The latest entry into Disney+ and their attempts at Star Wars is unlike anything I’ve ever seen from Lucasfilm. But does it work as a Star Wars product?
NOTE: Normally when I review a series, I try to watch each episode twice – once to feel everything cold, and once to take down detailed notes to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything – it helps to make sure I cover everything important that caught my notice during the show. I usually do a non-spoiler section, and a spoiler-heavy plot synopsis. Due to the number of episodes and the nature of the show, I’m doing something different this time. I watched each premiere episode once. I will not be doing non-spoiler and spoiler sections here – spoilers will be mentioned below, but they will be mostly minor regarding things a person could reasonably surmise from the trailers. Read below at your own risk.
Andor is not what I was expecting.
Going in, I had some notions of what I thought the show would be, but I had avoided spoilers as much as possible. I had also deliberately avoided interviews with any of the main cast or production crew, in an effort to be surprised. My expectations were that the show was going to feature a backstory for Cassian Andor, likely showing an upbringing on an imperially-exploited planet; how he came to hate the Empire, to work as a thief at its edges, and to show how he came to the attention of rebel recruiters to join the cause as a mercenary and spy. I got pretty much all of that in the first three episodes. The first thing to note is that the show is gorgeous. Every penny of the budget is shown on the screen. While I love what Lucasfilm has done with the volume, it was a pleasure to see fully constructed and realized sets, practical creature effects, etc. The show is grounded, and it shows in every single detail. Likewise, the show is well-written and acted. Everybody sells their part.
On the planet Ferrix, the quiet desperation of the population is felt. This is contrasted with the money and privilege of the corporate overseers of Morlana One. The show clearly has a lot on its mind. Fiona Shaw described the show as a “great, scurrilous take on the Trumpian world”, but I don’t think it’s that simple. (Also, Ms. Shaw might want to take note that we’re living in Biden’s world, but I’ll leave that aside for the moment.)
The show does explore police (or the nearest equivalent) brutality, the danger of the melding of corporate power and politics, the surveillance state, and class disparity – particularly when it comes to enforcing law and order (or not.) It IS a modern take on Star Wars, but for once I don’t mean that in a necessarily negative light. That opinion could obviously change, but I do think that exploring these things could lead to rich storytelling. BUT – (and you knew there had to be one) – I’m in the awkward position of having a lot to praise about the show, but still tell you that I didn’t enjoy it. It’s not the politics, it’s not the acting, it’s not the writing, it’s not the dialogue. So what is it?
I have to show some sympathy for the devil, here. For some time, I feel like we have been asking Disney for a more adult Star Wars…something a little grittier, something a bit more grounded. Rogue One managed to find the right balance there. Where the mainline movies showed the Star Wars universe from the perspective of the Jedi, Rogue One felt like it showed the war from the perspective of soldiers. War isn’t so fun when you’re the ground troops or civilians, without supernatural powers.
Some people have to live under the heavy heel of the Empire, and they have a right and responsibility to oppose it. I welcome this narrative change for Rogue One, but Andor leans on it a bit too hard. I suspect many of the reviews for Andor are going to be talking about how “gritty” and “realistic” it feels. There will be the usual sycophants and corporate shills praising its inclusion of real-world politics, and highlighting the diverse cast. But I’ll bet nobody calls it “fun.” Disney did give us what we asked for this time…but it feels a little bit like unleavened bread.
Yes, the show features the first overt acknowledgement of sex in the Star Wars universe, it includes the first example of real-world swearing, and it features brutal governments and innocent victims. None of these are inherently bad things. One thing that is detracting from the show a bit is that none of the characters seem particularly likeable. You root for Andor because he’s the protagonist, but that’s about it. A bit of humor could help. But the most damning thing I can say about the show is – it also feels like it could have been any OTHER science fiction show. It looks like Star Wars. Sometimes it sounds like Star Wars. But this didn’t FEEL like Star Wars. In many ways, it felt like a police procedural. More than once, I found myself thinking of Blade Runner. And again – I’m trying real hard not to call this a negative, because I think the creators actually have made a competent, well written, gorgeous show. But every few minutes I would catch myself thinking – “do I believe that Darth Vader exists in this universe they’re showing me? Can I imagine Ben Kenobi giving Luke Skywalker his lightsaber in this same universe 5 years from now?
The answer was always “no”…trying to fuse those two things would be silly.
Somehow, Rogue One struck the right balance. There was still *just* enough goofiness that you knew we were still dealing with the same galaxy. A lot of the credit for this can be given to Alan Tudyk as K-2SO. But I think some of it may also be due to the influence of Gareth Edwards. There were issues with the making of Rogue One, and it’s an open secret that during post production the movie was quietly taken away from Gareth and the production was finished by Tony Gilroy, who completed the version of the movie that we got. Tony is running this show as well, and many of the hallmarks of Rogue One are here – but I can’t help but wonder if Gareth Edwards wasn’t the party responsible for the “fun.”
Do I hate the show?
No…at least not yet.
I’ve never felt this way about a Star Wars production before, so you could say in a way that I’m very curious to see where it goes – I could see it becoming something I like or hate very much. My greatest hope is that as the show continues, I won’t be feeling the way I am now – wondering if I liked it at all.
For all the latest news that should be fun, keep reading That Park Place. As always, drop a comment down below and let us know your thoughts on Andor.
