8 Star Wars TV Shows That No One Remembers

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Star Wars is one of the most successful movie franchises ever created. Since Disney bought it in 2012, the Star Wars universe has grown rapidly, with so many new TV shows and movies that even dedicated fans find it hard to follow everything. The iconic galaxy far, far away continues to expand with new content.

Even before Disney owned Star Wars, there were already TV shows based on the films, though many people have forgotten about them. The first TV special connected to the movies appeared in 1978, and the first Star Wars TV series followed in the mid-1980s.

The world of Star Wars now has so many TV shows that keeping up with everything requires a real dedication. Some of the newer shows have already faded from fans’ memories, quickly eclipsed by the more popular releases.

Besides the TV shows that were canceled shortly after airing, several promising Star Wars series were also never produced. With the franchise now shifting its focus back to theatrical releases, it’s interesting to remember these forgotten television projects.

Droids

1985–1986

In the mid-1980s, the first television shows created during George Lucas’s time with Star Wars were shown one after the other on ABC, as part of a dedicated hour for the franchise. Both were animated series designed for family viewing, but Droids leans more toward action and adventure, following characters like the bounty hunter Boba Fett.

The show is hosted by C-3PO, and his humor really sets the style. Even though it came out 40 years ago, people are now discussing whether Droids should officially be considered part of the Star Wars story. Despite this debate, it’s still a fun show that offers some interesting details about the characters’ pasts.

Ewoks

1985–1986

This series, alongside The Ewoks and Droids Adventure Hour, shares a similar style but feels quite different. It’s set on the Forest Moon of Endor, the Ewoks’ home, and focuses on their culture and ongoing conflict with the Duloks. The show is more relaxed and moves at a slower pace than its animated counterpart.

While the live-action Ewok films are often seen as a low point in the Star Wars saga, this charming cartoon is genuinely enjoyable. It’s definitely worth sharing with kids today, who are sure to love the Ewoks’ fantastical escapades.

Clone Wars

2003–2005

The original animated series, Clone Wars, is largely no longer considered official Star Wars history, mainly because its storylines don’t align with how Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano are portrayed elsewhere. However, it remains a well-made show and was groundbreaking for its time, paving the way for the many animated Star Wars projects we have now.

Some fans actually prefer the 2003 Star Wars: Clone Wars series to the 2008 animated movie, though they’re a small group. Many younger viewers aren’t even aware the 2003 show exists, which really shows how popular the 2008 The Clone Wars became.

Underworld

Unreleased

Before Disney created shows like The Mandalorian and Andor, George Lucas had a different idea for bringing Star Wars to television. Called Underworld, it was a very ambitious project focusing on the criminal underworld of various planets within the galaxy.

I was so excited to see that theme come back in Maul – Shadow Lord, the newest Star Wars animated series! But I’ve learned that George Lucas actually had even more ambitious plans for a live-action show – it was going to be much darker and explore things on a deeper level. What really blew my mind is that Underworld was intended to tell us the backstories of characters we already love, like how Han Solo and Chewbacca first met!

Ultimately, the project was cancelled because it was too complicated and costly to film for television. It’s a shame they didn’t foresee the success Star Wars would have with live-action shows on TV just a decade or two later.

Even though scripts were written for nearly sixty episodes of Underworld, the show was never actually made. It remained stuck in the planning stages and no footage was ever filmed.

Detours

Unreleased

Lost among unreleased Star Wars projects is Detours, a stop-motion animated series that was surprisingly completed before Disney cancelled it. All 39 episodes are finished and ready for fans, but Disney decided the show’s humor didn’t fit with the direction they envisioned for the Star Wars brand.

Detours is a comedic parody of Star Wars. It playfully makes fun of the series’ familiar plots, characters, and science fiction elements while also telling a brand new story that takes place between the prequel films and the original Star Wars movie, A New Hope. Created by George Lucas with Seth Green and Matt Senreich, the creators of Robot Chicken, it’s essentially a loving and humorous take-down of the entire Star Wars saga.

While Lucas himself seemed to enjoy the comedic take on his creation, Kathleen Kennedy – who took over Lucasfilm – didn’t share his view. Disney executives worried the parody would negatively impact how new fans experienced Star Wars. Unfortunately, it seems the show may never be released.

LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles

2013–2014

LEGO Star Wars continues to be popular on television. Recent releases like “Rebuild the Galaxy” and its follow-up, “Pieces of the Past,” have kept the series going, but it was “The Yoda Chronicles” in 2013 that first established LEGO Star Wars as a regular presence on TV with stories outside the main Star Wars timeline.

This animated series, lasting two seasons, is surprisingly full of action and a complex storyline. It explores events from both the Clone Wars and the time when the Galactic Empire ruled, centering on Yoda’s mission to train new Jedi and protect ancient Jedi artifacts from Darth Vader. While it might not appeal to everyone, fans of Yoda will definitely want to give it a watch.

Resistance

2018–2020

The series Resistance perfectly demonstrates why Star Wars animated shows should be celebrated more. With its stunning anime-inspired visuals and relatable, character-driven stories, this two-season, 40-episode show follows a New Republic pilot tasked with spying on the First Order.

Even with increasing global tensions forming the setting, the main character, Kazuda Xiono, feels more grounded and realistic than most heroes in the Star Wars universe. Though it has a dedicated fanbase, Resistance doesn’t get the recognition it deserves from the wider Star Wars community. While live-action and 3D animated shows often receive more attention, this series is just as good as the best the franchise has to offer.

Skeleton Crew

2024–2025

Honestly, it’s a little sad to see, but Skeleton Crew feels like it’s already been forgotten, even though it just came out in 2024! It didn’t get nearly the views anyone hoped for – it was actually the least-watched Star Wars show on Disney+ ever. A lot of people think it was because of some fan backlash against The Acolyte, with some fans claiming it was ‘anti-woke,’ and that definitely seemed to affect how many people tuned in.

In the end, this Mandoverse story about four kids lost in space felt like just another Star Wars show for children, and it didn’t really offer anything new. It was also unfortunate that it came out months before the hugely impactful finale of Andor, which made it even less noticeable.

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2026-05-24 01:31