I actually was asked about this audio description being AI. I was agog. The fact that I needed to fact check Dave Wallace’s performative wonder was less of a question as to whether I was right, and more of a concern that his voice had been cloned and someone knew something I didn’t. That would be appropriate for a Star Wars film that follows the Clone Wars, wouldn’t it? The clones won. Yet, that was a real life human doing the narrating.

And we are better for it. Wallace brings to the table the indistinguishable quality of “still human” in a world where AI models are becoming increasingly more and more modeled to be able to empathize and manipulate their tone and structure to fit the requirements of what they are reading or responding to. I’ve heard some of these, and they have actually reached the level of quality as some of our flat narrators who refuse inflection at every turn. Why pay one of them, when code can deliver that performance at a fraction of a cost? The answer is, for a franchise like Star Wars, it is to prevent the cheapening of the brand. Star Wars is supposed to be a premium experience, whether on the big screen, Disney Plus, or in a theme park. They are one of Disney’s biggest, most reliable IP’s, and while it couldn’t sustain its own hotel, it does rake in a lot of money for them. For the time being, I can’t see Disney cutting costs on Star Wars.

Which is great news for Maul: Shadow Lord, which left on a confident cliffhanger daring Disney to not move forward on a second season. The animated tale finally put one of the most iconic Star Wars characters center stage, something fans of his have wanted ever since Ray Park stepped into the red face paint in The Phantom Menace. I’ve never heard him talk so much, but Maul is chatty here, and sadly not by Ray Park. Maul’s new voice actor is Sam Witwer, who I understand has voiced Darth Maul in other animated Star Wars properties. He’s fine. I also enjoyed recent Oscar nominee Brander Lawson, Richard Ayoade as Two Boots, Charlie Bushnell as Riley, Gideon Adlon as Devan, and Dennis Haysbert as Eko. Maul’s story shapes itself around a young Padawan, Devan, who he takes a shine to, believing he can train her and pull her to the dark side. She still has a Jedi Master, Eko, who tries to offer her wisdom as the plot unfolds. Lawson is a detective hot on the case, but he gets caught up in a way that pulls his son Riley in as well, and has a divisive friendship with Two Boots, his droid partner.

All of this will lead to more talk about Inquisitors, the purging of the Jedi, the growing of the Empire, and Darth Maul’s plan for revenge. When I first heard about the story, I heard it took place after The Clone Wars, which was episode II. But considering the surprise that Episode 9 of the series has in store, this is after Episode III for sure.

It isn’t your normal kids animation, and it would be debatable aobut whether or not this is for kids. The plot of the series feels politically elevated in the way Andor was, but with the kind of fun, big, sweeping action sequences we would get in one of the movies. There are many lightsaber battles that take full advantage of their setting, pitting foes against each other, and using force pushes, and lightning drains to attack. And as with most Star Wars properties, not everyone makes it through the season either.

Disney gave ten episodes, or about three hours of actual screen time (not counting the credits of each episode), to fleshing out a world where Darth Maul can exist as an anti-hero. He helps, always suggestively for selfish reasons, but there is always a bigger problem than Darth Maul, and the good guys can benefit from teaming up with him for his experience. Since he has to be the series lead, making him deeply complex was the right move.

And, over ten episodes, I grew to like the main cast as well. I never really got the relationship between the Inquisitors, who feel like overpowered bad guys to make the fight scenes more dynamic, and I definitely wanted more from Maul’s team of Mandalorian, specifically his right hand, Rook (Vanessa Marshal), who dutifully has Maul’s back, even when others start to waiver. We know very little about her, and she vanishes from the series as if she was never important at all, which would mean none of Maul’s crew ever was. In fact, the only one who remains is a smuggler he picked up at the beginning nad forced to do his bidding. The loyalty around Maul at the end is questionable at best.

I’m excited for a second season, I loved the audio description, and while Maul Shadow Lord isn’t perfect, it surpasses a few of the TV projects Disney Plus has churned out with higher budgets, bigger names, and adults trying to take it seriously. It’s the most I’ve been engaged by an animated Star Wars show, and that says a lot. The fact that it treats its potential audience as adults, and doesn’t play jokes for kids, makes it a far more successful event.

I’m as surprised as you are. This is better than it has any right to be. The force is strong with this one.

Fresh: 8.6/10