The holiday season is fast approaching, and that means more to me this year than just watching the best Christmas movies. We have the series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on the way, and I think it's going to be something I'm watching heavily in between all my holiday fun and merriment.
Beyond the fact that it arrives for those with a Disney+ subscription on December 3rd, there are many reasons I feel like it's the perfect time to stream Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. We still have some time before its big premiere, so why not talk out those reasons and prepare for what could be the most magical "Life Day" following a downer year for Star Wars television.
December Is When Most Kids Are Home More Often
It may not be until later in December, but once winter break hits. I'm trying to close out the final workdays until Christmas break with a six-year-old who is absolutely stoked to open presents. To keep kids from talking 24/7 about Santa and all the things they may or may not get for the holidays, there needs to be plenty of distraction to keep them occupied.
Having anything to keep a child entertained in those final workdays leading up to Christmas is a blessing. This is especially true when they're younger, and I have a feeling that the young cast of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew will keep my child hooked to the screen for as long as each episode is.
It's my hope that this will be the year that gets my daughter to finally take interest in Star Wars. While there are solid entry points for young audiences in this franchise, she was too young to be really be invested in the Skywalker Saga movies, and too old to watch Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. This show feels like it should be right in her wheelhouse, and will at least entertain her even if it doesn't make her jazzed for other upcoming Star Wars shows.
Star Wars And Christmas Have Always Gone Together
There's always something about Star Wars that has given me Christmas vibes. Perhaps it's the similarities between the holiday and the in-universe celebration Life Day, though honestly, there are more differences than similarities.
In reality, I think I've been bombarded with so much Star Wars merchandising and video games around Christmas time since childhood that it's just a natural association that I make with the franchise. Hell, I even made a whole breakdown of Star Wars-related Christmas decor that readers can buy, but is there anything beyond the merchandising that makes it such a natural fit for the Christmas season?
It's certainly part of it, but I also think Disney has conditioned us to think that way. Episodes VII-IX all released in December, as did Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. There was also the Holiday Special that came out at the end of the 1970s, though for reasons you'd understand if you happen to search it on the internet, Lucasfilm doesn't want the world to talk about that one so much.
I guess if Star Wars: Skeleton Key were to air outside of Christmas, it would feel a bit strange. My only hope is that Disney was already on the ball with marketing for the series because I'd love to pick up a set of the younger characters in a playset to have ready under the Christmas tree. Honestly, I feel a bit embarrassed to admit that, especially since I haven't even seen the show or have any idea whether or not it'll be good. I guess this is why fans make such great consumers!
I Need A Show The Whole Family Can Watch
There are good and bad things about fandoms now being something that incorporates many generations. On the one hand, it's badass. We have shows like Andor and The Mandalorian, and we previously had The Acolyte before it was canceled to show us a more mature side of Star Wars, a little more extreme than the movies would show. If you think you're going to show my kid a show where a Jedi gets his neck brutally snapped, you're out of your mind, though I've shown her a lot from our big list of movies that weren't appropriate for kids in hindsight.
I'm not quite ready for my kid to watch Andor, and truthfully, I don't think she'd have the attention span or patience to even want to watch it in the first place. A show like Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, on the other hand, is loaded with young characters and teases a thrilling adventure that would hook in a kid in a way intergalactic politics and espionage won't.
The show's trailer feels like a classic Amblin feature like The Goonies, which is something I envision even my non-geeky wife can get down with. As much as I like Star Wars, which is custom-tailored to my specific interests, I have missed the bonding experience of watching something that can appeal to the entire family. Also, let's not forget that if Lucasfilm completely neglects the younger generation, they may grow up with zero interest in Star Wars. I know we're all here for a good time and not a long time, but I'd much rather the franchise outlive me if I make it to an old age.
While we as parents are conditioned to suffer through the things that our children want to watch, it looks like Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has enough to engage the mind of adults. I mean, haven't we all been waiting to see Jude Law come into this franchise for a long time now? I know the thought crossed my mind more than once when he was playing Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts films.
All this to say that I'll be sitting and ready to watch Star Wars: Skeleton Crew when it premieres on Disney+ December 3rd. Those who wish to do the same should mark their calendars and perhaps gear up for the big premiere by revisiting some of the classic Star Wars movies and TV shows they haven't watched in a while. There's no shortage of great stuff to binge, and that includes some more obscure works readers might not have seen.
