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labingiI really enjoyed the first 1.5 hours or so of Obi-Wan Kenobi, so much that I won't do a very formal review but mostly just express my appreciation. I really liked the first few episodes of Bob Fett, but after that, I feel it lost its way, and I haven't really been enthusiastic about a new Star Wars release in years. This I really greatly enjoyed.
(Very minor spoilers below)
It's not perfect. (Small Jedi rant, then the good stuff.) In general, I wish post-OT Star Wars would be a little smarter in writing Jedi. Though there are a number of good exceptions, default writing from c. 2000 on seems to present them as ordinary "good guys" with magical black belt skills rather than people who have intensively studied a philosophy somewhat reminiscent of Zen. For one thing, they're often written with a lot of ego, as, for example, Yoda's (paraphrased) "I have failed; I must go into exile" in RotS. I don't buy that Yoda as an 800-plus-year-old Jedi master has that much self-pity and self-importance, and I don't really buy it from Obi-Wan either... but that's actually a fairly mild complaint, and more about a whole generation of SW writing than this show.
Leia is amazing! Let me say it again.
Leia is amazing! I won't go into details for the unspoiled. It was great to see Carrie Fisher's swansong in the sequels, and I'm more grateful than not for the skillfully CGI-enhanced glimpses of young Leia we've gotten since--but this is almost like having A New Hope Leia back but with more to do. I was so impressed!
Overall, I really enjoyed Obi-Wan himself, minus the Jedi complaint above and maybe a bit too much leaning into his being rusty on every single survival skill. But I loved his rustic life on Tatooine, especially its mix of quite restful/peaceful and traumatized, daily witnessing injustice. That actually makes perfect social sense for being "retired" to the boondocks at a time when the Empire is on the rise.
I enjoy the Inquisitors as antagonists. It was great to see the Organas and Alderaan fleshed out a bit. Very nice presentation of Owen--a great bridge between the prequels and ANH, and a great balance of crusty curmudgeon and courageous guy deeply devoted to protecting his family. I am looking forward to more.
(Very minor spoilers below)
It's not perfect. (Small Jedi rant, then the good stuff.) In general, I wish post-OT Star Wars would be a little smarter in writing Jedi. Though there are a number of good exceptions, default writing from c. 2000 on seems to present them as ordinary "good guys" with magical black belt skills rather than people who have intensively studied a philosophy somewhat reminiscent of Zen. For one thing, they're often written with a lot of ego, as, for example, Yoda's (paraphrased) "I have failed; I must go into exile" in RotS. I don't buy that Yoda as an 800-plus-year-old Jedi master has that much self-pity and self-importance, and I don't really buy it from Obi-Wan either... but that's actually a fairly mild complaint, and more about a whole generation of SW writing than this show.
Leia is amazing! Let me say it again.
Leia is amazing! I won't go into details for the unspoiled. It was great to see Carrie Fisher's swansong in the sequels, and I'm more grateful than not for the skillfully CGI-enhanced glimpses of young Leia we've gotten since--but this is almost like having A New Hope Leia back but with more to do. I was so impressed!
Overall, I really enjoyed Obi-Wan himself, minus the Jedi complaint above and maybe a bit too much leaning into his being rusty on every single survival skill. But I loved his rustic life on Tatooine, especially its mix of quite restful/peaceful and traumatized, daily witnessing injustice. That actually makes perfect social sense for being "retired" to the boondocks at a time when the Empire is on the rise.
I enjoy the Inquisitors as antagonists. It was great to see the Organas and Alderaan fleshed out a bit. Very nice presentation of Owen--a great bridge between the prequels and ANH, and a great balance of crusty curmudgeon and courageous guy deeply devoted to protecting his family. I am looking forward to more.
