The high-paced adventure of Skeleton Crew took a different turn in its sixth episode, "Zero Friends Again." KB and Wym dealt with a medical crisis that brought their mission to a literal standstill while Fern and Neel struggled to work together successfully. But while the journey home was in the background of this episode for the kids, Jod Na Nawood took a significant step forward in his pirate's quest, which was crafted by Jude Law's decision in one particular scene.
Jude Law created Jod Na Nawood's song for Skeleton Crew
Collider recently posted an intriguing and in-depth conversation with Bryce Dallas Howard all about her epsiode "Zero Friends Again." The director has been garnering praise for her work. One part detailed the creative process for Jod's trial by the pirates. Interviewer Maggie Lovitt remarked that while many people compare the show to The Goonies, "I realized it's really Peter Pan, like it's Captain Hook and the Lost Boys and Wendy." Howard agrees that "It really, really is."
Jod's journey as Captain Silvo and the kids' morally questionable adult supervision has been a complex one, and we're not yet sure if he will turn out to be someone we cheer for in the end. In episode 6, he demands equal time to defend himself before being sentenced to death by his former pirate crew. Howard focused on that with good reason. Lovitt admired the direction "because there are so many little things, so many little looks, so many little components... It almost feels like a dance, almost like it's got choreography to it." While Jod has had run-ins with individuals from his crew, he compellingly works on his previous relationships to reclaim some of his power. He begins with the statement, "I'm hungry," and builds that two-word phrase into a community-uniting speech that hints at his former power. Building on common ground is one thing, but he cleverly makes promises and amends. Lovitt is very right that it seems choreographed.
According to Howard, Jude Law changed the original use of poetry in a way that was "an absolute joy to stage." Jod recalls the legend of Captain Rennod and the pirates join in as well. That enhanced the piratical nature of the scene:
"It was just supposed to be a poem, and Jude came in and he was like, 'What do you think if I sang it? If it was a shanty? Because that's kind of what pirates do, and that's how the lore carries on.' We were like, 'Yes, please. We would like that very much, Jude Law.'"Bryce Dallas Howard
Bryce Dallas Howard recalled in this discussion that her dad, Ron Howard, went on to work with Jude after this and asked what to expect. This episode's director advised him, "'Get ready. You're about to die and go to director heaven."
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is available for streaming on Disney+.