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Yes, it's this exactly. I used to dream about the prequel and sequel trilogies coming out. Had one where I found the sequels in the store and was gobsmacked that they'd made it to home video without me hearing about their release, etc.
Then the prequels came out and I was fairly disappointed but fundamentally tolerant. Then the sequels came out and, well, I still haven't seen the last one, and should be surprised if I ever do.
Rogue One scratched the itch though.
That last one was shockingly bad. Confusing how they could make such a thing. I almost recommend watching it just to feel baffled at every turn. It is a unique movie experience in that sense.
They made the new movies on a crazy timeline. A new movie of the trilogy every two years.
The first final drafts of scripts where due before there was a final cut of the previous movie.
Obviously doing something like that requires careful planning. Naturally they did no planning.
The first movie copied all of the beats of ANH. The second movie is supposed to set up the final conflict of the third movie.
Then Rian Johnson came in for the second and did his own thing. He either ignored or was possibly never aware of some of the things the first movie set up. He killed off The Big Bad / Chessmaster (Snoke) and promoted the Dragon (Kylo Ren) to be the new Big Bad.
Some people liked how it subverted their expectations, but it subverted the arc of the series.
For the third movie they had no villain with a grand plan, no idea where character's stories were supposed to go, and Bob Iger wouldn't budge on the timeline. It had to be out xmas 2019.
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The first one was a pure reshoot of ANH. The second misconstrued “subverting expectations” with writing a movie. The final one was writing by a precursor of AI.
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I feel so seen haha. I also refused to watch the last one. Can't even remember its name if I'm being honest. Total fundamental drop off of interest.
You know I also thought Rogue One scratched the itch - interesting. Lots of the more traditional non-woke critics hated it.
Andor was actively incredible though (although I have yet to see the second season, just timing issues).
I was disappointed at The Force Awakens, and dropped the franchise after The Last Jedi. My first instinct is still to call Episode 9 "From His Nap".
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Haven't looked into it at all. I know redditors who enjoy it immensely so I assumed it was pretty soy.
It's kino. Best show in years. Never mind best starwars show.
Take it from an old expanded universe grognard.
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I can only speak to the first season as I mentioned, but it's one of the best seasons of television of the last ten years. Full stop.
Now admittedly it's not to everyone's taste, it's a slow and deliberate Cold War spy thriller living in the most Star Wars feeling Star Wars since the original trilogy.
If you are the kind of person who liked Better Call Saul as much or more than Breaking Bad you are 100% going to love it, but I don't fault people for needing a faster pace etc.
Put another way it reminds me of Winter Soldier which duct taped an excellent non Marvel script to Marvel IP and kept the advantages of both.
It does have some woke elements but they are chiefly background casting stuff that isn't too annoying when it's drowned in quality. It is also explicitly anti-fascist and anti-authoritarian but not in the childish modern politics way so it shouldn't chafe too much.
It's much less Wolfenstein haha kill the nazis and much more Das Leben der Anderen this is the reality of these systems. Sure the woke end up liking it but that's by accident.
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