That0therGeorge discusses his thoughts on Season 1 of 'Andor', the best piece of 'Star Wars' media since 1980. Letterboxd - letterboxd.com/That0therGeorge Instagram - / that0thergeorge
Andor is exactly what starwars needed. The general concensus before the show came out was, "we don't need a story about a throwaway spinoff character". But it turned out to be a masterpiece. The tone and writing was very refreshing, especially after all the "mandoverse" shows that felt samey.
@@Starwars-Fanboy Completely agreed. It's so bizarre to think that the shows starring these well established characters have been poor in terms of quality and yet 'Andor' really shined through.
It's not bizarre. Boba Fett was a paper-thin character to begin with. They never should have tried to make a whole show about him. OWK is a great character but his story has been *completely* told. There's no more blood to squeeze from that stone. IMO, that is the main reason why those shows were creative failures.
The only reason why I don't count Andor ahead of Episode 4-6 is simply the fact that George Lucas' Fantasy has initially created the world that Andor utilizes as setting, and that I have big respect for this part of Georges work. But nothing in Star Wars ever before Andor has managed to get me tears in the eyes ... multiple times ... even when rewatching the same scenes ... I am still speechless when listening to especially those 3 speeches that even more elevate Andor above nearly every media thing we get to see. You really feel with Andy Serkins, with Marva, with Luthen ... and they have a power thats very rarely achieved ... and still with nuance, with brain, with passion ... I simply LOVE Andor. It brought so much more then I could ever have hoped for in Star Wars. If Season 2 keeps that level of quality, we have an eternal masterpiece, that has no reason to hide behind a "Lord of the Rings" and other rare movies of this genius. Just that it hides its move qualities in the framework of a series ... sadly excluding it from the Oscars it deserves. The force is with Andor. Forever.
Part of what made Andor so great was that absolutely nobody wanted a show about Cassian Andor, so we had no expectations and he made the perfect vessel to take us on a tour through the most real feeling Star Wars universe we've seen so far. There were no Jedi or Sith, no magical galactic powers, just normal people stuck in the middle of a changing galaxy. It was Star Wars for adults, and it was great.
Yeah it is weird to think, but 'Star Wars' seems to be much better quality wise when it focuses on random characters in the universe, as oppose to all of the well established ones.
Except they could still make star wars with Jedi and sith that is as good as andor if they just STOPPED WITH THE BULLSHIT FAN SERVICE. THAT is y andor is so amazing, it didn't cater to all the losers that just wanna get their member berries...I call them fake fans.
@@spicymchaggis6581ultimately i think that really depends on your interests and what you value in the media you consume. if you enjoy the adventure and explosive action of the star wars films, just something to sort of turn your brain off and just enjoy, then maybe this one isnt really for you. andor is a slow burn by design, it wants you to sit and think with what its saying y'know. its a political espionage drama. if you dont enjoy listening to people argue and debate with each other then you weren't the target audience. you not finding something to enjoy in the show doesn't make it immediately bad and boring by its nature. it just makes it a little boring to you and your reasonable companions.
Actually people loved Andor because it’s about Young Stalin. We’ve been taught all our lives that communism is evil, but when we see what communism actually is (without trigger words like “communism”) we actually love it. Most communist TV show ever produced in the USA.
I'm actually really bothered when people say Andor isn't Star Wars. It's the deepest anaylsis of the Star Wars universe we've ever seen in live action. It treats Star Wars with true respect because it's written and produced as if it's real - not just a fantasy story.
Absolutely. I understand that it doesn't have the same memorabilia and imagery as previous instalments, but to say "it is not Star Wars" is absurd to me.
If anything, I'd like to think that Lucas appreciates that someone recognized the heart of what he was trying to talk about, and did something new with it.
Nemik's words/writings on the nature of oppression and resistance is the most thoughtful Star Wars has ever been. I don't begrudge people loving their sci fi pulp fiction epic adventure story, but to see Star Wars attempt any kind of depth was a breath of fresh air. Nothing so pedestrian as the bad guys wear black and they're bad guys because they're evil. Really glad some Star Wars fan don't consider it "real" Star Wars, as I doubt I'd have enjoyed it if they were pandered to again.
@@That0therGeorge I would be surprised if they had such scenes, at all. At this point, the other shows feel like they're too afraid to treat their audience's intelligence with any form of respect. We get scene after scene of pointless action that have no real stakes. As much as I went rabid for Hayden's episode in Ahsoka, it was purely for nostalgia, and nothing else. It had a few cool lightsaber sequences, but I felt nothing for the characters except disdain for Thrawn's depiction. The Mandalorian season 3 had too much of pointless filler I couldn't even finish it. Season 1 had impressive highs, but major lows. Season 2 had that Bill Burr episode, but not much else. Luke Skywalker's entrance, I guess, but even that action scene was lackluster. Season 3 was just too much for me. Book of Boba Fett and Kenobi weren't even shy about being shameless cash-ins that solely exist for nostalgia. They had the chance to make a Logan-esque series about Obi-Wan's struggle with his failure, but we got another babysitting show in space. Boba Fett benefits from not being talked about, at all. With all that being said, if ever they did have those scenes, I'm sure they would have been pretty dull, pointless, and dumbed down.
Exactly! I've seen some people say "Andor isn't great, it's just better than the rest of modern Star Wars" - but it's really not true at all. 'Andor' is such a great show in its own right.
@@That0therGeorge this show gave such a new breath of life to the franchise. Some of my favorite characters in Star Wars are from this show now. Very much looking forward to season 2 and i really hope other creators take note from this show for their projects
@@Emery6393 Yeah Syril, Kino, Luthen, there are so many fantastic, original characters in this show. I'm very curious to see how they wrap up and transition into 'Rogue One'. I'm also wondering whether or not they'll keep a similar structure to Season 1 with the 4 arcs.
@@Emery6393 Yeah it's very ambiguous as to what the sister means in the greater story. I couldn't tell if it was going to lead on to the greater narrative or just as a reason to have Cassian on Morlana One.
This show makes you truly feel the Empire's presence like no other. In the first episode there isn't a single Imperial vehicle, trooper or officer on-screen, and yet their pervasive, oppressive influence over Ferrix is ever-present.
George Lucas avoided a very common pitfall when depicting a fascist regime. The OT wasn’t clean. Everything was filthy, grimy, and broken down except for the Empire. They(Sand Troopers)only get dirty when leaving their Star Destroyers. Lucas perfectly showcased thru simple art detection that under the Empire, the galaxy was rotting and falling apart. This series showcases how the galaxy is slowly being suffocated by the Empire.
I feel like they absolutely are. Even though initial figures are important, I think they would definitely take the longevity of a project into account.
Andor and the first two seasons of Mando are literally the only Disney+ shows I've actually re-watched. Disney's problem isn't quality, it's consistency. For every Andor, there's a Kenobi and for every Mandalorian, there's a Book of Boba Fett. Then there are shows like Ahsoka, which was OK but **could have** been great, if only it had been given a decent run-time (8 episodes = not enough time to tell a meaningful story). It's extremely frustrating, it's like they **almost** "get it", but not quite.
You think there is any logic and care for fans at Disney? Everything they do is driven by the agenda, and Lucasfilm is firmly in the grip of a person who could care less about SW, what it means to fans, and even good storytelling. Which is why fans get the same poorly-written, mediocre, compulsory girl-boss dross piped down their throats every time. Word around the camp-fire is that Gilroy only agreed to do _Andor_ on the condition that he would have complete control of the production. And he got it, on the back of the success of _Rogue One_ and due to his very high standing in the industry. I don't think the lady-boss approved, so it was really no surprise that Disney didn't exactly go overboard promoting the show, and seems generally unconcerned with it in terms of PR.
@@Raygo. Hmmm ... your theory falls down on 250 million facts! If they didn't believe in the show, why did they spend $250 million on it? Why didn't they send Tony Gilroy away? "You're getting $20 million and 6 x 30 minute episodes ... and NO! You can't film it all in the UK! It's under covid lockdown ... you'll film it all here on The Volume in the USA! That's your lot! ... now go away!" Not two 12 x 1 hour episode series of sheer awesome, filmed on location and building awesome sets - with the most amazing writing and acting that Star Wars has ever seen! I believe that the Aldhani heist sequence is actually a documentary about how they broke into Disney's headquarters and stole the money!
@@jazzx251 I believe I mentioned Gilroy's high standing in the industry. I take it you will have heard of the _Bourne_ trilogy and its sequel? These movies were *_highly_* successful and made Gilroy into a very high-status player, not someone you just "send away" with a little list of boxes to tick. Most fans don't have any understanding of how things actually go down in the industry. Proven financial success + contacts + unanimous respect from peers and power-brokers = the chutzpah to dictate terms to Disney. Which is what Gilroy did, he's a very smart and cool cookie. There is such a vast mismatch of talent and integrity between him and the female Lucasfilm boss that I find it impossible to believe she took that lightly.
@@That0therGeorge Can I ask if you’ve noticed that themes/phrases pop up over and over in Andor and Rogue One? I think everyone noticed “Climb!” From Rogue One and the prison. But “One Way Out!l is mentioned in the prison but also the heist where the garrison commander and his family are talking back and Val cuts them off by saying, “There’s only one way out. We win, or everyone dies.” I keep meaning to rewatch more intently to see if these pop up anywhere else.
@@donkeysaurusrex7881 I actually didn't notice the "climb!" one, but yeah there were a few that I did spot. The series has done such a great job of always reflecting on the important moments, never letting a single line of dialogue go to waste.
Honestly, I’m just happy that you didn’t completely brush off Syril’s character. More than a few video essays have literally brushed off his character as, “LOL, bootlicker” and left it at that. I love Syril as a demonstration of how an average person who wants to do good can be enraptured and taken by a bad system. It’s complicated, and I find that complication authentic to the real world.
Really appreciate this comment, thank you. I've actually had several people tell me that I'm wrong for describing his actions in the first few episodes as "good", despite the fact that I said there are many dodgy things that he does. The show is very complex and Syril's character is not simple.
@@That0therGeorge theres a difference between ethical motivation and moral motivation. I think that Karn is an ethical character (probably too rigidly so) but seemingly lacks the moral componenet. This doesnt mean he's evil - he like many living under the empires rule are ignorant to the true depth of its evils. He is a bit of a fetishist for the authoritarian trappings of the empire (his self tailored uniforms). This is why im fascinated to see where the relationship with Debra goes in S2. Karn is searching for a murderer to bring him to justice. Dedra is weilding the power of the state to crush dissent by any means necessary. Karn thinks their struggles are the same (Theres also undoubtedly a pyscho-sexual conponent Dedras sharply tailored uniform and his mother issues 😑). Will he continue to believe that as his ignorance about the true face of the empire is removed? Then we as the audience will understand if he is a moral character as well.
After the bad taste left by Bobba Fett and Kenobi. Andor was a breath of fresh air. The show wasn't good because what came before sucked like some say. The show is phenomenal due to its own merits. Every week my excitement for this show built up not because of laser swords and pew pew scenes but because of brilliant writing. Characters that felt real and an Empire worth fearing. Rogue One and Andor have a common denominator in Tony Gilroy. Lucasfilm got lucky when they got him.
Very well said. I find it baffling that people say "you only think it's good because the rest of modern Star Wars is bad". The show absolutely holds up on its own merits and I wouldn't have watched it multiple times if it was actually mediocre. I do like 'Rogue One' but I feel like it's definitely lower than 'Andor'. It potentially would've been better if Tony Gilroy was in charge of the whole project.
Andor S1 is one of the finest pieces of television I’ve watched. In terms of individual seasons, it’s honestly one of the first ones that come to mind for me when I’m asked “what is the best season?” Breaking Bad S5 and Fleabag S2 are hard to beat but this is pretty damn close.
Completely agree and it absolutely has re-watch value to it as well. Haven't seen 'Fleabag' yet, but yeah the final seasons of 'Breaking Bad' and 'Better Call Saul' are going to be pretty difficult to beat.
I enjoyed the first season of Fleabag, not positive if I finished it but I’ll have to check out season 2. Definitely agree that this is one of the best seasons of tv I’ve seen. Up there with season 4/5 of BrBa, and in my opinion seasons 2/6 of Better Call Saul. With each weekly release I got more and more invested in Andor, I can’t say I’ve seen anything like it before. Anti-fascist art at its absolute finest
@@That0therGeorge Fleabag is a superb show, Phobe Waller-Bridge's masterpiece that she wrote and starred in, and got countless Emmy awards for. But, she's very much connected to Star Wars. She played the main woke droid in "Solo" She wrote the first season of "Killing Eve", another Emmy-award winning masterpiece starring Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh ... whose spymaster is Fiona Shaw! (Maarva) And, of course, she starred in the most recent Indiana Jones opposite Harrison Ford Some people hate her ... I can't see why (jealousy?) She seems like great fun! - a superb writer and actress at the same time ... a truly rare "Mary Sue" of TV (lol - that's why I don't hate on Rey - because these kinds of people DO exist in real life!)
The other shows and films still feel like Star Wars to me, but in a cheap sort of way. They will focus a lot more on the superficial elements. Whereas 'Andor' is more like the original trilogy in terms of writing quality (even though it's telling a very different story).
There also the two most pointless stories ever written cause they're just leading up to a new hope. We know where they end before they even get written or filmed.
@@Infamous1892 by that logic every story about a living being is pointless, because it ends in death anyway. The journey is the interesting part here.
What makes this show so great is it shows the real ground level cost of the rebellion. People die and are sacrificed in war. Something the OT just kinda glossed over
Andor surprisingly and out of nowhere became one of if not my absolute favorite show OF ALL TIME! Between the writing, the acting, the music, and the sets….its second to none
@@That0therGeorge The show, no one cared about, yet celebrated in a small circle. What I find very interesting, that anyone I talked to who loved Andor were pretty "Meh..." on other shows (Obi, Boba) and vice versa! Yes, I know people who loved the Boba show. And yes, they though Andor is a slow, pointless "Meh.." not even finishing it.
His manifesto is excellent. I didn't include it in the montage, because it isn't quite a monologue in the same way that the others are. However, I did put an edited sequence of it on my secondary channel if you're interested. I agree that good writing is rare. Thankfully Andor's writing has been celebrated so much.
Mature writing, competent characters, nuanced plot. Who would have thought that well made tv series would have people appreciate that effort. Disney, do you see us now? Do you see us now!?
Im glad that we finally have some moral ambiguity, Cassian DID murder an unarmed, surrendered man. Cyril IS doing his job in pursuing him. It's not just empire bad rebels good for a change
Exactly! And what I love most is that they haven't flipped it purely for the sake of doing so, it does actually have a purpose and is thoroughly explored in the narrative.
Definitely the best show, I really loved the ISB meeting scenes, seeing the inner workings and strategic thought process of them really made the empire feel strong aswel
12:57 One thing I'd like to add is that the prison is similar to the roundel on the flag of the Galactic Empire, and the prisoners swimming away from it makes it look like the roundel, the symbol of Imperial authority and control, is bleeding. It's like what Nemik writes in his manifesto "Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks. It leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear." The shot of the guards all cowering in a locked room during the prison riot also exemplifies this, as well as Captain Tigo watching one of his troopers get kicked from the bell-tower (anvil-tower?) on Ferrix. The symbolism in this show is something else. I think it's a little odd that you only really focused on Cassian's story, and didn't focus all that much of Luthen, Mon Mothma, or the ISB, since they make up really big portion of the show, though I did like your little segment on Syril. I think you're right that Syril just wants to do his best, but I'm not sure I would call him good. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, after all. Syril's pretty easy to sympathize with at first, especially given his relationship with his mother, but becomes firm in his authoritarian beliefs, and is kinda creepy in his obsession with Dedra and with catching Andor. He reminds me of a younger Inspector Javert from Les Miserables, in a way. I wouldn't describe Syril or Javert as good, but lawful. I think Chuck from Better Call Saul and Hank from Breaking Bad are very similar characters, though with quite a bit of difference and nuance to them, especially with both of them being family to the main protagonist. Anyway, I really enjoyed this video, and would love to see a more in-depth one covering the other characters of the story, if you have the time or desire to do so, of course.
That shot is incredible on its own anyway, but that is a really cool detail. The show is so rich with character that even the bell-tower guy gets his moment to shine haha. Syril is a superb character and yeah as I said in the video I don't approve of his actions, but I do believe there is a lot of good within him. I appreciate the feedback. Had this been a complete breakdown of 'Andor' then I would have also gone more in-depth with the characters that you had mentioned - Judging by your comment, I assume you've seen my BCS series? It would have been similar to that if I had chosen that route. My intention with this particular project was different as I wanted to go over the series as a whole, but mainly concentrate on my favourite parts such as my segment on Syril.
I’ve rewatched this magnificent series five times now, and its richness allows for new revelations each time. I think you are right to focus on Andor himself as his character arc is the central narrative thrust. I love the way the Empire is presented as a genuine threat, and how there are shades of grey, morally speaking, on both sides. Finding something this good in the modern SW franchise is, frankly, astonishing. Totally agree with you re. raising the stakes through careful buildup… the single TIE fighter that buzzes the heist crew was terrifying.
@@colleybri8912 Only five? Haha. Yeah I of course absolutely agree with you. I'm happy that my segment on slowly raising the stakes resonated with you. It's astonishing when you compare the scene on Aldhani with three tie fighters to any of the space battles in something like 'The Mandalorian'.
Cyril's initial motivations are understandable but yeah, he is definitely not "good." Cyril's boss who wanted the deaths glossed over was right and justified in the end; those security officers were where they shouldnt have been doing what they shouldn't have been doing, acting as petty thugs, and they died bc they were corrupt criminals who tried to shakedown the wrong man. Cyril supports law & order not moral good. He's a fascist.
Honestly i think Syril’s character if it has to be boiled down to a phrase would be incel fascist fanboy, but it’s still so much more complicated than that. Obviously when we first see him he’s trying super hard to use the very little power he has, and he has a moral code of “letter of the law,” even though the law is explicitly immoral, cause it’s fascist. As we go on in the show we just see him keep failing, and trying even harder to do well in the system, and fail again, and then he meets supervisor meero and he thinks that because he tries so hard and likes the empire that he deserves to “get the girl” even though she is pretty explicitly repulsed by this. He’s such an interesting character, and I can’t wait to see where they take him in S2 honestly
Andor has 12 episodes yet all of them manages to progress the story. All the other Disney+ SW shows have just 6 episodes on average, and they still have the audacity to jerk us off with fillers.
By process of elimination, episode 7 of 'Andor' is my least favourite episode of the series, but even that episode does so much to progress the story. The series might be twice as long as some of the other shows, but it achieves 10 times as much.
Regarding filler episodes and Mando season 3 hate, some of what we saw (particularly the episode about the doctor getting mind-flayed) were meant to happen in the canceled Republic Ranger show. That episode was necessary for the overall MandoVerse.
Andor treats Star Wars as true sci fi. I think thats a large contributing factor to its success and why it feels so *different* from everything else we've received. Its exactly what I've been looking for in Star Wars. Using the setting as a vehicle for the exploration of greater themes. Now only if we can get a detective murder noire set on Coruscant...
Yeah, 'Andor' is very mature and is everything I want to see from a science fiction series. And the detective murder noir story is definitely an idea I'm on-board with.
I watch these videos to hear other people who also appreciate the character nuances like Luthan’s facial expressions, the beach scene after Marva’s death, and the incredible dialogue. Somehow each episode got better.
The whole time I was watching Andor, I just kept thinking to myself…”this has no business being this good” Phenomenal story telling. A gem for anyone who finds it and gives it a fair chance.
@@That0therGeorge It is, and many would disagree. I like the OT, but it's too fairytale for me, and now that even superhero movies tend to be more realistic (as far as a comic book fairy tales can be made realistic) and noir it's long past due to update the SW.
I like how it's focused on the ordinary people, without plot armor. The rest of the Star Wars media is essentially rebel propaganda, killing orders of magnitude more inperials than they lose, hardly anyone important dying etc. The imperials being all inept despite stormtroopers apparently being elite Shock troops.
Tony Gilroy was given a character in a movie he didn't write but had a role in completing, and wrote a brand new story of the character. Not someone that familiar with Star Wars, he left the "Star Wars universe" to those surrounding him to bring the story into the world we know. It was an interesting and very successful approach in giving us the end product.
I've seen people highlight Tony not caring much for 'Star Wars' as a negative. However, I feel like the franchise desperately needed a fresh pair of eyes. Too many of these Disney movies/shows have focused way too much on aping stories that have already been told. This universe has the potential to be so much more than that.
@@That0therGeorge I don’t think it’s that he didn’t like Star Wars. It is something that he just wasn’t into. He understands how it is an enjoyed franchise. Even George Lucas wasn’t a big sci-fi buff. He had an idea and ran with it. He probably expected to go on and make more Howard the Duck type movies.
Andor is so great. Can’t wait for season 2. It wasn’t afraid to have him shoot an unarmed dude in the face to save the hassle. It has a total Blade Runner vibe in the beginning of the first episode.
It was indeed and I am very much looking forward to season 2 as well! The first episode certainly has 'Blade Runner' vibes, but I think that inspiration runs throughout the show. The music is similar as well. Of course, both are brilliant science fiction properties so it is absolutely a good thing.
Yeah, if people want to enjoy the previous SW shows then that is completely fine with me. However, I continually see unconvincing excuses for the poor writing within them.
That can be partially explained through physical strength of the ewoks right? I find it more annoying when you have dozens of supposedly elite stormtroopers dying by the drove and killing only a few rebels....
@@That0therGeorge That's the definition of a classic. I truly believe that the delay to 2025 is because all of Disney's other Star Wars shows suck in comparison - and so, they will release them earlier to make some cash. Just like what happened with season 1. The writers/.actors strike didn't really affect Andor that much, it was mostly in the can. But the other Star Wars projects, with a later start time, were very much affected. The entire running order got delayed.
@@jazzx251 It does suck that there will be a 3 year gap between releases, but at the same time that makes me feel a lot more reassured about the quality of the second season.
Who wanted this show? Me shouting from the rooftops since the release of Rogue One. My dream Star Wars show. And it turning out this brilliant and meaningful and powerful is everything I could have hoped for and more.
10:50 Andor avoiding the Empire and getting caught is ironic, but in a totally different way to me. Andor wasn’t arrested for the heist, he was arrested for a crime he neither committed nor witnessed. All he saw was the aftermath and was lumped in by a random Stormtrooper who thought he was suspicious. And the Empire is so bloated, their main intelligence service doesn’t even realize Andor is already in jail. They assumed he was still out and about working for Luthen. Their one correct assessment was that Andor would’ve showed up for Marva’s funeral but that only worked out because Andor had already broken out. That’s ironic.
I think it PERFECTLY bridges the concept that “the empire is incompetent” and “competent people work for the empire” the scale is simply too large to properly manage
I see genius in the works of this show. Everything from the writing, casting, soundtrack is excellent. Best show in the Star Wars universe! A special high marks for the monologues on this show!
Hands down the highest quality story-telling ever in Star Wars. Great work spelling it all out, thank you! The only part I wanted to add was that when Andor is offered to split the haul, he has NO CHOICE but to kill him at that point. Because if he's willing to even make that offer, he's willing to kill both of them and take it all for himself. Cassian really didn't have any choice unless the choice was yes, and even then, he'd have to watch his back for when the other guy would strike at him.
This show is seriously one of the best I've ever seen. It's incredible how good it is. It reminds me of early GoT, the first few seasons of The Expanse, and Breaking Bad's focus on characters and attention to detail. There's excellent build-up, characterization, cinematography, music, set and costume design, dialogue, world building etc. etc. And I am glad to have a focus on politics, rivalries, grey morals, and so on, which we also saw was a focus in early GoT, and the story feels character-driven rather than plot-driven. If I am not mistaken they're also using more practical effects and real-life locations to make the series feel more real, and not having to rely on CGI as much. I can't even find many flaws with it, though I am biased as hell. Even the argument that it's slow I disagree with, because a proper time to build up the characters, their motivations and a story-payoff every 3rd episode is necessary imo. People say there's a lack of aliens, and that I can understand, but there's a lot of them if you look in the background.
I loved Andor. I made a comment on a video about how the intro theme music of each episode combines and the likes and responses are still popping up over a year later, love to see people still talking about how great Andor is, even though I concede it’s not traditional Star Wars
Great video, i really enjoy the andor soundtrack so much i find myself listening to alot of it in my free time especially Syril Suite. Syril is a super interesting character and i hope they keep his nuance in season 2
Definitely subscribing to you with this one, out of all the andor reviews or explanations I've watched simply because I enjoyed the show you've mentioned so much more of the little details that some of which I hadn't even noticed myself. Off the top of my head I don't think I can name any other CCs that actually pointed out deeper details and the little things such as Luthen's long reaction to Marva's speech. Thank you for the lovely Andor review
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Excellent review, you explained all of the aspects that I found amazing in Andor but couldn't put my finger on why exactly so very well, it was a blast listening to you analyze and explain it. You have another subscriber! :)
No, thank you! I really appreciate your kind words about my review. Thanks for subscribing as well, I look forward to seeing your comments in the future.
Great vid! For me, Andor is the most true to the original Star Wars trilogy that anything has been. Just like the original trilogy, it takes a seemingly random and unimportant character and puts them in a situation where they must discover who they are and what they stand for. We can associate with this individual, and the situations they find themselves in, and we hope that we would behave similarly. The broader backgrounds are an intriguing science fantasy scenario, where the various and subtle truths are slowly revealed over time. I really enjoyed that Kassian's character development was nuanced and that he was influenced by various events and individuals in his life. Andor also serves the long-form format well, especially by adding various layers to the Star Wars universe that we've never seen before, and previously only imagined: What is it like to live under the Empire? How is dissidence dealt with? How do you build such giant weapons? How does a rebellion form? The intrigue of each episode kept me watching, and the conclusion was deeply satisfying (except the Death Star reveal). I've always enjoyed reflecting on Star Wars and considering what would have happened if the Allies had lost WWII: would great individuals have risen up? Would a rebellion of common people have pushed-back where armies failed? But then, I really liked Rogue One. Despite its shortcomings, it felt like an interesting and relevant Star Wars story.
Thank you! I think 'Andor' is a lot more grounded that the OT, but you're right that there are some similarities. 'Rogue One' is a solid movie for sure. Unfortunately, that film just doesn't spend enough time developing its characters. That's one of the reasons why I love 'Andor' so much, it really suits the long-form TV format.
I’ve made this comment elsewhere but one of the things I find really interesting about Andor is how much thoughtful and insightful criticism of the show there is and how that mirrors the quality of the show itself.
The fact that this show has FOUR amazing monologues amazes me to this day. Luthen's was harsh and real, Maarva inspired people to rebel, Kino showed how even prisoners could be strong and Nemik's manifesto is such a great way to show us what is worth fighting for
I've been re-watching the series and it is solidifying its brilliance to me. One example -- Nemik talks about how he could not sleep the night before the heist. "Don't worry," Cassian tells him, "you'll sleep when the job is done."
Hi there, I've said this on several other Andor videos, but The thing that really got me was the part about the cultural genocide of the Dhani. The most interesting angle (from my point of view anyway) is that Aldhani was filmed in the Scottish Highlands (Cruachan dam actually exists and was the base there). Many of the peoples of that land were forcibly moved off it by landlords (a period known as 'The Highland Clearances') and ended up in factories in the lowlands. In fact, the very ruins of houses Cassian asks Vel about likely belonged to people who were forcibly removed from that land (their sheilings anyway). Add in the repression of the Gaelic language and culture (clothes, bagpipes) during this period in history and there's quite a direct correlation between the real and fictional cultures.
Storytelling can still be brilliant even if it's intended for children. But I would agree that the previous Star Wars TV Shows have a certain level of immaturity to them that brings down the quality. 'Andor' is certainly a breath of fresh air in that regard.
Andor is what I wanted from Star Wars back in 1999. I had grown up, and I really wanted Star Wars to have grown up with me. After all, old Ben's description of prior events in the OT (i.e. turning a good man to evil, and exterminating an order of knights) is heavy stuff and could have made a great story if handled properly. Well it took forever for grown-up Star Wars to get here, but so far it hasn't disappointed.
Lucas always said he intended the original Star Wars for children...but then again, The Hobbit was intended for children, too...just children from a different era where they weren't infantilized. Now we get adults infantilized through a lot of media. A New Hope was at times nearly as dark as Empire, if you grew up in that era you might not have recognized it, but then those like my son who grew up after the Prequel Trilogy may not notice it, either. A New Hope had smoking corpses of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, a man's throat crushed and his corpse tossed aside, the mention from the wise old teacher to the main character that his father was murdered by his former student, a woman in a cell full of men menaced by a syringe-carrying droid, the rather obvious fact that sentient droids are a slave underclass in the galaxy, a bar where life is so cheap and often lost that bloody limb-severing and Han shooting first draws barely a notice from the clientele, multiple heroic rebel pilots desperately getting blown to bits to allow their teammates a few more seconds to hit the target, and an entire world with billions of people annihilated in one swoop by the clearly fascistic villains. All from a film that was touted by its creator as "for children". I was 8 when I it was released and I adored it. As I grow older, I realize that part of the reason I loved it is that it was, indeed, for children, but it didn't talk down to me as a child. It let me face frightening moments and allowed me to overcome them through the meaningfully crafted narrative.
"Intended for children" is ridiculously condescending and too often used to excuse lazy storytelling. It's insulting to the natural perceptiveness and ability to learn that children possess, which is so often lost when they become adults. Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is. The very best children's stories are of dual nature: simple enough in presentation that they can easily grasp the message when they're young, but complex enough that they can come back to it as they age and unravel the layers and continue to find more meaning, more to love. Those are the stories that stay with you, that mean something, even if you're too small to understand why.
Like the pib: last wish, a story that works on several levels and keeps different audiences excited can be done. Still, going all adult is what SW was in great need of.
Amazing video ✊ I really liked your analysis. I felt exactly the same about the show after watching it and I've appreciated it so much. I love how you included these incredible speeches... Man, aren't they marvelous. The first show where imperium was well written and the characters weren't so blankly onesided. Also... THE VISUALS AND THE SOUNDTRACK 😍 Absolute cinema 💪 Thank you for the job well done George!
Thank you so much! The speeches were incredibly good. I can't even decide which one is my favourite. Thanks again for your comment, it was really nice to read.
The brilliance of Andor S1 is that you can remove the Star Wars references to the entire season, replace it with more generic "Evil but overbloated Authoritarian Government" elements that controls everything and it would all still work. It's a story about how the seeds of a rebellion were planted and grown over time to the eventuality that leads to the downfall of said Empire.
Great Video and a fantastic breakdown . I absolutely love Andor it has now taken over from The Mandalorian as my favourite Star Wars TV media . One of the best things I really loved about Rogue One was the depiction via Cassian that the Rebels were not whiter than white and that Cassian made some very ruthless decisions in the name of the Rebellion this made such a refreshing change . One of the things I loved when watching the trailers for Andor was that how cinematic the show looked . The writing and pacing of Andor is amazing I love the slow burn it takes to develop its characters and storylines , the idea of breaking each story arc into 3 episodes was so good and paid off so well , I can remember whilst watching the first episode that wow this is a very different more grown up Star Wars bringing more adult themes into the story . I heard criticism that it was too slow but I loved its pacing . I thoroughly enjoyed the flashback scenes to Cassians childhood etc they worked so well . All the performances are amazing and if I had to choose a favourite performance I would really struggle as all the Actors gave it their all even the characters like Bix , Brasso etc who had relatively small roles were so great I would have to say it would be Stellans performance but it was a difficult choice . The cinematography was amazing from the industrial look of Ferrix to the beautiful scenery of Aldani and the sets of Narkina 5 were fantastic , and the work on ep 6 the Eye was amazing especially when the Rebels escape into the erupting eye and the Tie pilots scrambling to get into their ships with the eye erupting behind them - amazing . The other part of Andor I loved was the amazing score by Nicholas Brittell it so fitted the series and themes I especially loved the really catchy Niamos theme as well as the whole score . So all in all an amazing series which not a lot of people never really wanted but in my opinion turned out to be the best Star Wars TV show made , the effects are amazing , cinematography and sets were fantastic the performances were top class and the score was amazing an amazing show . P.S. does anyone else think that Joplin Sibtain ( Brasso ) would make a great Ben Grimm ( The Thing ) in the new FF movie .
Thank you very much! I enjoy 'Rogue One' quite a bit and I do like Cassian in that film, but I feel 'Andor' adds so much more to his character and does a better job with exploring some of the moral decisions that he makes. It sort of reminds of the criticism that 'Better Call Saul' would receive sometimes. Is the show slow paced? Sure, but the smaller details of the world are so thoroughly explored and it makes those eventual payoffs x10 more satisfying. The music is superb and all three Niamos tracks are awesome. It is an amazing show for sure. Yeah, I could see him making a good Ben Grimm.
Andor is so good I cannot get my head around the fact that it flows from the same source as the insult to intelligence that is The Book of Boba Fett and Obi One. It's like if Ferrari also made Yugo.
I am SO glad you pointed out the soundtrack for Andor, I love the series so much but I think the music really elevated the viewing experience. "Past/Present Suite" is ny favourite alongside "Mirror", "The Morning After", and "Valley". There's so much that this show does good that I could genuinely make a 3 hour video on-but one thing I wanted to make note of was something I noticed that people have not addressed all that much. Each intro card OST foreshadowing the events of the episode, and there are distinct "instruments" assigned to a "character"; the Imperials or the Emipre has a synthetic, digital sound/instrument attached to their name. Intentions or events of the Rebellion coincide with the sounds of grounded, non-digital or synthetic instrumentation-_especially_ the rythmic beat established in Andor's theme. As an example, in the Episode 8 intro OST, Andor's theme is muffled and distorted with synthetic instrumentation with the faint strings of a cello clawing through. Andor's "voice" of rebellion is quelled and silenced by the Imperial imprisonment of Narkino 5, but a faint remnant of it remains. For Episode 9, we can hear Andor's theme, albeit mostly expressed in a complete synthetic, digital manner. However, that sound of "rebellion" can be distinctly heard through the rhythmic pulse of the beat and the drawn synths that mimic strings. Andor's plans to escape and rebel grow amid a fully Imperial facility. In Episode 10, a lone single "voice" mimicking the sound of a synth builds up to a crescendo in a harmonious unison of strings. No longer are the sounds of synths or any noise associated with the Empire; Andor is the voice that catalyzes the riot in Narkino 5. I think 2 or 3 episodes are a bit hard to translate in determining how the intro OST foreshadows the events of the episode, primarily the first three of the season-but if you apply these parameters from the music to the events that occur in the episode, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. It's genuinely amazing how much passion and attention to detail was put into this show, which is why I firmly believe Andor is both a modern Star Wars masterpiece and is one of the best things since the original SW trilogy.
Those are incredible soundtracks as well! I did notice the different theme for each opening and it sounds awesome with them all combined together. Glad you loved the show and thank you for checking out my analysis of it.
This may actually be my favorite piece of Star Wars media in existence. Which is very weird to say because it's such a departure tonally from the rest of the Star Wars Universe, and also because I do still love the original trilogy. But the performances, the writing, even the look of the show just hits the bullseye in the kind of TV shows/movies I enjoy watching. What an unexpected surprise the series proved to be.
Andor shows us what Star Wars can be, if a good budget, top talent (both in front of and behind the camera), and GENUINE CARE are devoted to the project. Luke was who we all wanted to be as kids. Andor is what we’ve all grown up to be.
Great vid m8...actually understanding the competency and writing issues in These pieces of media (i am genuinely BAFFLED how many people miss the idiotic writing in mandelorian, even season 1 and 2) that lead to appreciating when those problems are contrasted with a well written story and competent characters in Andor... Also loved when you were ready and accounted for "Empire was always incompetent" argument from some people. I genuinely hope you make these vids a lil longer though...allows for more detailed approach and paint the picture clearer. All and all, great vid. Question, out of curiosity...have you seen EFAP's coverage of Andor/Disney starwars?
Thank you! Yeah, I really wanted to take the time to breakdown that opening scene in 'A New Hope' to show that the Empire was competent in classic Star Wars. Most people tend to reference 'Return of the Jedi' to highlight the Empire's incompetency, but to be honest, that is one of many reasons why that film is the weakest of the original trilogy. Appreciate the feedback. It depends on the topic at hand really. This current project I'm working on is about 6,000 words thus far and it's only covering 1 episode of a TV series. This 'Andor' project was about 3,700. Point being that some topics I have more to say about than others. For this one, some people were disappointed that I didn't talk about Mon Mothma, but the issue is that as brilliant as her character is, I just didn't have that much to say about her. So thank you for the feedback, I shall definitely keep it in mind, but at the same time I don't think it would be best for me to stretch a topic for the sake of it. I actually spoke to MauLer years ago and watched EFAP for a while after. I tend not to watch them nowadays more so as a time thing than anything else, but I was glad to hear they liked 'Andor'.
That was a brilliant piece of work. I really enjoyed how you edited the clips to perfectly match your dialogue. And, by that, I mean I really appreciate the specific clips from Andor and other SW media that you chose to emphasize your points. Makes me want to go watch the Andor series for the 4th time around. It is quite literally the only enjoyable D+ SW series. The rest are laughably awful.
Thank you! I do try my best with the visuals. It's a very time consuming process making sure that every clip lines up exactly with the voiceover. I always believe it's worth it though and I really appreciate that you enjoyed it. There's still a bit of a wait until Season 2 and the other shows are indeed laughably bad - you may as well give it a re-watch!
Such an amazing show and it couldn't have come out at the worst possible time. I feel like we'll never get another show like this once season 2 of Andor wraps up. People just didn't watch it. I know so many star wars fans that didn't and still haven't watched it.
I'll agree that it would've been better for the show to come out between 2017-2019 (some point after 'Rogue One' and some point before 'The Mandalorian'). Thankfully, the show has longevity and that *could* encourage Disney to make something else like it. If not, at least we still got a brilliant show that we can always re-watch.
I don't understand why people were so against this show being made. Anyone who grew up with the EU that became Legends knows exactly how good and interesting stories about random side characters can be. I'm currently listening to the newly re-recoded audiobooks of Rogue Squadron. These books are an excellent example of taking minor and unimportant characters in the background and giving them a unique and interesting story. Who the hell were Wedge and Hobby really? Just some pilots, Wedge being one that happened to have been around since the first movie. Wedge turned into one of the most beloved EU characters because of stories like this. Andor is a perfect example of the things that made the Legends era EU work so well. Expanding on a background character and showing how they fit in with the rest of the galaxy. Introducing us to new and exciting characters and terrifying villains. We need more things like Andor/Rogue One. We need more Season 1 and 2 of Mandalorian. Rogue Squadron deserves a Top Gun Maverick style movie/show! This show is a perfect example of why the original series and the best parts of the EU worked. Give us more interesting characters who aren't the space wizard monks or connected to a single family. The universe itself is whats so fascinating and fun to explore.
I am not too familiar with the EU to be honest, but even so i completely agree that no one should have ruled this show out, although I do understand looking at it at first and thinking "a whole show about the supporting character from Rogue One?"
Good review. However, while no light Sabre fight exists one can argue that Luther while escaping the tractor beam used 2 giant light Sabre from his ship
@@That0therGeorge I did - he's "force sensitive" - that's for sure ... so utterly calm under pressure, and has a "walking stick" that retracts like a light-sabre. And has a tricked-out laser-sword spaceship that he knows how to use as a last resort. And has an antiques shop of Jedi antiquities on Coruscant (how did he get that?) But done so well ... an intriguing character.
Can someone explain me how the hell idea, that TV series about supporting character from spin-off not only worked, but also appeared to be one of best Star Wars experiences?
Best Star Wars i ever watched. The birth of the rebellion, political situation in background, common every day people fighting the opression. I loved it all, something i always wanted to see in this universe, especially the character of Luten Rael which is now my favorite character of all time in Star Wats. No one bits him in my eyes, never seen more charismatic character with so much passion towards one goal, to topple an empire down from all angles especially from within.
@@That0therGeorge I don't know to be honest, but he always seams he's one step in right direction. What i want to say here is Luthen is someone who already knows the game, knows the stakes and he's being playing it since day one the Empire took over and reformed the Republic into Empire. On the other hand we already know Andor' s end in Rogue One and Melchi too. No, im more concerned about his aid at his store. She seams more unstable element and he should pay special attention to her. While she might be dedicated to the cause, she is more of fanatic who enjoys killing on a side when he's not there to see. If anyone would mess up anything for him it would be her. From the first time i saw her character i was worried she would do something stupid to attract ISB. Oh and one of the scenes i liked was Luthen laughing in the back of his store when he heard Senator's driver about Aldhani heist. It was a briliant moment to show his character to us the audience.
@@savageaeternum6047I disagree with you about Luthren's assistant. She is totally level headed and she has Luthern's back to the very end. Remember, she was willing to go in Luthren's place to meet Lionel in case it was a trap. She is focused and dedicated to the cause. She is Luthren's right hand. I am curious to know her back story. And by the way, the actress who played her rocked the roll.
Andor is quintessential Star Wars. Evil has an inherent weakness: cruelty. This balance between light and dark has never been so accurately illustrated outside of this show.
andor legit made me like star wars for the first time as someone who didn't grow up with it. I never liked star wars very much and now I know why: I couldn't give less of a shit about the force and jedi and sith. andor is just THE shit, man.
It’s different class. Just learned the Aldanhi heist was filmed about 40 mile away. From Glasgow , Scotland and I never knew it. I’m trying to organise a trip for my 55th birthday in June.
Wait… does Mon Mothma need a lawyer? A… criminal lawyer? That would be hilarious as a character nod if Odenkirk played part of Mon Mothma’s legal team.
