TV shows we love: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Unless you know your Star Wars inside out, Obi-Wan Kenobi is going to necessitate a lot of pausing. We had rewatched the first three films in the chronology to prepare for this much-awaited series, but still kept stopping to query various happenings. Most notably: ‘If this is 10 years after Luke and Leia were born, why do they both look seven?’

Anyway, moving on. This six-part mini-series, which follows what happens to the titular character after the events of Revenge of the Sith, is the latest in Disney’s Star Wars efforts. Directed by Deborah Chow, and once more starring Ewan McGregor as the young (albeit ageing) Jedi Master, the show begins not with bombastic action but an exploration of character…

Here is the once great Obi-Wan Kenobi condemned to a life of desert drudgery under the double suns of Tatooine. Broken and defeated, haunted by the fall of the Jedi and the loss of friend and pupil Anakin, our protagonist has gone into survival mode: burying his lightsabre and cutting himself off from the Force.

His actions are borne from necessity: the few remaining Jedi are being hunted by the Empire’s Inquisitors – not a forgiving lot! – and Kenobi must remain on Tatooine to protect young Luke Skywalker. So great is his dedication, he won’t even risk helping a fellow Jedi-in-need for fear of being discovered.

But then there’s a kidnapping. Someone who’s almost as important as Luke is abducted. And despite the number of times we echoed Admiral Ackbar’s admonition (“It’s a trap!”), our protagonist sets off on a rescue mission across the galaxy…

At the time of writing, just three of the six episodes had been released. But we’ve already visited several planets, thrilled to a delicious lightsabre battle, and encountered several members of the Dark Side. Most excitingly, we’ve seen the rise of Darth Vader. And (spoiler alert), hell hath no fury like a lightly barbecued baddie!

While good and evil no longer seem so clear-cut as they did in the films, there’s plenty to love about Obi-Wan. New worlds, narrow escapes, and worthy causes: this is exactly what Star Wars should be! Bring on the next three episodes!