Ahsoka's Disney+ Release Strategy Is Breaking With Tradition, And Star Wars Fans Couldn't Be Happier

The next Star Wars TV show is almost upon us, with Ahsoka finally pointing the spotlight on Rosario Dawson’s live-action version of the character following her appearances in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. The show will also be a must-watch for Star Wars Rebels fans by bringing back characters like Hera, Sabine, Ezra and Grand Admiral Thrawn, although one can still follow along with the show without having seen that animated series. Now there’s an extra bit of good news concerning Ahsoka, as its Disney+ debut strategy is breaking with tradition in a way that has fans incredibly excited.

New episodes of Disney+ shows traditionally premiere at midnight PST/ 3 am EST on their allotted day. So while people on the West Coast can tune in right away if they’re willing to stay up past the beginning of a new day, East Coast denizens would need to be awake in the middle of night in order to immediately watch. Not so with Ahsoka, as it was officially announced that start with the two-episode premiere, all of this Star Wars show’s episodes will drop to Disney+ subscribers Tuesdays at 6 pm PT/9 pm ET. This launched a wave of excitement from people glad not to have to stay up as late to see each new Ahsoka installment as soon as possible, such as @UpToTASK:

Until today, the plan had been for Ahsoka to premiere Wednesday, August 22 at the normal 12 pm PT/3 am ET time, but now that’s been scrapped. Instead, it’s been moved back three hours, and while this certainly isn’t the first time that a Star Wars show’s premiere on Disney+ has happened earlier than expected, it is refreshing that the time slot change is sticking across all of the show’s run. Here’s what @LaurenGallaway said about this programming decision:

So for the next seven weeks, East Coast people will be able to enjoy new Ahsoka episodes during the primetime period, and West Coast people can tune in around the time they’re sitting down for dinner or just getting off work. As @AshCrossan put it:

But it isn’t just Star Wars fans in the United States who are benefitting from Ahsoka’s new premiere time. As @ethans_N_and_R pointed out, this also benefits people in the United Kingdom, because while the episodes will now be dropping at 2 am in that region, at least UK fans will now be able to watch them when they wake up in the morning if they so choose rather than contend with them arriving just as the work day is beginning:

There’s also the possibility that this could set a new precedent for Disney+. @daavidthompson is hoping this strategy is adopted not just for future Star Wars shows, but also Marvel Cinematic Universe ones too, such as the forthcoming Loki Season 2:

If that does end up happening, we’ll let you know. Until then, along with Rosario Dawson, Ahsoka’s cast also includes Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstrad, Ewan Esfandi, Lars Mikkelsen, Ivanna Sakhano, Diana Lee Iosanto and the late Ray Stevenson, among others. So far early critical reception to Ahsoka has been largely positive, though at this time, it’s unclear if the show will be a one season affair or if it will return for Season 2. For those who haven’t seen Star Wars: The Clone Wars and/or Star Wars Rebels, be sure to read over the key facts to know about Ahsoka Tano from live-action and animation before tuning in to her new series.

Keep visiting CinemaBlend for more coverage on Ahsoka, as well as news concerning other upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows. The 2023 TV schedule is also available for perusal if you’re looking for other things to watch.