Star Wars: Andor

[Dioltach]

I'd argue that Andor is actually more Star Wars than the sequel trilogy, which feel like a cheap ripoff of the OT.

 

[Vael]

After the toxic discourse around TLJ and how much TROS bummed me out ... I didn't want to be a Star Wars fan anymore, didn't care to engage with it anymore. And while the Mandalorian was cute, it didn't draw me in the way Andor has. Between some killer acting, great world building, Andor has me. I'm both eager for the season finale and kinda dreading the wait after for S2.

 

[billd91]

Andor is tonally different from the original trilogy, sure. But the movies involved a full-fledged Rebel Alliance on the ascent with sophisticated military hardware and organization as well as personnel. It was nice, fat sausage.
Now, we’re watching those sausages being made. We’re watching the work that was invested to get to the original trilogy’s tone.
And it’s a great Star Wars show.

I also keep in mind that Star Wars has and can support a variety of tones. We see that in the original movies too.

 

[pukunui]

I’ve been binge re-watching Rebels. There’s an episode in season 3 where they watch a recording of Mon Mothma speaking out against the Emperor. Later that episode, they end up helping Mon escape. I wonder if Andor s2 will show us more of that event in live action.

Also, I feel like Saw Gerrera is mostly wasted in live action. He just stands around and talks. Whereas in the cartoons and Jedi: Fallen Order (where he is still voiced by Forest Whitaker), he gets to be a man of action. He also comes across as less crazy (but still unscrupulous).

Even Two-Tubes gets a speaking part in Rebels instead of just standing around not saying anything.

 

[Zaukrie]

Absolutely my thought too (see my "toy commercial" comment earlier).

When doing something that looks like Star Wars pulls you out of the show, as this did, it makes me think it should never had been a Star Wars show in the first place. It feels more like Blake's Seven to me (aside from the spaceships with frikkin lightsabres).

It didn't pull anyone I know out of the show. I don't think everyone agrees on this....

 

[Dire Bare]

It didn't pull anyone I know out of the show. I don't think everyone agrees on this....

I found it mildly jarring . . . the scenes with the natives on the prison planet . . . but mostly because the aliens were so hard to understand, and the effects made them look very stiff, obviously dudes-in-suits. But it didn't kill my enjoyment of this amazing series on any level.

The aliens we've seen in other scenes, like when Luthen visits Saw's rebel cell, fit totally in the narrative seemlessly for me. And since nobody is talking about those scenes, I think it's a case of less-than-stellar effects rather than tonal shifts with the big aliens on the prison planet.

 

[MarkB]

I found it mildly jarring . . . the scenes with the natives on the prison planet . . . but mostly because the aliens were so hard to understand, and the effects made them look very stiff, obviously dudes-in-suits. But it didn't kill my enjoyment of this amazing series on any level.

The aliens we've seen in other scenes, like when Luthen visits Saw's rebel cell, fit totally in the narrative seemlessly for me. And since nobody is talking about those scenes, I think it's a case of less-than-stellar effects rather than tonal shifts with the big aliens on the prison planet.

I don't think that's the scene people are referring to as being jarring. I think it's Luthen's escape from the Imperial patrol in his tricked-out transport ship.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I don't think that's the scene people are referring to as being jarring. I think it's Luthen's escape from the Imperial patrol in his tricked-out transport ship.

Indeed. A lightsabre wielding spaceship seems very juvenile for an otherwise adult focused show.

I have nothing against juvenile, it's the sudden switch that jarred.

 

[Dire Bare]

I don't think that's the scene people are referring to as being jarring. I think it's Luthen's escape from the Imperial patrol in his tricked-out transport ship.

Eh, I didn't find that jarring at all. Luthen is a wealthy bad-ass, of course he has a ship with all sorts of tricks.

 

[MarkB]

But no, crew of 2000+. Utterly ridiculous size for its weapons load out. And for some reason, carries two full wings of tie-fighters which are specialized interceptor/escort craft that while they are serviceable against other snub fighters, really lack the firepower to seriously hamper larger vessels of the sort pirates would operate. and aren't useful for boarding actions.

So, one fun fact that I only picked up from a Youtube video today - that twin-hulled TIE that's launched to pursue the Haulcraft isn't actually a TIE Bomber (you can tell by the lack of underslung warhead launcher). It's a rarely-seen TIE Boarding Craft, its secondary hull carrying a boarding team rather than munitions.