The news that The Acolyte will not be renewed for season 2 has had a range of reactions, but I sincerely hope the fate of this show doesn’t impact Star Wars TV shows moving forward. The Acolyte was the most recent addition to Star Wars movies and TV shows, and before it even premiered, it was facing backlash. In fact, The Acolyte’s controversies continue to be hot topics across social media even following The Acolyte’s cancelation.
This could be bad news for more than just this show, however. Rather, the decision to cancel The Acolyte could bode poorly for Star Wars’ upcoming TV shows and projects the franchise has yet to announce. Specifically, because The Acolyte was met with such resistance, Star Wars may make changes that I believe would significantly hurt the future of the franchise.
The Star Wars TV Shows Are Some Of My Favorites
Because The Acolyte was met with so much negativity, I worry that Star Wars will second guess TV shows moving forward; however, pulling back on TV shows would be a major mistake for the franchise. In recent years, many of Star Wars’ TV shows have been my favorite additions to the franchise. I have specifically appreciated how shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka have incorporated characters and storylines from the prequel trilogy and Clone Wars era while also exploring brand-new stories and characters.
Moreover, some of Star Wars’ best TV shows have become the most loved content in the franchise. Andor is a brilliant example of this. In fact, many consider Andor to be the single best Star Wars TV show of them all. Now, with Andor season 2 in the works, excitement is building yet again regarding this specific show. Clearly, Star Wars can put out massively successful shows, many of which have changed the franchise for the better. After all, The Mandalorian is even impressively making the jump to the big screen in The Mandalorian & Grogu.
Star Wars Shouldn’t Give Up Just Because One TV Show “Failed”
The fallout from The Acolyte not being renewed has been shocking to say the least. A quick search on social media will reveal that the fanbase is intensely divided. While a large portion of the fanbase has taken to social media to advocate for the show’s renewal via a change.org petition and share various posts voicing support for the show, some in the fanbase have been celebrating Star Wars’ decision and, unfortunately, attacking The Acolyte’s actors and creators. While this is a problem unto itself, hopefully, this will not encourage Star Wars to pull back on future TV shows.
Many consider The Acolyte a Star Wars ‘failure,’ but I certainly don’t agree.
Many consider The Acolyte a Star Wars ‘failure,’ but I certainly don’t agree. While, clearly, the franchise didn’t want to continue the show for any number of reasons, The Acolyte took risks that should be applauded in the franchise. After all, the Skywalker Saga is meant to be over, which should mean shows and movies that are innovative and feel truly different from what has been done in the franchise thus far. This is also in keeping with George Lucas’ legacy. Lucas criticized the sequel trilogy for a lack of originality; clearly, he was hoping to see something new.
While that may not have worked out for The Acolyte, that shouldn’t discourage the franchise from continuing to create brand-new TV shows. Obviously, Andor and The Mandalorian have both proven to be major Star Wars successes, suggesting that it can be done. While The Acolyte’s time may be over, Star Wars can still explore new stories moving forward, and I am sincerely hoping that it will.