The long-awaited series The Book of Boba Fett had its first episode released on Disney+ on December 29, 2021. Season two’s ending of The Mandalorian told viewers that the beloved bounty hunter Boba Fett would return. So, that is what he did. For Star Wars fans, “Chapter One” takes place during two time periods. The first, during flashbacks, shows Fett in the aftermath of being swallowed by the sand monster, a Sarlacc, in Episode 6: Return of the Jedi. Then, in the current time, it can be assumed that it takes place after the events of The Mandalorian season two.

With the success of The Mandalorian, I was excited to see this new story, and though only the first episode of the series, I have many thoughts on the first 38 minutes. 

From the trailers, fans understood that Boba Fett took over power where Jabba the Hutt once ruled on Tatooine. From the first episode, it was hard to determine the exact plot, but I have a feeling that the show will be about his coming and keeping of power. 

For those who are unaware, Boba Fett is the direct clone son of Jengo Fett. Jengo Fett was a bounty hunter during Episode 2 and later died on Geonosis. While the clones in Star Wars were created to be soldiers, they aged faster than average; Boba, on the other hand, was altered to age as humans usually do. As Boba Fett aged, he became a criminal, and later a bounty hunter, like his father before him. 

Maori actor, Temuera Morrison, reprised his role as the beloved bounty hunter. Initially, he was Jengo Fett, the blueprint for the clones in Episode 2: Attack of the Clones. Then, he voiced all the clones in Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith. After that, he voiced clones or Boba Fett in multiple Star Wars video games.He has become more well known for the acting of Boba Fett in The Mandalorian. The 61-year-old actor does a great job of portraying the strength of the character while enduring the events of the first episode. The way he shows Boba Fett doesn’t make him seem old; instead, he gives off a wiser and more analytical impression. During flashback scenes, I feel they could’ve done a better job showing the audience his pain and suffering. 

Actress Ming-Na Wen came back to the screen playing Fennec Shand. She has played and voiced Shand in The Mandalorian season two and The Bad Batch, which aired in 2021. Wen is more famously known for her role as the original voice of Mulan in 1998. Since then, she has voiced Mulan in animations. Here, I love the character. From the first episode, she is the right-hand woman to Fett. She is calculating, strong, ruthless, and independent. I was happy to see her have her own chase and fight scene during the show. It shows that she is not to be messed with or taken lightly. I am excited to see where they steer her character development, and, hopefully, she gets many of her own scenes. 

I watched the show with some family members, and they thought that the theme song was not as good as The Mandalorian’s, but, personally, I liked Boba Fett’s better. It was more relaxed, and I could vibe to it more. However, the first episode was slower and prolonged; I would sometimes question why a scene was happening due to a lack of meaning behind it. Things didn’t make total sense, but the next episode will hopefully add some substance to the flashback scenes. 

After watching the episode, I looked up the budget for the show. From what I have seen, the budget was around the same as the Mandalorian: $100 million. Honestly though, it didn’t feel like it had that great of a budget. I was expecting it to be as grand of a design as the movies and other shows, but the CGI was lacking. Throughout the show, some scenes took place in the deserts of Tatooine, but it looked like Boba and the Tusken Raiders were just thrown on the screen. They looked like they stuck out of the screen, and it wasn’t that seamless of a set. 

A CGI animal would be equivalent to a guard dog, but it doesn’t blend well with the actors, and it was evident to viewers that it was fake. Usually, Star Wars makes fictional things, like aliens, look natural, but it was lacking in the show’s first episode. 

Sometimes, fight scenes can be hit or miss among fans, but I think the fight scenes in the episode were all lacking. Again, they felt too staged and fake. Obviously, the fights were directed and choreographed, but they didn’t look like fluid motion because the movements felt weak.  

Following the consistency of the rest of the Lucas Films movies and shows, the rating of PG-13 fits. There isn’t anything too violent for younger audiences to watch, so middle schoolers would be ok watching it. However, I worry that it will be hard to fully understand who people are and what is going on for those who are not fans of Star Wars. The entire series of the Star Wars Universe has so many movies, TV shows, and stories that it can be overwhelming for those who are just starting to see the show. I would recommend that those who watch, at least, have some knowledge of the fictional universe. 

I honestly have hope for the series to get better. There is a lot of potential for the show to be as good as The Mandalorian. While they are two different shows, they are similar due to the strength of the characters and who they are. I do understand why fans base this show off of its predecessor. Disney has a lot to live up to after the success of The Mandalorian, and if they don’t live up to it in this show, I wonder if the upcoming Star Wars series will not be as good either. 

I rate the first episode 2/5 Boba Fetts.

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