The terrific character arcs deserved more time
Despite complaints by some, the series did boast interesting characters. Stenberg was terrific as both Osha and Mae, pulling off the complexity of each and good effects, making them look like different people. The way it left off had the pair effectively swapping places, Osha now going toward the Dark Side while Mae was being pulled back to the light. Seeing that develop in a second year would have been great.
There’s also more exploring of Qimir, what led to his falling to darkness, and how he may have had a point about the Jedi being weaker. Then there’s Vernestra, a woman willing to blame a noble Jedi of murder rather than face the Sith returning, showing some viewpoints that could have made her a compelling Season 2 figure. The series laid the scenes for so much in the character work that could have blossomed further in a second year.
There are mysteries left unsolved
Like many shows ending after one year, The Acolyte leaves a lot open for the future. It’s not just what happens to Osha and Mae. There’s more on Qimir’s past and the Stranger he serves. There’s how Yoda would react to the attempted coverup and its effects on the Jedi. And, of course, there’s the shot of the figure we know as Darth Plagueis (the master to Palpatine) and how he would have played into the storyline. The showrunners had some compelling pieces to play with in Season 2 that are now up in the air.