Leslye Headland, showrunner of Star Wars: The Acolyte, has spoken out about the review-bombing campaign against her Star Wars TV show, and she thankfully seems to be in good spirits. The Acolyte struck a nerve amongst certain audiences well before it even premiered, which made The Acolyte a target of review-bombing on sites such as Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic before its first two episodes even premiered. Now, the Star Wars TV show is sitting at a 14% user score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Headland has finally gotten to speak her piece.
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When prompted by Collider, Headland is given the chance to respond to this phenomenon, which she insists was “expected.” Headland shares the truth that “if you’re in the Star Wars fandom, I think you already know what review bombing is,” something that goes back to the Star Wars prequel era with Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and, clearly, beyond. While Headland isn’t quick to dismiss it, she does reveal that her and her team were expecting such a response: “it’s not that it’s not concerning — but I think it’s pretty expected.”
Reviews Have Less And Less Meaning For Star Wars Now
Their Credibility Worsens With Each New Project
Headland raises a point that perfectly summarizes what’s now happening with Star Wars and reviews: “Does anybody take that seriously anymore?” She’s absolutely right about the fact that, especially within the Star Wars fandom, audience scores and reviews are no longer as reliable as they perhaps once were. It’s become more and more of a recent and habitual thing for Star Wars projects to be bombarded with an onslaught of bad reviews for no good reason, which attempts to drown out both the praise and the valid criticism.
This happened back in 2011 to Revenge of the Sith, but has also since happened to an extent with Star Wars: The Last Jedi and, more severely, The Acolyte. The passion Star Wars fans have for the franchise can, like the dark side inside the Star Wars universe, corrupt certain audiences to react in vitriolic ways when their expectations are not met or are subverted in a way that dissatisfies them. This is precisely what’s been happening with The Acolyte; the sheer uniqueness of the project has caused it to be met with resistance from the very beginning.
This is a trend that the Star Wars fandom cannot continue. If this continues to be the response to new Star Wars projects, then this galaxy is going to fizzle out. There was once a time when new Star Wars content wasn’t developed for years, and that time could be returned to if audiences aren’t careful. Reviews losing their credibility is a dangerous step in the wrong direction. What’s happening with The Acolyte right now is utterly disappointing, and if Star Wars fans intend on continuing this franchise, then these types of responses have to stop.
The Acolyte episode 6 is now streaming. New episodes premiere Tuesdays at 9 PM ET on Disney+.
The Acolyte
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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.
- Cast
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Amandla Stenberg
, Lee Jung-jae
, Joonas Suotamo
, Charlie Barnett
, Dafne Keen
, Leah Brady
, Manny Jacinto
, Rebecca Henderson
, Carrie-Anne Moss
, Jodie Turner-Smith
, Dean-Charles Chapman
, Lauren Brady
, Anthony J. Abraham
, Thara Shöön
, Danielle Xin Yao Waterman
, Sienna Khiroya
, Jeramiah Evans
, Dan Milne
, Thomas Coombes
, Archie Singh Swali
, Nick Court
, Ed Kear
, Jumayn Hunter
, Scroobius Pip
, Abigail Thorn
, Margarita Levieva
, Amy Tsang
, Saskia Allen
, Deborah Rosan
, Tabitha Alege
, Paul Bullion
, Indra Ové
, Derek Arnold
, Lewis Young - Character(s)
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Mae
, Master Sol
, Kelnacca
, Yord Fandar
, Jecki Lon
, Little Mae
, Qimir
, Master Vernestra Rwoh
, Master Indara
, Mother Aniseya
, Master Torbin
, Padawan Torbin
, Little Osha
, Fillik
, Tasi Lowa
, Youngling
, Restrained Convict
, Convict
, Olega Urchin
, Olega Master
, Olega Padawan
, Scavenger
, Ensign Eurus
, Mother Koril
, Ensign Rane
, Scout Sarria
, Ensign Shima
, Elder Jaalyn
, Master Lakshay
, Master Holden
, Master Ki-Adi-Mundi
, Jedi Knight - Seasons
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1
- Streaming Service(s)
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Disney+
- Franchise(s)
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Star Wars
- Writers
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Leslye Headland
, Charmaine De Grate
, Kor Adana - Directors
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Leslye Headland
, Alex Garcia Lopez - Showrunner
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Leslye Headland
Source: Collider
