The iconic Star Wars franchise doesn't just end with the epic films. The blockbuster film series has spawned countless spin-off shows that are just as beloved, and sometimes even more so, by diehard fans.
From successful hits like The Mandalorian, Obi Wan Kenobi and Andor to the more recent and well-received series Ahsoka, the Star Wars spin-off series has captivated audiences since 2019.
But Star Wars-related TV shows are not a new phenomenon by any means. The very first spin-off series, Droids, was released in 1985, and over the ensuing four decades there have been more than a dozen spin-off animations, shorts, and microseries, varying radically in quality.
There will undoubtedly be many more to follow. But for now, as fans celebrate Star Wars Month (so named because the first six films were all released in May — not to mention May 4 at the start of the month), these are all of our favorite Star Wars TV shows ranked so far.
7. Star Wars: The Bad Batch (2021)
The Bad Batch is a group of benevolent clone troopers (the foot soldiers of the Empire that have become a hallmark of the franchise) who turned good due to a genetic mutation. They now have the ability to resist the influence of the assassination protocol Order 66, meaning they can follow their own will – and fortunately they choose to go on missions to undermine the Emperor.
Set between Revenge of the Sith (2005) and A New Hope (1977), there's no subtlety here and the script is a bit clunky, but the series is fun and action-packed, which makes it somewhat of a winner. And, crucially, you don't have to have read your Star Wars stories to dive straight in.
6. Star Wars Rebels (2014)
We enjoyed this 3D, more kid-oriented, animated spin-off series – and so did other Star Wars fans: it has a whopping 98 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Created by Simon Kinberg (who wrote Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Jedi Wrote, Star Wars: The Bad Batch and Star Wars: The Clone Wars), the story takes place more than ten years after the Galactic Empire has seized power.
It follows a group of rebels, the Spectres, who all try to undermine the Empire's many operations.
We really enjoyed Ahsoka, another series that divides fans in two. Former student of Anakin Skywalker Ahsoka Tano is a hero of the Clone Wars who first appeared in the 2008 animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars. To us, she was an obvious choice to lead a spinoff show: she's feisty, loyal, and a respected female leader in a world full of men. This 2023 series is about her battle against the remaining parts of the Galactic Empire.
But despite its great potential, some felt the series lacked vitality, calling it “flat, thin and lifeless” and “worse Star Wars”. We were much less critical and said: “Star Wars finds its heart again”. After all, who doesn't appreciate a heroine fighting dark forces in a galaxy far, far away?
This series, starring Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, tells the story of the birth of the rebellion, also known as The Rebel Alliance (the resistance movement secretly trying to restore a liberal government in the place of the evil Galactic Empire) – undoubtedly a fascinating premise.
It had an excellent cast – Adria Arjona, Stellan SkarsgårdFiona Shaw and Kyle Soller also star – excellent writing and some incredible special effects, making it one of the best spin-off series to date.
But all things considered, Andor failed to come together perfectly. There are some confusing flashbacks, too much focus on routine activities and not enough action.
However, others disagree: Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 96 percent Tomatometer rating and a second series will be released in August 2024.
Ewan McGregor returned to play Obi-Wan Kenobi in this incredible series, set ten years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). Fans of the franchise will remember it as a very dramatic film: the Jedi were virtually wiped out after the Order 66 assassin protocol turned robots into Jedi killers. In the aftermath of all the drama, Kenobi fled to the planet Tatooine, where the new series picks up.
Now Kenobi cares for the son of his old student, Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen). But after Anakin's daughter, Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair), is kidnapped, he goes on a mission to save her. The series received mixed reviews, with some loving the action scenes and praising McGregor's acting, while others said the series didn't bring anything particularly new to the franchise. We thought it was pretty good.
2. Tales of the Jedi (2022)
This six-episode animated anthology series splits in two and follows the lives of Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) and then Count Dooku (Corey Burton). Although the episodes are only 15 minutes each, they still manage to flesh out the backstories of the two Jedis by capturing snapshots of some of the most pivotal moments in their lives.
The show was critically acclaimed (it has an incredible 100 percent Tomatometer rating), but was generally seen as a treat for Star Wars enthusiasts rather than a series made for people just getting into the franchise: Empire said that it “reminds fans why they fell in love with those animated images in the first place”; The Hollywood Reporter said it was “for fans only” – not necessarily a bad thing at all.
1. The Mandalorian (2019)
For most Star Wars fans, The Mandalorian was everything they dreamed a spin-off series could be. “The Mandalorian is too cool to resist,” said one reviewer. The Western Space Stars is set after the fall of the Empire Peter Pascal as warrior and bounty hunter Din Djarin / The Mandalorian and focuses on his adventures with Grogu (Baby Yoda).
Action-packed, fun and exciting, featuring an all-star cast (Katee Sackhoff, Werner Herzog, Nick Nolte, Taika Waititi and Omid Abtahi stars) and with a score by Ludwig Göransson, it was no wonder the series was nominated for 12 Emmy Awards (seven wins) in 2020.
“The Mandalorian is perhaps the ultimate expression of what George Lucas was getting all along… Star Wars should never have been a series of movies, it should have just been a TV show. Thank the Maker that we finally have it,” said De Standaard.