‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Feels Like It Belongs To The ’60s, And Not In A Good Way
The force was not that strong in this one
After nearly two decades Ewan McGregor finally returned to our screen as an older, grizzled Obi-Wan Kenobi in Disney Plus’ new limited series. And while we are yet to hear the iconic “Hello there” catchphrase, the role of the Jedi Master fits McGregor like a glove.
Lucas Films dropped two episodes of the premiere this Friday. The pilot opens up right after the events of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and we hear Emperor Palpatine’s “Execute order 66” being repeated on loop in the background as clone troopers slowly massacre the last remaining Jedis.
The episode then cuts to 10 years later with a downtrodden Ben Kenobi surviving in the harshness of Tattoine, while keeping an eye on the young Luke Skywalker. However, things don’t go according to plan and the old Jedi Master is once again called into action as a new dark threat emerges.
While McGregor somehow manages to blend the quick wits of a younger Kenobi with the wisdom of the old one, played by Alec Guinness, the episode in itself feels rather unimpressive. True there are many Star Wars-y elements sprinkled throughout the show, like parkouring across a dangerous landscape while being chased by a sinister antagonist dressed in black, but the two episodes don’t really connect on an emotional level.
Part of the reason can be contributed to the rather one-dimensional set of villains being introduced in the series. In the Jedi Fallen Order video games, the Inquisitors felt like a force of nature, determined on hunting you down till the end of the galaxy.
In Obi-Wan Kenobi, I was almost waiting for them to go full Dr Evil at one point. Both the grand inquisitor played by Rupert Friend and the third sister played by Moses Ingram feel like they belong in the original trilogy, and that’s not a good thing.
What’s sad is that I am not the only one who was let down by the Obi-Wan Kenobi premiere. Overall, the reactions to the two episodes have been a mixed bag. However, Deborah Chow who helms the series has directed perhaps one of my favourite episode of The Mandalorian, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed until the next episode drops. Until then, here is what viewers have to say about Obi-Wan Episodes 1 & 2.
i quite literally don’t wanna hear a single negative thing about ‘obi-wan kenobi’. just let me sit here with my lightsaber and a smile on my face
— rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) May 27, 2022
Me after watching the first two episodes of OBI WAN KENOBI #ObiWan pic.twitter.com/KlASVHEBxG
— glen david (@GlenDeNigris) May 27, 2022
As visually beautiful as it was and amazong the acting, there are a LOT of continuity errors in #ObiWan 's premiere….
— JOKEY (@JOK3YY) May 27, 2022
“the obi-wan kenobi series is fan service!” okay? and? i am one of the fans being serviced
— nik (@kenobisverse) May 27, 2022
For decades Star Wars fans have wondered what Obi-Wan Kenobi was doing between episodes III and IV and it turns out the answer is he worked as a meat packer and one time he beat up Flea
— pixelatedboat aka “mr tweets” (@pixelatedboat) May 29, 2022
So, Obi-Wan…
— GamesNosh (@GamesNosh) May 27, 2022
The dialogue sucks, some of the cinematography is laughable, the story and characters are hackneyed and cliche and the acting is bad to top it off.
That said, every moment Ewan McGregor was on screen i'm enjoying myself. Guy is having to carry the entire thing.
Am I the only one who cringed at how bad the chase scene for Leia was in the first episode of Obi-Wan? I felt like I was watching something from a PBS kids show…
— GlueEater (@GlueEater5) May 28, 2022
Obi-Wan was so bad. Holy
— Sadot The Gamer (@sadotthegamer) May 27, 2022
truly in awe of how bad Obi-Wan was. what an absolutely bizarre show
— gifty 👍 (@Griffin962) May 30, 2022
I know Moses Ingram is not a bad actor, but the delivery of some of her lines in Obi-Wan is so cringe and disappointing 😖😖
— Vuyan’eh (@vuyan_) May 27, 2022
( Image credits: Lucas Films, Disney )