Sig and Dev Greebling are young nerf herders on a backwater world. Sig (Gaten Matarazzo) dreams of epic adventure but never quite finds himself brave enough to make a jump to adventure. Dev, his older brother, is cooler than anyone he’s known. Except Yesi, the daughter of a moisture farmer and the subject of his crush. It’s a quiet life but a good one, the brothers, Yesi and their loyal power droid Servo. And then, one day, they find a temple with a glowing brick at its core…

This breezy, four episode series loves Star Wars the same way Lower Decks loves Star Trek. There’s a vastly endearing willingness to mock the series, not through cheap point scoring but the sort of affectionate roast that Lower Decks excels at and that’s clear the moment you find out Sig and Dev are nerf herders. We don’t just get to meet their herd either, we get a great action sequence with them and a ridiculously tidy piece of plotting that connects one of the first things we see to one of the last.

That level of intelligence and care is present throughout the show and it’s just a riot from start to finish. Sig and Dev find the Cornerstone, the brick that anchors the galaxy and when they remove it, everything changes. It’s a simple premise but it’s one the show leans into for everything from massive plot points to one shot gags. The Ewoks being reimagined as a terrifying band of spacefaring bounty hunters was a particular favourite of mine but the best one is how the JediSith dichotomy has been mapped onto Lego itself. Sith Breakers tear things down (and look at Darth Devastator’s ship for one of the show’s best visual gags) and Jedi Builders build it up. The exact nature of Lego mapped onto the central ideological conflict of Star Wars. With jokes! Amazing!

The direction is completely up to the challenge too, the camera swooping and diving in ways that are classically Star Wars and classically Lego. The inevitable big closing fight is great but the little moments are just as good. That nerf herder sequence is a standout and there’s a brilliant Podrace on the most interesting version of Tatooine we’ve had in a long, long time.

The voice cast too are an absolute treat. I won’t spoil the guest stars, of which there are many but everyone gets the joke. The core cast are especially great and Gaten Matarazzo, Tony Revolori, Bobby Moynihan, Marsai Martin and Michael Cusack give the show real heart. Matarazzo and Revolori as the brothers are flat out brilliant and the emotional resonance of their story drives the show. Martin is superb as the hyper competent Yesi and Cusack’s Servo is an absolute joy. He gets two of the best jokes and one of the biggest moments while Moynihan’s wonderfully crumpled Jedi Bob also gets some surprising heavy lifting that works brilliantly.

Verdict: Rebuild the Galaxy ends on the promise of more and I’d love to see it. Given the horrific fan environment around live action Star Wars right now, whether or not we deserve it, let alone get it, is a different story, Either way, this show is a delight and if you’ve ever clicked bricks together or dreamed of a galaxy far, far away, there’s something here for you. Also, watch the whole thing because the very last gag is by far the best in a series full of great lines. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart

 

Lego: Rebuild the Galaxy is on Disney Plus now