'The Acolyte' Episode 4 Review: Where Do We Go From Here?
With episode four, we’ve officially reached the halfway point of The Acolyte. Now is about the time that most folks will form the beginning of some sort of final opinion; even if the mystery is still in-tact, you can sort of see where all this is headed.
Unfortunately, the latest episode does little to make up for last week’s woes, and with only three runs remaining, this season’s final destination is truly in question.
Although episode four dwells on exposition and heavy-handed conversation, just as the last three weeks have, this one also (thankfully) manages to incorporate a little bit of momentum to break up the pace. A few sabers are drawn, people are sprinting, and the stakes finally feel current. It’s a welcome change, and a highlight for this entry.
But at only 34 minutes, the episode feels like a bit of a bridge. Which is unfortunate, considering last week’s episode being a full flashback, and the two before it feeling especially introductory. The Acolyte just can’t seem to find footing anywhere, at least not yet.
What’s been enjoyable up to this point is still enjoyable, though, and that helps to an extent. The performances are solid, with Charlie Barnett’s Yord getting a new and fitting focus. He’s a fun Jedi, if not a little one-note, and worthy of extended purview in a series that needs fresh focus.
What’s more, and positive, this week is the well realized hints at our secretive villain. Cloaked in black and masked in fury, whoever is wielding that red lightsaber is playing a big part in keeping the series going. Without spoiling anything, the big moment towards the end of this episode, packed with action and intrigue, is easily one of the best of the series thus far, and it really pushes said villain into the limelight. That’s a mystery worth following.
Yet everything that builds to that moment is simply lackluster. Dialogue, which is already unsubtle and rather corporate, is filmed in a still, shot-reverse-shot manner that slices any potential promise that was left in the execution. This episode especially is easy to pop in and out of, and even if you latch on for those final moments, what does it mean for the rest of the content on hand? How long will it last going forward, and will it stick around when all your burning questions are answered?
At this rate, probably not. Increasingly, despite a lot of hubbub and technical movements forward, The Acolyte offers less and less to invest in. At this point, even Star Wars fans don’t seem invested, as essentially all the discourse around this latest episode has been rife with controversy about lore issues and timeline shifts. The show has begun to pose more questions than it has offered answers, and everyone, above and behind the line, are suffering for it.
None of this is to say that it won’t get better. Again, with this episode serving as a bridge in a way, maybe next week things will finally break through. But you have to put the emphasis on maybe, because up to now, The Acolyte just hasn’t earned the benefit of the doubt. It’s going to take a lot in these next few weeks for the show to stick the landing, but Star Wars is full of great underdog stories, so never say never… right?