Andor - The Best Show At The Worst Time
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- čas přidán 29. 11. 2022
- Andor is without doubt the best Star Wars show that Disney have managed to produce. Yeah, that's not exactly a high benchmark, but its something. So it's kind of a shame nobody's bothered to watch it, probably because we've had to endure such absolute garbage to get here.
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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
Gotta kill the past to push new products. Star Wars is dead.
@@ironrex6979 I disagree with you this time..Watch Andor...Obi One was a waste of a character...they could build a better story but the Message came first.
@@ironrex6979 To be fair, The Mandalorian is also about a Disney Star Wars character, but it's barely serviceable villain-of-the-week mediocrity. And Andor is technically more of a legacy character from the past compared to Din.
@@juanpablosaenz9037 they both have the same message lol The idea is to make money without having to pay Lucas Royalties for the Legacy content. It’s a way to phase out the old to push for their new content which is intertwined with the message. Sorry I can’t be more optimistic. I do believe it’s a good Sci Fi but it’s not Star Wars.
@@ltb1345 They’ve already shot themselves on the foot with Mando. That said Mando IS Star Wars. As always you are wrong.
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.
very apt to our time
@@danielbaronne753 just a variation of boiling the frog slowly yall
Reminds me of the Wire.
That would be Lucasfilm under George Lucas. That is how you got the prequels; crushing authority that is telling a story that makes no sense. George then sold his property willingly, and now Disney is trying to get its money back. People think that George would do a better job, except that George cannot even figure out that Han shot Greedo.
I agree.
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.
Yeah I agreed with almost everything in this review, but too many female characters seems like an odd complaint.
Yeah this is by far my biggest complaint with Critical Drinker. Here it feels like he’s complaining for the sake of complaining because some female characters are actually competent and well written in this show, without being ridiculously overpowered.
Yeah, I was with the reviewer until he went on an anti-woke/anti-feminist with no real justification from the show. "Mary Sue" *red flag*
It’s such a weird thing to say about a show where all the characters just feel real
Also the fact that its not like Mon Mothma is a new addition. She was literally first introduced in Rotj. I don't see the problem of adding depth and character to what used to be a backround exposition explainer. Thats not gender politics, thats just expanding the universe
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.
Couldn’t have said it better. The empire was literally the old republic, and somehow everyone is like “whelp, we gotta act evil now!”
They don't care about justice or at least not all of them like Syril, justice is supposed to protect the innocent and avenge them not make them feel helpless or preyed on which is what The Empire is, they prey on ppl who cannot fight back as long as they don't have the money to protect them or the power to avoid getting targeted by them, you see how a Shoretrooper just arrested Cassian for no reason other then simply walking to a store meaning it's all about a power trip for them.
In short ppl in power simply don't believe in justice for innocent ppl, they are selfish and self-centered bastards who only serve themselves and pretend to know what justice even means if it's only convenient for them at the moment. After all to want justice for others means you care about good ppl not being victims and wanting them to live in peace which The Empire never does except for themselves.
@@dewolf123 How much of that did Syril see though? Far as I can tell he’s a crusader who thinks he’s entirely in the right, even though he knows the organisation he works for is corrupt (given his COs attitude), he is trying to do things by the book.
@@tSp289 Yeah he's still as bad as them being corrupt and all but shite in a way at least he tries to value laws and genuinely wants to uphold justice for his fellow enforcements like a real cop would. Hell if he was on the right side I'd dare say he is better than most cops in real life.
Cosmonaut warned us about your kinda yt commenter. You snowflake redditors truly think you are the real underdogs.
Let's be honest, one can't blame the audience for being jaded and just plain uninterested in anything Star Wars these days.
I blame Disney, honestly.
I’m thankful that this show brought back something good and felt like Star Wars.
Best part for me: The Imperials have goddam *faces*! (Also, other personal besides stormtroopers!)
@@chasehedges6775 Well, Disney is to blame since it's their fault, so, yeah.
And yet, Disney does, time and time again. 😒
Or Marvel...
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?
This is one I don't tolerate. If someone is on their phone when I'm trying to watch a movie with them I'll call them out on it first but if they keep doing it I'll stop and go play a video game instead.
Since the invention of the iPhone.
Since we got addicted to our phones.
I feel like Vine and TikTok, with their super quick and short videos, was kind of responsible for this.
Since the inception of garbage portable electronic social devices.
Deep characters ✅
Entertaining stories and arcs ✅
Clever writing ✅
Interesting themes ✅
Multiple plots that weave ✅
A mature approach ✅
Andor is a god damn masterpiece
You forgot the part where he called Saul
I wonder what happens to andor 😐
@@247Jordan3 he succeeded
You forgot the set design....oh the sets!!!
Oh my goodness, I'm so concerned that this won't continue due to them deciding to keep continuing to produce during the writer's strike
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.
Imagine how powerful a lightsaber scene would be in Andor? It would actually be compelling and terrifying.
i agree mostly with you, but the last part, Disney has not been pandered for lightsabers enjoyers. All modern lightsabers fights are boring and fells more like a baseball vs golfclub fight than swordmasters dueling eachother
Every other SW show has focused on lightsaber nerds. This is just damn good sci-fi drama, and the best part was there wasn't a lightsaber in sight.
Maybe it's because I grew up in an era where seasons had 26 episodes and series went on for 7 seasons, but I don't find Andor slow at all.
I found it tediously overhyped quite frankly.
And it's 'fans' a bunch of arrogant self-absorbed snobs.
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.
I see that same expression a lot myself these days. I think it's my natural resting face now.
and it even works towards how personality as well
And dont forget that he didnt ask to be a rebel, he was sort of pulled into that...and you can see how it starts to grow inside him and evolves to a character that is willing to give his life for the rebelion in Rogue One. Luna is doing a great job.
agreed. Also, I think he really did a good job when he was in jail, especially when he got in. You could really see the shock on his face and slow realization of the mess he was in
Bored vs depressing is wut star wars fans are now, 99% of the time😆
It turns out that when you hire a competent, experienced and talented screenwriter, you can get a good show out seemingly nothing.
I was so thrilled seeing Beau Willimon's name in the credits. Makes sense to have the writer for House of Cards to handle the political intrigue plotlines.
Amazing isn’t it. If Hollywood spend a few more dollars on decent wring and a few less on CGI nonsense perhaps it wouldn’t be in the state it’s in.
@@braxxian Exactly. Good writing, solid characters with depth, and not relying on pure nostalgia is what is needed.
@@braxxian The best parts of the show were just pure dialogue. All the Mon Mothma and ISB plotting were so intriguing.
@@MattWeser I completely agree. The dialogue and monologues were exceptional.
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.
You’re absolutely right
He was taken from his native culture into another culture while living under the empire regime, while doing what he gotta do to survive, he’s always living the on the edge, so the character was meant to be portrait as awkward and confused all the time.
Yeah I felt like the drinker misjudged Luna a bit. The way he acted the character makes total sense when you consider his past, and i found his performance as a whole very intense and compelling. Luna himself is also a big Star Wars fan and was passionate about doing the project which is rare in big franchises these days. His criticisms seemed to not really get what the character was about.
@@kiri7678to add to this, even though it's outside of the show, IRL Luna used to skip school to hand out flyers and organize food drives and protests in support of the Zapatista uprising - an actual rebellion, and a situation where main character syndrome could only be bizarre. On top of it working for the character without the out-of-universe stuff, it makes perfect sense that Luna himself wouldn't be bringing an "I'm the most important person in the room" energy to a character who's an upstart rebel, however self-serving he is at first.
I mean, what would he have him do? Have a character with clear trust issues who is in constant danger and using fake identities for the majority of the show telegraph all of his emotions for everyone to see? Diego Luna pulls off micro expressions pretty well, you can usually tell what Cassians thoughts on whatever is going on are, thats not an easy task. He just doesn't do a big flashy performance because Cassian is not the type of character who would express himself that way. That doesnt make the performance bad, nor does it make the character less interesting.
I agree. Cassian/Diego Luna is a haunted man on the edge. Everything he does seems deliberately thought out because he knows it carries the weight of life an death. Just saying.
Andor made me actually reflect on real life after finishing it. That's when you know it's a great show.
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.👍
Too little way too late
You got brain slugs?
Or......, maybe the wokies at Lucasfilm didn't give a damn about it either, as it had no legacy characters to subvert and butcher, like Kenobi. Wokies don't seem to be interested in creating actual original material, they only want to latch on to existing IP's because they know that will get them an audience.
I wouldn't even say well done Disney but well done to the directors and writers and cast that actually made the show. They're the ones who brought the passion and the talent
Way too little, way too late. Soy Wars is dead.
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.
That makes sense. I didn't know he was involved but he always seemed like a smart guy from the interviews he did and projects he'd worked on.
My long running theory of the sequel trilogy is that the ppl that were disappointed by it were never the target audience, i really felt like Disney was just being Disney and thinking they could squeeze out more money by marketing it almost as a kids movie. The trilogy just felt that childish to me… that being said, i only watch a few episodes of Andor but you guys are tempting me to finish it
@@AlfredMorganAllen A shame Star Wars couldn't like The Lord of the Rings where its pretty much perfect. Instead we have to settle for a franchise thats generally a 7 or 8 out of 10 on a good day, with the rare 9 out of 10 near master-piece showing up.
@@AlfredMorganAllen Fair point.
Andor completely took me by surprise
I can’t say enough how good and emotional this show is
Absolutely! My favourite show of last year. Did not expect it to be so good.
A Star Wars series that's mature, deep, complex, riveting and meaningful? Now that's shocking. More please!
If you think this is deep. Than you should probably should watch Schindler's List.
@@Lone432345 seen it many years ago, good show
@@Lone432345 We're talking about sci-fi here, not fantasy.
@@tomigun5180 cope more sissy eunuch
Except it's none of those... 🙄
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
Ye i loved it its exciting the Empire is truly impressive here. And truly evil like never really shown before. Even when they blew up a planet..
For me the heist was the best part by a mile. Especially after it went down, the twist was just a cherry on top
No, the prison arc was overstretched more than it was necessary. It should have been just 3 episodes instead of 4, and they should showed more of this Separatist rebel cell they kept BLABBERING ABOUT but never showed. After the 3rd episode, the whole THX 1138 aesthetic got really old. This show was an overbloated slog.
@@HugoStiglitz88 The heist ? A boring watered down rehash of Rogue One but with lesser stakes and worse characters ? LMFAO
@@HugoStiglitz88 so, you didn't watch episode 10 yet? :)
Also: Happy New Year
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.
Which is why we trust his judgment.
Well said; I agree
He is a bit judgey on IP's before they come to market, though.
I think he's a little too generous if anything. He sucked off Prey so hard his jaw must have been sore; the movie was barely mediocre but watching his review you'd think it was the third best predator film lol.
You know i live Diego Luna
I would like him as The Question from DC
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.
First time some explains why Luke told Obi Wan on IVth why he hates the empire
Actually, I would say “Solo” did that too.
@@andrewmackinnon563 And that was exactly the rebel plan. Anger the empire, make them get extra cruel and harsh to push people into rebellion. A sort of accelerationism. Little did they know that strategy would awake the greatest Jedi in the galaxy.
The very first film did that. Darth Vader thinks Leia is a traitor so he attacks her ship with a warship, breaks in, kills anyone in the way, kills a prisoner taken alive, and takes her to a fortress where he personally tortures her. His troops also kill some farmers because they bought the droids they were looking for.
@@Fronzel41 I think what my son was saying (and I agree) is that the original trilogy did a good job showing that the Empire 'was' evil, but Andor gave us a deep glimpse behind the scenes at the inner workings of it, showing 'how' it bred evil among those it ruled. It was an entirely different (and a much needed world-building type) approach to the story.
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.
I agree
rogue one was pretty good too
@@vsluj3508 yup, andor is prequel to rogue one.
it's easily better than the original trilogy
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.
I’ll let you know when I find one. 😒
Same
same lol
Indeed. Every episode I watched seemed to go by so fast because I was so engaged in the characters and story. That’s the sign of a very good show. When watching that Kenobi nonsense every episode
seemed to take a week to finish.
Same, but at the same time i was also fine with waiting if that makes sense, like each episode was so good to me that it kept me with a slow burn completely satisfied okay with waiting and processing the new one til the next week
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.
That was a Republic ship? It had markings of the Separatists on it.
Well said! I didn’t like the actor in the first two episodes but after that last episode they couldn’t have picked a better guy for the role and much kudos to the writers REALLY pulling off his arc.
I agree. This is a show that took the concept of a somewhat passive protagonist and actually ran with it. We see him gradually growing into the sort of character that will eventually take a stand more and more.
@@WillDreamer what’s interesting is he showed the type of apathy, cynicism and moral ambiguity of a person at the end of an oppressive regime that took a survival of fittest mentality in the first 3 episodes. But in almost every episode you see some catalyst affecting his character. From the heist in seeing people actually fighting to make a difference (and not just self interest), to the kid that was his polar opposite full of the spirit of liberty, ethics and liberty, to the guy that wanted to split the cash with Andor and kill the rest (in effect showing him a mirror of himself if he keeps down that road). To the injustice of his trial and being sent to prison for nothing. To the prison scence where he is forced to work with others for survival (microcosm of the galaxy) and work as a team leaving his loner ways, to his realization that in that prison people will fight if they believe their life will end anyway (self interest and survival of fittest means nothing if everyone dies). Just little gems of his growth and catalysts in the story that get him to the point of the finale and rogue one. Amazing writing.
I'd like to see it in a different way. He's not the chosen one, but we can see real growth of his character. He's becoming more aware, responsible and finally he's willing to sacrafice his life to take part in something bigger than himself. i think thats the real power of this series. Nobody is a space wizard, but anybody can grow into something better.
That prison escape scene was so engaging and thrilling, no off the world mind games but a grounded one, loved it
It also was the most demanding for the suspension of disbelief. That was truly a moronic design for a prison. Prisoners get past 1 door and now they can access the entire facility.
@@Steelrat1994 you would be shocked as to what happened to prisons when they're always understaffed.
Reliance on tech? Check. They carried no weapons because the floor could handle them lethaly if need be, they have guns stored but not always on hand. Something real prisons have trouble with.
Reliance on design? Check. They built it all with 7 in mind to make sure the numbers are odd, and keep the prisoners keeping each other in check (Kino Loy). The facility is also above water and had spinning blades that sucked ir in to power the facility and deter going out that way.
Guys always needed elsewhere? Check. In the first scene introducing Andor to the other inmates they had to postpone because they were down 1 guy.
Most important point, this ain't a prison, this is a slave factory. The Empire can get more criminals to be bound this way, and it would be cheaper than getting other guards and droids and stuff. Not to mention alot of the guys died to two guards up until Andor who is an Imperial deserter and rebel shot them down.
They also head straight to the HQ before the dudes can activate the floors, evwn when they got power back there was nobody there left and since the guards were cowards they had no chance (they were hiding in a closet even when they had guns because they aren't stupid enough to fight 5k criminals with guns).
Actually. Never more than 12 guards on each floor, 7 rooms, 50 dudes per room, 7 floors. That's like a few thousand vs a few hundred. Keep in mind with the floors not sabotaged they could kill an entire floor and kill another inna few seconds.
@@magniwalterbutnotwaltermag1479 it's amazing how much text you typed up to defend the abscence of doors. Not going to read tho.
@@Steelrat1994 They had doors, they had electric floors, they had guns, they didn't have enough people. And they definetly didn't have enough training to handle malfunctions (likely just dudes they pressed into service with how stressed they always are).
And also 5k vs 500 at most, simple. You could skim my comment over, but I guess shows like this won't have its details and worldbuilding appreciated by most. American Police would kill for this architecture. If they aren't already killimg others first.
@@Steelrat1994 bruh
You know it's not "woke" or "feminist" just to have female characters in a show. There's just no satisfying some people, unless the whole cast is male? There were no gender politics in Andor, unlike other shows. I myself get pissed off at times by the cardboard cutout "strong female character" but come on, there's no need to bring up gender every time. Andor was pretty balanced in terms of male and female characters, and the main character was a strong and competent man with a satisfying story arc.
Also Diego Luna's acting was brilliant.
Agreed. It was telling how he cut to Mon Mothma of all people while he was making this "point". Like bro. It's Mon Mothma. She was established as a rebel leader all the way back in A New Hope, apparently featured heavily as incredibly brave and principled in the books (I haven't read them and could be wrong on that) and then was established in ROTS as starting to organize political resistance against the empire from the day of the declaration of the empire. If anything, they made her way more timid than they had to. They frankly could have made her more like Luthen with a conscience and it would be justified, albeit way less compelling.
But nah man women in muh star wars
No gender politics? Did you miss the obligatory pair of scissor-sisters? just can't have a show without them, now, can we?
I think it was inevitable that Andor would be accused of spinning a feminist narrative, given the comments made by the actress that plays the ISB agent.
@@alanlawless7750politics is when women kiss each other. Get real dude who cares. They're not front and center, I hardly noticed.
@@alanlawless7750 go outside
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.
Agreed. He was the glue that made this show incredible. His “greater good/sacrifice” speech at the top of the elevator was epic as an understatement .
Indeed.
Dude Luthen is the best part of the show hands down.
It's really telling when the best part of this overbloated slog is just a watered down mix of two Expanded Universe characters. The whole sophisticated art-loving underworld info broker angle ? Talon Karrde from the Thrawn trilogy. The brutally pragmatic rebel leader at odds with the preachy hippie Mon Mothma ? Garm Bel Iblis.
Space Bootstrap Bill is essentially what Kanan in Rebels was : a decent character who's just a lesser copy of better ones.
Totally agree! He overshadows everyone he is with, and that monologue is great. Serkis too was amazing I think. In the end, I think that the least interesting character was Andor himself.
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.
Best scene in any Star Wars property.
Well said and 100% agreed.
It was a great episode. Clone wars s7 last 4 episodes were very good and emotional, but infortunately they don’t work as stand alones
The prison manager's speech really got to me too
Its still made by people that hate you.
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.
The weirdest thing about Disney is that they have a plethora of shows that could be very easy wins....yet they choose to lose over and over.
People say it’s slow, but some of the quiet conversations enthralled me.
Indeed. Andor is the only Disney Star Wars that I have watched more than once.
I saw the first episode. Since the second half of the episode I stopped being bored. I was asleep.
@doctahwahwee2237 Yeah, I was waiting for insults like this. How very mature of you. There is only one valid opion and it is your opinion.
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.
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.
Thanks for the likes and comments 🙏 DM me I have a surprise package for you 🎁👆..
In Obiwan Vador kill a couple of random people in the village. But I agree Andor was overall much more emotional.
@@alexandrebedard5754 you're right, obi wan had some good moments. Sadly, they were overshadowed by too many bad ones.
@@alexandrebedard5754that sequence with Vader showing up in that village was amazing. So amazing that, in the context of the whole show, it felt like it was from a completely different show directed by a completely different director. If the whole show had that kind of drama and tension it would have been great. But sadly...
@@alexandrebedard5754 Yeah but in that same episode we find out that fire stops him completely, even after he set the fire himself seconds earlier. Then, despite being the one from the prophecy and crazy strong with the force, Kenobi beats him in a Force pissing match. Not exactly scary.
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
Luthen the MVP!
Really was a great moment. I loved the show's entire approach to portraying guerrilla warfare, but Luthen nailed the sense of sacrifice of the shadow man. You can see him as this complex effigy of fear used in both selling the aims and driving fear of the movement.
Stellan and andy killed it... As always
Best speech of the whole season. Amazing acting by Skarsgard
It also really speaks to the true price of what it means to be a rebel. It must be absolutely exhausting to hop between being a rebel who works to undermine the Empire while acting in the daylight like nothing is happening. You can never be who you really are in public or else the Empire will kill you. Luthen is right. You ultimately sacrifice everyone and everything you have in order to fight.
It speaks to how while it's the right thing to do, you still pay a heavy cost for what you give to the cause.
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
Don't expect someone like Critical Drinker to see things that way 🤣
I was just thinking the same, along with the fact that our attention spans have diminished so much due to technology…
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.
The best part about Luthen's genius is that it still takes a toll on him. He isn't some comic book "super-genius" who smugly carries out master-plans with ice flowing through his veins and nary a care. The dude is suffering trying to put in the work necessary to run a legitimate business and a rebellion at the same time.
My favourite moment and for probably many others is that very last scene with first the tension, and then the smile.
His monologue about what he sacrificed was chilling not only in what he said but how he delivered it.. possibly the best part of the show.
There's a theory that he is a former Jedi that survived Order 66. Which explains why he has so many artifacts, as well as the Kyber crystals for his ship's lightsaber units.
Honestly Luthen's speech in One Way Out was fucking incredible like holy shit this was the best moment of Star Wars this year! Then having Rix Road show him his dream and getting a bargain deal on Andor, man is fucking great.
It´s about time we have a Star Wars show made for grown ups.
For real. Best star wars since the OG trilogy
@@HugoStiglitz88 I actually think this is better than the OG trilogy.
@@shang-hsienyang1284 Imo Andor is ON PAR with the OG trilogy: Empire Strikes Back matches the last 4 episodes in the prison in terms of intensity, music, and acting
@@shang-hsienyang1284 we'll see
@@MariOmor1 maybe I should rewatch it cuz I felt like the eye was the pinnacle of the show
I watched “Andor” because of your previous review of it. All I can say is “THANK YOU”!
This show is like FedEx. It delivers.
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.
This show was so amazing accurate that stormtroopers actually had good aiming and felt like a threat.
The Drinker kind of touched on this but I also feels like it deserves more recognition how well the Empire was written in this show. The imperial forces were never portrayed as incompetent or cartoonishly evil, just the mixture of people who were in it for duty along with those just in it for power, but a lot of them very competent and thus (as the review said) feeling a lot more dangerous than in many other Star Wars shows. I loved the final episode where the imperial forces were really just trying to maintain order and didn't start firing on people until after they were truly attacked in a dangerous way, it just felt so believable and a realistic escalation.
Let’s not forget how long it took to actually get somewhere tho. I know the world building was good but let’s remember how painfully slow it was at first
@@harrambou9468 No
@@harrambou9468 People say they want character development because they're tired of cookie cutter heroes and villains. Then when a show gives us character development, they complain about it being too slow. Go figure.
Except when a stormtrooper got put down by headbutt from a person not wearing a helmet
I liked how B2EMO had more personality than the entire cast of the new triology combined.
Be too emo?
@@badlaamaurukehu Red Droid
Haha, so true.
Best droid since k2
Such a shame they did finn so dirty, the concept of a defecting stormtrooper could have been incredible
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.
Yeah. And he doesn't have to be charismatic. Some of us just are not that.
Can't say I concur with any of that.
Andors personality in R1 really fits cosidering his story and how many of his friends will die in season 2, he was not born a rebel hero, he was forced to fight, from a nihilist to a freedom fighter, i look on Cassian in r1 differently now after Andor, hes a very tortured soul.
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.
Ok? You're mad, he carries the show. Every line he speaks has so much emotion behind it.
@@Mopark25 I'm liking the guy so not sure where this comment comes from. He fits the role. I enjoy watching him. He's not a Harrison Ford, and Andor is the only current offering in the Star Wars universe that bears watching in my judgment so for me Diego is a rocking star.
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.
The look of terror on her face was so real. Great acting/direction
I liked that scene too. Realism after all the shit from SW.
Again - the woman was saved by the man this time.
Yes, "power doesn't panic" this show is full of parallels and depth. Simply fantastic!
We actually can learn something from this regarding the current time we live in.
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.
That’s because Cassian would’ve never joined the Rebellion if everyone just left him and his family/community alone. All the guy wanted was to get his family to safety and to not get involved in rebellion/empire shenanigans. Everything Cassian does is either for himself or that purpose and when faced with confrontation, would rather run away than fight. It’s only when he is imprisoned / realizes that nobody actually leaves, that he chooses to stop running, turn around, and start fighting. Once he understands how a little insurrection can make a big difference, he goes back to Ferrix to help them do the same. That’s actually what I like about Andor (the series). Cassian isn’t the most iconic / charismatic protagonist, but he’s probably the most relatable. Most people would rather escape or run away from oppression and it’s when we’re at our limits when we let the ones in charge know enough is enough.
@@galehunter2519 Agreed
@@galehunter2519 Cassian came back to Ferrix for Maarva. Everybody else was there either because they live there or because they expected Cassian to show for the funeral, and it's an opportunity to kill or capture him. Even once he's there his main goal is to get his people safe, and only once he's done that does Cassian turns himself in to Luthen. Either Luthen kills him, or takes him in _again_ and he gets what protection from (and revenge on) the Empire he can get.
Yep agreed !
BURN LOCAL
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.
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.
That’s a good point, when she was running away through the streets, I thought she was definitely going to get away, as she’s young, knows the area etc. But no, and what happens is pretty brutal. I’m sure the writers must have known it inverted audience expectations somewhat! A brilliant scene from a brilliant show.
I was surprised at how ridiculously overhyped it was.
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 the best monologues in any media ever.
OGSW: I love you; I know
SUCCINT AND TIMELESS
Fuck your copypasted book!!!
Luke: *Pretty much saves the galaxy*
Luthen: 😟😌
How I feel protecting my family from insane leftist ideologists like troons and drag time story hour.
Just to add for those who haven't watched the show. It was delivered by Stellan Skarsgard, he plays Luthen.
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.
I try not to comment on this sort of stuff on the internet anymore, but yea, that was pretty surprising, lol. I just imagined some critics out there deducting points for “man saving woman”.
And that she’s still f’ed up from the torture. There were moments when I thought he was going to have to abandon her because she was too far gone and wasn’t going to come with him or something.
Another one is, when Mon Mothma's sister who wants to play the tough girl get told to shut up by a man and then really shuts up. Or when the female imperial officer gets reprimanded by her male superior for overstepping her jurisdiction. Finally a Star Wars production that is closer to real life and has no Mary Sue in it. The female characters make mistakes, have to learn from them and grow afterwards. They are genuinely believable. They are actual fleshed out distinct characters, not empty steretypes. And you slowly begin to care for them because of their flaws and how they deal with them.
That scene was well done on multiple layers as well. Not only was it an unashamed damsel in distress rescue, it marked the turning point in the character arc of Cassian Andor. The rescue of Bix was the first time Andor has done a 100% selfless act. He may have involved in purely selfish acts at the beginning of the show, graduating to mutually-beneficial acts where he benefits alongside other characters, finally graduating to rescuing Bix - a selfless decision, a decision that only brings him risks and no reward. You could even say it was "heroic", he became a proper hero in the finale. Oh is this still the same character people say was "uninteresting"???
Which would not at all be bad if it’s logically consistent.
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.
Ikr I love that the show is not fast paced and just moving from action to action. It takes time to develop the stakes and characters and when the action does come, that makes it all the more worth it
I found it overhyped and pointless.
@@minicle426 and what exactly do you think is better than "pointless" andor
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.
Thanks for the likes and comments 🙏 DM me I have a surprise package for you 🎁💐:.
Legit man. This show made the empire Amd the other police factions so terrifying. Not saying I like death but they allowed characters to die. Shows sacrifices on both sides. The break out of jail was just amazing. You felt the fear for the guys.
Also the fact that these storm troopers are as deadly accurate as they’re described to be and not the meme of can’t hit the broad side of a barn
@@HA-gu1qk Not sure if you're being sarcastic, but if you aren't, you really need to refine your taste. The Kenobi show was made for dumb star wars fans who love superficial and surface-level things.
@@HA-gu1qk Depressing and dull is the state of evil in an authoritarian repressive regime, anything else would undermine the motifs of the show. The ease at which Obi Wan escapes from a maximum security base with a child is honestly boring because it's so ridiculous; and when people get stabbed by trained warrior assassins and live, there are no longer any stakes to the show. Seriously, if a random lady can be stabbed by Vader, the Empire's most lethal person, and live, then anybody can shrug off anything and nothing has any gravity.
If you listen to Luthen's speech in episode 10, you'd see his goal is not to make big heroic stands. His goal is to make everybody so ticked off and burnt out by the empire, they become willing to revolt.
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.
The orchestra gets bugger? Gotta have to watch it a second time.
@@ParameterGrenze More instruments at each opening mirroring the resistance and the last episode's orchestra.
@@DavZeugme The last opener starting with the instruments being little jumbled and gradually coming into time and forming the shows theme, referencing the differing character story paths converging. *Chefs Kiss*
Chief Inspector Hyne's conversation with Syrill during the 1st episode might be one of my favourite bits of dialogue in the series.
What was Luthens confession?
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.
Well said.
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
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.
Right? I thought it was done and then found out nearly a month later that I'd missed three episodes with the finale on the way. Love this show!
I think also we’ve got used to 8 episode series & don’t expect the 11 or 12 Andor has. It surprised me too.
I thought it was just me! Felt exactly the same.
So I heard there was a possibility of up to five seasons of this show but they condensed them down to 2 seasons and in thinking that's why there was so many "finales" in the one season
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
Rogue One had that too. Actor who played Krennic played competent yet unhinged/on edge perfectly.
Fax
@@johnmcternan4157
I know this isn't for everyone, but the book "Catalyst" by James Luceno really fleshes out Krennic and Galen Erso. It shows how much of a schemer Krennic was and how he would do, say or use anyone or anything to get the prestige he thought he deserved, Krennic never knew how ruthless Tarkin truly was (which is also well explained in the Tarkin book, which was also written by Luceno fwiw), Palpatine having mad dogs on a leash is right in line with some of the worst dictators in world history (think Palpatine is Stalin and Tarkin was Lavrentiy Beria). Those two books really added quite a bit of flavor to some evil but relatively simple characters on screen.
And it's addressed in the show, Luthen says over and over his goal is to provoke the Empire into becoming stupid evil with all the repression to spur on the rebellion as most people are comfortable with the Empire.
I really like when they show that there were also good people believing that Empire is bringing order, peace and prosperity especially after bloody clone wars. I love industrial retro sci-fi theme of the series and how all charcters are human… Very good dialog and acting too
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.
Amen
Sometimes there just isn't enough vomit in the world.
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.
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'?
All it takes is effort and eagerness to make something good and tells an engaging story with awesome, well written characters
It's not well written. People are ignoring a massive plothole in ep6: Right before they attack the imperial base the rebels use radio coms to give the signal to invade. In Phantom Menace they used flashlights to also give the signal but to avoid the droids picking up their transmissions. How did the imperial base not pick up the rebels?
The problem is that the audience no longer gives a crap due to too many shows not bothering with your first 3 points.
@@chasehedges6775 Yes, "there is no substitute than putting the work in", and for that you have to care enough. These people did.
It's too little too late. Allot of star wars fans have checked out at this point.
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.
Yeah I don't agree with that either. She's easily one of the best things about this show.
She's constantly being screwed over in this show whether it be from her incompetent husband, her brat daughter or her colleagues in the senate not taking her seriously. Her speech in the senate where everyone keeping turning off their boxes by not listening to her pleas for peace just shows how much shit she has to deal with at home and at work. How much being a rebel is taxing to her and the personal cost it's giving her. She actively struggles between the two roles and it's really interesting to watch her.
@@sophieamandaleitontoomey9343 "She's constantly being screwed over in this show whether it be from her incompetent husband"
I mean, that IS pretty much the default strong independent woman trope these days, isn't it? Stupid husband and toxic males not listening to morally superior woman.
@@dennikstandard Ah but I wouldn't call him stupid. Incompetent yes because of his indifference to the empire but not stupid. In the case of this show it makes sense because they were in an arranged marriage that was not based on love. He's clearly an Empire supporter whereas she is not. While yes this is a more common trope in the case of Andor it makes sense to see a character like Perrin who is so wrapped up in his riches and lavish lifestyle that he doesn't see his own family is just as much in danger from the Empire as anyone else. We've seen time and time again in Star Wars that people like Perrin and his indifference are the reason the Empire was able to thrive and survive for so long.
And Mon is not strong because of any manufactured bullshit like Reva. She's strong because she has to not only try to keep the opposition in the senate strong but also try to keep the fort down at home because her husband doesn't care and her daughter is indifferent and is probably being brainwashed into a cult. She has a lot of shit being thrown at her while having navigating the empire closing in on her accounts. She exists. She's a person and she's treated as a person. She actually has struggles to go through and I'm not being forced to like her like I was with Reva. There's no moment with Mon where I feel I'm being forced to like her or root for her. No. I just like her because of what I've seen from her and what I see is a woman struggling at work and at home to maintain peace. Her husband is indifferent to her. Her daughter is indifferent to her. She's struggling to maintain her stance against the Empire in the Senate to an audience that doesn't want to hear her even though she's right. No one seems to want to take her seriously at all in any place so she of course seeks out the rebellion because it's all she has left. But in the process much like Luthen, she has to sacrifice everything in order to maintain it. That line about what do I sacrifice fully applies to her too, especially as we watch her submit to Luthen's game with her family.
It's not remotely the same as a character like Rey or Reva.
Andor has a number of complex, interesting female characters. To go for reductive trope hunting is a waste of time.
I think it's okay to have occasional women of Mothma's type, because they DO exist in the real world, even if they're relatively rare. You wouldn't expect a galactic Senator to be the scatter-brained cheerleader type.
And her husband being so focused on his comforts and wealth to the detriment of his long-term safety is ALSO entirely plausible, as we see that every day in the real world -- it's always been a significant contributor to the rise of tyrannies like the Empire.
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
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.
🤮
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.
Yea, by the right people.
But it's been nothing but hordes of the wrong ones. I don't expect that to change anytime soon.
Cyril was a total waste of a character. Hopefully season 2 fleshes him out. He started off interesting and turned in to a total dud.
And mine. My only critisisism is that they needed to release two episodes at a time. I've really enjoyed the visuals too, with the cringy land-speeder in the final episode bring the only fly in the ointment. Congratulations also for making the weapons painful and destructive. There's just so much of this series that's so right. Yet I fear season two being struck down with the woke stick. We'll see.
Star wars: a new hope
I call this the anti-cliche show. Every episode manages to surprise you and it is so cleverly written it feels utmost real.
Andor manages to pull off subversion of expectations well, unlike a certain film by a certain Ruin Johnson...
Too real. When Andor was getting sentenced and actually dragged off to prison with no chance of escape I was actually like oh shit how is he gonna get out of this? And when Bix run's away through a crowd, she actually ends up getting captured.
Surprising how boring it can be maybe. I can't even remember if I watched the second episode. I think I did but it was so fkin dull I forgot it entirely.
When did grim become mistaken with serious? It was an awful, verbose, poorly plotted snooze fest
Anti-cliche ? Wow, that Disney brand Kool Aid must taste real good. It was RIPE with generic spy thriller cliches. Generic charismatic prison break leader (Andy Serkis), generic brutally pragmatic revolutionary (Space Bootstrap Bill), generic spoiled heir turned subversive revolutionary (Mon Mothma's lesbian cousin), generic fastidious virgin obsessed with order (Syril Karn), generic stiff tough woman working for the space Gestapo, but actually an overcompensating bureaucrat (Dedra Neero a.k.a. poorman Ysanne Isard)
This show just ends disney even more lol. Goes to show how cool star wars can actually be so everything else disney releases just looks like shows for preteens who think obiwan is deep
Andor is the only show where i feel bad for the rebels lol
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
Here is the full Clip : Andor best scene
czcams.com/video/mCfYi7634rU/video.html
By
Aren't you.....
Tired....
Of playing in the shadows Luthen?
Mmmmm delicious dialogue between Saw and Luthen.
@@MonstersNotUnderTheBed "Aren't you tired of fighting with people who agree with you?" lol
Fighting in secret limits your direct hand in things. Fighting in the open puts your own ego in play. They both made good points.
Human cultists, anarchists, separatists, galaxy partionists! They are lost! All of them! Lost!
Luthien is the only one with clarity of purpose.
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.
Pretty rare for Disney isn’t it.
Exactly. They nailed almost everything. It is just frustrating to see such a brilliant show like this and while most of there other shows/movies are piles of shit. What the sequals could have been.
Multidimensional ??? The Imperials were shown to be a bunch of stiff bureaucrats obsessed with order but woefully unprepared for full-out war, the rebels are a bunch of your run of the mill ragtag wannabe revolutionaries : the spoiled kid turned rebel (Mon Mothma's cousin), the token brutally pragmatic leader (Space Bootstrap Bill), the profiteer who's in just for the money (the guy Cassian shoots at the end of Ep.6), the wide-eyed revolution philosopher (the kid who gives Cassian the manifesto).
It's a damn generic spy thriller with a bunch of cliches that were done better by multiple EU novels and comics.
@@yrooxrksvi7142 in my opinion it's way more nuanced than that and very good, but to each their own
@@Bearsfan131 You wouldn't know what's nuanced even if it came right at you. It's yet another trite rebels vs empire story we've seen a billion times from Disney. And again, everything it did, you could find it done with even more nuance in the Thrawn trilogy or the X-Wing novels.
I agree with most of your points, except for the one where you complain about having "a lot" of strong women shoehorned in. Their characters are a big part of the story and I don't really know how and why you can just cut one off. The first woman is an undercover rebel senator risking her life, family and career for the cause despite her having the option to just ignore everything, and the other one is her sister who might've looked like she's the more badass one but you later see that she's the one more unsure of what she's doing and why she's doing it. They're also both neatly tied up with the stories of the 2 male main characters. I don't really see how that takes you out of the story.
There's even one scene where they subvert our expectation of a shoehorned lgbtq relationship, with the rebel girl wanting to just leave everything with the other rebel girl, but the other girl just says that the rebellion is bigger than their relationship. That's a big f*ck you to the whole "we're the most important people" trope that most of these new shows try to show now. They don't really push any "I'll prove that I'm strong even if I'm a girl" bs down our throats in my opinion.
I think your opinion is too clouded by your preconceived notions of what Star Wars stuff are like nowadays. If you change them up and make those characters male, nothing would really make a difference because they don't really whine about being female and make a big deal out of it.
Did anyone else read this in the Drinker's voice?
@@KingFunkin I wish I had that voice in real life. 😂
If you are familiar with Critical Drinker, you know there is an absolute limit on the amount of "strong" female characters a TV show is allowed 🤣
Having any women in leadership role bugs him, but Andor is so strong, his criticism is more muted than it would normally be.
@@delo77Yeah... Well characterized and fleshed out strong female characters shouldn't hinder you from enjoying something. Makes it feel like they say that they hate media that "push agendas" when they have agendas themselves. Makes you wonder how intricate their backstories should be, or how soul crushing their struggle should be, or how long their training montage should be just so that these channels can say "yeah, she's not a mary sue."
I'm all for calling out and making fun of cringey and condescending "girl power" moments, but credit should be given where credit is due.
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
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.
Bruh, going from an extremely competent and cleverly written show to absolute garbage would be whiplash on a level previously unseen.
Boba Fat 🤣🤣😁.
@@Rar830 it happened with Games of thrones but you seems to have already forgot about that.
@@giogiolachance4313 I was forced to watch the first season of Game of Thrones, but didnt like it. I read the first book because of the all hype and source material is generally better and it was a lot better and I understood why people like the series so much.
Its extremely well written and multi POV stories when done right are always impressive, however I ultimately didnt particularly like or really care about any of the characters which was a deal breaker. Your absolutely right about the downturn, pretty insane from what I've heard.
The movie Bullet train did something very similar in terms of an extremely well thought out multi POV story, but all the main and even side characters were quite likeable and fun to watch.
The other example would be Arcane which I had been obsessed with for quite a while after watching.
"Dont care, didnt ask", then dont read the comment, ignore this otherwise.
@@Rar830 I know. You first comment didn't include GoT so I figure you ddn't watched it. It's ok there is so many show nowadays, you can't catch them all.
Andor is impressive because it was produced by Disney which is not famous for putting out "mature" content.
The other great fit is that everybody knows that Andor will die and the empire will fall. But the show makes you still care. Very impressive. (like House of dragon)
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.
They actually didn't. Gilroy said that there was basically no supervision, I guess the suits concentrated on other projects.
@@Carubidul
I mean, I think that’s clear from the whole Bob Iger situation .
There clearly were other priorities, which was lucky for the show even if it was too little too late.
It was slow methodical grim realistic and you had to concentrate on what was going on ...... loved it 😍
Tony Gilroy (Bourne movies, State of Play, Michael Clayton, Rogue One) was the creator and wrote almost all the episodes. That's why the pacing and feel was what it was and also why it felt so adult and real. He did an amazing job of really making the Empire seem scary, the Rebellion seem desperate and disjointed, and the people feel oppressed under the Empire's heel. It felt properly Star Wars and really added to the understanding of the when, where, why, and how's of what started and galvanized the Rebellion into a potential fighting force and united front to fight and overthrow the Empire.
@@brb1017 What a great CV, makes me want to watch it even more, thanks.
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.....
The Mandalorian and Andor are saving Star Wards singlehandedly.
@Wavidnah, the first two seasons are straight gold
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!
The most devastating part about that scene is that he knew the prison was surrounded by water but he still went ahead with the escape anyways for the sake of his fellow prisoners
You have a sad life.
The show's biggest disservice to itself was how slow episodes 1 and 2 are. I've seen mentioned many times online that people gave up after the first or second episode just because of how slow they were and how boring they found it. Really need the audience to be pushed to stick around for episode 3, because that's when they hook ya.
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.
Stellan Skarsgård is an amazing actor and he was made to play this part.
@@Andrew_NJ This and Baron Harkonnen
the chief inspector hynes monologue of the murders in preox morlana was a close second for me, brilliantly acted
It approaches "I AM the one who knocks!" Levels
Every line of that was pure poetry "I make my mind a sunless place"
"I burn my decency for someone else's future, I burn my LIFE for a sunset I'll never get to see"
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.
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
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.
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yes exactly, i was babysitting my phone and had to put it down, then i was hooked. my phone has got more face time out of me for every Star Wars show before Andor but damn it was a good one. treat the audience like adults, kids can still enjoy it. i loved tons of movies as a kid even when i didn't understand all of it.
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
Right out of Sergio Leone's book. Noice.
@@justinring3235 yes only leone did this about 60 years ago 🤣 but when Disney do it’s groundbreaking to normies 🤣🤣
@@IoiniEverson a great film but I don’t think you have seen once upon a time in the west. Nothing compares to that film it is a true cinematic masterpiece. But all of his films minus colossus of rhodes (which I have never seen) are insanely good probably the greatest director of all time in terms of quality and consistency. Fistful of dollars, For a few dollars more, TGTBTG, Once upon a time the west, Duck you sucker and Once upon a time in America - what a filmography !!
If that's true it's amazing because it shows how much care Gilroy had for everything... he had a detailed plan for this show. Usually the soundtrack is done towards the end of editing after everything is already shot.
Thats probably true, the band at the funeral actually played the song.
Andor is outstanding storytelling and character development
Not really.
@@minicle426 yes it is
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.
Rogue One was the best Disney Star Wars film, and IMO the only good one worth watching.
Rogue one is the show that put the 'Wars' in Star Wars for me. Now to check this show next.
I'm not trying to argue for the sake of arguing but I can literally think of like a thousand reasons why the original trilogy shows the empire are the bad guys 😂
I love rouge one
One of the biggest factors that made R1 for me was that it got back into touch with with ordinary people. In the OT, you had Han and Leia and Lando and others, who didn't have magical powers, but were still full characters with strong abilities and limitations. In the prequels nobody mattered much except the Jedi and Sith (even Padme started out as strong, but was reduced to weepy girlfriend by the end). In the sequels...well, nobody mattered very much besides the star, and maybe the guy (Force-powered!) who had the hots for her. R1 wasn't about magic powers, or super warriors, or even budding romance; it was about people dealing with big trouble, which was the real power behind the original.
Like the Netflix-Marvel series, I enjoyed them the most when they were about people being people, and superpowers took a back seat to the story.
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.
It seemed to show a bit more realism. Nobody was truly "evil" but there were minions in a machine working for what they felt was the best thing. Competing against each other to curry favour with the boss. However, their actions still made the whole thing seem cruel and cold. It's a little to realistic to be honest.
True, its always like - look how badass this character is, they just killed 10 stomtroopers like its nothing.
They only appear as mindless bad guys to die, their death doesnt mean anything, they just exist and disappear when the show needs some quick action.
@@Bear10174 oh I disagree. They showed REAL fanaticism here. The kind of drive that some people have when involved in a fascist government intent on absolute order and control. The stakes for those who dare even think of not going all the way, let alone those who help the rebels, it felt like being in a weird alternate Stalin government universe. Which is exactly what they were aiming for I am sure.
Ya I love how they are actaully threatening and not just cannon fodder
Yes, exactly that! It felt so claustrophobic when Cassian gets to that prison. Like all hope is lost.
ANDOR was a goddamn masterpiece
Not really.
@@Esico6 yes really, cope
@@Esico6In these days, it absolutely is.
@@Esico6 Agreed I personally found it quite overrated. No issue with others liking it of course.
@@1992SMOFF You don't recognize great story telling when they show i to you, do you? Go watch the Sequels BS.
Shit - I need to watch the show again... I've never done that with anything Star Wars, other than the 70s/80s movies...
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.
Lets hope disney doesn't end up cancelling it and reassigning resources to another season of boba fett...
@@thearcheduck8746 or injecting politics and the agenda into season 2 now that they have so many suckers hooked.
Agreed. A well written Star Wars show is so rare now days hopefully many will drift back to see what all the fuss is about.
@@braxxian a well written show in general :D. This was a very mature/well scripted show. I haven't seen a show such inspiring/so good the last decade.
@@halogeek6 I see you don't understand Star Wars. This show was filled with politics, and Star Wars has been about politics, and represented the real world's political atmosphere since it's inception.
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
Its sad, I think the sequels could've been better if Snoke was the main villain in the entire trilogy, we don't need Palpatine to come back, Snoke was already a threatening villain and yet they didn't use him or Serkis' talent properly
@@4deleDaz33m I remember when TFA came out and people had theories about Snoke being Plageuis who somehow survived Palpy's "murder" of him, given his abilities, disfigurement and even their leifmotifs being similar. I was hyped: finally, we'd get a proper look at what Sith training looked like, maybe expound on the philosophy of the Sith from an older master, someone who has been openly practicing for decades. Maybe you'd see what lured Kylo Ren to the Dark Side despite him seemingly loathing himself for the things he has done, or for characters like Luke to take a more introspective and critical look at the Force, contrasted (maybe) with Snoke who revels in its power and that using it for selfish ends (or at least, however you desire it) is a virtue.
How wrong I was.
@@WalkerOfTheWastes
I still think the better corruption story was Jacen's fall through Sith Lady Lumiya rather than Ben's "Uncle Luke had a crazy dream and tried to murder me" plot point.
@@WalkerOfTheWastes I used to think that Snoke was Palpatine's brother because you know thinking Snoke is avenging his brother's death would've been interesting but nope Johnson took the character and give him a terrible goodbye
It's also nice to actually see Andy as a human rather than another creature. I feel that doesn't happen as much as it should because he's so known as the monster actor. But he's so much more than that and Andor proves it.
Instead of talking about all these crap shows like She Hulk, Rings of Power, and Obi Wan, I wish y'all had talked each week about Andor's episodes.
This show had 3 of Star Wars best monologue in the whole series
never tell me the odds
Serkis to Skarsgaars in a matter of minutes was genius.
4 if you consider Nemik's Manifesto
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.
Kathleen Kennedy needs to be given the boot, now's the time. I'm unconvinced the change-up in CEO at Disney is going to make the changes necessary to actually grab the old fans' attention. Really the ONLY thing that would do that is sending Kathleen Kennedy packing. Her ideology before everything else directives is the largest sole contributor to the failing of Star Wars @ Disney. It's lead to story (or more commonly lack of story) and direction being held hostage by a message that was more toxic than any fan ever was. "What you like is stupid, we'll crap on it, then substitute pale imitations swapping gender, avoid all conventional good storytelling practices, and hope you buy 3 Rose action figures".
Kathleen Kennedy being shown the door is the literal "New Hope"
just hope Disney has suffered enough financial pain to realize it
anything is better than M-She-U now
The Mandalorian used to be good too. It's useless to have hope with Lucasfilm. I gave this show a pass & I get all this content for free. I will watch it now with the Drinker seal of approval. Haven't watched anything after they f*ed up Luke again on the Mandalorian.
Andor was without a doubt the best thing that Disney has done since acquiring Star Wars.
It's definitely a good show. But it's not "real" Star Wars, for several reasons. It feels like it's just using the name and plot. But it was kinda entertaining anyways.
What about Mando? Also very good.
@@smallfaucet that show was horrendous
@@marianszewczyk8521 that’s why it’s good. when you can watch something that’s based in a fictional universe and can actually relate to the characters, that’s a good thing
@@smallfaucetMando relied too much on legacy characters. Andor can stand on its own and doesn’t rely on legacy characters.
Didn't make it through Kenobi but this one I binge watched
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.
I was absolutely shocked that Andor is so good. How did this great show manage to make it last Disney' Ministry of Culture? When the female character Dedra Meero showed that she was unsure of what she was doing my mind was blown away. That is a departure from the "girl boss" template Disney has for its female SW characters who never have doubts and are super good at everything..
And it doesn’t take away from her authority and awesomeness, that’s the beauty in it.
@@ElBearsidente what
It's interesting. Denise Gough (Dedra's actress) said in an interview that Dedra's story is supposed to resemble your typical woman-in-a-man's-world storyline until you realize that she's a horrible person and that her gaining power is a very bad thing
The female characters are just good characters. I don’t think there were too many strong females fixing things. Star Wars is a fantasy egalitarian society. The girls need the characters of the opposite sex just as much as the males.
@@blobbything2986 Yeah working in government for over 25 years I've seen her many times. They are usually unsure and self doubting in the beginning but once they gain traction and start getting a taste for the inter office political power they over compensate and become absolutely unbearable. Gough and the writers did an excellent job in the portrayal.
The attention to detail in this show is amazing, the lore is really good especially in luthens store.
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Yeah we he talked about the cyber crystal having something to do with the rakattan invasion I jizzed
@@PallahDaOracle ayo wtf this aint phub.
@@PallahDaOracle Not to mention the sith Starkiller armor!
Just visited the review again and I am not agreeing that the female characters were, at least some of them as CD pointed out, too much on screen or such a thing. I liked them all, every one of them. Andor is the best StarWars has to offer in a long, long time... in fact I liked it more than even the original movies from George Lucas. Can't wait for the second season, I hope so much that the second one is as good as the first.
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 sort of disagree with the critic that Cassian Andor is the least interesting character. Andor is supposed to be someone without really a motive, someone who runs away, someone who just adapts to whatever situation he is in. When maarva tells him to give up on his sister, he just hangs out on niamos, doing nothing because he doesn't have any motive at that moment, but the prison arc and the final arc finally gives him a motive. Andor's whole character is someone who instead of always running away, learns to care about the rebellion and wants to fight against it, nothing more, nothing less. Nemik, Maarva and the prison all lead him to this motivation very naturally and beautifully.
Agreed. I rewatched the first few episodes and holy shit he’s a completely different person in the finale. Such good character development, Diego Luna did a fantastic job
Haven't watched it but this sure sounds like Han Solo's arc.
@@restey5979 it's better.
@@restey5979 To be fair, the whole, "Lonesome Drifter learns to care and becomes a hero." was done a lot even before Han Solo.
Kind of like what Rey was supposed to be, then?
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.
Don't worry. If it's a hit, Kathy will get her fingers in it for season 2.
Maybe she's frozen in carbonite
Her name is in almost of all of Spielberg and Lucas's movies. She is a producer.
Yeah ya'll who enjoy it better hope it stays relatively under the radar. Because that is the only chance you have for it to remain good. It gets popular enough it will be crammed with the message.
I have given up on Disney era SW until they at the very least officially retcon the ST. Which is never going to happen. Andor might be the best thing since slice bread but Luke hiding away for several years while darksiders have free reign is too much a shit show to forgive.
LOL!!! Ditto!
Its like Disney had such low expectations for Andor that they just let the filmmakers do their job, as opposed to their typical committee interference in anything they think will turn a profit, such as Snow Brown and the Seven Magical Non-binaries.
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.
This show is so good, my gf started crying for Andy Serkis / Kino when he couldnt swim. Sad and realistic, yet hopeful series, with an inevitable bittersweet end awaiting Cass sadly...
I started crying for Kino, and my stone-hearted sister didn't. She must be a robot.
Saddest part is he knew the prison was surrounded by water but went ahead with the escape for the sake of his fellow prisoners
@@justlivin2499 a true leader.
I thought I saw a plot hole there. When they first visit the planet you can see a ring of whirlpools surrounding the prison. I figured that was if anyone tried to escape the whirlpools would suck them under -- an additional level of security.
I thought that would come into play later but I guess not.
@@Ishkur23when I saw those whirlpools I actually thought that they were helping to keep the structure above water using a countering effect (some sort of physics trick).