I think in large part, Star Wars works better on television than on the big screen. The Star Wars tv shows are finally getting the respect they deserve. While animated shows like The Clone Wars never really got the credit they deserve, the new set (The Mandolorian and The Book of Boba Fett) seem to be getting the applause. I like these shows for a few reasons. They aren't tied so tightly to the Skywalker story. Without that limiting principle, which in many ways hindered both the prequels and the sequels, the universe can be expanded and different stories can be told. Another thing that getting away from the Skywalkers helps with is the style of storytelling. Television allows for more nuanced looks than films do.
Through escaping the limits of films focused on the Skywalker's, the stories being told fit different formulas. The Mandalorian is a western tale told in space and The Book of Boba Fett is a gangster flick told in space. Furthermore, with the interplanetary adventures and threats, the fans get to see a plethora of different people and different backgrounds. I personally enjoyed learning how the Jedi are viewed by some cultures. Then, we saw Din Djarin join with Migs Mayfeld, a former Imperial sharpsooter who hated the Empire.
Furthermore, the deeper looks into different cultures clashing is something we can't get in the movies. We learned more about the Tusken Raiders in The Book of Boba Fett. This felt very much like a spiritual experience for Boba Fett. Also, this could take place over multiple episodes through multiple flashbacks, allowing time to really see his nature change. Then, when tragedy strikes, we have to ask ourselves, did his nature actually change, or is peace only the absence of constant danger? This isn't a question explored by the Skywalkers.
The long-form storytelling also allows for different types of storylines. We saw, in The Mandolorian, the struggles of a rebuilding republic. In war films, we rarely see the aftermath and rebuilding of homes. Rarely, if ever, is there a large-scale film about the reconstruction following the Civil War, about the failings to further address the root issues that had led to the event. The Mandolorian shows us those cracks in terms of the Star Wars universe. Perhaps, they are showing how the Republic only lasts 30 years. Chaos is to be expected in such tumult.
Finally, one of the things that these shows seem to understand is that while the show is about a particular character and their story, it is possible to maintain that storyline while including other major characters. I love that Ahsoka Tano and Luke Skywalker show up in the Mandolorian. I like that Boba Fett and Din Djarin show up in each other's shows. I think this is something that Marvel has actually failed at to date. These people live in a gigantic universe and occasionally interact. Why not? They know each other. I think the worry is that it will feel forced. It doesn't with the Star Wars shows. The idea that anybody can show up adds to the excitement each week as well. It feels like a universe of stories beyond the hero's journey.
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