I enjoyed this show overall, and I appreciated what it was going for. I chuckle a little now at my own concerns going in about continuity, about what an adventure with Ben and Leia would mean, Ben’s “long time” that never really amounts to much in a row, etc.
But it seems to have taken a penny on these and left a few pennies in return. In the OT, Ben seems viscerally aware of the sort of effects the Empire has on the galaxy at large, and with Vader as more machine than man. These give the impression of something other than watching the news. Originally this was because the Empire seemed to predate Luke himself, and Vader likely having a more involved history with Kenobi, before later continuity came about.
Now, Obi-Wan can speak to these things from his own personal experience. And it explains his apparent opportunistic, invitational approach to training Luke.
Vader was treated interestingly, and I look forward to the next occasion that I watch through the saga (not something I want to do any old time), as I imagine it’ll very much help bridge that character from prequels to originals.
I do wonder what a film version would have been like, and any fan edit would still end up feeling like something made for TV. Perhaps a two-part TV movie would be a good form-factor, at about 4 hours total.
Once something as grand and magical as a show about Ben Kenobi passes out of the realm of platonic ideas and potentiality and into concrete, specific shape, it’ll inevitably become lesser. That said, I enjoyed having this to watch and don’t feel like we’re any worse off for having had it. To me, from Rogue One onward, non-saga (“Episodes”) stuff has feel like extra credit.
