Obi-Wan Kenobi – Miniseries Review

Isn’t it kind of fascinating how we live in a world where it seems as though everybody now loves the Star Wars prequel trilogy all of a sudden? When those films were initially released, they were met with some of the most insane waves of criticism any franchise has ever seen. Do you know how much the Star Wars sequels are hated? That’s essentially how much the prequels were hated on back in the day.

But, fast-forward to 2022, it seems as though everybody has embraced them and cherishes them. But, let me tell you – this Star Wars fan has been a fan of those three movies since the very first time my eyes saw them. It’s genuinely so incredible to see a whole new generation embracing those films because, they’re actually really, really good movies that were ahead of their time. Was the CGI off at times? Yes, very much so. But the story, characters, direction, writing, and more were all so on point.

Many people that love the prequels (and even those that hate them still to this day) love the portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi by actor Ewan McGregor. He brought so much charisma, charm, likability, and badassery to the role that many fans were salivating for and boy did he ever deliver. There are so many interesting stories to tell between the events of the prequels and A New Hope, and this is where the brand new limited series Obi-Wan Kenobi comes in.

With the exception of The Mandalorian‘s first two seasons, Obi-Wan Kenobi is without a doubt the best piece of Star Wars media since Rian Johnson‘s The Last Jedi. It’s a legitimately gripping, tight, thrilling story that takes place ten years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, and follows the titular Jedi as he sets out on a journey to rescue a young Princess Leia Organa from the Galactic Empire, while also having to deal with past enemies. One of which is his old friend, Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader.

Words cannot even begin to describe just how shockingly emotional it was to see McGregor back in the shoes of Kenobi. The first time he is ever shown on screen gave me chills and left me feeling teary-eyed. Why is it that simply seeing someone in a costume again for the first time in ages can be so satisfying and so rewarding? Believe it or not, in this series, McGregor delivers his greatest performance as the Jedi to date.

He has obviously seen some terrifying stuff throughout the years. Being a hardened Jedi like he is definitely changed him and left him feeling kind of hopeless and in despair. In the first few episodes of the show, Kenobi tries to distance himself from the Jedi because it honestly terrifies him. He doesn’t even want to use the Force anymore because it reminds him too much of the days before his friend Anakin turned to the Dark Side.

Speaking of Anakin, it was equally emotional and satisfying to see Hayden Christensen step back into the shoes of his iconic character as well. Just like he did in the prequels, Christensen delivers a genuinely gripping performance; one that is sure to shock you in many ways. There is one episode in particular – “Part VI” – in which his performance is utterly haunting. Just sitting there, watching this particular scene, gave me goosebumps all over my body.

There are some episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi that definitely drag more than others do. “Part II” is an episode that, while doing its best to advance the story forward, isn’t all that interesting. Not a whole lot of substance is to be found in this episode which was such a shame. “Part IV” is easily the worst of the bunch though. It’s really the only episode of the show that feels kind of pointless until the last few minutes.

The best episodes, on the other hand, are “Part V” and “Part VI,” which are some of the best Star Wars television episodes of all time. Both end on extreme highs that are sure to leave longtime fans of the series immensely thrilled. These two episodes seriously felt as though the writing team came together to make sure that they delivered as best as they could, and boy did they ever succeed.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is an exhilarating and enthralling Star Wars miniseries with some impressive directing, writing, and a never-better Ewan McGregor.