The reviews are in for Ahsoka, but what are critics saying about Disney+'s latest Star Wars TV series? This long-awaited Star Wars Rebels follow-up launches on the streaming service this evening, with The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett star Rosario Dawson now surrounded by familiar faces from the animated show.
With that, the stage has been set for us to finally get those long-overdue answers about the location of Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn, but does Dave Filoni deliver a satisfying next chapter in this long-running story?
Our own ComicBookMovie.com review concluded by declaring, "The Star Wars TV show we've been waiting for, Ahsoka is an astonishing addition to the saga, with a phenomenal cast and pitch-perfect action that will take your breath away. THIS. IS. STAR WARS."
The Hollywood trades have also chimed in, of course, with Variety describing Ahsoka as a "transcendent experience." The Hollywood Reporter was less impressed with what they deemed a slow start by noting, "There’s a chance that when some of the people everybody keeps talking about finally make appearances in Ahsoka, the entire show will gain the immediacy that’s currently lacking. Even Andor, which not every Star Wars show needs to be, started slow, but it was never bland."
Empire was more forgiving and said, "Fans of Clone Wars and Rebels will appreciate this live-action continuation of Dave Filoni’s saga, while newcomers should dig its promise of a different kind of Force clash." IGN also liked what they saw but also felt the first two episodes needed a little more urgency. "Dave Filoni’s new Disney+ series Ahsoka has plenty of action," the site explains, "but still gets off to a slow start by getting viewers up to speed with the events of Star Wars Rebels."
The Verge heaps high praise on the series and believes, "Ahsoka's first two episodes lay down a solid foundation that, coupled with the show’s primetime streaming slot, could make it into Mando-style appointment viewing." As for Radio Times, they wrap up their review with, "All in all, it's a promising start for Ahsoka, and it'll be interesting to see how the series ramps things up from here on out."
So, can you still enjoy Ahsoka if you haven't seen Rebels? TV Line seems to think so. "Those who’ve seen Rebels and kept up with the broader strokes of recent Star Wars stories will get the most out of Ahsoka, for sure," they suggest, "but those popping in for high-stakes action and root-for characters will find plenty to enjoy, too."
So, the general consensus is that these first couple of episodes are perhaps a little too heavy on catching fans up with who these characters are and what's going on. We're not sure how else Filoni could have handled that, however, and it seems like a relatively minor complaint amid a great deal of praise. Ultimately, though, it appears Rebels fans will get the most out of it.
With reviews comes an all-important Rotten Tomatoes score and things currently look pretty good for Ahsoka on that front...