Well-Paced, Brutal, And Fleshed Out, Part Three Of Disney+'s 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' Is A Much Improved Step Forward From The Premiere
Sometimes as a critic, your first assessment of a project isn't the final say. This goes double for a television series that can change the tone, narrative, and character development.
With that, I am elated to say, Obi-Wan Kenobi has done just that for yours truly.
My initial reaction to Obi-Wan Kenobi was one of disappointment. Now, I know I was the contrarian on this series compared to most, who found the show fun. For me, it felt off, and slightly childish in the first couple of episodes of its two-part release. The characters were either amped to 11, or dull and unengaged. Leia was too precocious (a problem Star Wars usually has with child characters), the heavy, Moses Ingram's Reva, came off as bored at times, and the guest stars were cartoonishly predictable.
I'm happy to say Part 3 has fully righted the ship for this lowly reviewer.
This part of the series played more like a Star Wars story. The characters feel more fleshed out - especially Leia, who plays less like a know-it-all and more like a fish out of water trying to navigate her perilous surroundings. The same goes for Reva, whose motivations are more purposeful with the addition of Vader, who works to explain her journey, her purpose, and her emotional development.
This introduction of Darth Vader is, of course, raw and fantastic, showing why he is so feared throughout the galaxy. There are moments of true brutal violence, cold and calculated, which will sit with the viewer long after the credits roll. The show pulls no punches in the way it introduces these graphic elements, and really scrubs away the Disney veneer seen in the first two parts.
This review is not an apology for my dislike of the show's first two parts - that would be disingenuous. It's more an elated sigh of relief from a person who has been burned by Star Wars before.
Like anything which has had several films, books, television shows, and cartoon spin-offs, oversaturation becomes a factor. Yes, I realize there are folks who will ride or die with a property, finding joy in every aspect - a trait I am wholeheartedly jealous of - but for people like myself, who would prefer not to turn it off, a critical eye is a both blessing and a burden.
With that said, I'm back in with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and can only keep my fingers crossed that the show continues to elevate itself with every episode. It was a rocky start, but I'm hopeful that if this trajectory continues throughout, even curmudgeons like myself will find that joy once felt in my youth.
Obi-Wan Kenobi drops a new episode every Wednesday on Disney+.
