Skeleton Crew Episode 4’s New Planet Is Impressed by Netflix’s Scariest Place

The next comprises spoilers for “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” season 1, episode 4, “I Can’t Say I Keep in mind No to Attlin.”

Episode 4 of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” brings collectively Jod Na Nawood (Jude Legislation), Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), Neel (voiced by Robert Timothy Smith) and SM. -33 (voiced by Nick Frost) lastly again in Attlin, the children’ hometown…or in order that they suppose. In actuality, they land on At Acrann, a planet equivalent to At Attlin right down to the town map, however which has been ravaged by a long-lasting warfare. In Achrann is definitely a wierd and perpetually foggy panorama the place the younger protagonists encounter Hayna (Hala Finley), a lone baby survivor, who signifies that she is attempting to keep away from the evil Hattans. Later, this main baby character introduces Strix (Mathieu Kassovitz), a warlord who trains baby troopers and whom Hayna calls “Daddy.” Hey, does not that remind you of something?

It appears the state of affairs pays homage to Netflix’s hit sci-fi horror thriller collection, “Stranger Issues,” wherein folks hold discovering themselves within the Upside Down. It is a desolate, barren, perpetually foggy model of their very own world the place, in Season 1, lone baby survivor Will (Noah Schnapp) tries to keep away from monsters. The present additionally incorporates a distinguished baby character, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), whose scientist father or mother Brenner (Matthew Modine) trains superpowered kids and whom Eleven calls “Daddy.”

Other than the idea of a “harmful, destroyed model of a well-recognized world”, the visible design of At Achrann resembles the Upside Down in lots of elements of the episode. Whereas the planet continues to be a really “Star Wars” place, there are occasions when it is simple to anticipate “Stranger Issues” villain Vecna ​​(Jamie Campbell Bower) to stroll into the body and slowly backs away after realizing he is within the unsuitable franchise.

The primary episodes of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” was heavily inspired by Amblin, so it is not very stunning that the collection additionally pays homage to different technique of leisure. Whereas “Stranger Issues” is itself an Amblin-inspired collection and subsequently a pure stopover for overheard winks, administrators Daniel Kwan and Daniel Schneidert – aka Daniels of “Swiss Army Man” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” fame — additionally infuses episode 4 with a number of much more stunning homages.

At instances, “Cannot Say I Keep in mind No At Attlin'” pays affectionate homage to the post-apocalyptic, faux-Fifties ambiance of the “Fallout” franchise. In different circumstances, it borrows a trick from Disney’s “Treasure Planet” (2002) with the SM-33 reminiscence loss storyline. It even continues the Daniels’ established penchant for casting acquainted faces from yesteryear in main roles; this time, distinguished actor and filmmaker of the Nineteen Nineties and 2000s Mathieu Kassowitz seems as Hayna’s father, Basic Strix. Then once more, the director duo is just not the primary to bless the collection with obscure references. In spite of everything, the movie directed by David Lowery “Skeleton Crew” Episode 3 Went Deep Into The Tribute Bag referencing Disney’s “Sword within the Stone”, amongst different issues.

Fortuitously, none of those homages take away from the episode itself, which is a reliably entertaining watch that reveals entire new sides of the children’ dwelling planet, in addition to SM-33 and Neel. If this development continues, recognizing different loving tributes within the collection’ remaining episodes ought to make for a enjoyable aspect quest for viewers.

New episodes of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” launch Tuesdays at 6 p.m. PST on Disney+.