like this one. Some streaming shows have found it difficult to lock into a normal rhythm, but Skeleton Crew feels like a TV show, with purposeful ends to its episodes that leave you excited to tune in next week. Yes there are Star Wars easter eggs, deep cuts in fact that only the nerdiest of us might pick up on, but they do not distract from what is happening on the screen. Thankfully, that also means the fan service is kept to a minimum, to allow Watts and Ford to do their own thing inside the galactic sandbox.
VERDICT
Although Skeleton Crew is about four 10-year-olds who end up working alongside a pirate, Watts and Ford have crafted something that will speak to all Star Wars fans, no matter their age. Yes this is about their journey to find home while also unraveling the mystery surrounding that same home, but it's far from some kiddie adventure. The stakes are real (somewhat violently laid out in the opening minutes of episode 1) and when pretend becomes reality, you better strap in because this ride is about to get bumpy. Ultimately, this is the kind of Star Wars show I would have wanted as a kid. It's exciting, funny, and boasts just enough peril to keep you glued to your seat. I can't wait to see what other mischief Neel, Wim, Fern, and KB get into in the remaining episodes and hopefully this all leads to more adventures for them in future seasons.
Skeleton Crew debuts on Disney+ with two episodes on December 2 at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET followed by weekly releases.
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