The Book of Boba Fett wrapped up its first season on Disney+ last week, and overall I would say that I enjoyed it though it definitely had some rough spots. That show is a spin-off of sorts from The Mandalorian as Boba Fett was reintroduced in the second season of that series when we learn that he escaped a rather grim death from his plummet into the belly of the Sarlacc in Return of the Jedi. Boba Fett proved to be an ally to Mando, and after parting ways with the bounty hunter he laid claim to the Tatooine criminal empire of the now-deceased Jaba the Hutt. That is where the series kicks off. (Minor spoilers ahead.)
Boba Fett was a tragically underused character from the original movies, having been hyped as the “next major villain” beside Darth Vader, but ultimately having only a few minutes of screen time across two films and a total of four lines (not including his scream as he falls into the Sarlacc pit). He did appear in an animated short that was the only redeeming part of 1978’s horrid Star Wars Holiday Special (you can see that at this link). Plus, a younger Boba Fett would later show up in the prequels and the character would get plenty of attention in the Extended Universe with novels and comics. But the new series on Disney+ finally gives him some screen time and significant development beyond just being a bounty hunter in cool armor.
The series starts out with an exploration (through flashbacks) of how Fett survived the Sarlacc and why he has been out of site since the events of Return of the Jedi. It also follows his attempts in the present to establish himself as the next crime boss on Tatooine with his loyal companion Fennec Shand (fan-favorite Ming-Na Wen kicking butt again) helping him build an army of foot soldiers. The first five episodes offer an intriguing exploration of Tatooine while also delving into the character of Fett and showing how he has changed since his days as a bounty hunter. Some people thought the introduction of the cyborg “Mods” who come to work for Boba Fett was a misstep, but I rather liked them. And I thought their retro speeder bikes were cool. The warrior Wookie Krrsantan was a good addition to Team Boba as well.
Where the show derailed was suddenly turning into two episodes of The Mandalorian and really throwing off the narrative it had been building. Episodes five and six catch up with Mando as he tries to decide what direction he will follow now that Luke Skywalker has taken custody of Grogu (as we saw at the end of Season 2 of The Mandalorian). I’m not certain why Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni decided to take the show in that direction, and perhaps scheduling challenges forced them to cram two eps of The Mandalorian into Boba Fett’s show. But it certainly killed the story momentum and made the season finale (with Fett and his army facing off against the drug-running Pikes) feel rushed. But none of that killed the show for me and I still look forward to a second season (which has not been announced yet but will almost certainly get the greenlight).
I do have a few parting nitpicks, though. Boba Fett seems far too honorable and overly concerned with the townspeople for a former bounty hunter and would-be crime boss. But perhaps some additional character development will give us a better view of his true motivations and where he really stands (is he more Han Solo or Tony Soprano?). I didn’t like that Cob Vance and Cad Bane were dispensed with far too quickly, though the former appears to be headed back and the latter could return as well (that bacta pod seems like a convenient device to bring almost anybody back). And let’s please have less of Mando and Grogu in future episodes (though keep Motto around) so that the show can stay focused on its main characters.
The Book of Boba Fett has promise even if the first season had some bumps, and this show could redeem its main character and give him the screen time he never had in the original trilogy. Favreau and Filoni just need to keep their eyes on the prize and stay focused on what people want to see in a series with Boba Fett’s name in the title.
How would you rate The Book of Boba Fett? Give your score at this link.
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