Ahsoka is a series for Star Wars fans who can't live without canon.

On August 23, two episodes of Ahsoka premiered on Disney+. The spin-off of The Mandalorian is so demanding on the viewer that only the most dedicated Star Wars fans will like it.

Ahsoka is the fifth Star Wars live-action series to be released on Disney+. And if you count animation projects, then this is already the 11th Star Wars project that Disney broadcasts. It is not surprising that there are a lot of intersections with past TV shows and cartoons.

The showrunner of the project is Dave Filoni, for him this is already the ninth Star Wars project. He has worked on every Disney+ series except Andor. Executive Producer: Jon Favreau (Iron Man)

Starring Rosario Dawson ("Babes"), Natasha Liu Bordizzo ("The Voyeurs"), Mary Elizabeth Winstead ("Scott Pilgrim vs. Everyone”), Lars Mikkelsen (“Sherlock”).

The events of the series take place around the same time as the events of The Mandalorian. Jedi Ahsoka travels the world in search of Grand Admiral Thrawn, who once commanded the empire. Rumor has it that he is alive, and therefore still threatens the security of the galaxy. Ahsoka teams up with longtime friends to find Thrawn.

Can't watch without preparation

"Ahsoka" is the most demanding of the viewer. For comfortable viewing, you need to remember the events of most of the Star Wars films, as well as series already released on Disney+. If you missed even a small detail (for example, the second season of The Mandalorian), then you will have the feeling that this is the fifth season of a series that you have not heard about before. Dialogues in the first two episodes will look like a list of unfamiliar events and characters.

Basically, part of the franchise has the right to imply that the viewer knows a lot about the fictional universe, but Ahsoka is asking for too much. For example, the animated filmStar Wars Rebels(2014-2018): how many people remember his finale? And you need to remember not only him, but also secondary characters in order to understand the backstory of Ahsoka Tano - the writers are not going to retell it. If you want to have fun with the Star Wars series and are not a hardcore fan, then even starting is pointless - you will not understand anything.

The visuals are impressive

In general, "Ahsoka" leads the viewer along the same plot paths as the predecessor series. At the same time, there is a wonderful cast, wonderful makeup, high-quality effects and good music (she even remembers). There are also things that, for some reason, hit Star Wars fans, like the opening credits and the old-school montage cuts. But this is more fan service than original ideas. In the US, the first episodes could be seen in the cinema, and it is clear that this is justified - Ahsoka looks very presentable and bright. So fans who know the lore of the universe well will enjoy both the familiar characters and the visuals.

Disney repeats mistakes

Disney continues to churn out Star Wars series, and the same Dave Filoni is in charge of this giant machine. Problems that arise in one project are bound to arise in the next - and Ahsoka is no exception.

Ahsoka is a sterile series that serves two purposes: to garner views (and money) from Star Wars fans without pissing them off. To be fair, Star Wars has a fan base of sorts (with people who will have a heart attack if they don't like a lightsaber). However, this sterility and accuracy is tiring. Dave Filoni is not like a showrunner, but a shop manager who asks for the right amount of semi-finished products to be produced on time.

Once again, Disney+ shows what it's like to have a glittery set without a soul. They are beautiful but dead. Ahsoka constantly showcases gigantic rooms that are reminiscent of sections in museum or hospital wards - well, heroes cannot live in this. Things look as if no one has ever touched them and is not going to touch them. The beautiful costumes and makeup (this is incredible, wonderful work) would be appropriate in an amusement park, on the screen they look like props, not part of the images.

Ahsoka repeats mistakes in small things. Once again, Disney+ shows battles devoid of all sorts of emotions. As soon as you see two heroes drawing lightsabers, there is a desire to rewind the scene, because there can not be anything interesting in it. Whether the age rating (14+) is fettering, or whether the viewer should hoot at the sight of the sword is not clear.

It's probably a waste of time for Disney+ to release the Andor series - which so towers over its other projects that it simply humiliates them. Now, among others, Ahsoka. By all appearances, the authors show how much they love and appreciate Star Wars - so much so that they are afraid to bring something of their own. From this, "Ahsoka" becomes a great entertainment for ardent fans of the universe, but boredom for those who occasionally watch Disney + series.