The BEST Star Wars EVER? - Andor Season 1 Review
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- čas přidán 16. 06. 2024
- Andor has wrapped up its first season in its 12 episode run and despite most people not expecting much from the series it’s proven to be one of the best piece of Star Wars entertainment ever. Here we breakdown and review the entire series including the heist and prison story arcs, how brutal it is in comparison to other movies and shows, the parallels to real world politics, the amazing cast, speculation about the future with Season 2 and more. Thanks for watching!
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00:00 The Start
01:40 Overall Thoughts
03:10 The Empire is Scary Again
04:41 Series Structure
05:38 Kino Loy & Prison Break
07:19 Character Deaths
11:01 Andor's Arc
13:26 POLITICS
15:15 Luthen & Space Battle
17:13 Mon Mothma
18:34 The Finale
19:34 Behind the Scenes
20:51 Easter Eggs
22:13 Season Two
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#StarWars #Andor - Zábava
Andor: the show no one wanted, about a character no one really cared about, only to have it become a fan favorite and a top tier addition to be universe. Love it
Nah, fuck that. Real fans were excited from the announcement.
@@chand911 excited for more Star Wars, sure. But about the specific character/story? Not so much.
@@chand911 And implying someone isn't a real fan because they don't care for a character or plot line? You should probably get out of your mother's basement every couple of months and touch some grass, get some sunlight, it's healthy for you.
I like Cass and most other characters in Rogue One.
I've been a fan for as long as I can remember and when this was announced I was excited simply because its star wars. I often get my hopes up for new SW content and this definitely hit the right notes. I cant say the same for Kenobi or Boba Fett sadly and my faith in the franchise was shaken further. I can safely say that if everything Star Wars from here on out is similar to this I will die a happy man
Book of Boba Fett and Kenobi had total fan film vibes while Andor actually felt like studio produced Star Wars content. The on-location shooting, impeccable writing and character development and amazing world building did what those other shows couldn’t.
It felt nothing like Star Wars (space sorcerers and pew pew bullshit). You could have removed it from the Star Wars universe and it would have lost nothing.
@@PosthumousAddress yeah that's why it was good
@@PosthumousAddress Precisely why it’s refreshing, at least for me. It’s another story to tell in the vast universe/lore that is Star Wars. The galaxy is huge and has spanned millennia if you count the EU. Not every story involves Jedi and Sith dueling with lightsabers and using the force. Star Wars has been a big part of my life since I was introduced to the 97 Specials as a kid. But, to be completely honest, my favorite parts of Star Wars had nothing to do with Jedi and Sith. It was the conflicts..the Rebellion vs Empire, the Galactic Republic vs CIS, bounty hunter vs smuggler and all the space battles that got me so hooked. It’s weird, but the Jedi vs Sith and the lightsaber battles were second fiddle to all of that for me. So a story like Andor or BoBF or Mando appeals to me more, and on any given day, Return of the Jedi or Rogue One tops my list of favorite Star Wars movies. Both happen to be action heavy. Just to give you an idea, my favorite character ever since 2002 has been Jango Fett and it was Han Solo before that. Obi-Wan was the only Jedi that cracked my top 3-5 favorite characters for the longest time. So there are people like me out there that could thoroughly enjoy a show like this.
@@Mitcheck315 ...so you don't actually like Star Wars?
Couldn’t have said it better myself! This is exactly why we like it!
The whole prison arc is by far one of my favorite Star Wars stories ever. The claustrophobia, the dread, the horror/thriller elements. That speech! It was all just chef's kiss to me.
The fact that they explain Empire infrastructure as being built on the back of a prison industrial complex is just **chef kiss**
They really could have made an entire season out of it.
Thing is, before the prison arc started, I thought the heist mission was the best star wars ever been. Only to be proved wrong 3 episode later haha
The moments where Kino said "never more than 12" and where he realized the floor was no longer dangerous gave serious goosebumps! These episodes were amazing!
Don't get me wrong, I love the prison arc. However it was just so out of place and felt like filler to the general story arc. Like it feels like half the empire is looking for him, and he already in custody was weird.
I loved how both Ferrix and Aldahni had distinct cultural identities and histories, they hadn't just popped into existence as "Scrapper Planet" and "Shepherd Planet". That history really helped illustrate the Empire's steamrolling of the galaxy, turning individual cultures into subservient Imperial Worlds. They weren't even gonna allow Marva's funeral! You can *feel* the suffocating grip of the Empire. Shit's really good.
I also felt that it worked in the 'Other direction': Ferrix is one of those rustbelt towns or Aldanhi is a logging town, who can no longer harvest lumber or a farm community in the San Joaquin Valley who's water is redirected 'South' so they can no longer farm; they all those rednecks and grease monkeys part of that 'flyover country' that the power elites in LA/NYC/DC could care less about and are openly contemptuous of.
@@nickmitsialis Except in all of those cases those are examples of Imperial projects gone to ground as opposed to pre-existing societies torn apart by empire. Y'all wanna be the victims so bad but y'all just derelict imperial outposts. Y'all are the Aldhani airbase, not the Aldhani themselves.
Another amazing touch is Aldahni being set in the Scottish highlands & and the reference to the forced eviction of Highlanders by the English. Just one of the many real-life references to imperialism in this show.
@@ThePezstar Or Armenians or Pontics or Kurds.
8
It's so great that the show kind of stands on it's own as a tv show and doesn't rely on references and easter eggs. Also the Empire actually seems like a real threat for once!
Isn't it what makes it weird tho? I liked the show but even I can say its not really star wars... Seriously, would you think that within this show, if you saw a Jedi all of a sudden have to deal with 3 stormtroopers that cant fire straight as per usual in SW.... wouldnt it have made no sense within the show? If so, how can it be star wars? Like I said, I liked the show but put almost anything star wars in this show and it falls apart lol kinda why you almost never see any aliens in the show or more traditional weapons and such... I dunno.
@@claudegrenier3180 the other Star Wars movies are about the Stars. Andor is about the Wars.
After Rogue One, I was kinda an edgy "Yay The Empire is cool" but this show made me realize how much loathsome they are.
@@claudegrenier3180 Not really. Star Wars always asked you to suspend your disbelief in the incompetence of the empire and just believe the characters when they say stormtroopers are very accurate, and the Empire is a monolithic nearly unbeatable giant not a bunch of stumblebums that are no threat to the main characters. The incompetence was never intentional just bad/lazy writing and directing.
It's nice to see the backstory reality transform to on screen reality.
But if you can't accept the incompetence in the movies just head cannon it as decades of constant skirmishes and raids by the rebellion, increasing need for garrison everywhere to suppress the population, corruption and political infighting in the empire degrading the competence of the Empire (see real life Russia) by the time of the movies.
Yes, this is the first Star Wars anything I've ever recommended to a non-fan.
This show was a masterclass on sci Fi story telling, character development, and world building.
I genuinely loved it. It was fantastic
Agree 100% cannot wait for season 2
Fully agree, this sets a very high bar for modern shows. It constantly got intense, visceral reactions out of me - laughing with joy, shouting in disbelief and awe, even jumping out of my seat overwhelmed with sheer amazement.
At first I didn’t get much out of it. Then I watched it twice. It was way better. Then I watched video essays. Then it clicked. This show is so fucking good in nearly all aspects.
@@hypocriticalgrammarnazi Any particular essays you'd recommend? I'd like to watch as much as I can about it.
@@turntsnaco824 the channel Just Write has a great video essay imo
Cassian Andor’s catchphrase is shooting somebody without a second thought.
Cold. Blooded.
Lol
For real though, that first scene was brutal. First dude was an accident, couldn't let the second tell anyone he was around illegally (he actually was, right? Otherwise wtf), regardless of avoiding a manslaughter charge.
It’s Cassin Time!
@@colbyboucher6391andor got 6 years in the slave facility for standing there, imagine what he would’ve got for manslaughter, you have to kill the other guy
My favorite part was when the Emperor showed up on Ferrix with a million star destroyers and looked the main cast in the face and said, "It's Palpin time"
It's Senate time!
Cringe
Thank Holy Filoni that Ahsoka showed up to save the day by Ahsoking all over the place!
@@miguelpadeiro762 My favourite was when Glub Shitto showed up and... err...
My version must've been edited, because mine had Palps drop a "We fly now"
Power doesn't panic... Oh boy did things go to shit for the empire quickly in this finale. Like their grenades exploding because they have grown lazy and just keep them all in a bucket. Then you've got Luthen witnessing a spontaneous rebellion from the sidelines. This show has honestly been the best thing disney has put out since they acquired the rights to star wars. And not a single mention of jedi or sith for 12 episodes.
i think it was energycells for heavy blaster
@@inferno9103 looks like they store munitions with the same amount of care as Russians in Ukraine…
The lack of "epic" Joseph bloody Campbell monomyth bullshit was very welcome
Not only that, but the grenades were only in the middle of the street because the one troop commander defied Dedra's commands and ordered more troops and gear into the parade as a show of force. Dedra only wanted them to stand back and keep watch for Cassian.
It didn't even get close to the highs of The Mandalorian. It's fine but there wasn't a single edge of the seat moment.
Far too many episodes that either didn't build character or move the plot along.
This is by far my favorite Star Wars media I've experienced in three decades. The portrayal of insurgencies, imperialism, every day people and just the drudgery of life. Cannot overstate how much I enjoyed it, looking forward to more!
@Raymond Sims I don't Jesus featured in Andor
@Raymond Sims of all the words in the language, in ANY language, and that's all you got? I'm sure your take and opinion on it will surely change this person's mind. Even your imaginary friend Jesus could have come up with something more intelligent to proffer.
@Raymond Sims our lord and savior
@Raymond Sims Preach it! Yes lawd! Thank Jesus for this excellent show.
@Raymond Sims OG trilogy is overrated ur a sheep
The script is just so sharp. There wasn't a single thing where I had to suspend my disbelief because the writers don't know how things work. It rang really true.
except nobody dying from the massive explosions on ferrix in the final episode.
@@Trouchy People most certainly died, it just didn't show any of the grotesquely mangled bodies.
@@Trouchy They showed the informant dying from the pressure wave because he was sitting in the bottom level of the hotel. That kind of blast in a contained space will absolutely kill you even if you're not being physically blown to bits because your internal organs receive so much trauma.
For me it was just the ak-47s
@@RandomizationShow I noticed that too, it was sort of hilarious that they didn't try to SW them up at all. Just spray paint 'em black and call it a day. Everything else in the show is so good set-wise that they really stood out.
A thought occurred when watching this. Andor showed us the world we were told about in New Hope, but never saw. For example, Princess Leia talking about worlds slipping through the Imperial fingers or Han Solo living his whole life crossing the galaxy without ever seeing proof of the Force. This is the world of Andor.
💯
never has a finale felt more like a finale than this finale.
Finally
Honestly, I disagree. The episode was great, don't get me wrong, and it did bring most of the season's plotlines together in a really cool way, but I feel like there are still a lot of loose threads. I think that was kind of the point, though, to set up for season 2 and stuff.
@@sebastianoleary2743 a show doesn’t need to tie every thread to be a complete ending. This show could end now and you could make a competent guess as to what happened between this and rouge one. An open ending is most definitely not a bad one
@@zachcreaghcoen2389 I never said it was bad. It's a great episode and a perfectly fine way to end the season. It was an intentional choice to leave it open ended and not have a proper finale to many of its storylines. OP said that it's never felt more like a finale, but personally, I feel the season could easily have continued on from this point if the creators had been given more episodes.
I love it but .... Mandalorian season 2?
The enormity of every little scene in Andor. The weight of Andor being arrested for standing around. The devastation of the characters who die in this show. The ruthlessness of the empire. It all will sit with more impact than a million star destroyers could.
... And we know that... cause disney tried the other thing first lolol
Thousand star destroyers? Not scary. Evil space lightning? Not scary. Getting arrested and put in a prison camp for witnessing a crime? Absolutely terrifying, because it's real
@@kalginageBeing put in prison for a crime you didn’t commit is a tragedy, but a thousand Star destroyers is just a statistic.
Looking for his sister - forgets about it from a single negative comment 😅 5000 people escape the prison - all disappeared without a trace with no explanation. 😅
Boring, random, disconnected show that wasted hours of my life with no reward (conclusion) at the end of the season. How disappointing 😢
I’m glad so many people seem to enjoy it though. I just hope it’s not a bunch of bots creating the hype.
@@platiinumremakes8530 I mean doubtful they all escaped: some captured, killed, died along the way.
The fact that so many imperial people looking for him waiting for him to return to his home and sick mother while he is in their prison under a wrong name because they didn't bother to check really who they just put in slavery.
That said everything about the empire and fascism in general.
Brutal no moral no empathy but deeply stupid.
Luthen's "hyper-velocity darts" were just metal shards... The tractor beam was on full power, so releasing the lightweight shards meant they flew straight into it. This marries up nicely to Luthen "using the enemy's tools against them".
It's such a simple idea I'm honestly surprised Han didn't have like a garbage dump thing.
@@RDR911 Against the Death Star? On the off chance that the garbage managed to be snagged by the beam and pulled in to destroy the projector, it would have countless more to grab the Falcon.
@@RDR911 It has to be small, shard-like and dense. If it's just garbage then it'll surely bounce off, or the attacker gets wise quickly and turn shields on.
Its even more than that, Luthen's whole philosophy is getting the Empire to tighten their grip harder and harder until the galaxy reaches a breaking point, and the intensity of their need to control blows up in their face tenfold.
Thats exactly what happens in the fight scene, their need for control causes them to keep up-ing the strength of the tractor beam until its at a point where it is their downfall.
The way they can sum up a character's philosophy in a single fight scene is CRAZY
@@aviatornic2839and then finish them off with lightsaber stunts and leave them silly. That sums up starwars perfectly.
“The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.” - Princess Leia
“Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station.” - Tarkin
Andor is essentially a show that revolves around these ideas, two simple lines from the original movie that describe the nature of insurrection and tyranny.
Andor is capable of *showing* us the things that Lucas *told* us. This is writing that actually realizes Lucas' vision in a way he didn't have the skill to
@override367 Exactly. Lucas had so many fantastic ideas but he simply couldn't even begin to approach the skill necessary to portray them. You can see evidence of that in this video where he admits that the Ewoks were Vietcong analogs. That's an incredibly bold message to send, and one that should say a lot about American Imperialism, but he never really sent that message, did he? The Ewoks are practically nothing like the Vietcong except for their Guerilla warfare tactics. If Lucas had cared more about the integrity of his story over merchandise sales and made them a faction with an actual philosophy to explore that said something about America's involvement in Vietnam, then perhaps it wouldn't ring so hollow.
that first line also kind of reflected what happened when luthen was getting pulled by the tractor beam.
@brycebitetti1402 ya thats a lot forcred shirt aliens in part of the 3rd act of a movie
@@override367exactly, like i love mando s1 and 2 for being really good star wars as it is, but andor feels like what star wars could be, and that's why i personally prefer it, although it has kinda ruined other shows like mando s3 and ahsoka for me. i do like bad batch when it hits though, like the outpost
ANDOR is unique in that it's the only project in Star Wars IP history made with zero cringe from start to finish. Amazing.
I would argue that we had a single instance of cringe with the AKs.
@@MetoagaYT Gun nerds are cringe
Until this comment
lmfao this is actually kinda true
@@carpeimodiem I would like to have it be known, as fellow gun nerd, we are not all like that
Andor is what I always wanted the sequels to feel and look like. Absolutely stellar show. 10/10
12:57 I'm fairly certain that Cassian WANTED Kino to use his words when communicating to the entire prison. He even said to Kino earlier in that episode ''It has to be you'' because Kino's a recognizable voice and he's been the one leading his cell mates. Cassian's influence has not reached that high, having Kino do the speech would inspire the prisoners more than Cassian. They made it very clear in the episode. Even before the escape, no one would believe Cassian when he said that no one was getting out. Not until Kino shouts it and repeats Cassian's words.
Can't wait until it is revealed that Cassian survived Rogue one because Ahsoka opened a portal in the last second and pulled him out. Then she tells him: "I'm putting together a team". The team would eventually be known as the "Blue Harvesters"
The most Filoni shit ever
@@andythesaladgod4578 Would be a cop-out ending, undoing the ramifications and finality of Rogue One, but I’d still love it though lol
Perfection.
If Cassian happened to figh against the entire First order my Money would be on him
@@Ale-dd3ek Greezy money!
This show was amazing. It reminds me of a great WW2 spy thriller set in late 1940 occupied France. It just happens to be in the Star Wars universe, and its fantastic.
That’s a good analogy. Also reminds me of “The Battle of Algiers”.
Where Eagles Dare and Kelly's Heroes are must watch material
Yes
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought that!
@@zan917 , i was thinking about the similarity to “The Battle of Algiers” throughout large parts of it. Armed struggle - even when justified - is not pretty.
Now Disney have seriously a big problem because Andor will be the new standard for next ten years
Hopefully but they hire different directors and story tellers that are bad ..andor feels more adult like content that’s why it’s so good it’s not cheesy
@@kingsking2816 Nah the talent is good. But high profile means more interference, more pressure. Nobody wanted Andor. They could do what they wanted and it was already written off.
Not really, Disney made something better than everything Lucas did. They get credit this time.
Yeah, I'm not ready to see more comedic and clumsy Imperial villains in Mandalorian Season 3 after what we got in Andor.
Not really. Let's look at ALL history. When has Disney making a genuinely good thing prevented them from pumping out ton after ton of indistinct yet highly marketable products constantly in the interim before the next genuinely good thing? Rest assured, Disney doesn't treat making a great project as "standard setting". It's just another opportunity to them and we've got about 50 years or so of evidence to support this.
The main difference with this show is that we have adults making adult, logical decisions, and that is really relatable. When Andor has to pull the trigger, he does, he does not hesitate, and so on. Besides, actions from every character are consistent with their persona, so when there is a change, it is relevant. Dialogues are amazing, actors are first class, etc. All those elements are what makes this show sooooooo good.
After finishing the season a few hours ago I can honestly say Andor is the best Star Wars media in a very long time. I'd probably go on to say that I was more invested in it than I was with The Mandalorian. There's just something much more intriguing to me about watching the start of the rebellion and the politics within it than your typical Jedi/Sith/pew pew action.
Mandalorian is FRIENDS.
Andor is The Wire.
They both bring completely different things to the table and both do them marvelously. I hate having to compare them because they both had massive impacts on me.
@Raymond Sims why do you prefer Mandalorian? Just curious, I know many people who do!
@Raymond Sims that’s fair, it is definitely more fun. I think that I found the performance on Andor more inspiring. It is truly about hope, fighting against oppression, unconditional love for your son vs manipulation of your son for financial/social gain…
But I will say that Mando is amongst the best of popcorn entertainment and gives the best member berries. I enjoy that show too and I’m looking forward to season 3!
@Raymond Sims Peaky Blinders? Are you fucking insane? Andor is more like The Expanse. In some ways, it is better. And it has multiple seasons to proceed.
If you're experiencing no audio it appears to be a glitch on CZcamss behalf. Maybe just reload the page till it works or just give up
Third time trying, I think I gotta give up
@@BaldmanB works perfectly on android 13 lol
@@QuellTheHeresy worked for me in the end. Comment deleted to save confusing people.
My sound was working and I STILL gave up. That's how weak I am.
It’s a trick to get more views!
As an OT fan who was a kid when Empire Strikes Back debuted "Andor" is the series that I always wanted. I'm no longer that 9yr old kid and seeing Star War's depicted in a mature, tonal gripping way, competently directed, amazingly written, stunningly shot on real sets like the OT via unreal cinematography, the whole cast bringing their A-Game, & the Gilroys perfectly executed their creative vision. Thank U!
Star Wars and Empire were, as Lucas himself put it, movies for young kids. However, those movies didn't speak down to us. Return of the Jedi is where he started to dumb it down. The politics of prequels was best part as far as I was concerned. Showing the rise and manipulations of Palpatine to lay the ground work for his empire was intriguing and wished for more of that. I'm with you on seeing a mature tone in Star Wars but unfortunately toys don't sell that way.
I had the same kind of reaction too. Going "oh this is really quite good" but then bracing for the moment it turns into bland mush because Marvel/SW shows and movies have conditioned me to expect this from them. But then it never turns to mush, it remains consistently excellent throughout. Did not expect this from a show that no one asked for about a character that I'd always only remembered as "discount Kyle Katarn".
This is the perfect kind of prequel, that adds context to the setting that enriches the movies rather than detracts from them. (Ironically, on the opposite end of the spectrum is imo Rogue One.) Like the ISB scenes in this show made that scene in ANH where the smarmy moff talks shit to Vader's face make a lot more sense. These are pencil-pushing wonks who surround themselves with other pencil-pushing wonks, so of course when they see this CLOWN in his RIDICULOUS black gimp outfit they don't take him seriously because they just immediately assume he's some upjumped freakshow thug. He doesn't expect Vader to use magic to choke a bitch in the middle of a meeting, because that just doesn't happen in their sterile technocratic ouevre.
This is the kind of SW show I want to see. Something that uses the cool setting to tell interesting stories but isn't slavishly obsequious to the existing canon. I think Mandalorian started out this way but became increasingly consumed by the fanservice.
Yes exactly, it gives substance.
Yeah Mando fell victim to constantly including old characters and to becoming imo too enmeshed in the greater narrative of the franchise
Best show of the year, best Star Wars in years.
I’m absolutely at a loss for words at how incredible this show was from start to end.
@Raymond Sims Keep in mind this is all subjective, we have different tastes.
Andor had the best structure, pacing, and emotional setup and payoff of the shows you mentioned and its not even close.
Every actor gives a killer performance, hell even the extras were kickass. The score is topnotch. The writing is phenomenal. The script and cinematography weave between POVs seamlessly in a way that complements themes beautifully. There's zero filler, every scene comes back around. It stands alone yet is essential to everything set afterwards. In all of this it still manages to actually critique current issues without feeling shoehorned. Its storytelling is efficient without sacrificing worldbuilding and character development. Its potent in how themes culminate. Andor is a masterclass in how you make television.
Severance is phenomenal and was my previous show of the year before Andor.
HOTD is sublime at times especially Vissy T, Rhanaeyra, Otto, and Daemon, but I did not care for the season as a whole. It felt like cliffnotes. That they were covering the bare necessities to get us to the Dance. In the rush to setup S2 we got powerhouse performances, yes, but lost quite a bit of world building and context to multiple events that happened on screen. *cough* Criston freely killing a noble without consequence *cough*. I mean for a season so intent on setting up a continent spanning civil war I know $*(# all about anyone who isn't a Targaryen or Hightower, which would be like seeing the US Civil War as only DC and Richmond. Reading the book after the season ended only exacerbated this feeling.
This last season of Euphoria is problematic to say the least but i'm not going to say its awful, just not for me whatsoever.
@Raymond Sims I would say Andor, Severance then hotd for me. All great shows but Andor was the best of them for me.
@@raymondsims5897You did not just claim that fucking Euphoria is better than Andor 😂
This was hands down my favorite show of the year too. I see a lot of people in this crowd talking up HOT D as well but while it was a very good show (solid B or B+ for me) with some truly stand out performances, it just had too many flaws, time jumps and odd character behavior for me to consider it great.
@Raymond Sims euphoria?? 💀💀💀💀
The evil in Andor is the scariest because it's banal, as in "The Banality of Evil". Corporate employees moving the evil machine for their petty aims. The show is brilliant!
“This show was a great showcase of normal people in the Star Wars universe”. That’s what made this show so good.
You can tell how much you guys enjoyed this by how animated and rapidly you discuss Andor. It’s refreshing to have a Star Wars series that people respond to this much for once.
Feels like the days following the release of The Matrix....there were websites entirely devoted to Matrix discussions. One I remember that I frequented was "zionthelastfreecity" Those were some days!
"oh no that's bad because she's really good at her job and she's a bad guy actually" 😂😂😂
She did a great job, and was very believable. I didn’t get “female rocks” vibes from it, she happened to be a female character with intelligence, presence, and competence and it didn’t feel force fed to me like most shows these days. Same with all the female chapters in Andor, well thought out, all different in their own ways and all kick ass!
@@soakedbearrd oh no I really liked her character and thought Denise Gough was dynamite. I was just laughing at the joke Maso and James were making, which they're right she's such a good character that you root for her and then you remember you shouldn't be rooting for her haha
@@JHenrySmith2 yes that’s the trick of good writing. You see it in early GOT seasons and in breaking bad. You don’t want to root for the bad guy but there’s some nuance for sure. Shades of gray (no pun) is always good for the audience and to build successful lasting characters.
Andor is that long-term investment, a show that will age extremely well. Disney must know this.
It's worth mentioning that, in the last episode, the stormtroopers don't miss. Finally the fighters who show pin point accuracy are here. "Only imperial storm troopers are this precise"
I was waiting for storm trooper to accidentally shoot the other when the guy was on his back. In the finale. Only for them to pick him off with an accurate shot.
It was mentioned elsewhere but seeing the direct outcome of things like Dedra Meero's slave labor law from the point of view of Andor was a stroke of genius.
Absolutely brilliant. I haven't punched that much air since Fring got blowed up in Breaking Bad. This is how you inspire a resistance.
It’s a good point actually about how Andor shows a lot during the series an ability to recognise something valuable in someone else and help them to make it shine. Because it’s ultimately what his character is known for in Rogue One. He comes up to Jynn and says “you’re right, we’ve come too far, we have to do this, I’ve gathered some willing soldiers, but we’re with you”
Also I love that Saw never argues “oh no, I wouldn’t give you up if I was captured.” I think it’s a sign of his honesty, and also a degree of maturity and experience as a fighter. He understands no one can make that promise. No one really knows what they’ll do when they’re truly backed into a corner like that until they’re actually in that situation
You can't even imagine how little I cared for a tv show about a side character in a spin off movie I had never seen.
Then I heard people saying it was good, so naturally I watched a couple of episodes.
I was hooked, binged all episodes that were already out in 3 days.
I cannot believe that Cassian fucking Andor is my favourite Star Wars character of all time.
This show was fucking amazing
You just described me and how I felt and how I feel now haha best damn star wars to date...literally no other piece of star wars is better in my opinion
I loved Rogue One; for me it actually is the BEST Star Wars movie of all time. But even I was surprised by how good Andor was.
The "people getting shot and just dying" didn't really sink in until you showed the montage. Absolutely riveting storytelling.
It was fantastic. An amazing character arc. I’m also impressed with how the show held back on some key reveals like who Luthen and Kleya could really be. I’m very excited for season 2.
Couldn't have put it better myself. Also love your channel you rock 😁
So glad to see you here and commenting on how much you enjoyed it. Absolute fan of your channel and love how good quality writing and great visual always makes the material shines no matter the medium, being comics or Star Wars or whatever :)
The holy trifecta of cinematic presentation, writing, directing, and acting, near perfectly delivered on a platter by the team that gave us ANDOR. This was an absolute clinic, and the rest of the Star Wars IP teams should take notice. Never intended to watch it, not after the abomination that was OBI-WAN, but I was bored one day and decided to try it. It gripped me like nothing in recent memory, totally on the level of The Expanse...simply glorious writing, stellar directing, and tour de force performances. Star Wars...WELCOME BACK! Now, ahem, ahem...can we do an entire series on the backstory of Luthern...you can simply call it: "REBELLION-THE LUTHERN CHRONICLES "
No one seemed to pick up on Mon Mothma's daughters mindset. Iv heard a few videos misunderstand the daughters perspective, the reason she wants the traditional marriage is because she is growing up in a home where her parents marriage is a farce. She notices her mother is being visited regularly by her male "friend" from school. She notices them being secretive (kids are not stupid) so she has it in her head that her mother is having an affair. She makes a few remarks in line with this. That is why the daughter wants the traditional marriage, from anger towards her mother she wants to do it right.
I always thought it was because she was rebelling against Mon's perceived attachment to the Empire.
As the Empire erased cultures, people from that culture attaches to the past even harder. Like Mon said "it's more prevalent here than our the home world"
@@Dynnen IT'S BOTH
@@Dynnen You did not pay attention. She openly questions and fights against the empire. She has charities that support victims of the empire and fights against them in the senate. The empire lets her, because they believe her to be ineffective, which is why she keeps her funding of terrorists a secret.
Meanwhile, the dad is a full supporter of the empire, and the daughter loves him.
Also, the Chandrilan culture was not erased, you just made that up. In fact, fascists appeal to traditional values and would fully embrace a tradition of control, like arranged marriage. They literally said in the show that Chandrilan arranged marriages were more common on Coruscant than Chandrila, which obviously wouldn't happen if the empire was trying to destroy their culture.
@@aolson1111 yes, it's a 'safe' tradition that has no effect on the Enpire, unlike, say, the Aldhani.
But what's weird about that theory is that the parents also had one of these "traditional" marriages from their home planet, and despite that (or maybe because of that) it turned into a farce. So if she's really trying to be different from her mother she should have rejected going down the same path.
After being burnt out by Book ot Boba Fett and Obi-Wan, I was extremely disinterested in Andor. I remember really disliking Rogue One. BUT... friends at work and people on Twitter (RIP) kept gushing about it, so I gave it a try.
It's now among my favorite Star Wars things, and unlike any other series (Star Wars or Marvel) on Disney+, it's something I actually want to go back and rewatch.
It was superb.
"Twitter(RIP)" If I had known you were a Fascist I wouldn't have read your comment
Even if the Favreau/Filoni take on Star Wars shines in many aspects (and not so much in some of them), Andor is it's absolute antithesis and you guys did a great job at highlighting this. Absolute masterpiece of writing, brilliant foreshadowing and non-manichean characters, great ensemble cast, and sprinkled with juuuust subtle fanservice. To me that's an HBO show in the Star Wars universe. Your parallel with the Wire is so on point.
Also final thoughts about Andor : this did the best job at lore-building and fleshing out the universe than any other piece of work in the Star Wars Franchise in a while. This universe feels lived-in again, and not just a huge 360 LED screen in a room.
Andor made the star war universe interesting again, for me
Holy shit! Andor was so incredible. The human conflict and emotion, music, everything. The star wars universe can be so good without the need of light saber and jedi everywhere. The characters are so great, and gray. Doesnt matter if they are rebel or empires. Everyone has their own reason. Freaking incredible. Andor & House of Dragons is by far the greatest series I've seen
"The star wars universe can be so good without the need of light saber and jedi everywhere"
Good old Sheev ( Palpatine ) had the same idea but they keep fucking up his plans. He did his level best to reduce the lightsabers in the galaxy to exactly 2 lol. Agreed, both great shows, Andor became my favourite from the Disney era beause its like and extended/more detailed version of Rouge One which I love.
@@neutchain7838 Funniest comment of the day. Mason and the goat-man might even be proud.
They made a series called Andor & House of Dragons?!?
Very maturely written show. Casien and Mon Mothma are the only characters who need survive the show (and Admiral Yularen) so the stakes feel real. They all expendable. It raises lofty ideals but then actually, actively explores them in the narrative. Let’s go season 2!
And actually rhe only character we kown who survived into the sequels is Mon. I expect nearly every other character we've met in season 1 to die throughout season 2.
@Carol
Bit of a spoiler alert I guess, but Cassian dies in Rogue One. Meaning he survives the Andor series.
Though perhaps that's what you were already saying, just in a general/later sense. If so, my apologies.
Andor deserves so much more attention than it has gotten, I am still so excited for season 2. You hit the nail on the head when you said that pretty much all the characters were compelling, I cared about all of them, even Dedra! And she's with the Empire! Loved every second of this, cannot wait for season 2
fun fact the original title for andor was actually blue harvest
Ya mateee!!!!😂😂
Did you know blue harvest was the working title for Star Wars.
@@BritishCookie I'm pretty sure that's also the title for an EU comic storyline written by Dark Horse back in the day (~2008)
I can’t think of a single flaw with this show. It’s definitely my favourite show of the year
@Raymond Sims I haven't even seen it and I'll remember the prison escape and "I can't swim" for a long time 💀
@@raymondsims5897I can understand how you may have found the show boring or has forgettable characters. However I found the score absolutely incredible and a unique soundscape that we haven’t heard before
@Raymond Sims I respect your opinion but the dialogues are flawless in this show.
@@raymondsims5897 I disagree, the dialogue was incredible and every character introduced was interesting
The pacing isn't really well at the beginning of the season
100% a high point. Been a fan since '77, and this is easily some of the most top tier material we've gotten from the series. Writing wise, I'd argue it's even better than the OT.
Nothing will ever the top the OT in terms of world-building, thematic and emotional poignancy, and sheer filmmaking and craftsmanship, but damn me to hell if Andor isn’t the best written piece of Star Wars content out there.
Acting wise too.
It’s like appreciating dr Jay until you see Michael Jordan. MJ stood on the shoulders of people like Dr J but took it to a WHOLE new level. Both are great, but for me at least, this was the best Star Wars that I’ve seen. It hit me hard.
@@soakedbearrd 💯
I think his sister will be a sub/main plot for season 2. He didn’t really have time to continue his search after aldahni. He went to space Miami, got arrested, went to prison, broke out of prison, went back to space Miami to get his belongings, found out his mom died, went back home for the funeral, found out Bix was being held in custody, and then rescued her. There’s literally no point in that timeframe where it would make sense for him to worry about finding his sister.
Now that he’s working with Luthen, he has the resources and will be going to various places where he can continue his search on the side.
I'm not sure we ever get an answer about her...
I'm thinking he might follow Maarva's advice and forget about searching for her, I don't believe she was mentioned again after that scene
I think his search for her may end up only being important because his search set the events of the series in motion
You're missing the point: Andor has committed himself to the Rebellion, body and soul. Finding his sister may be important to him, but it isn't important to the Cause. He's not going to waste time with personal side projects when there's an Empire to bring down.
You know a series is doing its job when you can't tell when it's going to end. I wasn't aware that the first season was 12 episodes, I genuinely went in blind having resisted the urge to research anything about it. It's tension. Tension is the single thread that holds a good story together. Without some level of tension, events feel like they're happening in a vacuum in terms of cosmic importance. None of the characters feel like they have any conviction of purpose, because there's no true direction to even move forward in, no reason for anything to be happening. That's gray-scale purgatory.
Andor is a literal master class in managing tension properly in order to create a truly enthralling experience. Every episode, one small problem gets dealt with and then 5 more crop up, and one of them is usually a really big one. I kept watching, waiting for an episode where things inevitably died down and became slightly uninteresting, and that moment never came. A character would resolve a story thread, and then something else that had been cooking in the background would suddenly boil over and just like that, you're in yet another new conflict. I couldn't tell when it was going to end, I was so invested and the tension builds to such tremendous heights that you almost wonder how they'll top it the next episode. And then they do.
Even the finale still feels incredibly tense, especially the after-credit scene. _"This is just the beginning."_
Rogue One was my favourite Star Wars movie and this show has all the politics of George Lucas original scripts especially that anti Authoritarian Captialism element that were in A new hope, that and the imperial over reach and the fear you can really only see in empire strikes back and how being in a police state works.
There was nothing anti capitalist in the OT, bruh.
Something being anti-tyranny doesn’t make it anti-capitalist.
Where was the anti-capitalism in Star Wars?
The thing you said about him giving people ideas then giving them credit is one of the best parts about being a leader. Giving someone a spark and watching them develop it into a fully formed thought or practice is a beautiful thing to watch.
This is the Star Wars stories that those of us who are old enough to remember the originals NEEDED.
Bloody impressed, and grateful!
I loved this show. Can't believe I shed a genuine tear for the suffering of a small robot cube. Amazing stuff, my stars are thoroughly wared.
It’s great that one of my least anticipated Star Wars series, when they were all announced, is now one of my favourite.
I’ve watched like 10 videos on why Andor is so good and there are still things I love about it that I haven’t seen anyone mention, which just goes to show how much great stuff is in the show
Andor is just brilliant. The writing, the story, cinematography and character development. Thrilled for season 2.
To the finale's credit, the raw emotion in every close up to every performance. No words needed from these would be rebels just observation as we're treated to Maarva's moving speech. Even how the Empire tried to literally throw a shadow to her message, the light kept shining through. What a brilliant scene and the build up to it, the ever growing tension was masterfully done. I can go on and on about this masterclass in filmmaking, this is the result of a carefully and well thought out show.
Andor is amazing, from top to bottom. No detail is too small. I love the structure of this show, from the build up to pay off. More of this please Disney less of book of Boba fett
COLLINS! The "never more than 12" episodes edit was mwah, Chefs kiss! 👌🏾
I went back and forth whether to leave that in so THANK YOU!!!
@@rawcollings so glad you did, favourite part of this vid and possibly my favourite part of that whole series (although bell guy kicking a stormtrooper out the bell tower was also a highlight.)
@@rawcollings ps that snippet of conversation between Tony Gilroy and George Lucas was gold, Where can we see the rest of it please?
@@kevthepoet That's James Cameron. I'm fairly sure it's on youtube?
@@hollandscottthomas ah, it was Cameron, that's why I couldn't find it lol
The end scene of the episode is one of the best in the show (the show has a lot of good scenes though). He’s lost everything he’s cared about, and with one line you know exactly where his mind is: he’s at the point where he has nothing to lose. The dynamic nature of his character was so believable in this show.
"Wouldn't you rather give everything all at once for something that mattered?"
Like 'Blade Runner' - 10 mins into this show and you are there in the world. So immersive with top draw writing, acting and music, characters we care about and just enough Star Wars 'trimming' (TIE Fighters/Stormtroopers) to make it feel familiar.... 10/10 for me
Every time I hear someone talk about this show it just gets better and better for me. And that's the hallmark of a well thought out, cleverly written show.
And I am thankful
I think it was very important to see Cassian Andors journey from doing out of instinct of survival to becoming an enabler of the rebellion. He enabled Kino to start up the uprising, in a similar way he enabled Jyn Erso to go on and lead the Rouge One group to Scariff. That is very important and is something we get to see through this show. Hopefully in season 2 we'll be able to see how Luthen trains and uses him to enable more in this big fight against the empire.
Andor is incredible. Created by actual talent.
“The banality of evil” is what is being described at the beginning and it is the best part of this show. That the evil of the empire isn’t in its leadership, it’s the bureaucracy, the reduction of millions of beings into numbers and commodities.
Among the countless amazing “real” moments in this show. One that really hit me to just be “wow that sucks” is when mothma just sells off her daughter to a gangster cause she’s needs money for the rebellion.
What I like the most is it shows daily lives of both imperial and rebels, and those in between. Unbelievably it makes both imperial and rebels more sympathetic
Not watched Andor, but fuck, if Mason compares it to The Wire, I might have to watch it now.
Second that opinion the comparison is laughable
I've watched the wire maybe a dozen times in it's entirety and read all the pieces matter about the wire. This show has definitely got some comparable elements in it's dna. I went in with zero expectations which is always a good approach. If you go in expecting anything like the wire you are probably in for a letdown but I'm defending the general comparison.
@@thenoisebleed9110 Yeah, The Wire is on another level. My favourite show of all time. That book is great too. But still haven't got around to watching Andor, just really not that interested to be honest.
Amazing how much more engaging a show that focuses on writing and acting is.
The dialogue in this series was so much better than past Star Wars medias. No “I hate sands” and “Are you an angel?” The dialogue was between very human conversations that you would have with your friends and awesome, beautiful speeches, reminiscent of Civil Rights leaders. Wonderful series! The wait for season 2 is going to be so painful but so worth it
I loved it. Slow burn, great characters, solid soundtrack and kept me coming back for more. The world-building was too notch and the effects were amazing. And yes, f***ing blasters kill with one shot. 😵💀
I was going to be a little disappointed at the finale because it didn’t give us Andor vs Deedra or Luthen vs some other Big Baddie and I realized that’s not what this show is and it ended consistent to the tone all season. It ended like the wire would have ended. And thank god for that !!
I loved Rogue One and loved Cassian in it as I think Deigo Luna is phenomenaly talented so I was hyped when the Andor was announced. Even so this show surpassed my expectations and I really loved it.
As soon as I heard they turned the people on ferrix in to bricks, I knew that maarva's brick was gonna smack some imperial in the face.
Before I saw this I was comparing this show to the Wire too! I was shocked how good Andor was. It's a rewarding slow burn that I loved but like the Wire, not everyone is going to enjoy it.
Yep, best written Star Wars to date by a huge margin. Every single frame of this show is so stuffed with storytelling, it's crazy. Add world class actors who can deliver this dialogue, and absolutely top notch production on every level, it's easily the best show of the year if you ask me. Star Wars is something I've loved forever, but it's never been "up there" with HBO quality or anything like that. This time they really did it.
It's not a "Star Wars" show.
It's a great show that takes place in the Star Wars universe.
Which makes it a Star Wars show.
Ugh.
@@barghest94 You get what mean though. So much of Disney star wars relies solely on nostalgia to invite audiences or tell its story. Andor doesn't do this.
Similar to how Dark Knight is a superhero film but it is distinctly different than something like Avengers or Captain America which are good but more formulaic
@@devonmarr9872 Oh of course I see how different this show is compared to anything else in the franchise... just think it can still be considered a Star Wars show.
Even Rogue One wasn't like this show tonally.
@@barghest94 I guess I should have said Star Warsy if you catch my drift
Andor is a smart show. It also requires patience. People are complex. Things have consequences. People do capable decisions but Mistakes are made also. Things aren’t easy.
If you want fast resolutions, this is not for you. But I’d say: look at the highest rated TV shows at IMDB. If you liked those, you’re likely to like this.
Andor is very good. Best production in 30 years. I am especially enjoying the character arc's of Mon Mothma, Dedra and Syril.
"So much awkward climbing!" Absolute best encapsulation of the season I've seen! 😁
The prison break storyline is top tier television, not just Star Wars, television.
100% the most I have ever enjoyed any star wars. this show completely blew my expectations out of the water, it was just incredible the whole way through
Rouge One and Andor has given me hope again.... and we all know thats what rebellions are made of.
Episodes 4-6 are the FLEX, but the whole of the show is pretty dam good
Episode 10 was amazing too.
6 and 10 were fucking perfection. So were episodes 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,11, and 12 as well.
I had 0 expectations with this show and it blew me away, each arc just got more and more interesting to watch, i love how this show really can stand on its own without tying it in with other star wars characters we already know
I loved the restraint it had, it didn't rely on iconography or nostalgia, like we saw a star destroyer only once, and stormtroopers and tie fighters were few and far between, and when they showed up the actually felt dangerous. They didn't have a million stormtroopers and starship cause they didn't need it, and it really made the show feel like it's own thing as well as making the empire actually scary. The lack of cameos was amazing as well, beyond Saw, Mon Mothma, and Cassian obviously, I don't think there were any returning characters from previous Star Wars media, and those few were done well and actually there for a reason beyond making me do the pointing meme
I legit was dreading watching this at first cause I desperately didn't care about it since I kinda found Cassian one of the weaker parts of Rogue One, but now I can say it's probably the best star wars Disney has put out, and definitely makes Rogue One better retroactively
Best show of the year for me. Hope more people find it and enjoy
I keep meaning to watch this but am just gonna binge the whole thing. I liked Cassian Andor in R1, thought it was cool to, for once see a rebel that was kinda scummy and wasn't portrayed as infallible good guy.
final episode came out a few hours ago
You are in for a treat! It's incredible!!
It's honestly WAY better than I could have ever hoped. The writing is FAR better than anything that Star Wars has ever done. I had absolutely no expectations for this show, didn't plan on watching it, but decided to just because a friend kept telling me that it's great... and it is.
@Raymond Sims out of curiosity, which Star Wars show is above average to you? What do you consider good?
Andor was genuinely, unexpectedly fantastic. This is by far the best thing Star Wars has produced under Disney, and should be standard for TV projects going forward.
Really feel like many didn't catch the end credits scene for episode 12, which explains what they were building in the prison
Disney cut it off and sent me to Kenobi episode 1. I had to fast forward episode 12 just to see it
I've never seen a thumbnail capture my feelings about a show this accurately.
I was so looking forward to hearing you both discuss this show and I'm so glad to hear you both had a great time with it. My god is it fun to just talk about a good thing that we enjoy
That bit where the guy uses the brick of ashes to smash that Empire dude in the face. And then when the anvil guy kicks his would-be storm trooper assassin off the tower. What a beautiful final ep.
Honestly my favorite Star Wars thing since the Disney takeover! Beautifully realistic and perfect villains. They're characters you actually epathize with and root for in a twisted way.
And so many scene-chewing character actors! Everytime I saw the older ISB supervising officer, the one with the slightly longer grey hair, I felt... great! Cosnsumed by the aura. I enjoyed seeing every second of his presence. :D
I had the same feeling of needing to get through the first 3 episodes, but then I was hooked. It is very odd that they didn't put it on the front page of Disney+
And I love the new ship designs
I had absolutely zero expectations, and I wonder if that’s part of the reason I absolutely adored it.
I loved Andor…Rogue One was my favorite Star Wars movie, because of the way the ending illuminated the beginning of New Hope. It feels so genuine.