Ahsoka Episodes Runtime Leaves Star Wars Fans Disappointed
Will it significantly affect the pacing of the show?
A new chapter in the saga of the Galaxy Far, Far Away will be hitting our screens today! On 22 August, Disney+ will drop the first two episodes of Ahsoka, Dave Filoni's eagerly anticipated series centred on Anakin Skywalker's former apprentice.
Audiences are in for a treat. Not only does this mark the return of a cherished character portrayed by Rosario Dawson, but it also heralds the first live-action debut of much-loved characters from Rebels. However, a tidbit reflecting the less favourable tendencies of both Disney+ and Lucasfilm has left some fans feeling let down: the runtime per episode.
On 13 August, the Twitter account @Cryptic4KQual, which has a reputation for consistently revealing episode runtimes for numerous shows, posted the runtimes for the initial three episodes of Ahsoka.
The first two episodes clock in at 54 and 45 minutes (credits included) – fairly reasonable, given that both will be released simultaneously. The controversy arises with the third episode, slated to last around 35 minutes.
'That's just too short of a run time for an episode in the age of streaming when episodes are released one per week,' a fan noted.
The inclination towards making unnecessarily short episodes, rather than extending them, echoes past decisions with The Mandalorian. That was particularly noticeable in Season 3, which, to be fair, meandered a bit in terms of plot progression: the filler third episode went on for a generous 54 minutes, whereas the plot-centric finale was just 33 minutes, leaving viewers wanting more.
For Ahsoka, this truncated episode approach is bound to influence the show's pacing. After indulging in two expansive episodes adding up to ninety minutes, audiences will be allotted a mere thirty minutes of narrative the following week.
Those thirty minutes ought to be impactful and propel the storyline. Dave Filoni, the genius behind The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian and the singular writer for this series, undoubtedly has what it takes to produce a tight narration. Some fans simply want episodes with the gravitas found in FX's The Bear, which fluctuated between 20 and 60 minutes. Fans have even concocted a compelling crossover concept!
'I would def watch a show where a handful of Jedi try to manage their stress while running a sandwich shop. Anakin just losing his s--t to New Noise by The Refused, while force choking some customer as Ahsoka throws her apron down and storms out,' someone joked.
The inaugural two episodes of Ahsoka are set to air on 22 August at 9 pm ET on Disney+.