Well, this might be the latest New Year post I’ve ever written. What is my excuse for my month and a half of inactivity? Unsurprisingly I have more than one. Settling down after a mad Christmas and New Year’s and taking some time to get back to the grind are the minor ones. My main excuse however is struggling to find something that interested me.

No films stood out, only series. I almost never review television shows, the only exceptions you’ll find are The Space Museum, a classic Doctor Who story, and the first season of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. I browsed the various streaming platforms for any new shows that had debuted. I binge watched Archive 81 and All Of Us Are Dead, both of which I adored but I knew I’d have to watch again so I could form a clear concise take. I didn’t want write down my general impressions, the plots were complicated and hard to follow, they deserved attention and analysis.

In the end, for my first review of 2022, I chose the show that I had followed eagerly since its debut in the tail end of 2021; The Book of Boba Fett.

The Characters

Part of your enjoyment of the Book Of Boba Fett will depend on your knowledge of the Star Wars mythology. As someone who’s seen all the films and all of The Mandalorian, I was able to follow most of the show. However, I am aware that certain animated series are considered cannon and some are referenced in Boba Fett, which may have resulted in some holes in my understanding of the overall story. I believe that The Book of Boba Fett has a decent story to tell with some good characters but most of the show’s weaknesses emerge from the way the series is structured.

Boba Fett has claimed Jabba’s criminal empire on Tatooine. His small army of allies makes him an easy target for Jabba’s competitors. As he fends off attacks from other crime lords, the ex-bounty hunter works to enhance his defenses and protect the people of Tatooine, who he has grown to care for.

In the first four episodes, we see flashbacks of Boba’s past, learning that after escaping the Sarlacc Pit he was taken in by a tribe of Tusken Raiders and taught their ways. On paper this version of Boba Fett is a great character. His story is one of rebirth as we see him go from a selfish bounty hunter on the brink of death to a man of honour and community. His scenes with the Tusken Raiders are very poignant, we see how he and the tribe gradually earn each other’s trust, how Boba softens and reveals more of himself to the Raiders. These flashbacks eventually catch up with Boba’s present and, in hindsight, bring more stakes to his work as a crime boss.

Boba Fett’s well written, however to quote an old screenwriting tip, a hero is only as good as his villain and The Book Of Boba Fett has plenty of good villains. Throughout the season Boba’s activities attract Jabba’s former competitors, mobsters with weapons and armies that could rival the Empire’s. Boba barely manages to keep the gangs off his territory but when one withdraws, a bigger one comes forward. If there’s one thing Book of Boba Fett gets right it’s creating a plausible and intimidating mob hierarchy. You feel Boba’s vulnerability in this landscape, you don’t know who’s going to be knocking at his door next and whether he can take them on. It’s the best sci-fi gangster series I’ve seen.

The Structure

The Book of Boba Fett doesn’t know what it is or what it wants to do. This is abundantly clear by the series’ fifth episode, which doesn’t feature Boba at all. Even when the character is on screen, there are so many details about his past the show doesn’t explore. This could be because they’ve been explored in the animated shows, which I haven’t seen, but even if that’s the case, surely the show should cater to those who’re not so immersed in Star Wars media.

Why did Boba become a bounty hunter? What did he want and how did it change when he met the Tuskens? Like I said, these questions could already have answers but none are in the show. I love the idea behind Boba’s arc, it’s just that the execution felt incomplete to me.

The final episode, while a lot of fun, doesn’t make up for the show’s lack of focus. Telling a story about Boba Fett and only Boba Fett seemed like a simple task, one that the show failed at amazingly. Should it get a second season? With the promise of it actually being about Boba Fett I’d say yes, but only with that promise. It could’ve been better but it’s still decent Star Wars and while it could’ve done more, it’s given us a good intimate look at the character of Boba Fett, something fans have been dreaming of for over 40 years so in that respect it’s almost perfect.

I give the first season of The Book Of Boba Fett a complimentary 6 out of 10.