Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Cast: Temeura Morrison, Ming-Na Wen, Pedro Pascal, Matt Berry, David Pasquesi, Carey Jones, Jennifer Beals, Sophie Thatcher, Jordan Bolger, Robert Rodriguez, Joanna Bennett, Barry Lowin, Frank Trigg, Collin Hayes, Timothy Olyphant, Danny Trejo, Rosario Dawson.
The Western genre doesn’t die, it just finds new ways to menace the airwaves and pump new belief into what was a form of storytelling that had its supposed day by the time that science fiction became big business.
The Western, as with the Blues in music, found itself perilously close to becoming irrelevant, if not extinct, as the end of the 20th Century drew ever closer. The reason why they both managed to cling on past their supposed demise was down to love, of admiration for its form, and for the brief shining stars that managed through dogged determination to keep their respective heads above water.
Blues had the cross over between the genius of Robert Cray and the 21st Century devotes and new legends such as Joe Bonamassa, Samantha Fish, and Joanne Shaw Taylor, the Western genre had to radically rethink its position, the lack of foresight which relied on a brand of toxic behaviour which produced in its fans a cynical machoism and played with obvious racism in its structure.
Despite some terrific true westerns that have stood the test of time from beyond the end of World War Two, and indeed some that have arrived surprising intact and with empathy in the new century, it is to science fiction that the western genre survived, by donning a new coat, by clothing itself in the apparel of the future, it has survived, and thrived, and in The Book Of Boba Fett, one of the great characters from the original Star Wars trilogy returns, and brings with him the sense of redemption, of vengeance, and dust in mouth, shot in the back collectivism that the Western genre made its staple living from, only with a far greater sense of imagination and scenario weaved through its seven-part, wonderful dramatic, first series.
The series would have been declared superb by many who look to the Star Wars franchise as somewhat of a guide, but in a tremendous sideways glance by creator and writer Jon Favreau, the fact the action turned its back on the titular character for a while and revelled in the bright creed of the previous hit of The Mandalorian, with the embracing of Grogu, a digitalised young Luke Skywalker firmly entrenched into its lore, the heights now reached by the makers and creatives behind these television series are nothing short of sublime.
In a world so focused on honour, it is fitting that Temuera Morrison returns to the Star Wars fold in his own series, and by doing so he adds such depth of meaning to the lone hired gun captured by enemies and then transformed into a man of respect, of distinction, and with positive performances by the likes of Timothy Olyphant, Ming-Na Wen, Pedro Pascal, Matt Berry, Sophie Thatcher and Jennifer Beals wrapped up in the artistry that involves puppetry and technical aspects that make any fan whimper with joy, the honour is well founded and played out with a principle of continuation at its heart.
As with the Marvel cinematic television series’ that have been a boon for the fan, so it is that The Book Of Boba Fett injects more energy and vitality into what could have passed away quietly without fanfare. A generous series, the book which could become a veritable library in the hands of the sincere and the seekers of entertaining storytellers.
Ian D. Hall