Why Skeleton Crew could be the best Star Wars show of the year

My apologies to Jon Watts and Christopher Ford. I guess I wasn't familiar with their game. The first official trailer for Skeleton Crew premiered at D23 2024 in Anaheim, and it's a good thing that the rest of us got to see it as well because this show looks impressive and unique!

My expectations for this weren't so high, but this trailer might be my favorite Star Wars trailer of the year, surpassed only by the low-quality footage of The Mandalorian and Grogu and Andor Season 2.

I would love to know what planet the story of Skeleton Crew is set on because this place looks starkly different than any other planet we've seen in Star Wars. Firstly, it features space suburbia, and life seems quite like it is on Earth. However, it's quickly revealed that this is Star Wars, and there are hidden Jedi Temples, Jedi, interesting droids, hover bikes, and, of course, spaceships! The show's futuristic, Earth-like setting is designed to pique our interest and challenge our expectations, but beneath the surface, you'll find a Star Wars universe that's reassuringly recognizable.

Also, the music is spectacular and matches the show's vibe quite well. Beyond that, Skeleton Crew looks breathtaking, setting a new standard for the advanced and visually stunning storytelling that Star Wars is known for. This is the grand scale expected from Star Wars live-action shows. Bringing magical visuals to life, like George Lucas once did, is an essential element that every Star Wars project must continue to uphold, alongside adhering to the canon.

Like The Acolyte, Skeleton Crew features many brand-new characters. I like that it doesn't introduce Jude Law's character, a Jedi named Jod Na Nawood, until the end. This allows the younger cast members to shine and also increases my curiosity to learn more about Jod Na Nawood. The new droid named SM-33 (Nick Frost) reminds me of K-2SO. If his dynamic with the kids is anything like K-2SO's dynamic with Cassian Andor, then we're in for a lot of fun scenes.

The idea of kids getting lost without adult supervision isn't new, but I feel like this is exactly what I need. These are a bunch of kids who've probably never been outside their home planet. It'll be interesting to see where they end up and how they fight the dangers they'll inevitably encounter on their journey.

Aside from this, the trailer avoids any obvious hints about when it takes place. We know this show is set sometime during The Mandalorian's timeline, so I'm excited to see how it'll tie into all the Mandoverse shows. D23's Skeleton Crew exhibits feature pirates, including Vane, who we last saw in The Mandalorian Season 3. You can bet that the kids will run into him at some point, and when they do, perhaps a familiar Mandalorian hero will come to their aid.

Who else will they meet and how will they come back? We have to wait until December 3 to find out.