The Book of Boba Fett

Starring: Temuera Morrison (7 episodes), Ming-Na Wen (7 episodes), Matt Berry (5 episodes), Robert Rodriguez (4 episodes), Jennifer Beals (4 episodes), Pedro Pascal (3 episodes), Amy Sedaris (2 episodes), Timothy Olyphant (1 episode), Stephen Root (1 episode), Emily Swallow (1 episode), Rosario Dawson (1 episode), Danny Trejo (1 episode), Mark Hamill (1 episode), Jon Favreau (uncredited)(1 episode)
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez (3 episodes), Dave Filoni (1 episode), Steph Green (1 episode), Bryce Dallas Howard (1 episode), Kevin Tancharoen (1 episode)
Rating: TV-14
Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
2021-2022

Seasons Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) and Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) return to claim the deceased Jabba the Hut's territory.

Review:
Tim: When I think about The Book of Boba Fett, I immediately recall the swing of different emotions. There was elation when it was first announced- "Wow, they are actually going to give Boba Fett his own series!" It felt like a moment decades in the making. Then, when the show started, it seemed fine. It petered out quickly, delivering several of the most boring episodes of television I'd seen. I honestly couldn't believe how bland this series was. I didn't care nearly enough about what was happening on screen. Then, the Mandalorian shows up and the miniseries immediately gets better. So, there was a sense of "Yay! This is what we wanted!" And then, a slow creeping realization that for a miniseries starring one character to be saved by the appearance of a (better) character from another series- something has gone very wrong.

In the end, I think you have to view The Book of Boba Fett as a failure. The first several episodes featuring Fett and Shand were underwhelming. Fett was always cloaked in mystery from the movies- he seemed like the coolest character ever. Audiences desperately wanted more. When we actually got more, his story and his character felt too generic, too run-of-the-mill. Now, I'm not suggesting the early episodes didn't have their moments- there are some effective action sequences that were really interesting. Where the series fails is in the narrative. We get to know Fett more, but are we better for those realizations? Is his character more interesting, more intriguing to us? I don't think so. He felt bland. I feel for Temuera Morrison. I'm not sure this is all his fault- he shows up and he does his best. The scripts hurt him, though. He doesn't get enough interesting things to do. His dialogue feels forced. Ming-Na Wen absolutely made this series better, though. Her character wasn't written in the best way, but Wen is so entertaining to watch. I liked her chemistry with Morrison, although it was definitely in a more subtle, restrained way. Morrison needed Wen as a companion. This series is definitely better as a buddy adventure- Fett wouldn't be as interesting alone (which is a shame). But, even with Wen giving her best, this series felt like it was flat-lining.

What saves the series is also what damns in. When the Mandalorian shows up, it's like a breath of fresh air. We love Din Djarin and Grogu! The series immediately becomes more interesting. The last half of the series really feels like The Mandalorian 2.5 and man, it's solid entertainment. The Mandalorian basically overshadows Boba Fett for several episodes and we cheer- it's been far more entertaining than what we've been served up previously. This is great for the last two episodes especially- I really enjoyed them. However, stepping back, it makes the whole series look bad. Why would you write a series about a fan favorite character, then need to bring in a different character, have him take over the story? Boba Fett waited decades for his chance to shine and then is immediately eclipsed by Din Djarin? You feel bad for the character, even though you feel lucky he's been saved. It gave this whole miniseries a bad taste in my mouth.

Look, The Book of Boba Fett isn't a bad miniseries, especially when you consider the whole 7-episode arc. However, it's still deeply disappointing. It makes Fett look bad, diminishes him as a character. This all comes down to writing and the flat plot the series advances. Morrison is good, Ming-Na Wen is great, but they have nothing to work with. The Mandalorian was a stunning success for Star Wars, the most exciting thing they've done in years. This first spinoff series is a disappointment. I felt so glad they weren't going to extend it to another season. It wouldn't have done Fett any good. Star Wars is a great franchise that has seen some sheen come off in the last few years and this miniseries doesn't help.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Series, We Recommend: Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, The Mandalorian