“Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series” 4K, Blu-ray Review

 

While Star Wars fans remain divided over the prequels, those movies had their fans then, and they have their fans now. And as one of them, it’s been great that the people who oversee Star Wars are not divided, but supportive. Hence why we get novels like John Jackson Miller’s The Living Force, which takes place a year before The Phantom Menace, and Steven Barnes’ upcoming Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss, which it set right after that movie.

It’s also why we got the Disney+ show Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, in which Ewan McGregor got to reprise his role as the titular Jedi, and bring some of his co-stars along as well.

Thankfully, for people who don’t have Disney+ or who prefer physical media, we also now have Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series on 4K and Blu-ray, and yes, I’m going to say it: The Force is strong with this one.

Ten years after the Empire took over,

and he went into hiding on Tatooine, Obi-Wan Kenobi has the former Jedi working a menial job, and occasionally checking up on a young Luke Skywalker.

But when little Leia is kidnapped, Obi-Wan comes out of hiding to rescue her, only to learn that the princess may not have been the objective.

As you can probably surmise, Obi-Wan Kenobi serves as something of a bridge between Revenge Of The Sith and A New Hope (or Sith and Andor if you want to get specific).

But it actually works more as a post-script to Sith, as much of what happens in Kenobi connects back to Sith more than it sets the stage for Hope.

Though it also connects to Rebels, as Obi-Wan is pursued by The Inquisitors, including the Grand Inquisitor, played by Rupert Friend [Homeland], and a previously unseen Inquisitor, played by the seriously (and appropriately) intense Moses Ingram [The Queen’s Gambit].

There’s even overlap with the video game Star Wars Jedi: Survivor courtesy of The Path, which is a kind of Underground Railroad for Jedi.

Helping to drive this narrative is an impressive cast of newcomers, starting with Ingram; you can just feel the anger that’s consuming her.

There’s also…

Vivien Lyra Blair [Bird Box] who is spot-on as a young Leia, with all the fire and spit Carrie Fisher gave her in A New Hope and beyond.

But the star of Obi-Wan Kenobi is, of course, McGregor, who slips right back into the titular role like it wasn’t 17 years since Revenge Of The Sith wrapped production. But he does so with a weariness, and a sense of doubt, that he didn’t have before. It recalls the moments in Indiana Jones And Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull and Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny when Indy realizes he’s not a young whipper snapper anymore.

Which makes it all the more exciting when Hayden Christensen returns as both Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader, especially given that, as the latter, he’s not feeling his age like Obi-Wan, but is instead fuming with the same rage he had at the end of Revenge Of The Sith.

As for how the six episodes of the show appear on the Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series 4K and Blu-ray discs, not surprisingly, they have pristine visuals and equally impressive sound quality (assuming, of course, you watch this on a good TV with a good sound system).

More importantly, they come with none of the digital glitching you sometimes get with streaming, while being able to rewind or fast forward is also way easier (and important when you see someone and think, “Wait, is that the guy from the Red Hot Chili Peppers?”).

Now, while Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series is worth getting just for its six impressive episodes, the 4K and Blu-ray editions does have some entertaining and informative making-of featurettes.

In “Duels Of Fate: Obi-Wan Vs. Vader,”

the cast and crew — including the fight choreographers — discuss all the times these frenemies have fought. Then, in “The Dark Times: Villains,” we see how they brought The Inquisitors into live action for the first time. Lastly, “Designing The Galaxy” shows how they designed the new locations in the show, as well as Leia’s droid BFF, L0-LA59.

Of course, if you’ve ever watched a making-of featurette for a movie or show, you know what to expect: a mix of cast and crew interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, with an approach that makes them fun to watch, and not like film school.

Though it is interesting, and unique, that the making-of featurettes on the 4K and Blu-ray versions of Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series are one of the few I’ve seen where  someone gives credit to a video game for inspiring aspects. Usually, people on the film and TV side pretend the games don’t exist.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series also has director Deborah Chow providing commentary on the last episode, “Part VI.” But while it is also interesting, its hard not to imagine how much better it would’ve been had McGregor and his castmates been involved as well. Especially if little Leia and a certain father figure were among them.

Though…

this is not the only thing that would’ve made the 4K and Blu-ray versions of Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series better. It doesn’t, for instance, have any of the original trailers. Also, the featurettes are on the first disc, even though they’re full of spoilers, and thus shouldn’t be watched until after the episodes.

But the worst thing about Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series is the title. It’s assertion that this is it, the only season, our last chance to see Obi-Wan.

Then again, we used to think Revenge Of The Sith would be the last time we’d see him…

Regardless…

of whether we get more or not, or maybe see Obi-Wan in some other show — like one that’s about a pre-Hope Leia joining the Rebellion — we still have Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi. And can watch it in the best way possible thanks to the Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series 4K and Blu-ray collections.

SCORE: 8.5/10