Andor

I have to say that I was really looking forward to Andor ever since I first heard about it. Then when I saw the trailers I got even more excited. I just finished watching it and it not only met my expectations but even surpassed them. It actually might be the best Star Wars series so far, or at least right there with The Mandalorian. The entire cast is great but Diego Luna is obviously the real star here. He is just fantastic as the lead. This may start a little slow but stick with it because it picks up in a hurry and the next thing you know you're completely hooked. It's already been renewed for a second season so I can't wait until next season and more of Andor!

Seeing all the other series, Andor provides a fresh breath into a franchise that's ultimately does nothing but reuses its own ideas.

Even in Mandalorian with the fan-service baby Yoda, the planets/locations which we've seen and known from before, plot armor of the main hero, linkage to the established characters... The quality of Andor is a full head above.

Or take Obi-Wan, that is a remarkable impotency of story writing and directing, having no reasons to exist but to exploit the fan base.

Since Rogue One, we see another successful try to make a "realism" show instead of arcade.

Creative script, good acting, dynamic development. It's great when quality and creativity wins over safe-betting and prioritizing fan-service for the sake of extra cash grab.

I just hope Disney doesn't spoil the series. But knowing the company, I won't be surprised. Still, so far Season 1 is extraordinary good and is exciting completely irrelevant of any other SW lore.

I was amazed by this perfectly composed show. It has some utterly interesting characters. This series proved that this franchise is not just about swinging lightsabers, and there is more where this came from. It may be the finest product in the turmoil of today's catastrophic film productions. It has also some deep political meaning that I, as a Hungarian, can see through and makes me wonder to stand up for a better future. I hope disney considers shows like Andor, and I hope this kind of attitude will be as continuous as a knife sliding through toast.

I can only hope, with my opinion, I contributed to a better state of the film industry as this show has probably achieved already.

Remember how amongst the lightweight drivel, uninventive fan-servicing, and confused plotting/character arcs of the last batch of Star Wars films Rogue One shone like a beacon of decent filmmaking? Well three episodes in and it looks like Andor is doing exactly the same thing for the Star Wars TV series. Unburdened by the need to placate nostalgic adult-kids that grew up with the original films (or even the poor souls that grew up with the prequel trilogy and so have a nostalgic fondness for those), or the need to pass under the scrutinous eye of the studious geeks who "know" how the Force and hyperdrives work (as though they're real things) - Andor is free to 'simply' build interesting characters, plots, storylines and visuals to give us the dramatic framework for what is shaping up to be just a damn good story and adventure.

Sadly, like Rogue One, it also stands - by example - as a reminder of what could have been. Of what a terrible wasted opportunity the rest of this latest run of Star Wars output has been (with just the occasional, infuriating glimmer of quality thinly veined through Obi-Wan and The Mandalorian).

Here's hoping the rest of this series manages to capitalise on this great start, and leaves us with at least one more properly good piece of work in this third age of Star Wars.

Wow. I just finished episode 12 of the first season of this show. As a lifelong Star Wars fan, I feel like I'm about 12 years old again. To me, the thing about the Star Wars universe that fascinated me was never the jedi, or the mysticism, or the lightsabers. All that was cool, but to me, the fascination was for the struggle. The underdog vs the world. The fight against oppression. From the original series, Wedge was my favorite character- just a regular guy doing his part.

Return of the Jedi was always my favorite, despite its flaws. The reason was the epic battle sequence at the end. Unlike basically every piece of star wars media since, ROTJ's battle focused extensively on regular 'people'. This is what the Ewoks represented- an oppressed civilisation. It's a little hokey in practice, but the message was the important thing. Likewise, the space battle was all regular pilots doing their best to survive a last-ditch battle. Green Leader going out of control and kamikazi-ing the super star destroyer, Wedge and Lando shooting out the reactor. Again, these were regular people doing their bit to fight the empire. The Rebel Alliance is built on THEIR backs, not those of some space wizard (all respect to Luke).

To me, Star Wars media lost sight of that until Rogue One. Here, they continue (or start) the tradition by focusing on Andor.

Let's be clear, Cassian Andor is not really the protagonist here. The Rebel Alliance is, and Cassian is the perspective through which we are seeing it, as a regular guy down on his luck finding his way in the galaxy despite a world of harshness thrown at him. Likewise, we see it from the perspective of its architects, Mon Mothma, a politician doing it 'straight', and Luthen Rael, a spy/terrorist playing the deeper, more violent game. We also see the Empire as the antagonist, through the eyes of those who wish for order, like Syril Karn, and a promising and talented ISB agent, Dedra Meero.

There are no jedi or lightsabers here, and surprisingly few battles and pew-pews. Almost no jokes, and (amazingly) no "I have a bad feeling about this."

What we get instead, and what I have needed from this franchise for a very long time, is incredible acting. Unbelievably good writing, and fantastic attention to detail. This is one of the most well-made shows I've ever seen. Every character's action, good or bad, makes sense here. This is Star Wars, the Real Drama, where I can simultaneously understand the perspective of a Rebel and an Imperial. I may not agree with one, or even both, of them, but I understand them.... I might even sympathise with them. It is like The Wire in the star wars universe. It really is THAT good.

I have no notes for this. There is nothing I can imagine that would make it better. It may not be for kids or for everyone. It is slow. It has relatively little action and no humor. But- if you enjoy suspense, and tension, in a Hitchcockian way.... you MUST watch this. If you're a star wars fan who enjoyed the series for those regular men and women in the background, then again, you must watch this. If you are a fan of revolutionary or antifascist history, you must watch this.

I cannot wait for Season 2.

OK- it's 7 May 2025. I've come back to make a slight edit after watching episodes 1-9.

All I can say is... I wish there would be a Season 3. I think Season 2 is forced to be just a *little* clunky in the way it skips years between three-episode arcs... but my god is that a minor critique. The acting. The writing. The production value, set design, costumes... I do not know if it is possible to make a show that is as incredibly high-quality as this.

If you aren't watching this... just watch it.

If you don't enjoy the absolute tension and drama... well downvote me because we're just not on the same wavelength.

I wish all Star Wars... hell all media.. was this good.