Two-episode Star Wars TV premieres are still happening, for some reason

Remember how thrilling it was when Obi-Wan Kenobi premiered with not one, but TWO episodes on the same night in 2022? That was fun, right? And then Andor kicked things up a notch later that same year with THREE premiere episodes in one day?

That was fun … for a while.

The announcement that the Ahsoka series will follow the same trend may seem great, and it will feel great on that first day. But it’s not nearly as exciting or worthwhile as you might think.

There are two problems with a double premiere, especially when it comes to Star Wars shows specifically: Shows aren’t premiering episodes for the length of an entire season, and for many, it’s more content at once than necessary.

Let’s get the concept of binge-watching out of the way here: For the most part, Disney+ isn’t really interested in that streaming model, and it doesn’t seem like a lot of viewers are either. It simply doesn’t make sense with Star Wars — which is meant to be watched, absorbed, and discussed piece by piece, at least in online spaces.

Which brings us to our first problem: A short runtime. Let’s use Ahsoka as our example. The series contains eight episodes and premieres two of those episodes on August 23. This means the entire show will be over the first week of October.

Viewers will be treated to new episodes of Star Wars TV … for just a little over a month. Then it’s over. People will stop talking about it. We may never get more of the show ever again.

It would only be extended by another week without the two-episode debut, of course. But there is absolutely no reason to cut it shorter.

The second issue hits on the premiere day itself. New Star Wars shows are exciting, and we should all be excited about them. But for those who want to watch the premiere as soon as possible — whether to avoid spoilers or simply due to anticipation — it’s a nightmare.

What about those trying to squeeze both episodes in before work, or during their lunch break? What if their evenings only allow for one episode at a time? What are they supposed to do?

And that’s only looking at the practical side of things. What if one episode of a new show is enough, and two is simply too much for someone to take in all at once?

The show is going to be amazing, and getting two episodes on the first day isn’t going to ruin the experience. But can this, maybe, be the last time we do this? Can’t we still treat the premiere of a new Star Wars show as a major event without having to shorten its shelf life and overwhelm viewers with too much at once?

Star Wars: Ahsoka arrives August 23 with a two-episode premiere exclusively on Disney+.

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