Watched the first two episodes. I'll watch the third in the morning.
Carjacking the TIE fighter was a great cold open, and watching it on my brand-new TV setup, this is definitely a good show to christen my new entertainment corner. It is gorgeous to look at, no question.
I have very mixed feelings about the way shows are made these days: fewer episodes, bigger budgets, more cinematic style. But Andor is a good example of how that approach can actually benefit a more self-contained story. Never going to stop moaning about the literal years between seasons, though.
I thought the rebels who capture Cassian were pretty so-so. I did not care much about all their bickering, I just wanted Cassian to get out of there and move on. What I really loved was the political intrigue with the Empire: seeing the nuts and bolts of how the administration actually works, from cubicle drones to smug middle managers to directors like Krennic (Mendelsohn is a delight again). It was good in Rogue One, it was good in Andor season 1, and it is unsurprisingly good again here.
I still get that slight uncanny feeling that Andor is wearing its Star Wars skin a bit snugly. But really, it is telling a story that could work outside Star Wars with just a few tweaks. A show like The Mandalorian leans way harder into the Jedi, Mandalorians, and the whole Star Wars mythology. You could not pull that story out and drop it somewhere else without it falling to bits. Given that Tony Gilroy cut his teeth on spy thrillers, this makes a lot of sense.
Andor, on the other hand, is definitely telling a compelling story about the Empire, the Rebels, and the tense dynamic between them. However, it does sometimes feel like it could be told without the Star Wars setting, with minimal changes to the actual story. Is that a bad thing? I don't think so. It is worth mentioning, though. I feel like I said this during season 1. I can't remember.
The pace (I am apparently incapable of talking about any show without bringing this up) is glacial. I get it, the cinematography is very deliberate, it likes to linger, but I do think it could have used a bit more pep in its step. All those serious glares and meaningful looks add up after a while.
Um, yeah, it is good so far. Enjoying it. Glad to see Cassian rocketing out of the stranded rebels storyline at the end of episode 2 though.
I loved Andor season 1, and this feels like it is picking right up where it left off. Even though the pace is slow, you can feel the quality. I am definitely excited to see where it goes from here.