Skeleton Crew Episodes 1 & 2 Review!

Skeleton Crew premiered this week with its first two episodes “This Could Be a Real Adventure” and “Way, Way Out Past the Barrier”.

‍Spoilers ahead for both episodes!

What we saw:

• Episode 1: This Could Be a Real Adventure (dir. Jon Watts)
• The show begins with a pirate raid on a New Republic ship ending in a mutiny - showcasing the dangerous nature of the galaxy.
• We are then introduced to the main cast of the show with Wim, Neel, Fern, and KB on the planet of At Attin. Wim and Neel are best friends as are Fern and KB - though the pairs have not interacted before.
• Wim is immediately established as a dreamer who wishes to grow up to become a Jedi or hero that yearns to help others. Neel is an extremely supportive best friend but is rooted more in reality as he focuses on the aptitude test the kids are about to take to determine their futures.
• Fern and KB engage in speeder bike racing but must replace a power converter in order to get ready for a big race for the upcoming weekend.
• On the way to his exam (which he ends up missing), Wim stumbles upon a mysterious hatch in the woods which he tells Fern about outside the principle’s office and brings Neel back to after school to investigate.
• The four kids end up digging up the wreck which turns out to be an old spaceship. KB is able to power up the ship, and Wim presses a button that sends the kids into hyperspace as Wim’s father, Wendle, looks on fearfully.

• Episode 2: Way, Way Out Past the Barrier (dir. David Lowery)
• The children encounter SM-33, the ship’s droid, who is looking for his captain - a role that Fern instantly steps into.
• The kids ask the droid to take them home, but he has no recollection of their home planet, so they head to the nearest port to ask for directions.
• Upon arrival, the kids are transported to the main hub which is full of pirates. The boys and girls get separated with the girls being approached by a Theelin who thinks they’re in danger while the boys grab something to eat.
• When Wim tries to pay for the meal, his credits are revealed to be “Old Republic credits”, and a fight immediately breaks out between the pirates and the kids.
• During their respective altercations, the kids realize that their home planet is thought of as a mythical place full of secret treasure which brings into question what other secrets their homeworld has been keeping from them.
• After SM-33 subdues a number of the pirates, the children are apprehended and thrown into the brig by the pirates that are seen at the top of the pilot episode.
• Inside the brig, the kids try to hatch a plan to escape and run into a mysterious figure (played by Jude Law) who uses the Force to grab the keys - leading Wim to assume he has found one of his heroes…a Jedi.

What we loved:

• The tone of the series is absolutely perfect. The entire press tour was focused on the 1980s vibes of Amblin movies like The Goonies and E.T., and the first two episodes deliver that in spades.
• The technical aspects of the filmmaking are some of the best that Star Wars television has seen to this point. The camera work and editing evoke the exact feeling of adventure and whimsy show creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford have discussed for months, and the CGI is very impressive compared to some questionable projects in the past.
• The introductions of each character are expertly handled, and by the end of the second episode, the audience has a firm grip on the personalities of each. This is only made better by the performances of Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Robert Timothy Smith, and Krystina Kratter who all inhabit their characters with expert talent reminiscent of actors far beyond their years.
• The first two episodes take up roughly an hour and a half, and pacing is superb throughout. There’s not a single moment that lags, and the more relaxed introduction of the suburban planet effortlessly transitions to the high stakes adventure of the pirate port while still maintaining a tone consistent with the entire show.

What’s next:

• Due to the casting announcements, we know that the mysterious stranger that the kids have encountered is Jod Na Nawood, and they are going to embark on an adventure together to get back home.
• What are the secrets of At-Atti? Not only did the kids not get directions, but they discovered that their homeworld is thought of as a haven for a massive hoard of treasure from ancient myth. Couple this with the fact that Wim had no idea what stars were and even his father was scared of whatever lay beyond the barrier, and the mysteries of At-Atti are sure to come to light as the season goes on.
• Even though the episode ends with the gang apprehending the keys for their escape, they still have to make their way through an entire pirate hoard before boarding their ship and escaping through laser defenses – which might be easier with a Jedi involved…if he is a Jedi at all.

Skeleton Crew has one of the strongest starts of any Star Wars television project thus far. After months of stories regarding show cancellations and insecurity regarding the future of theatrical projects, Star Wars fans can look forward to next week with excitement knowing that an absolute hit is in the making…one that George Lucas would undoubtedly be proud of.

Skeleton Crew is now streaming on Disney+ and will return next week with Episode 3 on Tuesday, December 10th!