Skeleton Crew

I heartily enjoyed the latest Star Wars spinoff, Skeleton Crew. My favorite films being Disney’s Curse of the Black Pearl and Lucas’s original trilogy, Skeleton Crew played perfectly to my sensibilities.

Not to mention, the series follows a group of four kids on an adventure that takes them far from their secure and remote home planet. In addition to its Pirates of the Caribbean motifs, the young group’s personalities, banter, investigations, and pluck exude the tone of The Goonies, Stranger Things, and E.T.

Our four young characters inadvertently leave their home planet on a pirate vessel with an intelligent robot first mate. In their quest to return home, they run into a former pirate captain, Jude Law’s character, Zod—a role filled with mystery, surprises, and even allure in his use of the Force.

Our four youths and Zod run into Alliance security forces, a smorgasbord of pirates (including Zod’s old crew, now captained by a hair-raising, werewolf-like figure straight out of Mos Eisley Cantina), as well as strange creatures and planets on their way back to their families on At Attin—a planet that, while orderly and serene on the surface, holds a revelation of its own.

Unlike The Acolyte, which fails to inspire likability in its lead character and discards other robust characters, Skeleton Crew exhibits real stakes with characters who remain on stage and whom one wants to follow.

There is darkness in Skeleton Crew; it is not solely a whimsical exercise. Our characters hurt, struggle with parental relationships and self-doubt, and question whether they can overcome the villains seeking to use them for their own sordid means. Yet, the darkness collides with the light peeking through from the teamwork and grit our four well-meaning youths possess.

If you are looking for a fun, exhilarating, and high-stakes romp through the Star Wars galaxy, you’ve found the story. Give Skeleton Crew a chance, and like me, you’ll be looking forward to season two.