Obi-Wan Kenobi Part IV Has Fans All Complaining About The Same Thing

It has been a long time coming, but "Star Wars" fans are finally being rewarded for their years-long patience. More than 15 years after his last appearance as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ewan McGregor has finally reprised his role as one of the best Jedi Knights in the galaxy. Set ten years after the fall of the Republic, "Obi-Wan Kenobi" shows a different version of the character than audiences are accustomed to. Working as a meat packer in a desolate corner of Tatooine, Obi-Wan keeps a close eye on Luke and hopes to train him one day but largely ignores his own gifts. The series is an exercise in nostalgia, adhering to the love fans have for both the prequels and the original trilogy. But "Obi-Wan Kenobi" also brings something new to the table. 

In the past, Obi-Wan seems to have a substantially stronger relationship with Luke, isolating himself on Tatooine and devoting his life to the idea that the young Skywalker will eventually become a Jedi. However, the new series discourages the idea that Luke is any more important than Leia. Instead of wasting away on Tatooine, Obi-Wan accepts the task of rescuing young Leia Organa (Vivien Lyra Blair) from a band of kidnappers. The two form a close connection as Obi-Wan reacquaints himself with his Jedi abilities. But however satisfying it is to see Leia finally be given her due, there is one aspect of the new episode that has many fans complaining.

In the world of Disney+ streaming, many shows play fast and loose with episode counts and time lengths. Fan-favorites such as "The Mandalorian" have had widely varied episode lengths, with some entries in the series running even less than 30 minutes (via Forbes). Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, Part IV of "Obi-Wan Kenobi" is only about ten minutes shorter than the previous episode. Even so, the difference was striking to some fans who took to the r/StarWars subreddit to voice their annoyance.

"Disney always has to have at least one noticeably shorter episode each series," remarked u/birdy810. Streaming has created a space that allows for increased flexibility in running times. Whereas cable and network television would have previously forced a series to conform to a certain block of time, streaming removes all of the rules. Though some episodes are shorter, some people point out that writers are less likely to add fluff of additional material to fill time. Some could argue that this allows for more creativity on the side of the filmmakers. However, this doesn't change the fact that fans want more bang for their buck.

"Seriously, what was the point of this episode in an already short six-episode series?" complained u/FaZe_Voltaic. Only a few hours after posting, this comment received more than 100 upvotes. Of course, it should be noted that "Obi-Wan Kenobi" has always been marketed as a limited series and a short one at that. With only six episodes to feature the beloved character, some fans don't want to see even a second of time wasted. Considering there is only a single episode left before the finale, it's clear that fans are already beginning to feel the time crunch.