Television Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi

[Vernon Philander]

what is up with the poor staging on nearly every scene. It looks far too cheap and basic for a multi-billion dollar franchise.

The story writing is not great, to say the least :

How is Reva not dead after a straight hole in the body with a Light Sabre - every time this has happened before, it has meant immediate death. And I know we're supposed to not look too closely, but just how ridiculously convenient is it that the hologram message just happened to be there next her.

 

[Raoul]

what is up with the poor staging on nearly every scene. It looks far too cheap and basic for a multi-billion dollar franchise.

The story writing is not great, to say the least :

How is Reva not dead after a straight hole in the body with a Light Sabre - every time this has happened before, it has meant immediate death. And I know we're supposed to not look too closely, but just how ridiculously convenient is it that the hologram message just happened to be there next her.

Maybe this was the Vader's version of "phasers on stun".

The writing has been immaculate. You have to remember that these aren't 200m films. They are $25m made for streaming service budgets per episode, which is a lot for TV, but a drop in the bucket for film.

 

[Spoony]

Last 20 mins were good - Vader and his fight with the Inquisitor to be precise. This show show should've been a lot more. Mo' Vader is where it ought to have been.

 

[Sky1981]

They should reboot the whole costume.

Warp speed intergalactic travel and they still use pins up acrylic.

Vader should get a cooler material than a cheap fake leather.

And obi wan could use a bath.

Rava was very cardboard characters with bad acting.

I kinda enjoy the kids actress playing leia. She got more charisma than the whole cast combined.

 

[Spoony]

Young Leia was as annoying as a young Annakin.

 

[2 man midfield]

Spoiler

Vader and the Grand inquisitor leaving Reeva after a single stab wound to the stomach was daft considering the grand inquisitor survived literally the same exact thing about 3 days before. She should have been killed right there.

Also if Vader can just rip ships out of the sky like that, why didn’t he do that with the Falcon when it escaped Hoth?

 

[FrankDrebin]

Spoiler

Vader and the Grand inquisitor leaving Reeva after a single stab wound to the stomach was daft considering the grand inquisitor survived literally the same exact thing about 3 days before. She should have been killed right there.

Also if Vader can just rip ships out of the sky like that, why didn’t he do that with the Falcon when it escaped Hoth?

Spoiler

Whatever works for the plot. There's wild inconsistencies with the force throughout the series.

 

[VP89]

What a fecking lazy shit piece of garbage writers they have. So many plot holes its a joke. Also the casting of Lea was shite.

 

[choccy77]

Spoiler

Vader and the Grand inquisitor leaving Reeva after a single stab wound to the stomach was daft considering the grand inquisitor survived literally the same exact thing about 3 days before. She should have been killed right there.

Also if Vader can just rip ships out of the sky like that, why didn’t he do that with the Falcon when it escaped Hoth?

The Falcon blasted itself out of the bay really quickly, Vader had no chance to react, same as with the 2nd ship

 

[KirkDuyt]

As soon as the Game of Thrones lady suddenly decided to share a completely random life story

Spoiler

I knew she would die. You also see the shot after it trying to convey sadness, but it wasn't earned at all.

Seeing Vader wreck stuff is fun in a low level fanservice sort of way, but this show is rubbish.

 

[The Cat]

I don't get how some sound so offended by it. Its kids tv just like the movies and escapism. Anyone taking it seriously enough to be offended deserves it quite frankly

 

[FrankDrebin]

I give all the actors in this show the benefit of the doubt. The dialogue they've been given is, for the most part, pretty dreadful.

 

[VP89]

Maybe this was the Vader's version of "phasers on stun".

The writing has been immaculate. You have to remember that these aren't 200m films. They are $25m made for streaming service budgets per episode, which is a lot for TV, but a drop in the bucket for film.

The writing has been immaculate?!
feck me it has more holes than swiss cheese.

The writing was terribly lazy and formulaic. I remember one scene, not really a spoiler, "you don't know what the empire is capable of". Everyone in the room shouted "backstory here we go" and boom, we go into a backstory

I actually really enjoyed all star wars movies so I am probably the most lenient star wars fan when it comes to the screen product. But christ this was garbage.

 

[Raoul]

The writing has been immaculate?!
feck me it has more holes than swiss cheese.

The writing was terribly lazy and formulaic. I remember one scene, not really a spoiler, "you don't know what the empire is capable of". Everyone in the room shouted "backstory here we go" and boom, we go into a backstory

I actually really enjoyed all star wars movies so I am probably the most lenient star wars fan when it comes to the screen product. But christ this was garbage.

It series has been fantastic by nearly every measure, not just in execution, it also in adding context to New Hope and the ensuing other two films. McGregor has been on point with Kenobi, Vader’a scenes have been stellar, and young Leia has worked out great as well.

The writing, production design, DP work, and story have been better than expected imo, which is probably why the series has been so well received.

My only mild disappointment has been the 3rd sister character not having been as convincing in her secondary story line scenes, but other than that, this was easily the very best of what casual fans would want out of a 50 minute per episode six part series to the tune of 25m per episode.

 

[VP89]

It series has been fantastic by nearly every measure, not just in execution, it also in adding context to New Hope and the ensuing other two films. McGregor has been on point with Kenobi, Vader’a scenes have been stellar, and young Leia has worked out great as well. The writing, production design, DP work, and story have been better than expected imo, which is probably why the series has been so well received. My only disappointment has been the 3rd sister character not having been as so convincing in her secondary story line scenes, but other than that, this was easily the very best of what casual fans would want out of a 50 minute per episode six part series to the tune of 25m per episode.

Thats your opinion, I can only agree on Obi Wan and Vader having superb interactions. But the writing is trash, and young Lea is remarkably unlikeable and poorly casted.

I don't have a gripe with the story. Its just how its told. Amazingly lazy, almost as though its targeted for children.

 

[Zarlak]

To make their ANH meeting make sense, Obi Wan must beat him; perhaps he will win but then look like he has some sort of accident making Vader think he's dead.

I agree, but the way the series has been written is going to come across disingenuous. Vader has been portrayed as a beast at the top of his game however Obi Wan has been portrayed as pretty useless and struggling to regain his mastery of basic force powers and barely able to duel properly. He looks like an old man in this series, almost afraid to be the person he once was. There's no way to suddenly one episode later have him be amazing enough to beat Vader - unless they're going to leave it open ended, and commission a season 2 where we see Obi Wan get back to full power and beat him convincingly then.

 

[SuperiorXI]

I agree, but the way the series has been written is going to come across disingenuous. Vader has been portrayed as a beast at the top of his game however Obi Wan has been portrayed as pretty useless and struggling to regain his mastery of basic force powers and barely able to duel properly. He looks like an old man in this series. There's no way to suddenly one episode later have him be amazing enough to beat Vader - unless they're going to leave it open ended, and commission a season 2 where we see Obi Wan get back to full power and beat him convincingly then.

To be honest I was expecting some kind of montage type thing after episode 3 but it didn't materialise. Maybe we will get a season 2 as it can't be done in one episode like you say.

Edit: Ewan McGregor I think hinted at wanting to do a S2 so who knows...

 

[Raoul]

Thats your opinion, I can only agree on Obi Wan and Vader having superb interactions. But the writing is trash, and young Lea is remarkably unlikeable and poorly casted.

I don't have a gripe with the story. Its just how its told. Amazingly lazy, almost as though its targeted for children.

I suppose it matters the degree of cynicism you begin with. The writing has been exceptional, which has been one of the main reasons the show has been so well received. Since writing (screenplays & teleplays) are the blueprint for the success of the story - if audiences didn't like it, they would've switched off, but instead they've reviewed it quite favorably.

 

[Raoul]

To be honest I was expecting some kind of montage type thing after episode 3 but it didn't materialise. Maybe we will get a season 2 as it can't be done in one episode like you say.

Edit: Ewan McGregor I think hinted at wanting to do a S2 so who knows...

They have to do a season 2. There would be mass disappointment in the fan base if McGregor and Co wanted to continue but Disney didn't proceed.

 

[Raoul]

I don't get how some sound so offended by it. Its kids tv just like the movies and escapism. Anyone taking it seriously enough to be offended deserves it quite frankly

I agree. Its easy to overthink all of this. At the end of the day its pure fantasy and escapism for younger audiences and grown ups who watched the original films as kids.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

I suppose it matters the degree of cynicism you begin with. The writing has been exceptional, which has been one of the main reasons the show has been so well received. Since writing (screenplays & teleplays) are the blueprint for the success of the story - if audiences didn't like it, they would've switched off, but instead they've reviewed it quite favorably.

I have no idea how you watched the first four episodes and came to that conclusion. Different expectations, I suppose.

 

[Raoul]

I have no idea how you watched the first four episodes and came to that conclusion. Different expectations, I suppose.

Just my opinion but I feel that the respective arcs of each of the three primary characters (Kenobi, Vader, and Leia) were advanced throughout the overall arc of the 5 episodes. Some were better than others, but that’s to be expected as the the story meanders through different episodical plot points. The one thing that didn’t work well for me was third sister/ Inquisitor subplot, (the specifics of which can be discussed separately).

We care about the directionality of the three main characters, but not so much her. But that’s ok because her presence appears to merely be a sideshow designed to create a bit of added depth and texture to the overall story to move the main characters through respective arcs.

 

[Sylar]

Almost as though its targeted for children.

Well...

 

[FrankDrebin]

I don't think the issues I have with Kenobi are necessarily a story issue, more of a execution one.

 

[KirkDuyt]

It series has been fantastic by nearly every measure, not just in execution, it also in adding context to New Hope and the ensuing other two films. McGregor has been on point with Kenobi, Vader’a scenes have been stellar, and young Leia has worked out great as well.

The writing, production design, DP work, and story have been better than expected imo, which is probably why the series has been so well received.

My only mild disappointment has been the 3rd sister character not having been as convincing in her secondary story line scenes, but other than that, this was easily the very best of what casual fans would want out of a 50 minute per episode six part series to the tune of 25m per episode.

Micky Mouse is in your house threatening you at gunpoint surely?

 

[GhastlyHun]

Micky Mouse is in your house threatening you at gunpoint surely?

Muggy Mouse

 

[Spoony]

It'd be a steaming pile of Scousers without Darth Vader - and even he's been underused. Aesthetically it's followed on from The Prequels which I've disliked... and I don't get how they can get Mando so right and this so bloody wrong??

 

[bosnian_red]

Thought the fight scene was funny with Vader basically just doing minimal side movements and it being enough to tire out the other person.

 

[sullydnl]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

He ain't wrong.

I'm sure a lot of the criticism for shows like this one comes from the fact that some people are already overly-invested in their own notions of how already existing characters should be treated or what types of stories should be told about them. Constantly linking stories to the past just gets fans' backs up

 

[Raoul]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

He ain't wrong.

I'm sure a lot of the criticism for shows like this one comes from the fact that some people are already overly-invested in their own notions of how already existing characters should be treated or what types of stories should be told about them. Constantly linking stories to the past just gets fans' backs up

Would be the right think to do, albeit very risky if not written, cast, and executed to near perfection.

 

[maniak]

We need a Jar Jar show, I need to know what happened to him after the films. Any books or comics that tell this story?

 

[arthurka]

It's a difficult situation to be fair most of the fans of the original trilogy are well into their 50's and the prequel fans are around 30 so the audience aren't kids anymore. But that said this series is absolutely terrible, Leia needs spanking, Vader is fan pleasing and Obi Wan is pretty flat as a character and sadly they are the only ones who anyone actually gives a shit about. I can forgive the cheap setting, poor visuals and all that but the story is just bad and the dialogue is horrendous. Disney are destroying Star Wars but who gives a shit it actually makes money so no need to panic. Only reason Mando worked is because it actually had people there who really did give a shit, they need to let Kennedy go and get Filoni more involved higher up. They should also reinstate Lucas before his brainchild becomes brain-dead.

 

[Cypriot]

We need a Jar Jar show, I need to know what happened to him after the films. Any books or comics that tell this story?

We do not mention Sith Lord Binks

 

[Raoul]

It's a difficult situation to be fair most of the fans of the original trilogy are well into their 50's and the prequel fans are around 30 so the audience aren't kids anymore. But that said this series is absolutely terrible, Leia needs spanking, Vader is fan pleasing and Obi Wan is pretty flat as a character and sadly they are the only ones who anyone actually gives a shit about. I can forgive the cheap setting, poor visuals and all that but the story is just bad and the dialogue is horrendous. Disney are destroying Star Wars but who gives a shit it actually makes money so no need to panic. Only reason Mando worked is because it actually had people there who really did give a shit, they need to let Kennedy go and get Filoni more involved higher up. They should also reinstate Lucas before his brainchild becomes brain-dead.

I think we are in a situation where random cynical grownups are psychologically projecting their frustrations on the show because it didn’t serve them up the same magic on a platter as the original trilogy did for them as kids.

And who would want Lucas back after the 90s films? The key thing today is to focus on good writing and exploring different aspects of the canon as explanatory devices to embellish the original trilogy (such as Rogue One and Kenobi have done), as well as to expand the universe beyond the Skywalker narrative.

 

[arthurka]

I think we are in a situation where random cynical grownups are psychologically projecting their frustrations on the show because it didn’t serve them up the same magic on a platter as the original trilogy did for them as kids.

And who would want Lucas back after the 90s films? The key thing today is to focus on good writing and exploring different aspects of the canon as explanatory devices to embellish the original trilogy (such as Rogue One and Kenobi have done), as well as to expand the universe beyond the Skywalker narrative.

Agree most of them are 30-55 years old and should know that magic isn't real. But it's not acceptable to offer people something so poorly written as this is, the New trilogy and shit like this. Good point on Lucas his prequel trilogy wasn't anything to phone home about but it wasn't this poor surely not or an I forgetting how bad it was? They have made 5 movies where 3 are absolute garbage and the only one that is pretty decent is Rogue One. The TV series are 3 and two of them are not any good at all. The sad part is that most of the issues follow the legacy characters so Mando is fairly decent either because it's made by Star Wars fans like Filoni or because it isn't stuck in the original Skywalker story. But regarding this series if you take out Obi Wan and Vader it's pretty much unwatchable.

 

[Sylar]

Agree most of them are 30-55 years old and should know that magic isn't real. But it's not acceptable to offer people something so poorly written as this is, the New trilogy and shit like this. Good point on Lucas his prequel trilogy wasn't anything to phone home about but it wasn't this poor surely not or an I forgetting how bad it was? They have made 5 movies where 3 are absolute garbage and the only one that is pretty decent is Rogue One. The TV series are 3 and two of them are not any good at all. The sad part is that most of the issues follow the legacy characters so Mando is fairly decent either because it's made by Star Wars fans like Filoni or because it isn't stuck in the original Skywalker story. But regarding this series if you take out Obi Wan and Vader it's pretty much unwatchable.

Well, thankfully the show named Obi wan has Obi wan then...

 

[arthurka]

Well, thankfully the show named Obi wan has Obi wan then...

Yeah and that why it's being watched even though it's terribly made, acted and written.

 

[big rons sovereign]

Would've liked to have seen more of the inquisitor with the funny hat tbh.
The shows been alright, not great, just alright.

 

[sullydnl]

Agree most of them are 30-55 years old and should know that magic isn't real. But it's not acceptable to offer people something so poorly written as this is, the New trilogy and shit like this. Good point on Lucas his prequel trilogy wasn't anything to phone home about but it wasn't this poor surely not or an I forgetting how bad it was? They have made 5 movies where 3 are absolute garbage and the only one that is pretty decent is Rogue One. The TV series are 3 and two of them are not any good at all. The sad part is that most of the issues follow the legacy characters so Mando is fairly decent either because it's made by Star Wars fans like Filoni or because it isn't stuck in the original Skywalker story. But regarding this series if you take out Obi Wan and Vader it's pretty much unwatchable.

The first two of of the prequels were trash. You can argue about whether they're better at specifically being Star Wars films than the sequels or whether they hang together better with each other but in terms of actual filmaking the first two of the sequels individually are far superior, which is reflected in how warmly they were received critically compared to the prequels.

But those prequels have benefitted from the nostalgia and revisionist outlook of the then-children for whom that was the first experience of Star Wars in the cinema, as well as better additional material set around the films like the Clone Wars tv show.

Meanwhile the sequel films haven't benefitted from that nostalgia (yet at least) and suffered from the lack of coherency between films. Not to mention TROS actually being trash and managing to aggravate even those who liked the previous two. Bad as the prequels may have been, at least they didn't feel like they were pulling in different directions.

 

[Zarlak]

Good point on Lucas his prequel trilogy wasn't anything to phone home about but it wasn't this poor surely not or an I forgetting how bad it was?

They're garbage. I always defended them slightly thinking that as I remembered them they weren't that bad and everyone else was just doing the hipster thing of shitting on them and so I watched them all again last week - the first 2 are pure garbage. PS2 graphics, ludicrously bad dialogue and delivery. Rapey gaslighting Anakin, the whole works. It's just awful.