Team Future Of The Force Reacts To The Acolyte Series Premiere
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Team Future Of The Force 
The Future Of The Force Team weighs in on the premiere episodes of Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte.
The two-episode premiere of Star Wars: The Acolyte has set new records on Disney Plus. The show received glowing reviews from critics upon its debut, but its reception took a hit on Rotten Tomatoes in the days that followed, resulting in a poor audience rating. Despite this, the series achieved an unprecedented 4.8 million views on the first day alone, indicating a different narrative.
The show has become a major success for Lucasfilm, and while a small group of fans have attempted to undermine its achievements, its popularity continues to soar. Has the show resonated with our team here at Future of the Force? Read on as our team members share their thoughts on the series.
DARCIE GRAY
With Star Wars: The Acolyte, we enter into another new era of the Star Wars universe, this time 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace. It’s exciting to see the Jedi at the height of their power, long before the shady rise of the Sith. I love it when Disney+ do a double episode release, it always leaves me wanting more. On the whole I was delighted by these first two episodes, the action is strong, the fights well choreographed, the score reminiscent of the prequels, visuals are well executed.
The cast come together beautifully to create this thrown-together team, with Lee Jung-jae’s controlled Sol taking lead of the team, Charlie Barnett’s Yord Fandar, is a slightly comical but a well practiced and skilled Jedi Knight and Qimir played by Manny Jacinto, has a certain gravitas about him, that makes me think he is going to play a larger role as the show progresses. Yet it is Amandla Stenberg who shines as twins Osha and Mae Aniseya, her acting is so compelling that I almost wish the show had dragged out the identical twin reveal for as long as possible. But where the rest of the cast excels, Dafne Keen as Jecki Lon falls far behind, her lines delivered with a flatness, her attitude towards others, particularly Yord, is odd, her performance grating and at this stage of the narrative disposable.
With a total of eight episodes, we are sure to see the narrative develop from the opening story of revenge, the intrigue into who Mae’s mentor is will no doubt build until everyone has their own theories. I am willing to bet this will be a memorable and well received series by the fans.
THOMAS STORAI
The Acolyte is fresh and different, feeling very much like Star Wars. It’s a gripping mystery thriller with compelling new characters, stunning visuals, and incredible fight choreography! Undoubtedly, Leslye Headland knows what she is doing with this series. She has crafted a love letter to the Prequels.
STEVE LONG
The first live-action excursion into The High Republic has begun, and what a beginning it was! First off, I want to say that based on the two-episode premiere, overall, this is going to be a great show. It is visually stunning. The fight sequences were fantastic. The cinematography and the production design are remarkable. The story is intriguing and leaves you wanting more. The mystery surrounding who the “master” could be had me on edge. The idea that the Jedi did something that could cause one of their own to seek forgiveness and commit suicide is also a mystery I’m looking forward to getting unraveled.
So, like I said, overall, it is great. I’m still getting over the fact that they killed off the Carrie Ann-Moss character so soon into the show. Especially considering that they heavily promoted her as being in the show. I’m still a little irritated about that. Hopefully, we will see more of her in flashbacks. Also, as much diversity as there is represented in this show, which is a great thing, I was astonished by the lack of any monkey lizards in the show. Gonna have to work on that Disney. Other than those minor nit-picky things, this show was worth the wait, and I can’t wait to see more!
ANNLYEL JAMES
The Acolyte is a breath of fresh air because it genuinely feels like Disney can finally tell their own story. There’s no Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Palpatine, Ahsoka Tano, Empire, or Separatists. It’s a clean slate filled with the first signs of what will become the story we know in The Phantom Menace, and I can’t tell you how much I love that. And that’s not all there is to love about this fantastic new series.
KATELYN MATHIS
“When you have eliminated all that is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”—Sherlock Holmes.
Show of hands, who called it? The Acolyte has brought a bit of mystery into Disney-era Star Wars, and I’m not referring to Mae. Hopefully, you picked up on that one pretty quickly. No, I’m talking about what these Jedi masters know that we don’t. Why did Master Tobin kill himself so easily? How did Master Indara know it wasn’t Osha she was fighting? Hopefully, the story is written in such a way that we all still care by episode five.
Unfortunately, despite being set 100 years before Order 66, the scenery and technology seem unchanged. Disney has the chance to rewrite the history that they so carelessly erased when they bought the franchise, and so far, they have done nothing with this huge blank space except The Acolyte. This leaves legacy fans wondering if Disney will leave some of the Old Republic intact or if they will completely rewrite the entire history of the galaxy we know.
Is Plagueis the one training Mae, or will he be a Disney-created villain? Will this bring us closer to Anakin’s origin or muddy the waters? Hopefully, The Acolyte will deliver on the questions it has proposed in the first two episodes and forge an original story in the process.
MAX NOCERINO
The first two episodes balanced the action with the intrigue in the perfect way, and all I want is MORE. I want to know who Mae is working for. I’m bummed that they completely confirmed he is a Sith, but perhaps this Sith is less subtle than his ancestors. Oh well. The show is only a few episodes long, so it may be best to get the ball rolling. Honestly, the “full-frontal Sith” is the only complaint I have so far with this series. The world-building character interactions and action scenes weave an incredible web I want to be immersed in and learn more about. Now, this is Podracing.
PHIL ROBERTS
The Acolyte has made a strong start. Guided by Leslye Headland, the series skillfully delves into the Jedi lore. The visuals are stunning, and the fight scenes are incredibly well-choreographed. It’s a rich and fulfilling Star Wars series. However, some issues need to be overcome to be embraced by the broader world of Star Wars. However, with its fantastic new characters and an outstanding performance from Lee Jung-jae, the series has opened the door to a new era of Star Wars storytelling, which is an exciting prospect.
SERIES PLANNER
Thankfully, Disney Plus has released the series’ episode schedule. Mark your calendar and prepare for six thrilling weeks filled with Force-fueled mysteries.
RELEASE
Leslye Headland, the series creator, has six more exciting episodes lined up to captivate us. We are definitely excited about what’s to come. While we wait, why not immerse ourselves in the world of the galaxy far, far away by preparing a delicious bowl of Lomi Usqi noodles? These delectable noodles were featured in the first episode and left our taste buds craving more. Luckily, Lucasfilm has generously shared the recipe with us. You can find the recipe here.
The Acolyte two-episode launch event is streaming on Disney Plus now.
Our team will continue to cover this series comprehensively, providing traditional review coverage and prominent character posters, bios, and teasers. To stay updated and never miss a story or review, please subscribe to our mailing list on our homepage.
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