Star Wars is in such a state that a prequel show about a forgettable side character was better than a show about Obi Wan Kenobi

I love how Andor focuses on how absolutely crushing institutions can feel. "They're choking us so slowly we're beginning not to notice." One of the best lines in any Star Wars ever.

I would disagree that Andor has an identity politics agenda. There are female characters that are pulling the strings, yes, but also male characters that are pulling the strings, and I have the feeling that no character is regarded based on their gender or race. They're characters that are fully well-written and realized, with depth and nuance and both strengths and limitations, regardless of their demographic.

One thing I always wondered in Star Wars is "why are we afraid of these guys? They're clearly incompetent", when little teddy bear things can kill an armoured soldier by hitting him with a stick. Andor at least makes the Empire feel competent, and they're not outright evil: you see the 'bad guys' being motivated by justice, or getting scared in firefights, which builds a degree of empathy for them, while the in-fighting and realpolitik ruthlessness of the rebels makes them feel so much more like a real rebel movement.

Let's be honest, one can't blame the audience for being jaded and just plain uninterested in anything Star Wars these days.

That line about "the off chance the audience looks up from their phone" is so painfully accurate. Every time I watch a movie with somebody, be it my girlfriend or family, they're dicking around on their phone the whole time. Since when did everyone having crippling ADD?

Deep characters ✅ Entertaining stories and arcs ✅ Clever writing ✅ Interesting themes ✅ Multiple plots that weave ✅ A mature approach ✅ Andor is a god damn masterpiece

This show was amazing. There were no fanservice cameos, Saw Guerrera and Mon Mothma had purpose and were there for a reason. The Ferrix riot in the end was meaningful and full of tension. Nemik’s manifesto was a beautiful overture to rebellion with a great message. Re-watching Rogue One after Andor was so satisfying, knowing Cassian’s backstory. It’s the best out of Disney Star Wars so far. Also, I know some people think of it as “boring” or “slow” because there weren’t any lightsaber duels or Jedi/Sith moments, but they’re exactly the type of people Disney SW has pandered to in Kenobi and even the Mandalorian. I’m hoping Disney listens to reviewers like you instead of those people. We need quality Star Wars content.

Welp, I thought I would never say this, but well done Disney. Andor was not a money grab, it was a work of passion, you can tell that time and care was taken when creating this show, and everyone did their part. We need more people like that, people who actually care about what they are doing.👍

I'd argue the "bored vs depressing" expression Diego Luna carries is exactly how your average Imperial citizen would feel 99% of the time. This Andor is still pretty much just the average Joe trying to get out of a bad situation during the season.

Andor made me actually reflect on real life after finishing it. That's when you know it's a great show.

Diego Luna is a good actor. The script makes him more serious than the other characters. He is a tired rebel who has seen many deaths and tragedy in his life. He has PTSD, as is seen when he recalls the various tragedies in his life throughout the series. It's no wonder why he is the way he is.

Tony Gilroy is one of those people who realised that ever since 77 almost 2 generations grew up with Star Wars and they deserved to finally get a show that treats them as adults. This is what basicly happened here.

The prison arc in particular was amazing. The tension was palpable, the twist hit hard, and Andy Serkis absolutely stole the show. The show had a really slow start, but once it got going… oh man, it was good

Andor completely took me by surprise I can’t say enough how good and emotional this show is

That prison escape scene was so engaging and thrilling, no off the world mind games but a grounded one, loved it

It turns out that when you hire a competent, experienced and talented screenwriter, you can get a good show out seemingly nothing.

Andor is the ONLY one of these Disney+ plus shows they've done where after an episode is over I felt excited to watch the next one.

A Star Wars series that's mature, deep, complex, riveting and meaningful? Now that's shocking. More please!

Hot take- Andor is the best Star Wars project since the original trilogy. Judging it as purely objective. Just accounting for the acting, story, dialogue, and character development, it's amazing.

Luthen’s “What have I sacrificed?” monologue is the “To be or not to be” of Star Wars. I’ve listened to it several times now

I have never been emotionally moved by a Star Wars product until Maarva's funeral and the resulting battle. Writers and directors did a great job building the sense of oppression, struggle and sacrifice.

The writing on this show is extraordinary and the acting is all top notch. Luna, Skarsgaard, O'Reilley and Serkis are all Emmy worthy but there is not a weak link in the cast. No one is over-acting or being comedically evil. They're all well-written characters performed flawlessly.

Andor’s pacing is perfect. Deliberate is a good thing. We’ve become so desensitized to everything due to immediate gratification through new media and tech

The thing that really impressed me about the show was how it treated the audience as adults. When the riot happened in the final episode, I said out loud in an empty room "the empire better just open up on these people" ... And they did. It was so refreshing to see an enemy that was ruthless and effective. It makes you fear for the good guys and feel bad when some of them die tragically. As Plinkett said all those years ago: If the enemy is no threat, then there is no tension. And if there is no tension, there is no drama.

Imma have the opposite take on Deigo's "subdued" acting. "blown around by the wind" and "things just happen around him" is the entire point of this season. As a boy on his home planet: a republic ship crashes in the middle of his jungle. As a youth: went to juvie, where everything is schedule and determined by guards and wardens. As a brother seeking his sister: he accidently kills one guard and is forced to murder another As a black market dealer: where things quickly spiral out of his control and he's caught between two forces As a merc' : where the plan goes sideways and he is chased by both the rebellion and the empire As a prisoner (see above) Stuff happens to him, because he's not a "chosen one" or a space-wizard, he's a normal morally grey dude who is forced into a binary choice: Fight or Flight.

How the hell can he belittle Luna's performance after seeing the prison arc. His back and forths with Serkis coupled with the sheer energy and tension during the breakout were incredible, and just his expression alone in the final shot of the season served as the perfect resolution to his arc.

In fact, Andor would be a show I'd watch a second time through. It was shockingly good. Wasn't bored for a minute of runtime.

Was looking for a special mention for Skarsgaard. Luthen is such a well-written character and that speech with Lonny in Episode 10 gave me goosebumps. Skarsgaard's acting and his screen presence is just incredible. He commands respect and attention in every scene he is in.

Luthen was such a badass in the show, always 9 steps ahead of everyone and willing to do what’s necessary, even if it means sacrificing his allies. Not to mention he basically flies the Star Wars equivalent of the Aston Martin. Easily one of the coolest antiheroes in Star Wars.

I immediately had super low expectations, but it’s super well written. So much so that you want the bad guys to win, AND you want the good guys to win… It’s a roller coaster. An amazing roller coaster. I didn’t really like the character Andor in Rogue One, but boy he sure redeemed himself in this show.

My favorite thing to come out of Disney+. Diego is ok-- he fits in the gritty world-- he does often seem outclassed by those around him-- but overall, I like how he does the character. Andor the man is believable-- he's a good man who will be ruthless if necessary. And wow, he's masculine and not in a toxic way. Since I've cancelled Disney, I will have to wait for Andor's final season to show up on HULU. I guess overall a good thing Andor will have a short lifespan to avoid getting "Mando-ed". This show may find some longer term success like FireFly.

Videos like this prove that Drinker will celebrate quality story-writing even when it comes from a source with which he does not politically align. It’s called “integrity” and mainstream critics would do well to develop some of their own.

It actually makes sense how Cass is sort of passive in the first few arcs. He's not fully into the rebel cause yet, and he's learning why he has to be. When he's imprisoned, he actually does something, he motivates Kino for the breakout, he decides to rescue Bix, he sticks for his community. Edit: BUT Andor's actions at the very beginning killing those corpos set everything in motion.

It almost makes me angry how good Andor is. I wanted to be completely done with Star Wars, salt the earth and never look back. Then they made this.

As one of my sons noted, Star Wars Andor is the only series in the franchise that gives you a real glimpse into WHY the Empire is evil. Almost a step above the original trilogy in that respect.

Luthen Rael: "I'm condemned to use the tools of my enemy to defeat them. I burn my decency for someone else's future. I burn my life to make a sunrise that I know I'll never see. And the ego that started this fight will never have a mirror or an audience or the light of gratitude. So what do I sacrifice? *EVERYTHING!!!"*

One of my favorite scenes was when Dedra tried to fight the raging crowd wanting to murder her but gets overwhelmed and is shaken by the whole ordeal after being saved by Syril. Makes you realize even more that while those who worked for the Empire may be on the wrong side, at the end of the day, they’re still very much people.

Andor was absolutely brilliant. Other than Rogue One it's the first modern Star Wars I've liked. Absolutely stunning piece of sci-fi. I too was expecting Bix to develop super powers and beat up all the guards, I was very pleasantly surprised that she was no stronger than I'd have been, realistic good writing and acting.

It's not a big light saber duel/using the force show, and thus most fanboys HATED it. It didn't get much of an audience. It was too "adult" for most Star Wars fans and most folks who have a Disney+ subscription. Pearls before swine. It was the best Star Wars property since the original movies IMHO. The best series EVER on Disney+ full stop. It wasn't all shot on the volume set, it did some actual world building and characters that felt real. It was brilliant.

I know I was genuinely shocked when the woman who was tortured and beaten was saved by the male character. If this was written by the other folks at Disney she would have saved herself and andor from prison.

Stormtroopers don't even fire a blaster until the last episode, yet the Empire feels the most dangerous it's ever been portrayed in the last 20 years of Star Wars media. They are an ever present ticking clock, pressing down on the protagonists from every angle until there's no choice left but to stand up and fight.

Quality of writing thing I noticed: the characters were written so consistently well faceted and not as a matter of token identity politics that you could switch the actors’ gender or ethnicity around to really anything and it wouldn’t really matter; they’re interesting people with human concerns. If the lesbian couple was swapped to an Asian male actor and a black woman, their story would be exactly the same and relatable. They’re lovers that have to set aside their relationship for a greater good because one of them is traumatized from the Empire killing their whole family and needs vengeance. Even Mon Mothma! A politician who is trying to do the right thing while trapped in the gilded halls of power finding out they must sacrifice their own high minded moral compass and family to facilitate a cause which must play dirty to be effective. It works. None of the characters are defined by the same social struggles we’d assign from our contemporary society. It’s just good writing

While most of the other shows feel like they're just trying to capitalise on a popular character by telling a story that nobody had an idea for, Andor feels more like an actual pitch, it's a story someone actually WANTED to tell and that passion shows in the final result. I didn't have a problem with the pacing, I thought it effectively built the tension before the various bigger moments and is a refreshing change from the constant mindless bombastic moments of most other recent projects. I particularly liked the almost serialised arcs with their establishment, build-up, payoff style, it gives you a proper chance to not only get to know the various characters but to even introduce them late in the series and still develop them effectively. Makes me really wish they'd bring it back to Doctor Who.

This show was so amazing accurate that stormtroopers actually had good aiming and felt like a threat.

The fact that i thought multiple episodes were the season finale and had to look up how many episodes there actually were is what made me realize just how good the show is. It’s one of those shows that I’m genuinely excited to watch the next part.

Tony Gilroy focused on writing a story while keeping world and character building in mind, not to force fanservice and a franchise on the viewer. Andor could've been an independent original story and it still would be awesome.

Both my daughter and I, fresh from suffering through two episodes of She Hulk, were so impressed by the quality of the writing and the confidence of the storytelling. Star Wars is a treasure trove but it needs to be mined with care and dignity. Andor is an example of respectul engagement with a beloved universe. Your review, as always, nails it.

Luthen's confession, Andy Serkis monologue and the rebels' manifesto were awesome in their own right. Not to mention a few tricks. The orchestra at the beginning of the show getting bigger at each episode, reflecting the resistance starting to build up ... there are quite a few things to enjoy.

It´s about time we have a Star Wars show made for grown ups.

One of the greatest things about the show is the exposition. It's subtle, and not plainly explained in a conversation. It's shown to the audience, and implied.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand here we are. Yes, im looking at you Ahsoka. What a ride of lows, going lower, hitting the bottom, going up, and now we go down again!!! fun fun fun.....

Honestly one of my favorite things about this show is that the empire is actually, ya know, competent. You actually believe that this faction could really take over the galaxy because they finally feel like a competent, threatening and brutal enemy. It's not like obi Wan where they literally walk into inquisidor headquarters with no trouble whatsoever, they actually have to come up with plans to outsmart the empire because the empire is actually competent with security and as a fighting force

That's what happens when:- 1. You've got good writers that give a crap 2. You've got good actors who give a crap 3. You've got a good production team that gives a crap 4. You've got a studio suitably chastised by events or their own making. Thus meaning they get out of the way and let the capable writing, acting, and production teams do their thing. The question is 'what happens next'?

I LOVED Andor. Had no problem at all with the pace. Lunas performance was great as a Cassian who doesn't REALLY want to be there, but almost has no choice. No problem either with the females in the show, bc they felt believable. Its only a 2 series show, and s02 is already in production, so this will become a classic.

I just finished the show and man, what a treat it was. My wife who doesn't particularly care for thought it was a nice blend of the crown in terms of mon mothma , Blade Runner 2049 in terms of atmosphere with a touch of squid game during the prison episodes

I liked how B2EMO had more personality than the entire cast of the new triology combined.

I wouldn't say Mon Mothma falls into the trope of strong female character at least not in the sense it is presented nowadays. She is established character from the original trilogy but we never got a chance to actually get more insight into her character aside from Star Wars Rebels. I loved that we got to see how much she had to sacrifice to become one of the leaders of the rebel alliance. How scared and unsure she is doing the right thing and that she might get caught yet she keeps pushing forward. Her arc was probably my favourite of the entire show.

I have only begun to watch the series, but I love the Star Wars meets Cyberpunk asthetic. Great casting too. There are heavy hitters from Hollywood, but I even noticed a chap who appeared in Carry On films from back in the day in there too.

Cassian's character provides so much for a writer to work with. Probably the most complex character presented in the Star Wars universe. I would have a field day writing stories for Cassian.

Deep down, I really wanted to "not" like this show but at episode 3, I was hooked. The story, the acting, the sets, the wardrobe, the dialogue was spot on. I still feel dread when I think about Andy Serkis' face when he said he couldn't swim. This is what happens when you have fantastic writing!

This show blew my socks off. I don't mind the slow burn, it really takes its time to develop these characters and I got a real emotional attachment to them. The attention to detail and respect for the lore in this show is second to none. I really hope in time more people give it a chance and it gains the respect it deserves. There is still a glimmer of hope in the Star Wars universe if it's done by the right people.

Andor is outstanding storytelling and character development

I thought it was incredible that I was genuinely invested in the villains as much as the protagonists. And despite the slow pacing, the moment each episode ended I wanted to watch the next one. I love Star Wars in a way that it’s impossible for me to love any other franchise, and I’m glad Andor is bringing it back closer to the art it was intended to be.

Please give the writers, directors, creatives and producers behind this great show some credit by name. I can't imagine the resistance, effort and fighting they must have gone through to get something like this produced at Disney in 2022. They deserve to be known for what they have produced with this incredible show - so they can get the recognition they deserve to be in demand.

I call this the anti-cliche show. Every episode manages to surprise you and it is so cleverly written it feels utmost real.

I was looking forward to the review. I agree with you except for maybe the part about Diego Luna's performance. I thought it was incredible. Like in this giant universe where you have a character on the run literally just trying to survive from moment to moment looking out for himself. His aimless direction, and his stoic but deep and stressed expressions are exactly what I would expect from a character in his position

Martha's speech was one of the best I've ever heard in Star wars. It really conveyed the insidious less of the empire and how needed the rebellion is, that along with her funeral march score was amazing.

One of the things I love about the show is how realistically they play the relationships of the different rebellious groups… Luthen having to play chess with all the different players , knowing he can only trust them so far as where their own interests lie

Agreed. I particularly like how multidimensional both the imperial and rebel sides are portrayed. The imperials aren't just buffoons who can't shoot straight -- they are cunning, ruthless and they actually seem to take pride in their work. And the rebels are have a bad side to them. They are willing to incite the empire to overreact and kill innocent people to further their cause. I love a show that actually makes me pay attention and think.

Skarsgaard was good in a dual role as the ruthless, determined leader of the group and as the flamboyant store owner and friend of the Empire. I do feel like the side characters overshadowed Andor in his own show but like you said at least it didn't try to demean him at any point.

This show had 3 of Star Wars best monologue in the whole series

I heard that they actually played the music in the background of the scenes, so the actors could hear it and helped be further immersed in the story and evoke the right kind of emotions

This show was so good. There were legitimately high stakes in almost every episode and every other episode I was on the edge of my seat. Even small plot threads like Mon Mothma being forced to set her daughter up with the son of a man she detests for the sake of the rebellion/concealing her involvement in it had me in awe at the quality of the writing.

This was my favourite of the new Star Wars stuff - its was brilliant, well scripted, gave so many views and insights into what every interested party might be doing or what they might need to do to track down the rebels. It's so very well written and clever. Glad you reviewed it and agreed!

Andor is more then good - it's fantastic. You have to be a OF "Original Fan" to totally appreciate the 70's sci-fi look and feel. I wish there was a bit of comedy, it's very dark, all the time. The prison is a direct reference to Lucas "THX 1138". Frankly Disney nailed it hard. This time, it's really for the old fans who saw the original trilogy in theater. Thx

I think the best scene in the show is Luthen's monologue to the rebel spy in the ISB about his sacrifice. One of the best performances I've seen in a long time... chills every time I watch it.

I loved andor for the same reason I loved rogue one. The gritty portrayal of the rebel efforts and the fleshing out of why the empire was bad. In the original trilogy, we had the accepted fact that the empire was the bad guy. But these stories really did a lot of work to show the source of the passion behind the rebel cause.

ANDOR was a goddamn masterpiece

I just finished it last week. It was bloody brilliant. One of the best things Disney + has done. Makes all the Marvel stuff look amatuerish by comparison. I think its only issue was pacing and a slow start but its well worth the journey

Brasso using Maarva’s brick made from her ashes to beat imperials to death was a high water mark for the series. The last episode of this series is pretty close to a finale masterpiece. I think it puts all other shows on notice as to properly end a season.

While it is a shame that Andor suffers for the sins of it's predecessors, imagine how even more disappointed we'd have been with Boba Fat and Obi-Wrong if Andor had set the bar first.

Andor unlocked something deep in my brain that I hadn't felt since Rogue One which was my love for Star Wars.

Thank you, Drinker, for letting me know about this show. It was like a bottle of water in the middle of the dessert for me

I have some small issues with Andor, but one thing I think it does better than maybe any piece of Star Wars ever is that it makes the Empire actually scary. For possibly the first time, I was legitimately afraid of the threat the Empire posed when on-screen. It was fantastic and honestly, I want more of that.

Im glad they gave Andy Serkis another shot at the franchise. He is such a wonderful actor and got wasted in the sequels so badly

Andor is a triumph and anyone who says Obi-Wan or Ahsoka are anywhere near its quality and integrity are willfully shooting themselves in the foot

Andor is simply a wonderful Star Wars story told from the ground up experience! Brilliantly done!

The attention to detail in this show is amazing, the lore is really good especially in luthens store.

I had given up on Disney but decided to give Andor a chance since I loved Rogue One. I'm so glad that I did. It's now one of my all time favorite shows period. Tony Gilroy and his team should be put in charge of Star Wars going forward.

I hope, I hope, I hope that season 2 will be as superb and well-written. You know I am a little bit worried because I am remembering just in this moment the first phenomenal season 1 of Westworld.... and then the horrific second season, and I was out then and not even watched another season anymore. Damn... I hope this will be not the case with Andor for the stakes are high now.

Andor was the first series for years that i could actually 'believe' in; and what i mean is, switch off my mind to and not be bombarded with lies and bullshit and agendas. Pure, gritty entertainment

I don't care about how few people have watched it on it's initial release, because this is bound to have "legs" and become more and more popular. The head writer/creator had a clear, two-season long story arc planned, and I'm happy that the second season is already in production.

The acting is incredible! The director really gets the best performances out of the cast, Andy Serkis, Stellan Skarsgård for example: Deep, thoughtful and engaging performances. Can't wait for season 2!

Shit - I need to watch the show again... I've never done that with anything Star Wars, other than the 70s/80s movies...

Since my time playing 94 Tie Fighter, I always wondered how the rebel Alliance could sometimes fight the Imperial Navy as equal “someone must finance them, the Empire should go after their money“ - Indeed Andor is the first show to deal with it.

Had no plans to watch it, was drawn in after the first three episodes, ended up falling in love. I've already rewatched the first season. I really hope Disney realizes that this formula works, even if the viewership is lower than it should be.

I actually gave Andor a shot, because of Rogue One. I kept watching completely perplexed by the fact that Katherine Kennedy's name is in the credits and the show doesn't absolutely suck! One of life's great mysteries.

If only the triolgy was made in this way. This series was excellent, and can't wait for season 2.

I just binge-watched it. It's FANTASTIC! :) [spoilers from noo on ...] The 12 episodes basically revolve around 2 superb set-pieces ... the heist and the prison break. (Both superb) In the original Star Wars movies, there was never enough shown to justify why it was an "evil" empire (apart from manufacturing and using a planet-destroying space station of course!) ... but that prison factory changed all of that - where the table that produces the least amount of spaceship parts gets extreme torture for 30 seconds after 12 hours work ... even if the most elderly prisoner on your table has a heart attack. Looks like an even worse version of Amazon. The main villain that emerges, Denise Gough as the cold-hearted Dedra, she's not twirling her moustache at every opportunity .. she's just a very intelligent, callous, bureaucrat that wants to get ahead - very much along the lines of Moff Tarkin. Which makes the interrogation scene with Bix all-the-more terrifying! (they saved a ton of money with that torture scene ... I didn't want to hear what was in those headphones, and thankfully didn't have to - an extremely cheap, and effective, torture scene to film, a pair of headphones with a red light on it!) I love her jackboots and jodhpurs costume! A true space nazi! It looked like Dedra was about to die at the end of the final episode (boo! noo! I want to see her in season 2!) - but gets saved by her star-struck simp who still gets fed mint coco-pops by his mother every morning (yay!!). The inter-rivalry among the rebels is interesting as well ... nobody is sure what the rebellion is, or should be. But they ALL know that the Empire must be resisted, they're just not sure about how to do it. They remind me of the Judean Peoples' Front - or do I mean the Peoples' Front of Judea? In any event, the lesbian couple spear-heading the effort are no strangers to the situation when forced to assess their relationship: "The cause comes first, and 'we' take what's left ..." Stellen Skaarsgard is amazing, as is Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) The "political intrigue" scenes are some of the best in the whole show. Superb show!