This review was originally posted on SFF Gazette.com.
Star Wars fans have been clamouring for a movie or TV series charting "Ben" Kenobi's (Ewan McGregor) life between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope for many years, and Lucasfilm finally delivered with a Disney+ show focused on the exploits of the legendary Jedi.
The first two episodes are now streaming, and while there are already a few minor issues, overall, Obi-Wan Kenobi is off to a very promising start.
We begin with a flashback to the aftermath of Emperor Palpatine's devastating Order 66, with a group of Jedi younglings making their escape from the temple as Imperial Troops massacre all around them. The significance of this scene is not made clear in these first two instalments, but the jump to Reva (Moses Ingram) and her fellow Sith Inquisitors arriving on Tatooine should tell you all you need to know.
These Jedi hunters have travelled to the familiar sand-covered planet to track down one of the force-wielders who escaped the purge, and most of them are unaware of Kenobi's survival at this point. Reva, however, seems certain that Obi-Wan still lives, and appears to have a personal investment in bringing him before her master, Darth Vader.
Of course, Kenobi is a lot closer than Reva realizes, keeping as low a profile as possible while working on a meat-packing line. Obi-Wan tells himself that he's stayed on Tatooine this past decade to keep an eye on young Luke Skywalker, but in truth, he is a shell of his former self, cut off from the force and unable to forgive himself for his perceived failure as a mentor to Anakin. In fact, this version of the once-renowned warrior we meet is a borderline coward, hiding away as Reva threatens Luke's Uncle Owen (Joel Edgerton) with execution if he doesn't serve as an informant.
Kenobi is given his chance to dust off his lightsaber and reclaim his honor when Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits) informs him that Princess Leia (Vivienne Laila Brea) has been kidnapped, and despite his initial reservations, he agrees to set off to rescue the daughter of his fallen friend.
McGregor is terrific, bringing an unexpected sense of pathos to this broken Knight without a purpose. There are flashes of the old Kenobi here and there (you'll spot a few mannerisms, for sure), but the actor wisely takes a more understated route for the most part. Edgerton only appears briefly, but does stellar work (as always), and 9-year-old Laila Brea is a revelation. Leia's involvement was only ever rumored, but it looks like she's going to play a bigger role in this show than anyone expected, and we're all for it.
Unfortunately, Obi-Wan Kenobi does have a slight villain problem. The Inquisitors, played by Ingram, Rupert Friend and Sung Kang, never feel truly threatening, and while the actors are clearly doing what they can with the material, there are a few instances of iffy line delivery. There's a fine line between menacingly evil and moustache-twirling panto, and this lot come dangerously close to crossing it.
Episode 2 takes Kenobi to an unknown planet where Leia is being held, and while there are plenty of big moments (try to suppress a surge of joy when he uses the force to save the kid after she falls off a roof), the emphasis on action and that ever-present Star Wars humor (some works, some not so much) does feel somewhat tonally at odds with the grittier, more thoughtful hour that preceded it.
Even so, it's never less than engrossing stuff, and concludes with Reva telling Kenobi that Anakin is still alive, having fully embraced the dark side as Darth Vader. The realization galvanizes Obi-Wan, and we conclude with a shot of the man who was once Anakin Skywalker opening his eyes and peering with intense hatred from his bacta tank.
For many, the biggest concern going in was the supposed "retconning" of A New Hope, since Vader implies that he hadn't set eyes on his old master since they parted ways on Mustafar at the end of Revenge of The Sith. Honestly, their classic exchange could always be read a few different ways, and this series really doesn't outright contradict anything from the original trilogy. In any event, Telling Kenobi's story without addressing his past and connection to Anakin/Vader would have been a pointless endeavour, and robbed us of a satisfying emotional arc for the character.
It remains to be seen if the show is able to fully capitalize on this set-up, but we are certainly on board, and looking forward to witnessing what promises to be a rematch for the ages.
It's early days, but based on these first episodes, Obi-Wan Kenobi really does have the potential to be the best Star Wars series yet. There are a few kinks to iron out, but the show is well on its way to surpassing expectations and doing justice to these iconic characters.