It’s taking a while to get through Andor. I’ve watched through the penultimate episode, and it’s been a slow burn so far. I don’t even know if I can recommend it. It’s definitely some good writing, but there’s nothing to pull you in to the next episode, and I found I could just stop and walk away when the credits rolled. It’s not as binge-able as the Mandalorian where you think, “Oh, I’ll just watch one more.” But there’s a lot of nuance to pick up in Andor with interesting interplays between motivations and character interplay. It’s also very bleak as a espionage/spy take on Star Wars with a darker tone, given that the character of Cassian Andor in Rogue One says that he’s done many things he regrets. There’s definitely a lot less good-versus-evil in the story; more like a gray-versus-evil. My writer brain loves complex interactions and dialogue, the Star Wars fanboy brain just wishes they’d get on with the story and blow more shit up.
And it’s fun seeing the character cameos from Rogue One interacting with each other once again and foreshadowing the movie’s events. I guess the big question I have is what is this series doing for the larger Star Wars brand? Are they trying to create a more dramatic, adult-oriented show for us aging fanboys and fangirls? Are they succeeding?
So if you haven’t watched already, I recommend watching it only if you want a thinking piece or if you enjoy stories that take a while to unfold. There are a lot more questions asked than answered in this series, perhaps pointing to a season 2 story arc and beyond. What do you think? Please drop me a line and let me know what you think.
