Star Wars (Original Trilogy): It’s Pretty Much Required Viewing

adventure, fantasy, sci-fi

Review by Brandon Talks Movies on Dec 06, 2025

Do, or do not. There is no try.

Star Wars is so famous that it needs no real introduction. I was hesitant to put it on my list at all, because what else could I say about Star Wars? There are bigger fans and better critics that have written much about the films and their cultural impact. I really like the Star Wars world, so I decided that my list would be incomplete without it. This will not be a complete analysis of the plot, or an essay on its cultural significance; it’s an overview, for curious fans or people who haven’t gotten into Star Wars yet.

Even if you’re not into science-fiction, Star Wars has become such a large part of pop culture that it’s worth watching purely for the cultural references. You probably know all of the spoilers at this point, and filmmaking has come a long way in the last 50 years, but there’s still something magical about the original trilogy that captivates today.

There’s much debate among science-fiction fans on whether Star Wars is true science-fiction. In terms of science and narrative structure, it’s closer to a fantasy series. The original trilogy is a classic hero’s journey, and it works best when you don’t think about details like how hyper space works or how they’re breathing on an asteroid. They’re not “thinking” films, like many other classic sci-fi films; they’re “feeling” films that are emotionally satisfying, but not particularly thought-provoking. That’s not a comment on their quality—they’re very good—but if you’re expecting something like Forbidden Planet, you’ll be disappointed.

Should I watch the Star Wars original trilogy?

Yes. It’s culturally relevant, and inspired many other pieces of media for decades to come. Don’t be intimidated by the amount of Star Wars media available—you can just watch the original trilogy. If you don’t like it, you still get most of the cultural impact of the series.

If you like it and want to watch more, here are some tips.

Do I need to watch Star Wars in order?

Short answer: no.

Star Wars has expanded into numerous movies, shows, books, and video games, so it’s hard to remember the time when all we had was three movies. There were some unofficial novels released in the 90s, but, for the most part, that period of the original trilogy standing alone lasted about twenty years until the prequel films started releasing.

It can be intimidating to approach the Star Wars world now, with many strong opinions on how it should be watched and what you need to know, but watching the original trilogy before deciding whether to dive in is a perfectly valid way of watching. After all, that’s how the fans who grew up with the franchise watched it.

If you decide to watch more Star Wars later, don’t let the purists discourage you: you’re free to watch it in any order you want. There’s a strong continuity in the series, such as Princess Leia mentioning that Obi Wan Kenobi served with her father in the Clone Wars, and that little detail becoming a whole series, but there’s little to be gained from obsessing over how you watch it.

After the original trilogy, what else should I watch?

Here’s a run-down on some of the major movies and shows:

Prequel Trilogy - For most of us older fans, this is the next thing we watched after the original trilogy. Rather than a hero’s journey, this is the story of a fall—both a hero and a society become prideful, and a growing threat exploits their overconfidence. There are great things about the prequel trilogy, but there are also some cringe-worthy characters and conversations that don’t stand up to the original (largely because Carrie Fisher wasn’t re-writing scenes). For a complete Star Wars experience, this is the first thing you should watch after the original trilogy.
The Clone Wars - What started as a kid’s show expanded into some fascinating lore, characters, and stories. This series canonically takes place in-between the second and third movie, and the end of the series leads into the events of the third movie brilliantly. The series simultaneously shows the rise and fall of different characters. It’s complex, and the story goes to some unexpected places, redeeming some villains and villainizing some heroes. The series was originally made for kids, and has a lot of jokes and filler episodes that reflect this. While I cannot officially recommend fan edits that edit the series to make it more watchable for adults, they exist.
Rebels - This is another kid’s show that turned into a great piece of Star Wars history. It takes place a few years before the original trilogy and bridges the gap between The Clone Wars and the original Star Wars movie. This is a true underdog story, with a small band of rebels growing into something much more powerful. Like The Clone Wars, there are many scenes and jokes made to appeal to kids. The story and characters are worth the trouble. I also cannot officially recommend fan edits made for adult viewers, but they exist.
Andor and Rogue One - This series and movie take place right before the original trilogy, with the final minutes of Rogue One leading right into the first few minutes of Star Wars. This may seem like a small and insignificant part of the Star Wars timeline, but it’s some of the best-written Star Wars media available. It’s also unique for focusing on regular characters who don’t use the Force, making it a fun watch if you’re looking for something different. The story is about regular characters facing impossible odds because they know it’s the right cause, even if it means their death.
The Mandalorian - This is based pretty heavily on old Westerns like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, so if the idea of a space Western sounds fun, you’re going to like this one. It continues a lot of the plotlines from The Clone Wars, making it a fun watch if you’re wanting to see more of that.
Ahsoka - Ahsoka was one of the main characters in The Clone Wars who also played a major role in Rebels, but since those were made after the original trilogy, she doesn’t appear in those films at all. Her series shows what’s been happening to her, and has a lot of throwbacks to Rebels as well.
Sequel Trilogy - This series of movies released recently and serves as a great follow-up to the original trilogy. Many of the characters from the original trilogy, now much older, appear, and we get a fond farewell, as well as an introduction to new characters. Much like the prequel trilogy, there are some great parts of this trilogy, and some parts that didn’t work well. If you want a continuation of the original trilogy, though, this is your best bet.

There are other series and movies, and books and video games are out of the scope of this site, but these are a great place to start.

Academy Awards - Star Wars: A New Hope

Winner: Best Art Direction – Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score (John Williams), Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Special Achievement Award – Ben Burtt (for Sound Effects Creation)

Nominee: Best Picture, Best Director (George Lucas), Best Supporting Actor (Alec Guinness), Best Original Screenplay (George Lucas)

Academy Awards - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Winner: Best Sound, Special Achievement Award – Visual Effects

Nominee: Best Art Direction – Set Decoration

Academy Awards - Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi

Winner: Special Achievement Award - Visual Effects

Nominee: Best Art Direction – Set Decoration, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Original Score (John Williams)

Runtime: varies
Director: George Lucas
Year: 1977-1983
Genres: adventure, fantasy, sci-fi
Rating: PG

About Brandon

My name is Brandon, and I love movies. Not bad ones, though—just the good ones. I’m curating and reviewing a list of classic, essential-viewing, or just plain good movies from all decades, and I've been reviewing them since 2016. I also co-host Peculiar Picture Show, a podcast about movies and mental health and write about Dungeons & Dragons options, builds, and optimization.