Board 8 > Star Wars: Andor coming September 21st

(+) Yeah! (+)

and that's another trio capped off

ehhhh I said about 1-3 that packaged as a movie it would easily slot into the top tier for Star Wars... but I'm not saying that for 4-6. Like yeah 1-3 was also a slow burn to climax but I never felt bored, every scene felt important no matter which perspective we were being shown (Cassian in a rush to flee, Syril with his obsessive drive to go after him, the Kenari flashbacks wonderfully coinciding with Andor's new journey, Timm's jealousy), but in this set I can't say the same.

but again that isn't to say it's bad or anything, I think the escape was a beautiful set-piece among the meteors, and I I like that the guy hurling suspicious accusations at everyone ended up being a traitor himself... kinda cliched but hey it was a nice pay-off and we get to see it drive Cassian to paranoia to just get his cut & go. Honestly though throughout the episode I felt like there was supposed to be tension but I wasn't actually feeling it, like with Vel getting hesitant during the operation and falling behind schedule, it didn't feel like a big deal or anything. Then when they're actually found out it's not like they're really overwhelmed since it's like one dude who caught on and brought a small group of 4 with him. I really liked Lieutenant Gorn tho (RIP), I was lolling when he was continuing to cover for the situation as a secret operation that comms guy wasn't authorized to be involved in, and the dude's visibly confused despite overhearing the whole heist. Really sad he got shot, definitely my fav of the group sans-Cassian.

speaking of, it was pretty noticeable how just the two black guys got quickly shot down before the escape.

anyhow still enjoying it fine... but I kinda think I might be better off banking two weeks if they're continuing this 3-episode arc stuff. I think I would've enjoyed this set better that way... maybe I re-watch them all together. Not sure where the next arc goes but I'm interested, Cassian handing off the blue kyber crystal makes me think they're not quickly teaming back up right away. I know Saw Gerrera's suppose to be in the show so maybe we start heading that way? Then again it makes more sense for him to be involved with Luthen & the rebellion.

Yeah, I agree.

I liked the episode, but the buildup to it was a little much. Not as good as the first trio, but I still like it.

Pyrrhic victory.

What I love is that Star Wars doesn't even try when it comes to doctors in terms of naming. I think this guy was named Dr. Quadpaw? Goes along with the naming convention when you look at Dr. Mandible

I actually really liked this trio of episodes. The character writing and interaction was consistently excellent. My wife was dreading Nemik dying the whole episode because he kept raising death flags, and for him to go out that way after it looked like he was going to make it was tough.

This show is really good and I'm someone who thought Rogue One sucked except for the last act.

This is basically that concept executed well at all times. It barely even feels like a Star Wars story, but in a good way.

Count me as someone else who had no interest in this beforehand due to not liking Rogue One.

LinkMarioSamus posted...

Count me as someone else who had no interest in this beforehand due to not liking Rogue One.

Nobody cares

More just amazed it's winning over even people who didn't like Rogue One but yeah.

I'm slowly catching up, my biggest complaint so far is Cassian shaving his glorious beard off. He could have at least kept it for a while longer but oh nooo we gotta make sure he looks like he did in Rogue One which is still five years awayyyy

Also this show is very different from the structure of Rogue One so I'm not surprised people who didn't like that movie can still enjoy this show. The only similarity I see is that all the characters we meet are doomed.

I mean the writer on this show was a writer on Rogue One. At the very base structural level, they are both trying to deal with the ground-level political situations of the Star Wars universe. The big difference to me here is the storytelling is so decompressed and you actually get time to sit with these characters instead of rushing from scene to scene. Rogue One is three acts of setup, bridge, payoff and this show is very happy to just languish in setup before moving to payoff. And then doing even more setup. I definitely think the buildup to 6 was totally worth it.

That and the moment-to-moment writing is straight up just better and harder hitting than R1. Most of the show is people sitting around talking to each other about the banality of evil and it's good.

I don't think anyone would argue about the weak pacing of the film. I loved Jyn but everyone else was just glorified canon fodder (I mean, Jyn was too I guess), even Cassian. The movie was at its best when it was simply vomiting star wars imagery and fan service onto the screen. The plot was a complete mess for sure.

Andor on the other hand is actually interested in telling a real story with actual characters. If we lived in a better timeline Rogue One would have started off as this show leading into the big action finale of a film.

I had no interest in this show and I actually liked Rogue One but I decided to start watching based on friend recommendations. And yeah this show is definitely worth watching.

The thing that's really blowing me away is that the production value feels so much higher than all of the other SW shows baring maybe Mando. Like this makes Boba Fett and even Obi Wan look like CW shows in comparison. The sets and design are just miles away. Hopefully this is the new standard for SW shows going forward.

Wasn't sure if I'd just wait for 3 episodes to build up, buuut I think this ep was actually real engaging again. Hard to compare with the first 3 eps since they came all at once but I've enjoyed this more than the last 3s. It didn't really feel like a build-up episode but on the contrary actually connecting things back and even giving some fanservice forwards (oh hell yeah KX droids)

I haven't been completely interested in the non-Cassian plots the last few eps but this week I'm enjoying Mon Mothma's spy recruitment & the Imperial lady actually digging up on the Rebel plots. I take it though Syril's plot is gonna be a pretty long burn though since he's just been getting drab uneventful grunt work clips for a while now. Also Luther I kinda miss his involvement outside of the spy stuff.

But the reveal that Maarva's involved with the Rebellion, not sure if it was explicitly stated that she was Luthen's source about Cassian but that's what makes sense and it works. It was pretty touching how Cassian just wanted to be free with ma but she's got more she wants to do. Also glad it didn't immediately convert Cassian to the cause himself and instead we get him moving on to them KX droids aww yeah

but yeah pretty good ep, keep like this and I can tolerate the fawning I've seen the show get that's felt a bit much to me til now.

Dedra dunking on fools

just caught up on this

god, the reveal of the four-armed Anthony hopkinsesque alien doctor guy made me laugh so hard, it really undercut the emotional impact of what was going on right before, but still it was really good stuff

every time some weirdo random alien is on screen I cheer. Weird anteater guy on the beach was excellent. Shirtless pink guy right afterward may be my favorite so far

i havent watched a Star Wars thing since Last Jedi, and this is giving me an itch to watch some more. Maybe Ill finally check out Mandalprian.

Finally started watching this, up to episode 4 and absolutely loving it. I can see how somebody who was very into the prior Star Wars series might not as it is very, very different. Not everything will vibe for everybody and thats totally okay. The last thing anybody should want is for Star Wars to become like Star Trek where despite having this vast canvas to tell all different sorts of stories, fans only demand a very particular style. That willingness to be different was a strength of The Last Jedi, one of the best Star Wars films, but that still ultimately hewed to Star Wars traditions, this goes much, much further outside the box than that film ever did.

Anyway, on the show itself. I really liked the first three, but it was episode four that sold me fully on the show. All the Coruscant scenes are some of the best worldbuilding - and character development - in this entire franchise. I especially loved the ISB scenes of internal political careerism and backstabbing. I think my favourite scene so far though is in episode 1, where the older corpo tells Karn exactly what to do and why. Of course Karn ignores him and we see things go exactly as his superior sats they would. The great irony being that Karn wanted the Empire to have a stronger presence and thats exactly what he got, at the cost of his job and several lives.

My favourite parts of Rogue One were not the battle scenes (though those were pretty great) but instead the glimpses we got at the inner workings of the Empire, the brief scenes of family life, the officers congratulating each other on the Death Star, the jostling for power. Andor is basically that as a series. Its great, though if youre after the more heroic myth side of Star Wars it is a very different show.

Yeah the way the Empire has been fleshed out is one of the show's greatest strengths. They are pure, bureaucratic evil who are all very boring and normal individually but their interactions are fascinating to watch. You get the petty politicking and the disastrous consequences too. This lets the Empire feel threatening whether it's being competent or not - we got some Stormtroopers this episode and even though they were incompetent as hell it was a big fucking problem! You don't get too much of that in other Star Wars stuff.

LightningStrikes posted...

I think my favourite scene so far though is in episode 1, where the older corpo tells Karn exactly what to do and why.

Also yeah I think this is still my favorite scene. Couldn't believe they just straight up put a monologue about the real politics of how police corruption functions in a Disney show lmao. Plus watching Karn's arc of the law-abiding non-corrupt cop to almost immediately going mad with power trying solve the case was a great time

Finished episode 6, I absolutely loved that.

another really good ep

the prison design was pretty incredible, like the crazy magnet shoes prison from Face/Off but super sterile instead of rough and dirty

Not Andor but Tales of the Jedi also came out today, six episodes focused on Ahsoka and Dooku at various times in their lives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uRRKqQbmw4

Another great episode. The conversation between Luthen and Saw was really good.

I'm curious to see how many of Andor's fellow inmates die in the inevitable prison escape next episode

Watched the episode of Tales of the Jedi with Yaddle in it. Dont know why they cast somebody as big as Bryce Dallas Howard for the role, seems kinda pointless. It was a pretty generic soft older lady voice. I guess she already has Star Wars connections from directing those Mando and Boba Fett episodes, maybe she just really wanted to do a voice somewhere in the franchise.

I actually laughed when they made it look like she got crushed to death

Its pretty funny that Yaaddle doesnt have a weirdo speech pattern like Yoda does

yoda is just brain damaged

All caught up on Andor.

This show is great! So much depth to every moment and the acting is top-notch. I loved the Saw moment where he just lists all the different competing rebel ideologies, it added a lot in a little. I also loved the Yularen scene discussing PORD, all the nasty things you know the Empire had been waiting to implement but just needed an excuse.

I think next episode is more prison stuff, episode 10 is the prison break and episodes 11 and 12 will concern the various factions trying to kill Andor which will end up with him joining the rebels.

So it turns out that reviewers have now seen ip to episode 10. Apparently episode 10 is as good as 6 which A) is awesome and B) reinforces my theory that episode 10 will be the prison break. Exciteddd

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/4/4/AAAelnAAD09Q.jpg

New episode day bump. I wont be able to watch it until tomorrow though.

that one dude's mom still the worst

at least he gets to eat more crunch berries

Andy Serkis was great this episode

I feel like this series would have been better off if it was released all at once. These episodes are well made and setting up good things but there's just not much to digest all week.

Also, another Star Wars show where the main character's story is the least interesting part.

Cybat posted...

there's just not much to digest all week.

i swear am I watching the same show as other people are??? Theres so fucking much here!!!

There's a ton of great writing moments and character interactions in every episode, but the plot is certainly being given time to marinate, which is a good thing.

Cybat posted...

I feel like this series would have been better off if it was released all at once. These episodes are well made and setting up good things but there's just not much to digest all week.

I strongly disagree. The show's greatest strengths are how it develops the plot slowly and builds tension through character interactions and long, lingering shots. For me at least the tension stays with me all the way until the next episode.

Now the first three episodes made sense all at once, because there was a ton of backstory and worldbuilding the show needed to express in a hurry so that the rest of the plot would make sense. But ever since then it's been nice to have a Star Wars show take its time in telling its story and bringing things along slowly and letting them marinate.

I think releasing it in batches (1-3,4-6,7,8-10,11-12) would make sense as the story arcs are clearly paced that way. However I think each episode has a tonne to chew on. Definitely more than the typical episode of a genre show.

Anyway, that episode was great, best mid-arc episode of the lot. The Bix scene near the start has to be the darkest live action Star Wars moment ever. I was genuinely upset.

Yeah, I waited to watch 7-9 altogether and it was worth it.

I think I'm going to look back at 4 and 5 as the downpoints of the series, but it's just really good to watch. But yeah, there's a little too much marinating at times for me to really feel like I want to watch a single episode a week?

I will probably watch next week as it airs, then let the last two episodes sit.

LightningStrikes posted...

That willingness to be different was a strength of The Last Jedi, one of the best Star Wars films,

TLJ was way more standard SW than TPM and ROTS ;)

Anyway, sounding off on Tales of the Jedi. Brilliant series of shorts. I could do without ep. 1, but Dooku is a great character to do more on, and Ahsoka is just the best.

Phantom Menace is a prime example of why different isn't necessarily good.

Andor is good different.

Andor is different and good, yes.

Star Wars is a big franchise - capitalizing on different genres is a good idea. Mandalorian was great and it honed in on the western/shogun genres to present something very familiar but different. Andor has managed to do the same.

I think that Obi-Wan suffered from not really having that sort of identity, and Boba Fett suffered from being bad at playing its genre. This makes me worry for Ahsoka, which I am hoping is amazing beyond all others.

The Last Jedi repeatedly subverts expectations and doesn't make them meaningful enough. But yes, it is probably the one Disney-era Star Wars product that doesn't just revel in nostalgia.

LinkMarioSamus posted...

The Last Jedi repeatedly subverts expectations and doesn't make them meaningful enough. But yes, it is probably the one Disney-era Star Wars product that doesn't just revel in nostalgia.

False, but if you want me to explain why, I will only do so in a new topic.

The stupid thing is I found a YT video analysis that was quite fair on The Force Awakens, and then 60% through I made the mistake of reading the comments and finding the same old tired complaints. Honestly, while I won't say I don't understand the criticism, I find it precious that people act like the sequel trilogy is so similar to the original trilogy even though the aspects shared between them are hardly unique to Star Wars. Makes me think they're just anti-progressives appropriating common arguments because they don't actually care about Star Wars, especially since some of them did reuse rhetoric like TLJ being political somehow (and when I asked how they pointed me to "The Force is Female", which is not in the actual film) and the trilogy "reducing legacy male characters" (when I replied that sounded like misogynist rhetoric, I was labelled a misandrist for the crime of pointing out how the term "male" was singled out which basically confirms people like these have a victim complex - completely explains Gamergate too).

I could rant more but I'll stop by saying I think a big reason why I ran into all these anti-progressive YouTube randos I complain about is because I was only really first getting into Star Wars in 2018 and obviously there were many videos slamming TLJ and the whole trilogy by proxy at that time. I was once subscribed to The Quartering for heaven's sake! At the time I knew no better, and it seemed like this was the genuine core Star Wars fandom. Now I know better. Absolutely priceless when people complain about how the events of the original trilogy were supposedly undone in the sequel trilogy by government incompetence considering it's not like this franchise had a whole trilogy predicated on just that.

Stop watching YouTube randos and watch Andor instead so you can contribute to this topic

https://twitter.com/starwars/status/1589619913685372928

I was briefly with the same local talent agency as Dean-Charles Chapman when he was getting started and grew up in the same town. I never met him but everybody was super proud of him there.

LightningStrikes posted...

The Bix scene near the start has to be the darkest live action Star Wars moment ever. I was genuinely upset.

The way the Nazi mad scientist dude is so friendly and cheerful while he's explaining his horrific torture device is so fucked up

The actors in this show are really selling it, even random one-off guys like that

Andor is Star Wars for adults

Its wild that we made Andy Serkis be nothing but CGI weirdos for so long when hes such a good live-action actor too. Hes so good here.

Halfway through, this episode whips ass

edit: done now. Maybe the best episode of the whole show.

that dialogue at the end. Holy cow. Almost as intense as the action earlier in the episode. Great episode all around.

Yeah, the shot of Luthen on that bridge was so imposing, then the whole dialogue was so good

I hope this show doesnt get overlooked by the Emmys this is just actual prestige tv with a Star Wars label. Skarsgaard and Serkis did incredible work in this episode.

when he gestured with the remote that opened the elevator door, for a moment I thought that he didnt have anything in his hand and used the force to open it, lol