Obi-Wan Kenobi Part IV Review: 4 Ups & 6 Downs
5. It's Far Too Short
At only 37 minutes long, Part IV is the shortest episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi yet, an important statistic when you consider how many of its aforementioned flaws could have been avoided had the episode been twenty minutes longer.
Because it's so short, everything that happens feels uncomfortably forced together, from the fleeting appearance of an enraged Darth Vader, Reva's interrogation of Leia, Obi-Wan's mission to keep everyone alive, and Tala's undercover ploy to keep Obi-Wan on the right path.
Each of Part IV's ingredients hint at a much more affecting, richer episode, but its promise is constantly brushed over and unrealised. There's no striking character development for Obi-Wan, because he's buried by action, and there's no insight into what's making Reva tick.
All told, Part IV is an entertaining affair, but one that has no interest in challenging its characters, narrative, or audience. It's all simply there, on the screen, to be watched and easily forgotten. That aside, there are some positives lurking within its flaws.