In 2024, there were unconfirmed reports that only one Star Wars show would premiere on Disney+ per year, down from the usual two to five series. This seems to be another sign that the brand of this famous galaxy far, far away is failing, especially because there have been no new Star Wars films since the critically reviled The Rise of Skywalker. However, reviving a forgotten series could actually save Disney+. That series is Star Wars Detours, a non-canonical parody show that franchise creator George Lucas and Robot Chicken creator Seth Green were once developing.
Detours was designed as a comedy show that would portray various events that happened between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Disney killed the project after it acquired the rights to Star Wars from George Lucas in 2013, but it was surprisingly far in development. The creative team has produced 39 episodes and developed scripts for 62 more. As for why Disney refused to release dozens of already-completed episodes, the only official reason was that it didn’t "make sense" to release such a show when it was beginning production on a new trilogy of Star Wars films.
Reading between the lines, it seems that Disney was worried that a comedic take on this franchise might alienate new fans. Additionally, even though the show was designed as a non-canonical parody (it actually had its own "D-canon" or "Detours-canon" designation before being shelved), the House of Mouse may have thought that Lucas utilized certain characters or events it wanted to develop, such as Mara Jade.
Now that Disney has alienated fans, it may be the perfect time to bring this series back on Disney+.
One reason for this is that Star Wars has needed a comedy show for a long time. Fans have mined both the prequels and the sequels for funny memes, but attempts at comedy in official movies and shows are often sorely lacking.
From Jar-Jar Binks (read more about his unexpected return this year) stepping in poop and getting farted on to Poe Dameron cracking yo mama jokes, Star Wars has always been at its worst whenever it makes actual attempts at humor.
Detours could change that thanks to its high comedic pedigree. The Floaters star Seth Green was one of the executive producers, and while humor is quite subjective, his Star Wars sketches on Robot Chicken have always been hilarious.
There was a leaked six-minute episode, "Dog Day Afternoon" (possibly intended as a short pilot), featuring voice acting from Conan O’Brien’s sidekick Andy Richter and musical parody legend Weird Al Yankovic.
In fact, Weird Al helped create multiple original songs for the show, and Detours was planning to feature a musical episode in its third season.
Additionally, a rival sci-fi franchise accidentally proved why Detours would likely be a hit with the fandom. Even though Star Trek has always been a mostly serious franchise (the occasional Q or holodeck episode notwithstanding), the animated show Lower Decks was designed explicitly as a comedy show.
Again, humor is subjective, but many Trek fans consider this the best franchise show Paramount has released in years. It replaced the plodding pacing of shows like Discovery and Picard with breezy episodes that aren’t afraid to poke fun at the franchise.
That is ultimately how Detours would win the Star Wars fandom (which mostly just wants Andor Season 3) back: by showing that Disney doesn’t take this galaxy full of hippy space wizards, asthmatic robot men, and repetitive superweapons seriously. And it shouldn’t, because all of this is just good, silly fun!
Releasing a comedy to show it is in on the joke could help Disney win back fans it lost, and the fact that it can release 39 episodes without spending any money is just the icing on top of the cake (made with blue milk, of course).
Much like Obi-Wan Kenobi was to Leia, Detours may be the "only hope" for Disney+, especially considering that Ahsoka is the only show currently in development.
If the House of Mouse continues fumbling this iconic brand and doesn’t release something genuinely fun, it may face the one thing even scarier than Darth Vader: complete audience apathy.
Dr. Chris Snellgrove is a staff writer who joined The Direct in 2025. He is a veteran entertainment writer who has written for a number of national outlets and reputable sites, with his hot takes on movies and TV shows reaching millions of fellow nerds. When he's not busy reading comics and watching the latest in superhero smackdpwn cinema, he loves to cosplay his favorite fandoms at conventions throughout America.
