‘The Acolyte’ Episode 3 Review: Flashback Filler Falls Flat
After a respectable two-episode debut, The Acolyte traveled back in time in week three, and unfortunately, suffers for it.
Star Wars shows have become known for filler episodes, in the worst way. The Mandalorian was criticized for it, and then The Book of Boba Fett took a heavier hit because it failed to rectify it. Ahsoka was a bit better in that way, if not flawless, but The Acolyte has circled back around and cut itself off at the start with an episode that, while not a total loss, feels like an unnecessary extension of information we’ve already received.
In concept, spending time on the backstory of new characters is sensible. But after the first two episodes elaborated on said backstory already, and to an almost surprising, off-putting extent at times, the third tripling down and dedicating 40 minutes to the same topic feels redundant.
Thankfully, the episode retains the same level of craft that the first two benefited greatly from. It looks exceptional, and all the details stand out marvelously, as they had in the premiere efforts. Tantalizing practical effects, solid performances, franchise-specific details, the whole lot. These things certainly make the episode watchable, at least.
But those who weren’t convinced by episodes one and two most likely won’t find anything more here to rope them in. The placement just feels odd; the series still has to earn love for these characters, and in just the third episode, we’re going back and extrapolating on things we already know. It may work to steepen the emotional impact for some, but when we return to present day next week (assuming we do) it’ll have almost felt like a pit-stop on a journey many may have not yet been convinced by.
This isn’t to say that the story doesn’t carry weight, or that it isn’t worth strengthening; it’s just that it all feels a little miscalculated. With five episodes left to go, though, the series has plenty of time to regain ground.
What episode three does improve on from the first two is, funnily enough, the dialogue and overall character interactions and portrayals. Where the first two episodes struggled, episode three finally finds footing with a few of these personas. If you take anything from this one, make it that.
Further, Carrie Anne Moss gets extended screen time after her brief appearance in the first episode, and who could complain about that? She makes a brilliant Jedi, and one that the show greatly benefits from bringing on. All in all, the Jedi aspects of the show, their place in this earlier spot on the timeline and how they operated before the order was created as we know it, are furthered nicely in this episode, too.
We get to see them facing tough decisions in a scattered manner, bickering with others and with one another as they set on a path that will inevitably lead to the aforementioned order. It’s little things like these that not only assist in powering through this episode, but that stand out in the show as a whole.
The Acolyte’s third episode isn’t a needle-mover, by any means. Things slow down, retread, and in some ways even regress. But, it’s still in line with what the show has presented artistically thus far, and moving forward, it shouldn’t serve as any more than an indifferent roadblock to look back on. Give it a go if you’re into the show, but for those undecided, you may want to wait to cut it with whatever next week has in store… as long as that isn’t flashback filler, too.