Lucasfilm has released some fantastic projects in recent years, and yet the state of modern Star Wars concerns me.
Why? Well, executives appear to be learning all the wrong lessons.
Andor, The Acolyte, and Skeleton Crew are all wonderful shows with engaging, original stories to tell.
But then you have the likes of Ahsoka and Obi-Wan Kenobi which, yes, are entertaining but rely heavily on fan service and nostalgia which, if you ask me, isn’t as engaging.
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And yet, that’s the kind of storytelling I think we’ll see more of from Star Wars going forwards.
Andor has drawn to a close, The Acolyte has been cancelled, while Skeleton Crew has been totally abandoned so I’d be shocked if we saw that one return.
It’s tricky, I get it; it’s those fan service shows that tend to gain the higher viewing figures because they offer a sense of familiarity, and Lucasfilm is obviously going to be driven by what draws the most people in.
Even still, there’s got to be space for original storytelling somewhere too; after all, you never know what the next big hit might be.
Sadly, despite The Acolyte’s immense potential, it was canned after just one season - and newly released viewing data could reveal why.
As reported by The Wrap, and shared by Star Wars Holocron, The Acolyte’s viewership decreased by 33% over its run.
I find that incredibly interesting because I’d say that it’s from the halfway mark that The Acolyte really hit its stride, introducing Darth Plagueis, unveiling Qimir’s identity, and beginning Osha’s fall to the Dark Side.
It was also revealed that Ahsoka’s viewership fell by 31% over the course of season one.
The key difference here will be that Ahsoka will have had higher viewing figures in the first place, making the drop off less severe.
Obi-Wan Kenobi’s viewership decreased by just 16%, perhaps influenced by fans’ adoration of star Ewan McGregor.
Andor, the best of the bunch, welcomed a 40% viewership increase from the end of season one to the end of season two.
As heartbroken as I am that The Acolyte won’t be returning, it’s interesting to see the figures that might have influenced that decision.
I’m still holding out hope that Qimir and Plagueis may surface elsewhere.
Topics: Star Wars, TV And Film, Disney, Lucasfilm