A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… fans were gifted with a plethora of Star Wars shows -- all of which can be accessed with a Disney+ subscription. And now, we're going to rank them.
I remember when fans of the famous Star Wars universe would do anything to get their hands on some good TV shows set within the fictional continuity. Since the House of Mouse's streaming service launched in 2019, we've received some awesome ones, but there were also a few that weren't as good as they could've been. From The Mandalorian and Ahsoka to The Book of Boba Fett and Andor, let's discuss how these small-screen productions stack up against each other.
To clarify, this is a ranking of only Disney+ shows, including the final season of The Clone Wars since it was released exclusively on the streamer. On that note, let's get into it.
Honorable Mention: The Acolyte
Okay, so at the time of updating this list in June 2024, The Acolyte has only released a few episodes so far. The jury is still out where it’s going to end up exactly on this list.
But man, I love this series.
I just need to put this here to mark it down before I give it an official ranking because I truly do think this is the best Star Wars original series in a while. The storytelling is off the charts so far, and as a young woman who adores original characters within the Star Wars universe, I think The Acolyte really steps outside of the box and gives you something different.
Disney+ will continue to release episodes weekly, so be sure to check it out if you haven’t and come back in a few weeks for its official placement on this list.
9. The Book Of Boba Fett
I mean… is anyone surprised I put this at the bottom of the list?
The show had a lot going for it, and I enjoyed many of the fantastic moments from The Book of Boba Fett. But as I've given myself time to really think it over, it really is the most underwhelming of streaming series.
Much of the story moved very slowly. While there were some compelling narrative pieces in place, it mostly felt like there was no true momentum within the proceedings. It wasn't until Din Djarin (a.k.a. Mando) suddenly showed up halfway through the tale that the action really started to kick into high gear.
And that's where The Book of Boba Fett fell apart. The story ended up focusing more on Din than Fett -- the titular character, the person fans were supposed to learn more about. When a supporting character steps in, steals the show and successfully takes the attention away from the main protagonist, there's a problem. While the production dished out plenty of classic Star Wars tropes, it's simply not my favorite.
8. Tales Of The Jedi/Tales Of The Empire
Tales of the Jedi has been pretty good. It's an intimate series with only twelve episodes episodes. The first season follows two different Jedi – Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku. Of course, both fall on opposing sides of the force but share commonalities.
The second season follows two arcs as well, between Morgan Elsbeth and former Jedi Barriss Offee.
Putting this show at No. 8 was tough for me, given my love for it. A few other animated series on this list are better but, even so, there's a lot to love about TOTJ, from the writing to the music, and personally, I do like getting to explore the backstory of these characters more. I hope a third season comes out.
7. Star Wars: The Bad Batch
This animated series has proven to be a lot of fun. Star Wars: The Bad Batch, a spin-off, sequel series of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, follows the story of an elite group of clone troopers with mutations that make them unique. Ultimately, it's their genetic alterations that cause them not to participate in Emperor Palpatine's Order 66. After defecting from the Galactic Empire, they act as mercenaries and travel the galaxy.
I'm a huge lover of animation, and this SW cartoons' style is unique. The first season of The Bad Batch was interesting and provided backstories for many awesome characters. The second was alright, but I personally loved the final season and think it deserves to move up to the seventh spot.
6. Star Wars: Visions
Okay, so anyone who knows me knows I enjoy anime. I can recommend any anime for new fans to get their feet wet. So what happens if you combine anime and Star Wars. Well, you've sold me.
Visions is another animated anthology originally used to showcase various forms of anime. Across the two seasons, there are eighteen short films, the first nine being from Japan and the others coming from studios around the world. Each story draws inspiration from different themes and cultures.
In short, this series is just the best. I love the variety of stories and animation on display, and that only improved from Seasons 1 to 2. So if a third season doesn't happen, I'll be quite disappointed.
5. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi returned Ewan McGregor to one of his best movie roles, this time for a miniseries. The show follows Kenobi as he rescues a 10-year-old Princess Leia from the Galactic Empire, which brings him into conflict with his former apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, otherwise known as Darth Vader.
The show garnered a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, and I can see why. While it's not as good as some other shows on this list in some respects, there's a lot to enjoy. The cinematography and fight choreography are impressive, the story is fun and meaningful to the Star Wars franchise and Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen really seem to have enjoyed working on it.
I mean, you can't sit there and tell me you didn't get chills watching those two fight as their characters again. It’s like my childhood coming back to life.
4. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (The Final Season)
The last season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars was a cinematic masterpiece. For so long, fans of the franchise thought the beloved show would never receive a proper send-off, but series producer Dave Filoni and co. made it happen.
As someone who watched the series when it aired on Cartoon Network all those years ago, I knew the ending had to be perfect, and fans were given the absolute best version of it. Not only did this last batch of episodes tie up loose ends, it also set other storylines in motion.
If for some reason you haven't seen the whole series, do yourself a favor and watch it -- it's the best animated Star Wars offering out there, in my opinion.
3. Ahsoka
Coming in at No. 3 is Ahsoka. The series, starring Rosario Dawson, is a spin-off of The Mandalorian -- like Book of Boba Fett -- and follows the same character that was introduced in the 2008 animated film The Clone Wars (which set the stage for the TV series of the same name).
Amid a growing stable of content, this series really stood out for me. I've always been a big fan of Ahsoka, but Rosario Dawson's winning, live-action portrayal has only made me love her more. That's partially because we were able to see her story expanded upon and got to see some familiar faces.
That includes Hayden Christensen, who returned as Anakin Skywalker (this time) in that incredible fifth episode episode. Die-hard fans really need to see this one. And considering there’s a second season of Ahsoka in the works, you might as well check out the first.
2. The Mandalorian
The Mandalorian, which kicked off this streaming era for SW, had to be high up on the list. Starring Pedro Pascal in one of his best roles, the series follows Din Djarin as he tries to get a young alien – later revealed to be named Grogu – to safety and eventually finds out the young creature wields the Force.
If you're looking forward to The Mandalorian Season 4, here is what's been said so far.
The first two seasons are fantastic and simply amount to great television. The story is excellent, the characters are interesting and Grogu is pretty cute, too. Season 3 is where it started to fall off a bit. In short, there was still plenty to love – but also not love.
Even so, I still think The Mandalorian is one of the best shows Disney+ has because of the story, visual effects and lore it adds to the Star Wars universe. But there is one other Star Wars show that tops it.
1. Andor
Andor. When I first heard about this show, I was excited but did not expect to love it as much as I did. Admittedly, I didn't watch it until later in its run, but it blew me away when I did.
First off, the Andor cast is impeccable and led perfectly by Diego Luna. Someone give this man all the awards, because he deserves every last one of them.
Secondly, it provides one of the most grounded Star Wars stories ever delivered and is filled to the brim with drama. It also doesn't heavily rely on established elements within the larger franchise.
But at the end of the day, this series is just downright entertaining. I was glued to my seat whenever I watched it, and I could not stop until I binged every episode. And while we'll be waiting a bit more for Andor Season 2 to be released, I recommend fans check out the first season. Hell, I think even casual viewers would enjoy this series, if anything for its sharp political and social commentary. (Yes, that's how confident I am in it.)
There are upcoming Star Wars shows to look forward to but, for now, I'll stick to rewatching the ones listed above – or painstakingly waiting for The Mandalorian Season 4, if it ever comes out.
