Here are five reasons why ‘The Acolyte’ seemed doomed from the start. The show faced hurdles that were hard to overcome. While some had high hopes, others saw the signs early on. Let’s break down what went wrong.
5. Poorly Written Script
Photo Credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+
‘The Acolyte’ suffered from bad writing, weak storytelling, and poor execution, according to the audience reviews on Reddit. Jeremy Hayes from Buzzfeed also said that the mystery elements were either predictable or dragged out, while plot holes and inconsistent character actions left audiences frustrated.
Despite its high budget, the series felt poorly planned and lacked the quality expected of a ‘Star Wars’ production.
4. It Didn’t Feel Like ‘Star Wars’
Photo Credit: Comic Book
Jeremy Hayes also explained in his article that the sets felt empty and unconvincing like everything was shot on a soundstage. Outdoor scenes felt fake, and indoor scenes lacked magic.
The pacing was poor, with key characters killed off too soon, which hurt the story. Supporting characters had potential but were sidelined for the main plot. The Jedi felt underdeveloped, and the lack of alien diversity made it feel less like ‘Star Wars.’
3. Dialogues Felt Like AI
Photo Credit: Lucas Film/Disney+
According to Jeremy Hayes, the dialogue was worse than the story. It felt rushed and unnatural, with awkward lines and forced exposition, as Fiction Horizon also reported. Some moments worked, but many felt cringy and unrealistic, like characters saying things no one would say in real life.
2. Looking Cheap With A High Budget
Photo Credit: Film Stories
Despite a massive $180 million budget, it looked cheap, lacked strong writing, and failed to attract viewers or critical acclaim, via Inverse. Major storylines, like Osha and Mae’s conflict or Qimir’s Sith philosophy, remain unresolved.
Efforts to introduce the High Republic era and connect to broader ‘Star Wars’ lore felt forced and unfocused. According to Forbes, Disney’s lack of clear strategy for Star Wars TV and reliance on inexperienced creators contributed to the failure. Shows like ‘Andor’ succeeded by focusing on strong storytelling, but ‘The Acolyte’ fell short.
1. Yes, The Woke Propaganda
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Some critics of ‘The Acolyte’ call it ‘woke’ due to scenes referencing pronouns and its focus on diversity, as Forbes reported. A joke about pronouns involving a creature sparked online backlash. Critics think the show prioritizes political messaging over storytelling, via World.
Fans on Reddit also discussed that the show focuses on identity politics rather than sticking to ‘Star Wars’ lore, with the hiring of actors based on identity rather than talent. Critics claim that this approach sabotages the story and that adding political messages often leads to poor writing.
