Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Can’t Say I Remember No At Attin

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew returns with its best episode so far, thanks to an increasingly dangerous adventure for our crew.

On Skeleton Crew Season 1 Episode 4, “Can’t Say I Remember No At Attin,” Wim takes a backseat as Neel and Fern get more time to shine while navigating the next part of this rollercoaster.

Episode 4 raises the stakes and makes the clever transition from a fun-filled joyride into a journey that prompts the kids to reassess their outlook on the serene planet of At Attin.

The kids make it onto a planet nearly identical to theirs, but for the fact that it is torn apart by a war between two factions.

On this planet, kids are treated almost exactly like adults, and this means that the children we have been following need to (literally) grow up and get comfortable making difficult choices.

Whereas previously, they (aside from Neel) thought this was a fun adventure. Fern has to lead them into battle as their captain, but her facade of confidence is crumbling, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong portrays this shaky confidence very well.

Directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (also known as The Daniels) center her face in moments of indecision, showing just how unsure Fern really is despite all her bluster. Neel has a star turn during this episode, and Robert Timothy Smith conveys Neel’s nervous nature impressively well through his suit. 

On this new (almost identical) planet of At Achrann, Hala Finley’s Hayna presents an interesting foil to Neel in particular.

Where Neel is afraid to fight and wants to avoid conflict at all costs, Hayna is ready to go into battle at any given moment.

Hayna has never seen a life like Neel has and is quickly charmed by his kindness (go Neel!). He is undeniably the heart of this episode, and arguably of the crew itself, shown to offer food to hungry kids and constantly giving the benefit of the doubt to whoever they encounter.

Both At Achrann and At Attin are two sides of a similar coin. At Achrann is torn apart by battle, and no one there knows a life apart from it. At Attin is peaceful to the point of being boring.

It is a very compelling binary that adds another layer to the puzzling At Attin.

Towards the end of the episode, we also learn of four other identical planets in addition to the two we’ve seen already. This further deepens the mystery of what exactly was hidden on At Attin that made it so precious.

Skeleton Crew has hit its stride, focusing on the enigma of the kids’ home planet rather than getting lost in broader connections to the Jedi, the Force, or other such myths that have connected the Star Wars universe so far. 

As the halfway point of the show, Episode 4 has made a great set-up and raised the stakes, but we still have yet to see if it will pay off.

The kids have been through a lot, and we are starting to see the toll it takes on them. It makes for a turn towards some more important and mature questions about what they really want to do and who they want to be once they do get home.

The final scenes and (almost) confrontation with SM-33 — who, in case you hadn’t already put it together, is Skeleton Crew‘s wink to the Smee of Peter Pan fame — create new questions about At Attin to be resolved.

The most intriguing part is just why its existence is so secretive, and if SM-33’s former captain found the coordinates to it, did he ever make it there?

So far, we have learned a decent amount about Wim, Neel, and Fern, but we have yet to learn more about KB. Hopefully, we learn more about both her and Jod, whose motives remain dubious and whose backstory is barely sketched out.

The direction deftly takes us through several different environments and action sequences.

The Daniels and writers Jon Watts and Christopher Ford have managed to keep the humor and charm of the show consistent, which is a breath of fresh air compared to other Star Wars projects.

Mick Giacchino’s score also helps maintain the wonder and charm of the story.

Skeleton Crew Episode 4 effectively sets up the next half of the series and focuses on the mystery surrounding At Attin. This episode highlights new sides of the characters and brings a more serious tone to this charming coming-of-age story.

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New episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew air Tuesdays at 9/8c on Disney+.

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