2022 has been a big year for Star Wars TV shows. Although arguably the franchise’s most successful small-screen spinoff, The Mandalorian, doesn’t return until 2023, the saga continued to expand, both within and without the burgeoning “Mandoverse”. In total, four Star Wars TV shows released in 2022, making ranking the series’ Disney+ output not as straightforward as it might have been in less productive years.
Star Wars TV shows in 2022 began with The Book of Boba Fett – a direct Mandalorian spin-off (labeled by some as essentially The Mandalorian season 2.5). This was then followed by Obi-Wan Kenobi, which reunited stars Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, the Diego Luna-led Andor, and the animated anthology Tales of the Jedi. Each of the Star Wars TV projects brought something new to the franchise, with aspects of each winning praise from fans. However, despite a general sense of positivity around 2022’s Star Wars TV shows, some were undeniably more successful than others. Here is every Star Wars TV show of 2022, ranked from worst to best.
4. The Book of Boba Fett
Although the opening episode won praise from fans and critics, The Book of Boba Fett ultimately fell flat under the weight of its own expectations. Declared 2022’s “top anticipated new show” by Whip Media (via Media Play News) it’s clear that there was a serious appetite for a Boba Fett-centric show after his unexpected return in The Mandalorian season 2. And yet, for all the excitement, the show descended into a confusing hodge-podge of flashbacks, cameos, and convoluted storytelling – resulting in some of the poorest aggregate reviews for a Disney+ Star Wars TV show yet.
Beyond questionable sequences involving Power Rangers-like mopeds, the key criticism leveled against The Book of Boba Fett was the main character’s absence from episodes 5 and 6. In a disruptive and jarring turn, the story switched focus to Din Djarin and Grogu, relegating Fett to side character status in his own story. Not only did this decision detract from the epic Mandalorian season 2 climax, it unnecessarily expanded Boba Fett‘s taught, Tatooine-based narrative. This, coupled with cameos that failed to hit the mark (such as Cad Bane’s highly anticipated live-action debut), explains why The Book of Boba Fett‘s controversial approach failed to pay dividends.
3. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is arguably one of the most divisive Star Wars TV shows yet. After a troubled production history, and canceled plans for a cinematic release, the fact that the end result was in any way cohesive or compelling is, in some ways, a major win. However, there is also an undeniable sense of missed opportunity for a show that had a real chance to expand on an era rarely explored in Star Wars media.
The excitement around seeing Ewan McGregor – acknowledged by many as one of the most successful elements of the prequel trilogy – and Hayden Christensen reprise their respective roles as Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker was in many ways understandable. However, despite the pair’s welcome return, Obi-Wan Kenobi suffered from poor pacing, badly-executed action sequences, and a general sense of ennui that was impossible to ignore. The introduction of characters like Moses Ingram’s Reva Sevander helped shake up the somewhat storied formula. However, this was tempered by roles such as Kumail Nanjiani’s Haja Estree and Indira Varma’s Tala Durith, both of whom felt poorly utilized and underdeveloped.
Nevertheless, for all these shortcomings, Obi-Wan Kenobi arguably redeemed itself with a genuinely heartfelt and emotionally resonant finale that saw the Jedi knight finally confront his fallen friend. Obi-Wan and Anakin’s duel, despite leaving something to be desired in the choreography department, concluded in heartbreaking style, with McGregor’s performance lending weight and authenticity to what could otherwise have been an entirely soulless – and pointless – spinoff. It might not have ticked every box, but the long-awaited Vader/Kenobi rematch went a long way toward cementing Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s status in the Star Wars franchise.
2. Tales of the Jedi
Unlike some of its more high-profile relatives, Tales of the Jedi arrived on Disney+ with a comparative lack of fanfare. And yet, despite offering a relatively low-stakes look at the careers of two of the Jedi Order’s most popular disciples, the show proved to be a captivating and enthralling addition to the Star Wars universe. Focusing on Count Dooku and Ahsoka Tano, Tales of the Jedi explored hitherto unseen aspects of their respective backstories, revealing more about their characters and explaining some of their actions in shows such as The Clone Wars. In so doing, the six-part series also shed light on little-known aspects of Star Wars lore, making the entire franchise richer as a result.
In many ways, Tales of the Jedi stands testament to the art of subtle storytelling. Its episodes might have lacked the high-stakes action of The Book of Boba Fett, but its meditative approach helped reveal new facets of complex characters. For example, in showing Dooku’s actions during The Phantom Menace, Tales of the Jedi was able to better explain how a once-good Jedi knight might fall to the darkness. In many ways, the show’s greatest strength wasn’t introducing saga-altering retcons or conjuring unearned cameos, but in quietly coloring the already vibrant Star Wars universe. This approach won’t work for every Star Wars show, but it definitely proved successful for Tales of the Jedi.
1. Andor
Andor‘s success is perhaps the biggest surprise of any Star Wars TV show in 2022. When the project was first announced, skeptics wondered what the series could possibly add, given that audiences already knew the main character’s fateful end on Scarif. And yet, despite always having its inevitable conclusion clearly in sight, Andor proved that sometimes the journey is just as important as the final destination.
Taking a wildly different approach to any previous Star Wars TV show, Andor offered a slow psychological burn – largely devoid of the cameos and callbacks that have come to define the long-running franchise. Eschewing easy wins and fan service, the show explored the sinister oppression of the Empire and got to the heart of what really makes people rebel. While Cassian Andor was a crucial part of the plot, it was clear that he was just a cog in the machine – the real story was the myriad acts of defiance gathering momentum, eventually coming together in a conflagration of open revolt.
This approach flies in the face of what Star Wars has historically been about. On the face of it, the cinematic stories are simple fables of individual heroes and high-stakes gambits, all of which crash into each other with seismic impact. By contrast, Andor presented a far more low-key, yet ultimately truthful account of how rebellions are really fought. On the Rebel’s side, each character was marked by fear, paranoia, and suspicion – aware that the slightest misstep could end in torture and death, rather than an easily winnable blaster fight. On the flip side, the machinery of the Empire is shown at its ruthless, unyielding best, finally making the original trilogy’s big bad genuinely terrifying.
Andor‘s decision to be different from previous Star Wars projects was certainly a risk. And yet, given the content, cast of characters, and place in the timeline, it was one that made perfect sense. In this era, the Jedi are gone. The Emperor and his minions operate with impunity. The entire galaxy has been brought to heel. In this context, charging at the enemy head-on, like Han Solo on the Death Star, would be disastrous. Instead, a more patient, nuanced, adult approach was needed. By successfully pulling off this delicate balancing act and redefining what Star Wars could be, Andor ultimately secured its status as the best Star Wars TV show in 2022.
