From the looks of the trailers and my opinion of "Rouge One: A Star Wars Story", I was very hyped for this show in particular because I'm a big fan of a realistically gritty view on Star Wars. I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed by this show at all, in fact it elevated my expectations.
"Andor" doesn't rely on excessive fan-service. I won't deny that I don't appreciate my favorite Star Wars characters showing up every once in a while or revisiting a planet we've been on time and time again, but if your story relies on it so heavily that it takes away from the quality of the writing and directing - something is wrong. "Andor" managed to create unique and fresh plots that fit well with the main story and add more depth to it.
The pacing is perfect in my opinion. I've seen people complain about how the show is "boring", but I wholeheartedly disagree. The show takes its time to tell this profound story by paying attention to details and giving the viewer time to breath while at the same time forming this cloud of suspense that you feel rising throughout each episode, as the stakes get higher and the risks get more dangerous. Everything slowly comes together and it feels massive.
Acting wise, this show is a five star. I knew "Stellan Skarsgård" wouldn't disappoint, and well - he didn't. His monologue - as well as "Andy Serkis'" - were amazing pieces of writing acted out by incredible performers. Oddly enough, it feels like "Diego Luna's" performance gets overshadowed sometimes by the many great actors around him. Not saying that he isn't great, but it definitely ain't easy for him.
The characters in this show are so unique and interesting. They're all mysterious in their own way and really do 'have' their 'own way' of doing things. Their personal visions slowly colliding is a delight to watch. A surprise favorite character of mine is "Dedra Meero". I've found myself rooting for her character despite the fact that she's an imperialist and inherently the "villain".
The story and script are pristine. They don't back down from showing the evil nature of beings and how gritty the world is underneath. This truly is a story about all the people that suffer from the consequences of the Empire and the rising Rebellion. The soundtrack is suspenseful and unique, different from the usual Star Wars OST but not a miss at all. The sound design brings me back to the prequels a bit, though I could use just a bit more of the Coruscant ambient sounds.
On location shooting pays off in this show. The grande scale of things is felt throughout each episode. Major locations like Coruscant, Ferrix, Morlana One, ... are beautifully filmed. I wouldn't mind longer shots of Coruscant from the sky like we had in the prequels when we're visiting "Mon Mothma" for example, to truly show off the beauty that looms over the underground.
I have no doubt that the next season(s) won't disappoint if they keep writing the story as they have been for this season. I hope they don't back down from adding small details and steering away from large unnecessary cameos. Thanks the creative script, bold risk taking and immaculate acting, this show receives a 9/10 from me.
"Andor" doesn't rely on excessive fan-service. I won't deny that I don't appreciate my favorite Star Wars characters showing up every once in a while or revisiting a planet we've been on time and time again, but if your story relies on it so heavily that it takes away from the quality of the writing and directing - something is wrong. "Andor" managed to create unique and fresh plots that fit well with the main story and add more depth to it.
The pacing is perfect in my opinion. I've seen people complain about how the show is "boring", but I wholeheartedly disagree. The show takes its time to tell this profound story by paying attention to details and giving the viewer time to breath while at the same time forming this cloud of suspense that you feel rising throughout each episode, as the stakes get higher and the risks get more dangerous. Everything slowly comes together and it feels massive.
Acting wise, this show is a five star. I knew "Stellan Skarsgård" wouldn't disappoint, and well - he didn't. His monologue - as well as "Andy Serkis'" - were amazing pieces of writing acted out by incredible performers. Oddly enough, it feels like "Diego Luna's" performance gets overshadowed sometimes by the many great actors around him. Not saying that he isn't great, but it definitely ain't easy for him.
The characters in this show are so unique and interesting. They're all mysterious in their own way and really do 'have' their 'own way' of doing things. Their personal visions slowly colliding is a delight to watch. A surprise favorite character of mine is "Dedra Meero". I've found myself rooting for her character despite the fact that she's an imperialist and inherently the "villain".
The story and script are pristine. They don't back down from showing the evil nature of beings and how gritty the world is underneath. This truly is a story about all the people that suffer from the consequences of the Empire and the rising Rebellion. The soundtrack is suspenseful and unique, different from the usual Star Wars OST but not a miss at all. The sound design brings me back to the prequels a bit, though I could use just a bit more of the Coruscant ambient sounds.
On location shooting pays off in this show. The grande scale of things is felt throughout each episode. Major locations like Coruscant, Ferrix, Morlana One, ... are beautifully filmed. I wouldn't mind longer shots of Coruscant from the sky like we had in the prequels when we're visiting "Mon Mothma" for example, to truly show off the beauty that looms over the underground.
I have no doubt that the next season(s) won't disappoint if they keep writing the story as they have been for this season. I hope they don't back down from adding small details and steering away from large unnecessary cameos. Thanks the creative script, bold risk taking and immaculate acting, this show receives a 9/10 from me.