Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Review – Star Wars Gets Back To Its Child-Friendly Roots To Become The Version George Lucas Envisioned

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew provides the version of the franchise George Lucas always envisioned, telling a story that appeals to the child in us all, combined with a strong cast and everything we’ve come to expect from Star Wars. Where the next few upcoming Star Wars TV shows are concerned, I will be the first to admit that Skeleton Crew ranked lowest in anticipation. Andor season 2’s story is right around the corner, and as the franchise’s best project since The Empire Strikes Back, I am focused squarely on that. Skeleton Crew may have just proved my closed-minded attitude wrong.

The show tells the story of four kids on the suburban planet of At Attin: Wim, Neel, Fern, and KB. Wim dreams of bigger things than his school tests, from Jedi and starfighters to simply helping people in a big way. When he finds a buried starship in the forests of At Attin, Skeleton Crew‘s characters are thrust between piracy and danger, with the only goal being to return home. Thus far, Skeleton Crew‘s journey is delightful, packed with a lot of heart, endearing characters, and the best aspects of a galaxy far, far away.

Skeleton Crew Tells A Great Child-Friendly Mystery Story & Is All The Better For It

What immediately sets Skeleton Crew apart from its Star Wars show peers is that it focuses on a group of children. Rather than the stoic Din Djarin of The Mandalorian or the now-grown characters of Star Wars Rebels in Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew‘s cast is made up predominantly of younger characters. Naturally, this pivots its story towards a younger audience. But rather than pandering to children and being annoying to adults as a result, Skeleton Crew strikes a perfect balance.

Written by Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, Skeleton Crew‘s story is best summed up in one word: endearing. The series doesn’t solely appeal to kids, but instead to the inner kid that every adult watching possesses. It is about the thrill of adventure, finding your place in a world much bigger than you, and discovering what life is for. These messages are arguably more pressing for adults than any child, making Skeleton Crew suitable for all ages in a way the darker Star Wars shows of the past, like The Acolyte or Andor, may not have been.

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To make Skeleton Crew even more difficult to dislike, these slightly deeper meanings are wrapped up in an intriguing story on a base level. A group of kids getting lost in space to find their way home perfectly typifies the Amblin-style story the show has long been touted to be, making the more dangerous elements of the narrative feel more threatening in this project than they might in, say, The Mandalorian. Overall, episodes 1 and 2 are simply delightful, charming, and very easy to enjoy on a multitude of levels.

Skeleton Crew’s Young Cast Is Fantastic

A big factor that contributes to Skeleton Crew‘s charm is its young cast. Star Wars is a franchise that receives a bad reputation concerning child actors, primarily driven by the reaction to Jake Lloyd’s performance as Anakin Skywalker. I am of the opinion that Lloyd did not deserve any of the backlash he received for that role and much of the blame for that performance can fall on Lucas’ script and direction. Nonetheless, child actors or characters in Star Wars tend to be met with trepidation as a result.

Evidently, Skeleton Crew is running the gauntlet by having its four main characters be children, a test it passes with flying colors. What could have been an annoying quartet makes up the majority of the show’s heart. Ravi Cabot-Conyers and Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Wim and Fern, respectively, are the standouts, with their rivalry-like relationship driving a lot of the story forward. Both act well beyond their years and are incredibly likable as a result.

Then there is Neel, the show’s resident alien. Robert Timothy Smith’s voice performance is great, but it is in the design and practical effects that Neel succeeds. To put it bluntly, I adore Neel. He is one of the sweetest, cutest Star Wars characters we’ve had in a long time, and my heart swells whenever he is onscreen. Unfortunately, Kyriana Kratter does not get much to do as KB in the first two episodes. Kratter does well with the little material she’s given, but I am hoping KB receives more focus going forward to better match her co-stars.

Skeleton Crew Looks & Feels Like Star Wars But With Unique Twists

As expected, Skeleton Crew‘s practical effects look fantastic. Every alien, especially in the location of Port Borgo, looks brilliant, as do the majority of sets, props, costumes, vehicles, and weapons. Interestingly, though, the series adds its own unique twist to the look of Star Wars. At Attin is a lot like Earth, with school buses, schools, suburban neighborhoods, and so on. All of this feels familiar, but still with the expected twists in design and production. Finally, Mick Giacchino’s score is different from the norm but works just as well as the other distinct elements of Skeleton Crew.

Skeleton Crew Episodes 1 & 2 Slightly Suffer From Underbaked CGI & A Short Runtime

If I were to pick out some negatives of Skeleton Crew episodes 1 and 2, they’re not detrimental enough to reduce my overall enjoyment of the show too drastically. In episode 1, there is a speeder-bike scene involving Wim as he tries to crash through a forest to get to school on time in which some of the CGI elements look slightly underbaked. However, the rest of the CGI is mostly unnoticeable, so it’s not too much of a drawback.

Another slight criticism I have involves runtime. Skeleton Crew episode 1 is around 45 minutes and works because of its length, but the second episode is only a little over 20 minutes when the credits are removed. Again, this is not too much of an issue given the episodes released together, but it is hard to see why Lucasfilm did not simply combine both episodes for an hour-long premiere. At the end of the day though, these issues are minor, and I am overly pleased with what was presented here, leaving me excited for more.

Skeleton Crew episodes 1 and 2 are now streaming on Disney+.

Pros

• Skeleton Crew appeals to the child in every adult, making for an endearing, charming story
• Skeleton Crew’s young cast is excellent, providing a compelling quarter of protagonists
• The practical effects and score are classic Star Wars, though with notable differences to make Skeleton Crew unique
• Skeleton Crew’s brief action sequences and mysertious elements are all very well done

Cons

• Some CGI elements could have been impleneted smoother
• The runtimes of episodes 1 and 2 would have been better as a combined, 60+ minute premiere