Every Star Wars TV Show Ranked From Worst To Best

For decades, when people thought of "Star Wars," they thought of the big screen. Indeed, George Lucas' titanic space fantasy franchise has changed the film industry in numerous ways, from revolutionizing special effects to launching genre films into the highest ranks of the box office. Of course, the franchise has never just been about the films. Toys, video games, novels, comic books, and all other manner of tie-in productions have always been part and parcel of the "Star Wars" story. But for years, theater experiences reigned supreme.

In the modern "Star Wars" era, however, that cinematic supremacy isn't quite so strong. Perhaps due to a combination of mixed reviews and diminishing box office returns, Disney has taken a step back from the series' big-screen installments and put more focus on "Star Wars" TV and streaming shows. This is a space the franchise has dabbled in for decades, but in just a few years, TV has become nearly as big of a venue for "Star Wars" as the silver screen.

From kiddie cartoons and anime anthologies to big-budget prestige series, "Star Wars" has done it all on the small screen. However, not every effort has borne equally satisfying fruit. Which serialized stories dazzle and which ones disappoint? We're here to answer that question by ranking each and every "Star Wars" TV series from worst to best.

Let's talk about what "The Book of Boba Fett" could have been. Led by the immensely talented Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen, this tale, which follows Fennec Shand and Boba Fett as they take over the "Star Wars" underworld, has all the makings of a gritty, stylish, and exciting story. Boba's arc, which sees him learn how to lead, is a basic but compelling one. Under the leadership of Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, you'd think this would result in excellent TV.

But in fact, "The Book of Boba Fett" was met with lackluster critical reviews and widespread disappointment from fans. This is largely due to the screen time it wastes on dull, plodding subplots. Doing a classic Western story on Tatooine isn't necessarily a bad idea, but the series' proximity to "The Mandalorian" keeps it from feeling truly original. It's telling that an entire episode of "The Book of Boba Fett" — one of seven total — focuses exclusively on the continuing adventures of Din Djarin and Grogu. It's as if even the writers realized they were making an inferior show.

There's still fun to be had here. Cad Bane gets an enjoyable live-action debut, we see some back-to-back Mandalorian battle action, and Wen steals nearly every scene she's in. But as a show centered around one of the most beloved "Star Wars" characters of all time, "The Book of Boba Fett" falls woefully short of its potential.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi" is a show that should be better than it actually is, but it's also a show that does a lot of things right. Ewan McGregor is once again excellent as the eponymous Jedi Master, who undergoes one of the most complex character arcs in the franchise. There's some great action — much of it starring Hayden Christensen's Darth Vader — and a compelling new character in Moses Ingram's Reva. "Obi-Wan Kenobi" paints a pretty grim picture of the galaxy under Imperial rule, and in its best moments, that picture is stunning.

But at its worst, "Obi-Wan Kenobi" feels bloated and repetitive. It's only six episodes long, yet a good portion of the show sees Obi-Wan hide from Stormtroopers and Imperial Inquisitors while trying to rescue the young Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair) over and over again. There's a good deal of sloppy writing involved — how do people keep surviving these killing blows? — and the preexisting canon severely limits what can actually happen. If you're looking for a show that pushes the boundaries of what "Star Wars" can be, you may be disappointed. 

Perhaps, however, you're looking for prequel trilogy fan service and a handful of emotional lightsaber fights. If that's the case, then "Obi-Wan Kenobi" delivers the goods. With strong critical reviews and a solid fan reception, it's not too hard to recommend.

Of all the live-action "Star Wars" series so far, "Ahsoka" may be the strangest — both in content and in its role within the larger franchise. Dave Filoni's first outing as a live-action showrunner is many things at once. It's a continuation of the story and characters from "Star Wars Rebels," a likely set-up for a Grand Admiral Thrawn movie, a fantasy adventure in the style of the old Expanded Universe, and a samurai-inspired story arc for Ahsoka Tano herself.

Unfortunately, these differing intentions split the focus of "Ahsoka," yielding a show that feels distracted, muddled, and oddly paced. The returning "Rebels" characters don't get enough set-up for new viewers to fully grasp their importance, but the jump to live-action also brings some odd changes to those characters that may put off longtime fans. While better than "Obi-Wan Kenobi," "Ahsoka" still suffers from the limitations of filming on the Volume, and the most basic dialogue scenes are frequently stilted by awkward pauses and baffling, stoic direction.

Even still, there's a lot to like about "Ahsoka." It embraces a sense of magic and adventure that's been missing in recent "Star Wars" stories, and there's tons of fun action, from lightsaber duels to tense starship battles. While lead protagonists Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) aren't always the most exciting to watch, other characters like Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson), Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi), Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), and Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) are riveting to watch. Then, of course, there's Thrawn himself (Lars Mikkelsen), who's so immediately terrifying and captivating in the last few episodes that he makes the entire show worth it.

"Star Wars Rebels" is not the best of the TV bunch, but it's far from the worst. Essentially, it's the baseline for all-around solid "Star Wars" TV shows, delivering a diverse blend of content fans of all ages find engaging.

Set just a few years before the events of "A New Hope," "Star Wars Rebels" follows the crew of the Ghost, a ship loyal to the burgeoning Rebel cause, as they battle various agents of the Empire. While the overall tone is geared towards younger viewers, there are still plenty of serious, long-term storylines to be found, with fan-favorite characters like Darth Maul, Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, and Grand Admiral Thrawn all leaving their marks. "Star Wars Rebels" has its lows, but there are also plenty of incredibly highs – enough to earn the show great reviews and a number of prestigious awards and nominations.

It's also worth noting that "Star Wars Rebels" takes its visual cues from Ralph McQuarrie's original "Star Wars" concept art, as noted by CNET, which gives it a cool aesthetic twist. The series is occasionally too cartoonish for its own good, and the stakes rarely feel especially high, but at the end of the day, almost every "Star Wars" fan will be able to find something to love within it.

As the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy marched through theaters, animation legend Genndy Tartakovsky helmed one of the franchise's most lauded entries: "Star Wars: Clone Wars." This show technically ran for three seasons between the releases of "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith," but since each episode is only a few minutes long, there really isn't that much content to it. Even so, "Star Wars: Clone Wars" leaves a lasting impression as one of the most gorgeous and striking "Star Wars" animated series ever made.

Perhaps most impressively, "Star Wars: Clone Wars" establishes Anakin Skywalker as a true hero, and shows the potential the prequel era always held. That it accomplishes this and dreams up some of the sleekest designs in the franchise is especially jaw-dropping. The action is tight and always packed with Easter eggs for fans to unearth. The series also introduces a number of major "Star Wars" characters, including General Grievous and Asajj Ventress.

All this attention to detail earned the series multiple Emmy Awards and an Annie Award for best animated television production. Though "Star Wars: Clone Wars" quickly became overshadowed by the much longer "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (which also rewrites much of the timeline), Tartakovsky's series remains a worthwhile watch for any fan of the franchise.

"Star Wars: The Clone Wars" is a joy to watch. Over the course of seven seasons, it tells a truly massive story, encompassing Jedi adventures, pirate heists, droid hijinks, and civil wars. Critics and fans alike adore it – and that's not even mentioning its dozens of award wins and nominations.

Set between "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith," this series starts out with a non-linear narrative that can be a bit tough to follow. One episode might join C-3PO and R2-D2 on a comedic adventure, while the next three might tell a serious tale about a planet under siege by the Separatists. As it moves through the seasons, however, the show becomes a bit more consistent. Major plotlines like the state of Mandalore, Darth Maul's return, and Ahsoka's growth as a Jedi take center stage.

It's in these big-picture storylines that the series truly shines. The animation gets better and better each season, to accommodate these rising stakes. Yes, there are some filler arcs, but they're easily forgotten once the good stuff starts. And, perhaps most impressively, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" takes preexisting arcs from the "Star Wars" prequels and massively improves them through rich, thorough character development. There's truly something for everyone in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." When it's at its best, there's no better "Star Wars" show in the world.