The Acolyte is arguably one of the most polarizing additions to the Star Wars universe, with the series receiving mixed reactions from critics and fans. The High Republic era series has faced criticism for several reasons, leading fans to examine what exactly went wrong with the highly anticipated entry.
On social media, some fans deduced that the series is plagued by the same pacing issues that were a major hurdle for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Fans pointed out how the series had episodes with extremely short runtime, and failed to progress the story in a meaningful manner. Here is the one issue fans feel has largely affected The Acolyte.
The Acolyte‘s Short Runtime Proving to Be a Major Hurdle For the Star Wars Series
The Acolyte premiered with its first two episodes releasing on June 4, 2024. The remainder of the eighth-episode season is being released weekly. Created by Leslye Headland, the series has received mixed reviews from critics and holds an audience score of 14% on Rotten Tomatoes, marking a franchise low.
On Reddit, user @Ok_Magazine_3383 pointed out how the short runtime of the subsequent episodes was a big mistake, given the show’s weekly release schedule. The user cited an article from Forbes, which also discussed how the short runtime was a major issue.
Almost every episode this season has ended too soon and each time it’s felt kind of rushed and sudden.
The user quoted the above words from the article, highlighting the main problem of the show’s short episodes. The article used the example of the latest episode to point out the loss of momentum, adding:
Lost whatever momentum and sense of urgency we’d picked up last week. It’s all a bit jarring.
As a result, the user agreed with the statement made in the article’s sentiment that the runtime was a major issue for the episodes.
However, the user also mentioned that while the fifth episode was great, the preceding and following episodes did not do enough with their short runtime to progress the plot in any meaningful way.
Star Wars Fans Debate How The Acolyte‘s Pacing Is Drastically Affecting the Series
After the initial post from the user, pointing out the show’s flawed runtime, a problem that also plagued the Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries, other fans chimed in with their take on the issue. Most fans saw the short runtime as a part of a larger pacing issue with The Acolyte.
User @Gexus commented “It feels like I’m watching a movie that keeps getting interrupted by week-long breaks,” implying that most episodes did not have enough substance to warrant their runtimes. Meanwhile, another user expressed a desire to see the series compiled into a film after all episodes are released.
User @herman-the-vermin commented “The cutting is immensely jarring, and the pacing is just insane,” expressing frustration over the forced cliffhangers at the end of the episodes which affect the pacing and plot progression. As a result, it is evident that fans are unhappy with the show’s overall pacing.
The Acolyte has allegedly been the subject of toxic fans review-bombing the series. However, those who are willing to give the series a chance without any preconceived notions are also having issues enjoying it. Moreover, the short episodes, amounting to barely any plot progression, could result in the series fumbling its finale even if it manages to surprise viewers with a big twist at the end.
The Acolyte is streaming on Disney+.
