TMC
12-12-2022, 09:52 PM
https://www.looper.com/1135495/lessons-star-wars-should-learn-from-andor/
BY RICK STEVENSON/DEC. 12, 2022 8:19 PM EST
The stellar initial season of "The Mandalorian" foretold a bright future for "Star Wars" on Disney+ back in 2019. With a strong cast, grounded narrative, and tons of positive reviews, it made a strong case that the future of the franchise might lie on the small screen. Sadly, that promise yielded mixed results, with follow-ups like "The Book of Boba Fett" and "Obi-Wan Kenobi" failing to meet "The Mandalorian" Season 1's high standard. However, then a little show called "Andor" came out, and all was right with the world again.
Helmed by "Bourne" franchise writer Tony Gilroy and starring Diego Luna as his eponymous "Rogue One" character, the series begins roughly five years before the events of "Star Wars: A New Hope." While it is primarily an origin story for the titular rebel spy who meets his end in "Rogue One," "Andor" is so much more. With a massive cast of characters, the show plots the formation of the Rebel Alliance from numerous angles at once. We see the decline of the Imperial Senate, the erosion of personal rights under Palpatine's regime, and the fractious relations between different rebel cells. Through it all, "Andor" tells a powerful story about radicalization and the sacrifices necessary to fight oppression.
It's no secret that Disney's time as the gatekeeper of "Star Wars" has been pretty rocky so far. Despite the franchise's mass appeal, the company has failed to deliver consistent hits, but fortunately, they now have a strong blueprint for resurrecting it. Here are some lessons the rest of "Star Wars" should learn from "Andor" going forward.
BY RICK STEVENSON/DEC. 12, 2022 8:19 PM EST
The stellar initial season of "The Mandalorian" foretold a bright future for "Star Wars" on Disney+ back in 2019. With a strong cast, grounded narrative, and tons of positive reviews, it made a strong case that the future of the franchise might lie on the small screen. Sadly, that promise yielded mixed results, with follow-ups like "The Book of Boba Fett" and "Obi-Wan Kenobi" failing to meet "The Mandalorian" Season 1's high standard. However, then a little show called "Andor" came out, and all was right with the world again.
Helmed by "Bourne" franchise writer Tony Gilroy and starring Diego Luna as his eponymous "Rogue One" character, the series begins roughly five years before the events of "Star Wars: A New Hope." While it is primarily an origin story for the titular rebel spy who meets his end in "Rogue One," "Andor" is so much more. With a massive cast of characters, the show plots the formation of the Rebel Alliance from numerous angles at once. We see the decline of the Imperial Senate, the erosion of personal rights under Palpatine's regime, and the fractious relations between different rebel cells. Through it all, "Andor" tells a powerful story about radicalization and the sacrifices necessary to fight oppression.
It's no secret that Disney's time as the gatekeeper of "Star Wars" has been pretty rocky so far. Despite the franchise's mass appeal, the company has failed to deliver consistent hits, but fortunately, they now have a strong blueprint for resurrecting it. Here are some lessons the rest of "Star Wars" should learn from "Andor" going forward.