Before May 22nd’s release of “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” there hasn’t been a new “Star Wars” film in theaters since December 2019 and “The Rise of Skywalker.” And yes, you probably know about “The Mandalorian,” which debuted (along with Disney+ itself) in October of that year. And now there are dozens of shows, from the prestige drama-style “Andor” to the animated “The Clone Wars” and its many (many) spin-offs.
But if you haven’t been paying much attention to “Star Wars,” here are five good places to start with only a baseline knowledge of the franchise.
‘The Mandalorian’
If you’ve seen the first six “Star Wars” films, you might very well know more about the galaxy far, far away than Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) does at the start of the series. A bounty hunter and part of the fan-favorite (and still somewhat mysterious) Mandalorian culture, his encounters with the wider galaxy have expanded to three seasons.
The first Mandalorian to appear in the franchise — Boba Fett from “The Empire Strikes Back” — also makes an appearance, played by Temuera Morrison. His own spin-off, “The Book of Boba Fett,” is best watched between seasons two and three of “The Mandalorian.”
You don’t need to watch the show before the film — at least that’s what director Jon Favreau claims — but if you have, it certainly won’t hurt.
‘Andor’
One of the most widely praised Disney+ TV shows, the two seasons of “Andor” lead up to the film “Rogue One” and mostly focus on Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and the building of the Rebellion. Covering several years, the series follows Andor from his recruitment by Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) to leaving on his “Rogue One” mission. Other characters include Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), a Senator in the Galactic Republic who eventually leads the Rebel Alliance.
From heists to prison breaks, from a farming planet to the halls of the Galactic Senate itself, this wide-ranging series is considered some of the best “Star Wars” of the current era. It won five Emmys in 2025 for the second season.
This is the only show here that might not be for (younger) kids, though mostly because they might just be bored. It’s still “Star Wars,” after all. But if you’re not into laser swords and mystical mind powers, this may be the “Star Wars” for you.
‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’
Ewan McGregor returned as Obi-Wan Kenobi in this limited series set 10 years after “Revenge of the Sith.” He’s charged with watching over a young Luke Skywalker (Grant Feely) on Tatooine, but ends up having to rescue Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair) when she’s kidnapped. They have to evade a Jedi-hunting Inquisitor Reva (Moses Ingram) and Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) himself to get her back home.
‘Skeleton Crew’
Starring Jude Law as Jod Na Nawood, this 2024 series follows four kids (Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kyriana Kratter and Robert Timothy Smith) who have to find their way back to their home planet after they find a mysterious ship.
Influenced by “The Goonies,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and Lucasfilm’s own Indiana Jones franchise, this is probably the best choice to watch with kids.
‘The Acolyte’
Taking place about 100 years before “The Phantom Menace,” this mystery thriller starring Amandla Stenberg (“The Hate U Give”) and Lee Jung-jae (“Squid Game”) features Jedi investigating a string of murders.
Set in the last days of the “High Republic” era and teaming with Jedi and other Force users, some scenes in the show are inspired by martial arts films, including “Come Drink with Me” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” in the first episode.
What other “Star Wars” is there?
A lot. I’m not kidding:
That said, this is hardly the most obscure franchise out there, and if you’ve already seen most of the films, it’s usually pretty safe to just find something that appeals to you and jump right in. The good news is, they’re all on Disney+.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: 5 ‘Star Wars’ shows you might have missed
Reporting by Tracy Duncan, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
