Ahsoka Early Buzz: A Slow Start, Great Action, And Lots For Star Wars Rebels Fans To Love
Early reactions for the latest Disney+ "Star Wars" series, "Ahsoka," are rolling in, and critics and "Star Wars" fans who caught the first two episodes seem to be fairly impressed by the latest series — if not immediately blown away. So far, the Disney+ live-action "Star Wars" shows have been hit or miss, with "Andor" and "The Mandalorian" embraced for their uniqueness and stylistic flair, while "Obi-Wan" and "The Book of Boba Fett" garnered more mixed reactions.
"Ahsoka" in particular has a lot riding on its success, given that the animated series featuring Ahsoka Tano are some of the most beloved "Star Wars" properties of the 21st century. Rosario Dawson's live-action take on Anakin Skywalker's former Padawan was initially introduced in "The Mandalorian," but while Jon Favreau holds the reigns for that show, it's "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" mastermind Dave Filoni who's set to shepherd the new series as showrunner. So does Ahsoka's move to live-action live up to the anticipation? Here's what viewers are saying so far.
A treat for fans of Rebels and The Clone Wars
First and foremost, it sounds like "Ahsoka" is closely and immediately connected to "Star Wars Rebels," the Filoni series that ended in 2018. On Twitter, podcast host Brandon Davis noted that "#Ahsoka is a straight continuation of Rebels, feeding the animation fans looking for more with these characters." It's not immediately clear whether the show works well as a standalone for casual viewers or not: Entertainment Tonight's Ash Crossen says that the show is "Definitely a continuation of Rebels and it's worth brushing up when we last saw everyone," but Collider's Steven Weintraub calls the show "super easy to follow" even if you're not already a "Star Wars" animation fan. As writer and podcaster Ben Silverio puts it, "Dave Filoni brings the same amount of care to this as he did to his beloved animated Star Wars shows."
Regardless of whether or not "Ahsoka" is an entry-level "Star Wars" series, it sounds like it might be an especially rewarding watch for people who have been following Ahsoka as a character for a while. "The first 2 episodes of #Ahsoka are a lot of fun, especially for fans of 'Rebels' and 'Clone Wars,'" Fandango's Erik Davis tweeted, while Gizmodo's Germain Lussier noted that "As a Rebels fan, I felt a connection to it that was truly special." Critics were also clear about which "Star Wars" fans may not love the new show: while Rayyan from CineGeek News noted that the show has "Rebels vibes all the way, with good exploration of relationships for both new and old viewers," Decider's Meghan O'Keefe says that the show could "turn off, say, 'Andor' fans" with Filoni's embrace of "mythology, magic, and lore."
A slow start, but a mostly good one
While critics spent plenty of time talking about where "Ahsoka" could fit within the landscape of "Star Wars" shows, they also shared a bit about what does and doesn't work in the first two episodes. It's clear that the show isn't exactly off to the races from the start, as several critics mention pacing issues in their initial reactions. O'Keefe says the show is "Slower paced than expected but still enthralling," while Rayyan says it "Takes some time to get going but nails it when it does." Eric Goldman of Get Fandom says that season 1 "has some slow moments" and features a MacGuffin, but the second episode "really gels."
Obviously, no two critics are alike, and that's clear here in some contradictory first reactions. Despite Goldman's MacGuffin comment, Weintraub praises the show for having "No side missions or filler," while Erik Davis says he prefers the first episode, which is written and directed by Filoni, to the second. Overall, these tweets paint the first two episodes as a bit of a mixed bag. As Lussier puts it, "It's hugely epic at some times & oddly flat at others."
Despite the criticisms, critics have still spotlighted key performances and elements of these episodes that they say stand out in a good way. O'Keefe, Goldman, and Lussier all point to Natasha Liu Bordizzo's Sabine as a standout in the cast, while Crossan says, "I can't take my eyes off [Shin Hati actor] Ivanna Sakhno whenever she's on screen and I'm so intrigued by her character." Elsewhere, Weintraub and Brandon Davis were impressed with the show's action, with Erik Davis noting that he "[Loves] Ashoka's fight scenes the most." Inverse's Hoai-Tran Bui, meanwhile, praises Filoni's "elegant" writing and says the premiere is "action-packed" and "genuinely impressive-looking."
You can see "Ahsoka" for yourself when it debuts on Disney+ on August 23, 2023.