Summary
Leslye Headland, showrunner ofStar Wars: The Acolyte, has spoken out about the review-bombing campaign against herStar WarsTV show, and she thankfully seems to be in good spirits.The Acolytestruck a nerve amongst certain audiences well before it even premiered, which madeThe Acolytea target of review-bombingon sites such as Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic before its first two episodes even premiered. Now, theStar WarsTV show is sitting at a 14% user score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Headland has finally gotten to speak her piece.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode Guide - Cast Members, Biggest Takeaways & Easter Eggs
Here’s everything you need to follow along with Star Wars: The Acolyte, from references and trivia to main takeaways from each new episode.
When prompted byCollider, Headland is given the chance to respond to this phenomenon, which she insists was “expected.” Headland shares the truth that “if you’re in the Star Wars fandom, I think you already know what review bombing is,” something that goes back to theStar Warsprequel era withStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithand, clearly, beyond. While Headland isn’t quick to dismiss it, she does reveal that her and her team were expecting such a response: “it’s not that it’s not concerning — but I think it’s pretty expected.”
Reviews Have Less And Less Meaning For Star Wars Now
Their Credibility Worsens With Each New Project
Headland raises a point that perfectly summarizes what’s now happening withStar Warsand reviews: “Does anybody take that seriously anymore?” She’s absolutely right about the fact that, especially within theStar Warsfandom,audience scores and reviews are no longer as reliable as they perhaps once were. It’s become more and more of a recent and habitual thing forStar Warsprojects to be bombarded with an onslaught of bad reviews for no good reason, which attempts to drown out both the praise and the valid criticism.
Reviews losing their credibility is a dangerous step in the wrong direction.
This happened back in 2011 toRevenge of the Sith, but has also since happened to an extent withStar Wars: The Last Jediand, more severely,The Acolyte.The passionStar Warsfans have for the franchise can, like the dark side inside theStar Warsuniverse, corrupt certain audiencesto react in vitriolic ways when their expectations are not met or are subverted in a way that dissatisfies them. This is precisely what’s been happening withThe Acolyte; the sheer uniqueness of the project has caused it to be met with resistance from the very beginning.
This is a trend that theStar Warsfandom cannot continue. If this continues to be the response tonewStar Warsprojects, thenthis galaxy is going to fizzle out. There was once a time when newStar Warscontent wasn’t developed for years, and that time could be returned to if audiences aren’t careful. Reviews losing their credibility is a dangerous step in the wrong direction. What’s happening withThe Acolyteright now is utterly disappointing, and ifStar Warsfans intend on continuing this franchise, then these types of responses have to stop.
The Acolyteepisode 6 is now streaming. New episodes premiere Tuesdays at 9 PM ET on Disney+.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
