This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte episode 5.
Summary
The Acolyte’s review-bombing looks even more absurd after episode 5. Helmed byLeslye HeadlandofRussian Dollfame, it’s no exaggeration to sayThe Acolytehas been one of the most controversialStar Warsshows to date. Truth is infinitely stranger than fiction when it comes toThe Acolyte, with the real-world story of this show involvingeverything from review-bombing to death threats against Wookieepedia editors.
In truth, the backlash and review-bombing had always seemed more than a little absurd. I simply refuse to believe anyone was particularly invested inKi-Adi-Mundi’s ageuntil the Cerean Jedi Master made a cameo that contradicts a (non-canon) 1999 CD-ROM and a (non-canon) 2013 trading card. But now, after the success ofThe Acolyteepisode 5 and its stunning action sequences, this reaction looks even more ridiculous.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode Guide - Cast Members, Biggest Takeaways & Easter Eggs
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The Acolyte Backlash Has Always Been Exaggerated
The fury is exaggerated
In truth,The Acolyte’s backlash and review-bombinghas always looked more than a little fake. At time of writing,The Acolytehas a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of just 13 percent, meaning it’s officially ranked below theStar Wars Holiday Special- which seems unlikely. Even more striking, though, is the fact it apparently has a staggering 25,000+ reviews, more than all three seasons ofThe Mandalorianput together (and more thanGame of Thronesseason 1 after 13 years). To say all this is improbable, is an understatement.
For the record, I don’t thinkThe Acolyteis thebestStar WarsTV showever made. I’m genuinely interested in the era, but it’s sometimes seemed a little faltering, and I think the episodic structure hasn’t always worked to the show’s favor. But I’ve seen theStar Wars Holiday Special, andThe Acolytemost certainly isn’t worse than that. When you look at the actual reviews, the comments are often wince-worthy; I randomly took a sample of 30 into an AI-checker, andall but one came through as probably written by AI rather than by real humans.
In other words, there’s a very vocal part of theStar Warsfanbase that has decided to hateThe Acolyteno matter what. These are the trolls who’ve wrested statements from Leslye Headland and star Amandla Stenberg out of context, trying to find ways to anger viewers before the show’s release. These trolls are now working overtime to create an online “discourse” that’s far from reality.
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The Acolyte Episode 5 Makes The Backlash Look So Much More Ridiculous
The Force was strong with this episode
The Acolytehas been something of a mixed bag so far, but episode 5 is a game-changer in terms of sheer quality. This episode featured some of the best lightsaber combat I’ve seen sinceStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, perhaps bettered only by the Ahsoka-Maul animated duel inStar Wars: The Clone Warsseason 7. The fight choreography was stunning, and all the more impressive given much of it really was performed by thecast ofThe Acolyte; Manny Jacinto in particular deserves high praise.
If you’ll pardon a technical observation, this was also shot with tremendous skill.Star Warshas often struggled with nighttime action scenes, especially when lightsabers are involved; the LED lighting causes problems, an especially pronounced issue with blue light. ButThe Acolyteepisode 5 is beautifully shot, with the lighting carefully controlled to verify everything can be seen perfectly. It was delightful, and a massive improvement from previous Lucasfilm stumbles such as theObi-Wan Kenobifinale.
The tremendous quality ofThe Acolyteepisode 5 puts the lie to the review-bombers. It serves as a reminder that it’s best not to attack until a show has finished, until it has been given a chance; these are instead people who had long since made up ther minds, resolving to hateThe Acolytesimply because it is somehow “woke.” The sheer scale of their actions - review-bombing, AI, and death threats - already seemed as though it was out of all proportion.The Acolyteepisode 5 seals the deal, proving that is the case.
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.
