I skimmed a recap of episode 8 of The Acolyte on Forbes, and, wow, Erik Kain did not like the series. “Rough and messy”, he called it, needing “about three more drafts before going into production.”

I sort of see where Kain is coming from. There’s no nuance or subtlety here. In attempting to show the, ahem, “dark side” of the Jedi,  they are presented them as incompetent, autocratic bureaucrats, an on the nose portrayal that robs the Jedi of their mystique. That’s the point! I hear you roar. Yes. Of course. Stop shouting! My issue is that it’s all a bit dull and predictable. Put another way, if you choose this direction, first watch The Sandbaggers. Nothing beats that shows depiction of institutional corruption and incompetence.

Having said all that, I liked The Acolyte more than Erik Kain. Yes, the central conceit—evil twin vs good twin—comes straight from the cliche cupboard (I’m sorry, I’m being negative again)—but the performances almost overcome that deficiency. Amandla Stenberg is excellent in the dual role of Osha and Mae—twins who were separated after a tragedy that saw their home and family (a coven of Force-powered Zabrak witches) burnt to the ground. Lee Jung-jae, of Squid Game fame, is terrific as the Jedi Master, Sol, who saves Osha’s life and takes her on as his Padawan. Osha, though, doesn’t finish her training and leaves the Order. Her sister, presumed dead, is trained by a Sith. When The Acolyte starts, Mae is on a mission to kill the four Jedi, including Sol, who came to her planet when she was a child and who she blames for the death of her family. But it’s Manny Jacinto—from The Good Place—who makes this show his own. He’s dynamic. If I’m upset that there won’t be a Season Two, it’s because we won’t get more Manny.

I liked the fight scenes. I liked that the show was willing to kill off characters we’d come to like. I liked the emotional tension. Lee Jung-jae is magnificent on that count. His love for Osha. His guilt about the past. His need for redemption. The Acolyte has flaws, but I would definitely have watched a second season.