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The Acolyte has the daunting task of trying to build on previous star wars lore, previously confined to novels, lore drops and expanded continuity. Its pacing starts out uneven, but quickly picks up in the later half of the series. While the character beats can border on the sophmoric, it presents the interesting dichotomy of the Jedi falling from their historic moral pedestal. While this has been seen in expanded universe lore, it has not truly been seen on the big screen, saving of course for the titular fall of Anakin Skywalker. When combat or lightsaber battles occurred, they were always well choreographed, and while I sometimes found character motivations to be a bit confusing, I was always interested in where the series was going and what happens next. I will say that I felt great catharsis in the first season finale, and am hopeful that the story will continue, allowing the small lore teases throughout to become more fully fleshed. I cannot say that every episode was the best I had ever seen, but at the end of them I always wanted to see where they were going. If you are interested in a star wars story that expands on the universe and shows the Jedi with less mythology, this is good for you. If you want to see a flawless narrative where everything is buttoned up at the end, this will keep you waiting. While I have the patience for that and am especially interested in the will-they-won't they relation between Qimir and Osha/Mae, I can see how others would be put off by such a relationship. Fundamentally, it is not as bad as the review bombs have made it, but it is also not on the same level as the Mandalorian.

A stunning triumph of animation and story telling. Set in a fantastical backdrop with more stories to tell, Arcane's first season earns your attention with every scene. A must watch.