The past few weeks have been a great time to be a Star Wars fan thanks to a delectable new Darth Maul outing in Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord. There’s also been the promotional run-up to The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is set to debut in theaters on May 22. However, one surprising Star Wars property has captured fans’ attention this month: The Acolyte.
To say showrunner Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte had a mixed reception from Star Wars fans would be the understatement of the century. From a certain subset of fans attacking cast members online to criticism of the show’s pacing and story decisions, discussing The Acolyte online during its run felt like a bloodbath. Sometimes, it still does.
With all that controversy and rancid history behind the show, the fact that it was recently trending on Disney Plus might seem absurd. How could this have happened? Well, it might have something to do with Maul — Shadow Lord.
The animated adventure following Maul drew 4.1 million viewers shortly after its premiere, an impressive number that underscores how eager Star Wars fans are for more adventures featuring the franchise’s coolest Sith. The 10-episode series is set to conclude on May 4 (aka, Star Wars day). However, as Disney Plus watchers may have noticed after finishing each installment of Maul — Shadow Lord, the brief segment that recommends what to watch next has been directing fans to a certain show: The Acolyte. (At least for me, but I’m not sure if that’s happening for everyone or just my own Disney Plus algorithm at work.)
On the surface, there’s no real connection between Maul ‚ Shadow Lord and The Acolyte. The former is set a year after Revenge of the Sith, whereas the latter is set during the waning years of The High Republic, an era when the Jedi were at their most powerful. Besides the fact that they both feature Jedi and Sith, the two shows couldn’t be more different.
There is a chance that viewers aren’t clicking off fast enough and are being taken to the 2023 show, but there is also a chance that fans are trusting Disney’s algorithm to recommend The Acolyte as the next best show to watch.
For what it’s worth, nearly three years on, maybe now is the best time to revisit The Acolyte. As Maul – Shadow Lord proves, fans are eager to follow a grittier, more grim series. While there are moments of humor in Headland’s series, a sense of tragedy follows its main protagonist, making it a heartbreaking watch.
Despite its flaws, The Acolyte introduced one of the most intriguing antagonists of all time — one with a direct connection to the franchise’s more mysterious figure, Darth Plagueis. It’s a shame that, with the show’s cancellation, the chance to discover more about these characters is lost as well. Still, if The Acolyte’s return to Disney’s Top 10 chart says anything, it’s that there are still fans eager to step into Headland’s story, even if it ends with one hell of a cliffhanger.
The Acolyte is available to stream on Disney Plus.
