Star Wars‘ live-action TV shows include several outstanding episodes, though there are some that rank among the worst that could have been improved in various ways. Star Wars’ TV ventures properly began in 2008 with Star Wars: The Clone Wars, yet the first live-action entry from the franchise concerning the small screen was The Mandalorian season 1 in 2019. Both of these projects are often counted among the best-ranked Star Wars TV shows, offering interesting insights into a galaxy far, far away with longer-form storytelling. Since The Mandalorian‘s premiere, Star Wars’ live-action TV roster has grown immeasurably.
From the other installments of Star Wars’ New Republic timeline such as Ahsoka and The Book of Boba Fett to live-action shows centered on iconic movie characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Cassian Andor, Star Wars’ primary success of late has come from Disney+. This is only set to continue with upcoming Star Wars shows, though many will hope the worst episodes of the franchise’s live-action TV shows will have been learned from. While focusing on the negativity of Star Wars’ worst live-action TV episodes would be somewhat easy, it is worth exploring each of these to determine how they could have been improved.
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Complete Timeline Of All Star Wars TV Shows
There are several TV shows in the Star Wars canon. Here’s a breakdown of every finished, ongoing, and upcoming Star Wars show in chronological order.
10 Din Djarin Aids Cara Dune In Protecting A Village From Bandits
The Mandalorian Season 1, Episode 4
Beginning the list of the worst Star Wars live-action episodes is The Mandalorian, season 1, episode 4. It is worth noting that most entries on this list would not be classified as “bad,” and the majority have several redeeming qualities. That said, it remains the case that all entries are simply the least enjoyable of a great bunch of Star Wars live-action episodes, beginning with The Mandalorian, “Sanctuary.” While the word “filler” is often wrongly used in modern fandom as a catch-all term for anything anyone dislikes, The Mandalorian season 1, episode 4 veers dangerously close to fulfilling the actual meaning of a filler episode.
While the further development of Din Djarin and Grogu save it from being classed as such, the plot of “Sanctuary” is simply too far removed from The Mandalorian season 1’s overarching story. The Seven Samurai-inspired plot is immensely fun and rewarding, yet feels derivative of similar stories told in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. As such, this plot would have been improved if the Klatoonian raiders harassing the village belonged to an Imperial remnant. This way, The Mandalorian season 1, episode 4 would further Din’s overall distaste for the Empire all while tying into the eventual end-of-season story of the show’s first outing and foreshadowing Moff Gideon’s future villainy.
9 Obi-Wan & Leia Are Stranded On Daiyu
Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 1, Episode 2
Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 2, “Part II,” is much in the same vein as The Mandalorian season 1, episode 4. The episode is not bad by any stretch of the imagination, yet has some issues prevalent that could have been improved to bump up the overall quality of the episode and the show it belonged to. The problem with Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 2 is unfortunately emblematic of the biggest problem with the entire show: pacing.
Obi-Wan Kenobi was initially planned as a feature film and the somewhat bloated story of the show’s six episodes proves this would have been a better idea. Much of Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 2 is filled with meaningless dialogue scenes, be it from Kumail Nanjiani’s Haja or Moses Ingram’s Reva. The action sequence in the episode would work if it was a 10-minute section of a two-hour movie, yet the pacing of Obi-Wan Kenobi as a whole makes it feel somewhat like filler.
Another way Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 2 would have been improved is by removing the overly needless fakeout of the Grand Inquisitor’s death. While this plot point works for those who have not seen Star Wars Rebels, anyone aware of the story of the Grand Inquisitor was aware he would not be killed in Obi-Wan. As part of an interconnected universe, Obi-Wan Kenobi needlessly shoehorned in a plot point that alienated half of its audience. In removing this and tightening the pacing of the episode, perhaps by condemning the six episodes of the show into four, Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 2 would have been much improved.
8 Ahsoka, Sabine, & Huyang Travel To Seatos
Ahsoka Season 1, Episode 3
Much like the prior entries on this list, the eighth-worst live-action Star Wars TV episode suffers from mismatched pacing. The episode in question is Ahsoka season 1, episode 3, “Time to Fly.” The episode’s biggest issue falls on the shoulders of the titular character’s story, in which Ahsoka, Sabine, and Huyang travel to Seatos to stop the plot of Grand Admiral Thrawn’s return while Hera Syndulla attempts to enlist New Republic support. The easiest improvement to this episode is simply making Ahsoka’s story further the overall plot in the way Hera’s side of the episode does.
The big reveal of Ahsoka episode 3 from Ahsoka’s perspective is that Morgan Elsbeth is building a hyperspace ring called the Eye of Sion, though this reveal falls flat as the ring was shown to the audience an episode before. The action sequence building up to this reveal subsequently does not have an impact either, as the revelation it was building to had already been shown the episode prior. In saving this reveal for Ahsoka episode 3, the journey to discovering the Eye of Sion would have come as a shock to the audience as well, making the episode as a whole feel more consequential.
7 Dr. Pershing’s Clone Tech Is Stolen By Elia Kane
The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 3
The Mandalorian season 3, episode 3 can be commended for trying something new with the show. Unfortunately, the biggest problem with “The Convert” was how disconnected from the show’s story it felt. This largely comes from the fact that the story was intended to be part of the canceled Rangers of the New Republic TV show, yet still, the screenwriters could not find a way to weave it with Din Djarin’s character. The titular Mandalorian is reduced to bookending the episode, with the scenes involving Din not tying to Dr. Pershing’s slow albeit admittedly intriguing story of clone technology in any way.
As such, the easiest way to improve The Mandalorian season 3, episode 3 is the same solution that was presented for The Mandalorian season 1, episode 4. Firstly, Din Djarin’s story should have been intercut with Pershing’s. In doing so, the story would not feel so jarring. This intercut story of Din should have focused on the Mandalorian covert hearing whispers of Gideon’s return and investigating this based on the latter’s destruction of the Navarra hideout in season 1. This way, both storylines would foreshadow Gideon’s eventual return in season 3, episode 7, making the story of episode 3 feel much more coherent with the overarching tale than it did.
6 Obi-Wan Rescues Leia From The Fortress Inquisitorius
Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 1, Episode 4
Like Obi-Wan Kenobi season 1, episode 2, the biggest problem with episode 4 of the show lies in the fact that the story feels emblematic of stretching a two-hour story to six episodes. The quest to rescue Leia from the Fortress Inquisitorius is resolved by one of the single most goofy things in Star Wars‘ long history as Leia hides under Kenobi’s trench coat, stretching the suspension of disbelief to extremes. Unfortunately, the only story aspect furthered in the episode is that Reva is now tracking Leia to the location of the Hidden Path, something that could have very easily been written into episode 3’s ending given Reva had Leia in her clutches.
5 Boba Fett’s Life After The Tuskens Is Revealed
The Book of Boba Fett Season 1, Episode 4
The Book of Boba Fett’s biggest problem is identical to that of Obi-Wan Kenobi, as both shows were initially planned as feature films. Many Boba Fett episodes feel too devoid of any real story progression given that the season is an elongated movie script. The Book of Boba Fett season 1, episode 4, “The Gathering Storm,” epitomizes this.
While the flashbacks to Boba’s return to action are intriguing, it is the present-day plot that moves at a snail’s pace. The only thing achieved regarding plot or character is the recruitment of Krrsantan and Mos Espa’s crime bosses swearing they will stay neutral in the war between Boba and the Pykes, something turned back in the finale anyway. As such, an improvement would have been introducing the Pyke-loyal Cad Bane in this episode, beginning to explore the history and feud between him and Boba Fett. This would have made The Book of Boba Fett episode 4 much more exciting while tying to the overarching story of season 1.
4 Din Djarin’s Quest For Atonement Begins
The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 1
Undoubtedly the biggest problem with The Mandalorian season 3’s first two episodes is that the perfect story for them was utilized in The Book of Boba Fett. Switching two episodes of The Book of Boba Fett to focus on Din Djarin adversely affected both that show and The Mandalorian. The stories of Din reckoning with the loss of Grogu to Luke Skywalker, reuniting with his adopted child, discovering the legacy of the Darksaber, and being sent on his quest to atone for removing his helmet should have been saved for The Mandalorian season 3 rather than included in The Book of Boba Fett, a show that was not Din’s story.
As a result of this, the premiere of The Mandalorian season 3 would have been vastly improved. The biggest problem with the episode in question is that it spent too much time recapping the events of Din’s Boba Fett story, including these elements amid meaningless meetings between Din Djarin and former Mando characters. The episode feels incredibly thin as a result, which would have been improved by combining it with Boba Fett’s Mandalorian-centric story.
3 Din Djarin Aids A Gunslinger In Catching A Valuable Bounty
The Mandalorian Season 1, Episode 5
As is a common theme on this list, the biggest problem with The Mandalorian season 1, episode 5 is that it does not further the show’s story or characters in any capacity. This problem is woven into a story involving a one-off side character who is written with a great degree of annoyance to the audience, as Din embarks on a pointless mission that only goes to foreshadow Fennec Shand’s future role in Star Wars. An improvement to this episode would be as simple as having Grogu on the mission, furthering his and Din’s early relationship as the latter looks to protect the former from dangerous assassins and gunslingers.
2 Boba Fett Recruits The Mods
The Book of Boba Fett Season 1, Episode 3
The worst episode of The Book of Boba Fett and the second-worst live-action Star Wars TV episode is episode 3, “The Streets of Mos Espa.” As is the case with episode 4 of The Book of Boba Fett. the episode’s biggest issue is the complete lack of forward plot propulsion. The only outcome of the episode is Boba receiving a Rancor, his hiring of the Mods, and the reveal that the Pykes are Boba’s enemies, something already revealed in episode 2 by the Pyke spice train being attacked.
Even the action sequence at the end of the episode makes for one of Star Wars’ worst, as the slowest chase scene in the franchise’s history takes place. Quickening this chase would add a much-needed dose of adrenaline to this episode, with faster vehicles, better shot composition, and quicker editing being needed. If this had been done, and the Pyke reveal from episode 2 was saved for this installment, The Book of Boba Fett episode 3 would have been improved.
1 Din Djarin & Bo-Katan Investigate A Separatist Plot On Plazir-15
The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 6
The worst episode of Star Wars’ live-action TV collection is “Guns for Hire,” The Mandalorian season 3, episode 6. The episode is poorly paced and overly goofy, with the important aspects of character and story left for the final five minutes of the episode in favor of a meaningless sidequest. If the aspects of this sidequest were more serious in tone, the episode would already have been improved. The community of Plazir-15 and the characters played by Lizzo and Jack Black feel like they were ripped from a spoof of Star Wars rather than the franchise itself.
Concerning improvements outside of the removal of Plazir-15’s silly tone, it would have been better if Bo, Din, and Axe had gone on the episode’s side adventure together. Furthering Axe’s relationship with Bo throughout the episode would have made his joining of her feel much less rushed, and this would have allowed Din giving up the Darksaber to become more than a frustrating technicality. Not only would this have improved The Mandalorian season 3’s overall story, but it would have kept an important aspect of several Star Wars’ TV shows like the Darksaber and the leadership of Mandalore as a vital plot point rather than an afterthought.
