Star Wars Franchise

Not inaccurate.

I will always hold to the belief that the prequel trilogy had an excellent arc running throughout and the basic plan for it was really solid. With a couple more re-writes and a few changes it could have been fantastic (an older Anakin in Phantom aged around Luke's age in Hope, don't keep splitting Obi Wan and Anakin so that there can be a real friendship, ditch trade negotiations and make it more about outter worlds being left out whilst inner worlds live in luxury). I can see the changes that could be made to what is there for something very special.

With the sequel trilogy, although there is stuff I like about the individual films (and will still say TLJ is excellent and one of the best Star Wars films) and the films are generally better made then the prequel ones, I can't see what you would change other than ripping it all up and starting again, with a stronger coherent through line across the trilogy. The First Order is lazy, Snook was a nothing villain and they just throw in the Emperor at the end because they were out of ideas. Kylo Ren isn't too bad and I like Rey. I like a lot of the choices in TLJ (Rey being born to nobody and her whole story in that film, Luke's crisis of faith and the way the Force is talked about), but a lot of that film does lead to dead ends for the final film (or, at least, dead ends for someone as creative as J. J Abrams).

The blame really has to be on Disney and the producers not making sure there was a strong guiding hand throughout the sequel trilogy who had a clear, unique vision with what to do with it.

Criticism of Star Wars is kind of futile as it has basically the same problem as every other lumbering franchise: the people ultimately in charge of making it do not give a fuck about anything other than making money.

Marvel, Star Trek, Aliens, whatever. All the same problems. They don’t want to run out of story so it’s all just inconsequential, milquetoast shite that won’t hook new fans and existing ones will ever rewatch

I suppose it’s like actual comic books. The writer of the individual project can’t really do much to affect the wider universe or have many/any lasting consequences.

Andor is a good example of the counter argument that you do a good story without risking potential to do further stories / sequels.

Rogue One tbh is the same, even going so far as literally handing off to ANH.

The previous expanded universe had a zillion interesting stories taking place all over Star wars time line and place.

Yeah The Acolyte wasn't helped by the attacks on it by the twats but it also wasn't helped by not being very good and cost a fortune. It losing its audience as the series progressed was the final nail in the coffin.

It may have done better if they'd released all of them in one day, it's probably a better binge than watching one a week. Not that I'd do it.

I enjoyed the Acolyte more than any of the other Disney shows.

There’s always two.

I was hopeful and the first two episodes tricked me into thinking it could be alright, but then it just didn’t really do much.

The costume and set design varied in quality so wildly, and most of the acting was terrible. The make-up they gave that Jedi guy to make him look old was insane. Squid Games guy was surprisingly bad, too.

"Always two there are, no more, no less."

Like The Acolyte, where there are three, maybe technically four or even five.

The most annoying thing about the culture wars discourse is that the thing these freaks are mad at usually turns out to be shit anyway.

It almost gives the studios a get out of jail free card because, no, The Acolyte didn’t suck because it had space lesbians in it, it sucked because it sucked.

I finished The Acolyte. There were episodes I enjoyed but overall it was far from classic. There *were* some enjoyable episodes and bits. I hated the episodes and flashbacks with the Witches, and didn’t understand some of that, probably because it wasn’t engaging me and I ended up on my phone.

It had some great fights and choreography, and I liked the wu-shu type styling of it quite a lot. However you’d also have awesome duels that just were cut away from abruptly and this happened a few times! I thought Osha/Mae and Mr Squid Game were excellent and it’s a shame their potential has been wasted on something that has obviously been dropped like a stone. I wasn’t even aware this show existed.

I still have Ahsoka to watch, and Rosario Dawson is usually good value so fingers crossed.

I’ve long wanted to do the chronological presentation you can do on Disney Plus but every time I’ve tried to watch the Clone Wars stuff I’ve bounced off the first episode. Will it reward me? It seems a big commitment.