The Acolyte: Episode 8 (Spoiler Thread)

[Kane52630]

I'm going to regret this... what does it mean?

If Jedis are meant to be the space cops of this world then...

 

[DarthSkywalker]

If Jedis are meant to be the space cops of this world then...

 

[PunyGod]

Ultimately, I hope the lesson learned here isn't that a diverse cast or a woman as a showrunner is the issue (whatever Youtube tells you, Disney).

Yeah right. What makes you think Disney will treat this any differently than before. Its almost like they have a shortcut to failure. Spend no effort on writing, make the cast as diverse as possible, then blame a few internet trolls when it fails. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Closerframe]

I do not think any show so caught up in lore, can be Andor level. Andor's greatness is birthed from being divorced from Star Wars in many ways. Which is how it captures the spirit of Star Wars best.

I don’t think that’s true at all. If there was a good show runner involved that could walk the line of honoring what came before it while crafting something new, the overall show could feel just as thrilling and fresh as what we’ve gotten from Andor. The very premise of the Sith operating behind the shadows longer than what we got in TPM, was a storyline they could have built on this entire season. Instead, we got most of it thrown into the finale to setup a future season. There could have been less emphasis on Osha and Mae’s characters (or they could have been removed completely), in favor of Qimir operating as a seemingly rogue Sith and the Jedi plot to eliminate him without informing the higher council. This or something similar would have captured what the show seemed to be trying to convey while also being a darker revenge plot than what we got.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I don’t think that’s true at all. If there was a good show runner involved that could walk the line of honoring what came before it while crafting something new, the overall show could feel just as thrilling and fresh as what we’ve gotten from Andor. The very premise of the Sith operating behind the shadows longer than what we got in TPM, was a storyline they could have built on this entire season. Instead, we got most of it thrown into the finale to setup a future season. There could have been less emphasis on Osha and Mae’s characters (or they could have been removed completely), in favor of Qimir operating as a seemingly rogue Sith and the Jedi plot to eliminate him without informing the higher council. This or something similar would have captured what the show seemed to be trying to convey while also being a darker revenge plot than what we got.

Honoring what has come before, is different then wrapping your show up in lore. Andor honors Star Wars, but is not beholden to it.

That you pitch a completely different show, without the main characters, is basically my point. Because it removes a lot of the Star Wars signifiers, the lore, the show leans on to appeal to certain sections of the fanbase.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

On this track, I feel like it's telling how often the shows have veered off track, once they get heavily caught up tying the material to existing lore. Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Boba Fett, and Mando s3.

It's like the shows stop telling a story, and start just reciting what we already know to get us to a place we already know. Obi-Wan being the worst perpetrator of this.

The best Star Wars show of the last few years, outside of Andor, has been the Bad Batch. One I feared was going to fall into this trap. But then the finale happened and it made me love the show even more.

Characters, stakes, and everything good about storytelling is removed, when you have nothing to say but what has already been said. Whether it's Ahsoka going back in time, to tell us a story that already happened for half it's runtime, leaving it devoid of a story of it's own, or Boba Fett revealing that he was actually more interesting as the background character who shows up to do cool **** every once in a while.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

There are some sketchy acting performances in this show. The actress for Vernestra wasn't good at all. I remember her being better in Russian Doll, so maybe she was just miscast. Vernestra's assistant wasn't working for me either. The child actors for Mae and Osha were the worst, though. I don't think the other Star Wars shows had such acting issues, but then again, the dialogue in this was rough. Even Amandla Stenberg was struggling at times. Once again, what a shame.

Well the actor is married to the showrunner. So I'm thinking that's why she was cast.

This show convinced me Stenberg can't act.

 

[Kane52630]

Stenberg is fantastic in Bodies Bodies Bodies, but Acolyte is asking a lot with very little in the script.

 

[PunyGod]

Well the actor is married to the showrunner. So I'm thinking that's why she was cast.

That explains a lot. Anytime she was on screen was cringefest. Especially with the 1960s Star Trek make-up.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Another episode I liked and another show I enjoyed. This wasn't Andor but it wasn't TBOBF either.

Personally, I hope we get a season 2.

 

[Asharad]

I tried to like this show, but it was not good. It was marginally decent. But then we get to the finale, which was Crystal Star levels of awful. This show doesn't exist to me.

 

[#root]

Well… at least it felt like stuff was happening this episode. Apart from that, super disappointing show. Whole lot of potential and some pretty amazing actors, all wasted. I was especially disappointed by how they utilised Lee Jung-jae, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Dafne Keen just because I’m a big fan of all three of them. The action and Manny Jacinto were the only highlights of this show. And I’m guessing if they had the time, they would’ve gotten me to dislike Manny Jacinto’s character as well. Apart from the setting and the cast, I was also really excited for this show because of Leslye Headland having been showrunner on Russian Doll. Safe to say that was more Natasha Lyonne and Amy Poehler’s involvement that made that show good.

Also those two little random cameos especially the one at the end have to be the worst, most shoe-horned in cameos I’ve seen in recent memory. Maybe even ever.

 

[Kane52630]

 

[DarthSkywalker]

The fights were the only consistently good thing on it.

 

[Herolee10]

Aside from the well-choreographed fights and most of the casting choices, there really wasn't much that I liked about this show. Honestly, I just don't find Osha and Mae either compelling or interesting to watch. I don't know if it's just due to poor characterization or the acting, but I just didn't click with either of their characters on an emotional level.

When the showrunner said that some of her writing staff didn't know much about Star Wars, she wasn't kidding. I really hope this isn't the same quality writing and direction that fans can look forward to with the future cinematic projects.

 

[chamber-music]

Aside from the well-choreographed fights and most of the casting choices, there really wasn't much that I liked about this show. Honestly, I just don't find Osha and Mae either compelling or interesting to watch. I don't know if it's just due to poor characterization or the acting, but I just didn't click with either of their characters on an emotional level.

When the showrunner said that some of her writing staff didn't know much about Star Wars, she wasn't kidding. I really hope this isn't the same quality writing and direction that fans can look forward to with the future cinematic projects.

You don't have to be a hardcore star wars fan understand how to write compelling stories or characters. The Andor showrunner isn't a big star wars fan either but he is a good screenwriter who understands storytelling.

 

[Albright]

This sucked. Great premise, but It really sucked. It would’ve been great, to establish a new series in the Old Republic…but it didn’t work.
I fear for that Mangold movie now

 

[Sian]

Aside from the well-choreographed fights and most of the casting choices, there really wasn't much that I liked about this show. Honestly, I just don't find Osha and Mae either compelling or interesting to watch. I don't know if it's just due to poor characterization or the acting, but I just didn't click with either of their characters on an emotional level.

When the showrunner said that some of her writing staff didn't know much about Star Wars, she wasn't kidding. I really hope this isn't the same quality writing and direction that fans can look forward to with the future cinematic projects.

I did read - and I'd like to point out I have no idea if it's true or FAF - that the characters of Osha and Mae were created for Amandla Stenberg, and that she wasn't one of a number of girls interviewed for the role(s).

If this is true, it might be why a lot of people were disappointed in her performance, maybe she didn't put as much effort into it as she could but again, it might simply be just another bit of fake news.

 

[Babillygunn]

There are some sketchy acting performances in this show. The actress for Vernestra wasn't good at all. I remember her being better in Russian Doll, so maybe she was just miscast. Vernestra's assistant wasn't working for me either. The child actors for Mae and Osha were the worst, though. I don't think the other Star Wars shows had such acting issues, but then again, the dialogue in this was rough. Even Amandla Stenberg was struggling at times. Once again, what a shame.

This was my biggest beef with this show. The acting took me out of it. And I hate to say it, but Stenberg was the biggest culprit here.

But what do I know? I hate Andor. So I have to hide in shame from everyone.