Skeleton Crew couldn't have arrived at a better time and may help everyone see that Star Wars will always be for kids.
George Lucas' target audience when he created Star Wars was children. He wanted to give them hope, because he believed life is tough, and children need to be shown how to cope with growing up, leaving home, and protecting what they love. It's an idea Lucas was loyal to for as long as he was at the creative helm of the franchise, but it was always met with criticism.
Fast-forward to present-day Star Wars, and there's a section of people who want every show to be more adult-centered. Many fans want Star Wars to be serious and feature adult themes such as sex, drugs, and so on. However, while Andor shows us that Star Wars can appeal to an adult audience, Skeleton Crew reminds us why it's okay for Star Wars to be for kids. Adults can still enjoy a story meant to highlight kids' struggles as they come of age.
The first two episodes of the show have received rave reviews from fans and critics, which is great, and I couldn't be happier for the creatives behind the series. It also tells us something extremely important. Every Star Wars story can't be for adults only because this will take away the heart and soul of what made the franchise so loved over the years. There has to be room for Star Wars to be goofy, funny, unserious, and full of wonder the way George Lucas meant it to be. We can't dismiss a show for being silly because even George Lucas wouldn't agree with that.
While pushing the mark visually and coming up with an incredible story full of mystery and suspense, Skeleton Crew offers a tale for kids that's equally appealing to adults. The brilliant visuals, grand background music, and a team of superb actors beg the attention of everyone, young and old. This is exactly what the franchise needs.
Sometimes, you don't need to do something completely new and change the entire fabric of what something is. Instead, you can do what Jon Watts and Christopher Ford have done in Skeleton Crew by doubling down on all the space adventure elements George Lucas delivered while keeping our attention through mystery and intrigue.
Skeleton Crew is streaming on Disney+.