The year was 1977 and Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope became a surprise hit in movie theaters all over the world. Audiences were introduced to characters like Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Hans Solo, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C3PO. Some other, minor characters also helped to create the science fiction world including the Jedi Masters, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. These masters were older having gained their knowledge through years of study and practice. However, they weren't born Jedi Masters and had to learn to harness the power of the force. The Disney+ mini-series Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor; Doctor Sleep) gives us a glimpse of what he was like as a young master.
The Empire ruled the land and they planned to hunt down and kill every last Jedi. Obi-wan was living in hiding on a quiet planet while watching over young Luke Skywalker (Grant Feely; Pan handle) from a distance. However, when Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair, The Boogeyman) is kidnapped, Obi-Wan must find her and return her home to her adoptive parents, Bail (Jimmy Smits; NYPD Blue) and Breha (Simone Kessell; Yellowjackets) Organa. While on his mission, Obi-Wan must face his former mentee, Anikan Skywalker/Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen; Jumper).
Series director Deborah Chow (The High Cost Of Living) sets the tone in the first episode and maintains it throughout the six episodes. She establishes a sense of urgency and danger from the beginning and carries it to the end. She also has an excellent cast and crew to assist in maintaining the look and feel of the story across all six episodes. Besides McGregor, Moses Ingram (The Queen's Gambit) drives the hunt for Obi-Wan and is relentless in her quest. Blair, as the young and rebellious Leia, adds some sassiness giving the series some humor to the consternation of Obi-Wan.
The 4K disc is presented in HEVC/H2.65 which offers immense clarity throughout the series. The CGI occasionally looks less than stellar but overall the depth of field and richness of color shine through. The 2160p resolution is very good giving the show a full saturation with only a few exceptions.
Any time you have a heavy action-laden movie or show the audio quality plays an important role and the Dolby Atmos audio presented on the 4K disc is excellent. The depth of sound washes over the viewer, assaulting them from every direction while never losing the dialogue. The lower frequency tones are solid yet not distracting.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Complete Series Collector's Edition SteelBook comes with a beautifully designed SteelBook casing (both inside and out) that houses 2disc which includes all six episodes. There are also concept art cards which is another nice touch and approximately 35 minutes of extras to watch. They include Duels of Fate: Obi-Wan vs Vader, The Dark Times: Villains, Designing The Galaxy, and Director's Commentary. While these extras offer a little bit of background and insight, it would have been nice to listen to McGregor and Christensen talk longer about their characters and returning to these roles.
While the show is entertaining and gives more background into Obi-Wan, there is one glaring inconsistency with it. In Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope an adult Leia seeks Obi-Wan's help and acts as if she does not personally know him, however, in the show a young Leia spends ample time with Obi-Wan indicating she knew him well. Despite this continuity error, overall the series is a strong bit of storytelling and, along with the Andor SteelBook makes a great addition to any Star Wars Fan's collection.
Grade: B
If you would like to learn more about Obi-Wan and Anika's backstory/relationship, check out Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace in theaters on May 4, 2024
