Star Wars’ live-action TV shows have changed the franchise forever, for better and for worse. Before Disney+ came along,Star Wars’ only foray into the TV landscape was with animation –Star Wars: The Clone WarsandStar Wars Rebelswere landmarkStar Warsprojects, and both have undeniably influenced the live-action Disney+ shows, perhaps more than the Skywalker saga movies ever did. Shows likeThe MandalorianandAhsokawouldn’t exist without them.
ThoughStar Warsbegan as a cinematic franchise, TV is now its dominating force, even influencing Lucasfilm’s upcoming theatrical slate –The Mandalorian & Groguis the first of four announcedupcomingStar Warsmovies. WithStar Wars: Skeleton Crew,Andor season 2,Ahsoka season 2, and more reportedly on the way, it doesn’t look likeStar Warsis planning to reduce its TV output anytime soon, either. But despiteStar WarsTV’s overwhelming presence, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.While thelive-actionStar Warsshowshave given audiences some incredible moments, they’ve also hurt the franchise in more ways than one.
10Worst: Souring Boba Fett’s Legacy
The Book of Boba Fett deserved better
Temuera Morrison’s return to the screen as Boba Fett inThe Mandalorianseason 2 was triumphant. This legendary character, one who had, until that point, been woefully underdeveloped, was competent, imposing, intimidating, principled, and strong, the perfect complement to Din Djarin.The Book of Boba Fettwas a logical spinoff. This character deserved to have a story of his own.
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While some parts ofThe Book of Boba Fettwere genuinely intriguing – the time Boba spent with the Tusken Raiders and his relationship with Ming-Na Wen’s Fennec Shand in particular –the show’s flashback structure and the overwhelming inclusion ofThe Mandalorian’s characters and storytelling ruined what should have been a wonderful moment for an iconic character.The audience’s reaction to the show didn’t help either, and Boba Fett has been in limbo ever since. Will he ever return? As a minor character, perhaps, but right now, it’s impossible to say.
9Best: Finding Ezra Bridger
Ahsoka essentially became Star Wars Rebels season 5
Star Wars Rebelsended on a hopeful yet sad note. While the Ghost Crew managed to liberate Lothal from the Empire’s clutches, Ezra Bridger sacrificed his future with them to send himself and Grand Admiral Thrawn into exile. Though the show’s epilogue promised to bring him back, it wasn’t untilAhsokaseason 1 that audiences finally got an answer.Star Wars Rebels’ characters were brought into live-action and became integral to the so-called “Mandoverse.”
Though fans ofStar Wars Rebels– myself included – would have enjoyed an animated follow-up to the show,these characters’ transition into live-action was seamless.It was already clear that Rosario Dawson made a great Ahsoka Tano, but Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Eman Esfandi did an incredible job as Sabine Wren, Hera Syndulla, and Ezra Bridger, respectively. Esfandi, in particular, was effortlessly charming in the role while giving the character quiet maturity from his time away.
8Worst: Following A Streaming Model That Really Isn’t Working
Lucasfilm is restricting themselves
Streaming shows have become ubiquitous, but that doesn’t mean the streamers have everything all figured out. Waiting two or three years between seasons of a show, which on average only consists of six or eight episodes at a time, is not the ideal way to tell a story, especially in a world as complicated as theStar Warsgalaxy.Shorter season lengths restrict creativity and narrative scope; this is evident in shows likeObi-Wan KenobiandThe Book of Boba Fett.
7Best: Re-Introducing One Of Star Wars’ Best Non-Sith Villains
Grand Admiral Thrawn’s return is an exciting prospect
Star Wars Rebelsreally picked up steam whenStar WarsLegends' Grand Admiral Thrawn showed up in season 3, and it’s no surprise why. He’s one of the most cunning, calm, collected villains inStar Warscanon, a true master strategist. Ezra Bridger was only able to defeat him by taking him by surprise and sacrificing his future, something which Thrawn, or the Empire at large, would never be willing to do. Now that he’s back, though, with the Great Mothers of Peridea in tow and the entirety of the Imperial Remnant waiting on him, there’s no telling what will happen next.
Star Wars’ most effective and terrifying villains have been Sith or Sith-adjacent characters. Vader, Palpatine, Kylo, Snoke, Maul, Dooku, the Inquisitors, and more have been worthy adversaries for the Rebellion and the Jedi, but it’s time for something new. Sure,The Mandalorianhad Moff Gideon, an intriguingly selfish character, butThrawn’s presence is even more intimidating and can blowStar Wars’ lore wide open. There are interesting times ahead.
6Worst: Dividing The Fandom (Again)
The negativity is becoming too hard to ignore
It should be clear by now that theStar Warsfandom will never agree on anything ever again. Though this division started with the George Lucas’ prequel trilogy in the early 2000s, it’s gotten exponentially worse since Disney took over. Though there was hope following the release ofStar Wars: The Force Awakens,Star Wars: The Last Jediturned out to be too divisive, and the fandom experience, especially online, hasn’t been the same since.
Though it originally seemed likeThe Mandalorianwould be the show to bring people together, season 3 became a contentious talking point, too. Worst of all, however, was the reactionary discussion aroundThe Acolyte. Before it was even officially released, it was being review-bombed, and those who enjoyed the show or had genuine but well-meaning criticisms of it were harassed by “fans” who deemed it to be a blight upon the franchise because it wasn’t vetted by George Lucas and tried to be inclusive and diverse both in front of and behind the camera.
Now,The Acolyteis the first official show to be canceled, and though Disney and Lucasfilm have reportedly cited low viewership as the problem, it’s hard not to take note of their silence on the matter. When fan petitions to renew the show started gaining traction and numerous major publications publicly disavowed the decision, Disney’s silence became harder to ignore. How will this affect the franchise’s decision-making moving forward? It’s hard to say.
5Best: Exploring New Genres
Star Wars can and should branch out
As with the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Disney+ shows,theStar Warslive-action TV series have allowed the franchise to explore new genres and types of storytelling.The Mandalorianbegan as a straight-up Western.The Acolytewas a murder mystery.Ahsokaleaned into the fantastical side ofStar Warslore, creating a fantasy-adventure type show, andAndorwas a sharp political thriller.Star Wars: Skeleton Crewwill be an Amblin-style coming-of-age story. These shows have expanded on elements already present in the movies and made them a true part ofStar Wars’ narrative style.
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Star Warsis on the edge of a precipice. If it wants to continue to grow and expand its influence, it has to be willing to adapt and change. Though there’s certainly more that can be done, the Disney+ shows at the very least prove that Lucasfilm is willing to try, even if those attempts sometimes still fall back on old habits.
4Worst: Obi-Wan Kenobi Was A Missed Opportunity
Star Wars played it too safe
There was a lot of pressure onObi-Wan Kenobito be genuinely good, and sadly, it didn’t fully deliver. As the official bridge between the prequel trilogy and the originalStar Warstrilogy,Obi-Wan Kenobineeded to dive deep into Obi-Wan’s character, his trauma as a survivor of the Jedi’s genocide, his life on Tatooine, his training to become a Force ghost, and more. While it touched on all those subjects, it never truly went deep enough for us to explore more of Obi-Wan’s psyche. Ewan McGregor’s acting elevated the material, as ever, but we just needed more.
The series’ six-episode restriction certainly didn’t help matters, and neither did the fact that virtually none of the characters we met in the show, like Luke, Leia, Bail, Breha, Vader, Palpatine, Owen, or Beru could ever truly be in any danger. The show made the canon more complicated, and though Vader’s duel with Obi-Wan packed an emotional punch, the show’s surprising production quality left us feeling slightly bereft after that fight, too. What more is there to say? Some moments were great, but they were never fully utilized, and the all-too-obvious parallels toStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderdidn’t help matters, either.
3Best: Providing A Better Understanding Of The Jedi Order
The High Republic should be explored further
Whatever one’s opinion onThe Acolytemay be, there’s no denying it gave us an interesting glimpse into the Jedi Order’s eventual demise. The prequel trilogy andStar Wars: The Clone Warsare all about exploring the Jedi’s faults, the mistakes that led them to be blindsided by Palpatine.The Acolyte, which is set during the New Republic era, explores how the Order became too intertwined with the Republic. It also explores how and why the Jedi kept secrets, and how those secrets, and their pride, could be their undoing.
BeforeThe Acolyte, we’d seen the Jedi as a crumbling institution embroiled in war and as a scattered faction being hunted by the Empire.The Acolyteshowed us the Jedi at the height of their power and influence, something that this franchise sorely needed.Characters like Vernestra Rwoh, in particular, provided an exciting look into the inner workings of the Jedi’s organizational hierarchy and its political stance.
2Worst: Creating A New “Skywalker Saga”
Is the “Mandoverse” too interconnected?
The Mandalorianwas a breath of fresh air forStar Wars. It was set in a relatively unexplored era, introduced a new crop of characters, and had little to no ties to the Skywalker saga or the rest ofStar Wars’ storytelling. Fans both old and new could jump into the show with no expectations and enjoy the journey. Din Djarin and Grogu were exactly what the franchise needed.
ThenThe Mandalorianseason 2 came along, and everything changed. Suddenly, pivotal characters fromThe Clone Warswere showing up, Boba Fett was resurrected, and Luke Skywalker saved the day in the season finale. Since then, the so-called “Mandoverse” has only grown in scope, withAhsokataking place around the same time and dealing with the Imperial Remnant and Thrawn, too.Star Wars: Skeleton Crewwill soon be joining the fray as well, though to what extent is still unknown.
While the Mandoverse has produced some intriguing, fun, and exciting content, there’s no denying the connections between the shows have made the quality suffer at times as well. Din Djarin and Grogu’s emotional goodbye inThe Mandalorianseason 2 was undone in a spinoff show, relegating Boba Fett to the background and confounding viewers who only watchedThe Mandalorian.
Lucasfilm’s reasoning behind this expansive web of storytelling is clear –The Mandalorianwas a hit, and they want to capitalize on that. At a certain point, though,The Mandalorianand all the shows associated with it will become harder to understand for those who don’t want to watch everything thatStar Warsproduces. Should they be punished for that? No, and this will only get more complicated whenThe Mandalorian & Grogureleases in theaters. Will the franchise ever truly be able to move on from the Skywalkers andThe Mandalorian?
1Best: The Entirety Of Andor
An incredible series that also happens to be a Star Wars show
Andoris a marvel. Not only is it an excellentStar Warsshow, but it is an excellent show, period.Andorproved that Lucasfilm was willing to take a chance on true creative talent and grit.Andormay be a prequel to the billion-dollar-grossingRogue One: A Star Wars Story, but that doesn’t diminish its accomplishments. If anything, it makes it better. This 12-episode show – mercifully unrestricted by the streaming model’s shorter season lengths – madeRogue Oneand the entirety ofStar Wars’Rebellion-related storytelling all the more poignant and impressive.
Andorshould be the blueprint, not the exception. They knew from the start that it needed to be two seasons and nothing more. It’s beautifully shot and has an excellent script, fantastic direction, and an incredibly impressive cast of actors. Most of all, it proves that the Jedi and the Sith are not the be-all-end-all ofStar Wars– just likeThe Mandalorian. Hopefully, the next fewStar Warsshows learn fromAndor.
The Mandalorian
Cast
Released on July 21, 2025 The Mandalorian follows a lone gunfighter navigating the galaxy’s outer reaches after the Galactic Empire’s fall. As a skilled bounty hunter, he operates in a lawless universe, undertaking various missions on the fringes of the New Republic’s territories.
The Book of Boba Fett
After pulling himself out of the Sarlaac pit, Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) is kidnapped by the Tusken Raiders. But after gaining their trust, Boba is able to return to Tatooine and claim Jabba the Hutt’s throne with the help of Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen). The Book of Boba Fet also directly led into The Mandalorian season 3, which premiered in March 2023.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Set during the reign of the Galactic Empire, the narrative follows former Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi as he undertakes a pivotal mission to reconcile with former allies turned adversaries while confronting the formidable forces of the Empire.
Andor
Andor is a Star Wars prequel series set before the events of Rogue One, following Cassian Andor as he navigates a world of danger and deception. The series delves into his transformation into a pivotal figure in the struggle against the Galactic Empire.
Ahsoka
Ahsoka follows the journey of former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy. Released in 2023, this series takes place within the Star Wars universe and features Ahsoka navigating through a complex political and cosmic landscape.
The Acolyte
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Skeleton Crew follows four ordinary children who become lost in the expansive Star Wars galaxy. As they navigate unfamiliar worlds and the challenges they present, the group endeavors to find their way back to their home planet, undertaking a journey across the iconic Star Wars universe.
