Andor... Why It's Great!

[@soondslash]

gotta love how two cops harassing some guy that looked at them the wrong way led to the death star being destroyed

[@thegoldman25]

omg when you put it like hahaha

[@vice2versa]

lol exactly!!!

[@CantankerousDave]

Cassian didn't even hassle them - they were just pissed because they thought he jumped the line at the brothel. The Death Star was ultimately destroyed by two pairs of blue balls.

[@billkendrick1]

SPOILERS! ;)

[@juancabardo21]

if you put it that way, then those cops also led to two galactic wars

[@Torus2112]

Tony Gilroy wasn't familiar with Star Wars but he also didn't actively hate it like many of the people working on other shows and movie seem to. He's also on record as saying he was excited to make a rebellion story in a science fiction setting because he could take inspiration from historical rebellions and revolutions, but could also pick and choose from different examples without being limited by having to tell just one of those stories. He may not have been passionate about Star Wars but he was passionate about the storytelling possibilities that the setting gave him, and the work he produced reflects that.

[@nutyyyy]

And that's what I really enjoyed about Andor, you see all different kinds of people and groups and their own reasons for opposing the empire. Which is just what you get in real life but without being too allegorical or specific. It makes things more interesting.

[@ForgetfulFoot]

I imagine a lot of respected writers/directors probably don't like the modern Star Wars. Same with recent marvel movies. You would think Sci-Fi and superheros would enable heaps of creativity and flexibility. But in reality its likely the opposite.

[@DanSolo871]

Plus his brother Dan is a Star Wars fan.

[@411bvRGiskard]

But he FOR SURE respected the SW universe and surrounded himself with people who made sure the stories connected congruently with the lore and the small member-berries were subtle.

[@juancabardo21]

This is what you get when writers and directors actually put effort into a story that they actually care about. A masterpiece.

[@thegoldman25]

Agreed!

[@kdusel1991]

Agreed!

[@Digger-Nick]

It's funny cause the writer says he doesn't even like star wars lol.

[@BredBillO]

Only issue is that the reason Kino begins to help makes no sense. Otherwise very well done. Edit: the reason the empire doesn’t Release people makes no sense

[@vice2versa]

@@BredBillO wait why does Kino's reason make no sense???? he just learned that the Empire doesn't let their prisoners go. why would he care to keep working after that????

[@Girder3]

24:45 - I think you might be missing some of the subtext (more text, really) of Syril Karn's relationship with his mother. They clearly have a dysfunctional co-dependent relationship in which the mother is constantly trying to undermine Syril's sense of self-worth. Something that I immediately caught as being at the root of why Syril is the person we see on the show. In interviews with the actor, they stated that him and thr actress created their own backstory for the characters in which the early abandonment by her husband led Syril's mother to essentially take it out on him via emotional emotional abuse, with the constant criticisms and undercutting of Syril's self-esteem being a means by which his mother tries to keep him from being independent and being able to leave her. It's a very strong contrast with Cassian's relationship with his own adopted mother, who we can see loved him practically unconditionally, and yet didn't begrudge him trying to go his own way.

[@nosoulboy13]

Totally agree. Syril is a great iteration of a tool of fascism. He's trying to be a hero, taking back into any control he can, even with Dedra, trying to exert control over his life, and turning Andor into his McGuffin. A perfect cog in the oppression machine.

[@MonstersNotUnderTheBed]

Bingo. There isn't really any useless scenes or dialogue. Everything has purpose, which is not what can be said with Sequels, Obi, Boba.

[@DewNotDisturb]

@@nosoulboy13 what’s so interesting is that he’s constantly trying to be something in the system that’s crushing him- but he’s not satisfied with an office job just being another cog in the machine. He wants to be one of the heroes he’s heard being idolized his whole life, he wants to do the right thing. Such an interesting character that I feel not many look into enough

[@bowmanencore]

@@DewNotDisturbYeah, he's the kind of guy who might get into trouble for trying too hard to do the right thing when most other people want to just be left alone to slowly, easily make their way to retirement. He's not wrong about Dedra - they have some things in common. One of them is intensity.

[@topgrain]

In _The Axe Forgets,_ I honestly thought he might murder his mom. Kind of a macabre thought, but Syril has a gaze that is chilling in its own way.

[@chungyang9925]

I love the OT but I always struggle to see the empire as menacing. Besides great characters, this show makes me fear the empire and hate the empire and that's a feeling I've wanted for a long time. It makes me love the OT even more.

[@thegoldman25]

I totally agree!

[@vice2versa]

agreed!!!! And that prison was terrifying and probably the most evil prison system I've ever seen in fiction. lol

[@urmom34150]

i will never get over the prison escape episode genuinely one of the best episodes of tv I’ve ever seen

[@thegoldman25]

some of the best, I agree!

[@ChrisSmith-tu9bu]

Oh by far... its sad masterpieces like this never get appreciate when theyre initially released

[@liammackay2061]

The writers of prison break saw that and was like “shit, we coulda done all this in a single episode?”

[@kdusel1991]

I loved that episode!! Andy Serkis's character was so good!!

[@tenkenroo]

ONE WAY OUT

[@THETYMEKK12]

In season 2 Cassian has to become more extreme, ruthless and devoted. Something that he's gonna take from Luthen. Right now he's more idealistic and just eager to fight. He has to fall from grace a little, so Jyn could pull him back.

[@kdusel1991]

I hope that Jyn doesn't show up though. Really didn't like her character in the movie.

[@THETYMEKK12]

@@kdusel1991 I really don't think so. There's no place for her at this point in the story. Plus, the showrunners clearly know what they're doing.

[@kirani111]

@@kdusel1991 I love her, but she's not part of Cassian's story until Rogue One and it should stay like that. I'm sure we won't see her in the show until maybe the very end.

[@kdusel1991]

@@kirani111 I hope so. I really hated her character.

[@andreslinares6429]

I read Cardassia 🤣

[@ttydt]

Hope Disney realised that this is what the fans want

[@thegoldman25]

me too!

[@kdusel1991]

@@thegoldman25 and now with Bob iger back as CEO maybe they'll start producing quality shows

[@sweetpeach3649]

It's not

[@Infamous1892]

Repetitive stories set in the Era between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope?!

[@roachies4242]

@@Infamous1892 me when I haven’t watched andor

[@taste_is_sweet]

Another great analysis. I think what made Gilroy such an excellent choice was, while he's not a Star Wars fan, he's a huge fan of history. From what I've read of his interviews, he took the things that fascinated him about rebellions in history (such as, how are they financed?), and then wrote a rebellion story with the Star Wars universe as the backdrop. He's definitely said he's not interested in typical Star Wars things like Jedi, but he obviously is able to respect the source material enough to make Andor feel like it belongs.

[@MrQuasar]

"I'll tell you this: if I could do it again, I'd wake up early, and be fighting these bastards from the start!" My favourite line in the series.

[@sarat8577]

Episode 10(prison escape one) is probably the most inspiring and exhilarating thing I have seen in recent times…. Maybe ever

[@thegoldman25]

may be the best episode of TV of the year

[@Dino-Savage]

This is the best live action tv series. I love The Mandalorian. It’s a great show but Andor is a masterpiece.

[@thegoldman25]

I'm gonna have to agree!

[@vice2versa]

I'm gonna have to agree aswell. although I've noticed some people are discrediting the manadalorian now that Andor came out. The mandalorian had a few episodes that reminded me of Andor like the Bill Burr episode in season 2. I think some people are being a little unfair to the mandalorian all because bobf and kenobi sucked.

[@kolaranze]

Nah Mandalorian is meh

[@remrants]

@@kolaranze I’m not necessarily gonna disagree, season three has thoroughly disappointed me

[@kolaranze]

@@remrants not just the season 3. I could say the same for first two seasons.

[@michellecrocker2485]

I had to think ultimately, it was Maarva’s post Mortem words at her funeral that really did it for him. He seems so cold and aloof most of the time. We know he used to date bix but he always had that squishy spot for his adoptive mother. When she told him to go, he tells her “what will I do? I’ll be worried about you all the time “ and maarva says it perfectly “ that’s just love. Can’t do anything about that “ Cassian may not have been driven to the rebellion solely by his mother but her death seemed to be the final blow that led to his decision

[@thegoldman25]

great points!

[@starwinters39]

I think I disagree. Throughout the show he constantly says he wants to win and walk away, but then it’s the prison arc that makes him change, cause by the end of that he says to Kino that he’s rather die fighting them than give them what they want

[@donnie_duckling]

​@@starwinters39 and those are words that could easily have been said by Maarva too! yes, he convinces himself he wants to fight the Empire in the prison arc. however, it's his mother's death which pushes him towards joining the rebellion for good! not only that, but being unable to show up for her and save her, or at least be by her side when she died, also makes him save Bix and the rest of his loved ones to be safe. like a quote from FNAF, "I couldn't protect you then, so let me save you [your memory, your spirit, the symbolism of that fight you always told me to follow] now"

[@ballisticmallard2125]

Glad to see the Star Wars community come together to love this show

[@Troopertroll]

It's almost as if they just need to make a decent quality production in order for everyone to like it :|

[@michaels3436]

I couldn’t agree more. This is the best Star Wars has been since the clone wars season 7. Yes Andor even beats Mando. I loved this show. Character driven stories are probably my favorites so this show was right up my alley since episode one. Beyond that, this show is Lowkey based (rising up against tyranny and a evil corrupt government catering to the 1 percent thing.) 😂 I can’t give this show enough praise. World building, cinematography, score, dialogue everything is top tier. 12/10 Great job Tony Gilroy!!

[@thegoldman25]

Wonderfully said michael!

[@stephenlyon1358]

clone wars is a cartoon for children. Thanks.

[@LV426_Nostromo]

ONG !

[@seelevollerei1152]

I''d say this is better than Season 7 given basically 8 of 12 episodes of Season 7 were not very interesting. The Bad Batch + Anakin vs Spider Cyborg was okay, the Ahsoka arc was absolutely awful, and then the Siege of Mandalore was great. Andor didn't have so many lows.

[@Dookieman1975]

Clone wars’ ending is like GoT. They both show how much an ending can make a difference. Andor is building up to something so grand yet so small and unlike clone wars having a few mid or stinker episodes, andor has been great or solid throughout every episode. Both are truly amazing… But Andor doesn’t have enough aliens and clone wars has some dumb kiddy sht that doesn’t fit in the show so both are 0/10

[@LitmusPapyrus]

Let’s not forget the delicious irony that the event that sets him over the edge, the prison arc, is giving him exactly what he wanted: a safe, comfortable life (as long as he kept his head down and towed the line)

[@ethanfinn9064]

Andor does something that is so brilliant from a storytelling perspective in my opinion. Star Wars is all about a struggle of good vs evil. Andor focuses heavily on characters who aren’t necessarily good or bad, but are just making their way in the galaxy. Here, nearly every major character struggles with issues and internal conflicts of decision making. Characters who are normally supposed to be “good” struggle with things that lean more “bad”, and vise versa. We all love Star Wars for what it is, but seeing characters interact in this way is kind of relieving. I loved seeing how every character made choices that felt human. You were able to see the conflict within the characters, which made it feel more real and authentic. It adds to the struggle of one’s mind in a time of such heightened tension. We’re introduced to characters within the empire who aren’t necessarily evil, they’re just trying to climb the corporate ladder, or follow a set of rules and structure. It’s a small, but brilliant way to show complexities and depth to characters who are generally presented in a more black and white way.

[@ChristianGabino]

“ANDOR is a Masterpiece” 👍👍👍👍👍 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/10 A+

[@geographicaloddity2]

Rebels was about a cell. Andor is about the birth of the rebellion. Andor is Star Wars for those of us who wish we were 14 again, but know we never will be.

[@stoutyyyy]

Cyril is a bad guy but not in the sense of other imperial baddies. He’s not a cackling villain, he’s an incel. A discontented young man of a type that’s all too familiar these days. His type of evil is much smaller scale, but it can be just as disturbing. His scenes with Dedra are wonderfully creepy.

[@jez76]

He’s the kind of guy that naturally gravitate towards belonging in a strong group. He could’ve been a communist supporter, neo-nazi or that guy in the gang of friends that does everything to get the others approvals.

[@TealJosh]

@@jez76 Not completely true. Cyril is one of those people who are driven by insecurity. These kinds of people are submissive to perception of strong power. They fall victim to cult of personalities. The insecurity needs to be fed, leading to buying into a false enemy, that is described in a commonly repeating way. The enemy is strong and weak at the same time. Degenerate the society. Machismo is very common, so minorities and women are recurring targets. Etc... This is in opposition to person who is driven by strong consistent ethics; People who actively take action, who are activists and part of the underground movements. Cassian, per Tony Gilroy, is a indirect allegory to Stalin, who had very similar beginning, robbing banks to fund Lenin's movement.

[@TheLordboki]

That's really stretching it paper thin. Also comparing Cassian to a personality that turned out to be a ruthless, opportunistic control freak of the type of Stalin that Cyril you outlined would respected is kinda silly too.

[@TheLordboki]

Cyril is a order freak. He was raised by an abusive, authoritarian mother. He views human relation through power dynamics, as his mother's love was always conditional on good behavior and obedience, punishment for bad behavior. It's why he's "romantically" obsessed with Dedra, a woman who both shares his interests and is his superior, as this is the only type of love he's known through his life. It's nice guy taken to the extreme. Also why he shows frustration towards Dedra when his good behavior isn't rewarded. The way he was raised also informs his perception of freedom as almost deviant. He is disgusted by any sort of disorder, laziness, neglect which is why he goes off the rails when outright murder of law enforcers, a biggest crime in the book, is outright ignored. All of this is far cry from incels who are characterized by self-sabotaging habits, bad hygiene, self-loathing, biterness and rage. But I get why you would conflate the two, the reason incels cling to fash ideologies is because of belief that the disorder in their lives are a result of disorder in the world, despite the two being separate. Thus by enforcing the their worldview on the world they somehow fix themselves. Cyril had the fash worldview drilled into him and he has likely never deviated from it. Ironically enough, the moment he leaves his job and goes back to his detective work he actually seems happier. His act of saving Dedra, despite being creepy as fuck, was almost heroic.

[@TealJosh]

@@TheLordboki ugh, tag the person you are responding to. I somewhat disagree, but don't want to write a whole essay in case it wasn't me you were responding to.

[@F1FanCanuck]

Great video essay - very well written and presented. As someone who experienced A New Hope in theatres during its original release, Andor is the show I’ve waited 45 years for. Not only is it the best production, but also the best story, to ever come out of the Star Wars universe. It is nuanced and subtle in a way that Lucas could never have appreciated, little own achieve, and perhaps that is why it hasn’t resonated with a larger audience. As you point out - fan service it is not. And although the complexity of its narrative may ultimately be what makes it less accessible, it is precisely what makes it such a masterful piece of storytelling. What a difference when character development and storytelling is your focus, and not the sale of toys.

[@thegoldman25]

You’re not wrong, thanks for watching!

[@Rey20171]

Another thing that I will say right now is that I want to give a huge huge thank you to Tony Gilroy and the team not only for making a great series well so far it is hitting a high note but even more bringing some hope back to the Star Wars community to have a newfound restoration of hope for Star Wars. Although I didn't really exactly lose hope myself after the sequel trilogy but I know that a lot of people we're not in a good place with Star Wars or wanted to keep a distance for a while until there was a reason to be excited again and want to care about it. With our ups and downs that came in the last couple of years at least we can say that this year there has been activity and we have been getting more news than ever before and fans are making more content than ever before only difference it that it's just in a way that we are not used to with the absence of movies but that doesn't mean the days of the cinema are gone. We'll be ready for them and from there I think things are really gonna take off we're just waiting for a signal in the meantime we can thank our lucky stars that we have ended this year on a high note. Actually let's get a Mando trailer first or Ahsoka trailer then we shall hit the crescendo and gather round in a choir to sing "Hallelujah"

[@thegoldman25]

Well said!

[@WhiteWolf-di2nh]

Andor is great. Can't believe some of the big channels here called it 'boring'. The show is everything but that! I love to see more of this man, his character, his past, his life - he deserves more and all that makes his death even more impactful and heartbreaking!

[@palpatinesboi9549]

Fans that call it boring, like Star Wars Theory, just want to see the same characters over and over again so it feels like they're watching their action figures fight on screen. They're children who can't enjoy an adult show.

[@WolfsHaven]

I love the fact that Andor doesn't pay that much fan service. You could remove all references to Star Wars and it would still be a great show about people rising up against a corrupt government. With other shows, as they try to pay fan service, they end up stepping all over canon. Either because they don't really know it or they want to put their own spin on it, to make it their own. Either way they end up ticking off the fans they think they are trying to appease. In Andor the only OT character we've seen so far is Mon Mothma who was never really developed anyway and it's nice to finally get her backstory. The other big appearance is Saw but they stay pretty true to who he was in the cartoons and Rogue One. I'm sure at some point we will see, Vader, Tarken, or the Organa's, maybe even Rebels characters. If they can use them without changing them, awesome. If they screw it up, I'm out.

[@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive]

On the contrary, there are LOADS of references and easter eggs. Possibly more than the sequel trilogy. But it never feels intrusive.

[@ImVeryOriginal]

@@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive The fact that most casual fans didn't even notice is a credit to the show. I love that the diehard fans who know all the lore got their easter eggs and the rest of us doesn't get beat over the head with "remember this thing from another, better movie??" nonsense. Also I really don't think they will show Vader or Tarkin and I hope they don't. The only movie character I think would fit perfectly into the story is Jimmy Smits' Bail Organa - would love to see him given the Mon Mothma treatment and finally getting something to act.

[@isaacjensen7318]

​@@ImVeryOriginalI really hope the same about Bail Organa, though hopefully it's not too fanservicy and all "look leias dad" but more here's this fellow rebel senator, here's leia also doing this and learning from them, here's more of how the rebellion truly happened

[@grim_glim]

I have a pretty different reading of Syril Karn. He _is_ a bad guy, and he's Andor's foil in most respects. There are some obvious opposites (see each character's relationship with their respective mothers) but the big thing is Andor _doesn't want to be a protagonist_ while Syril _desperately does._ This is a story about change from the bottom up, ordinary people banding together in the face of oppression and doing whatever they can to stop it. Andor is just one person. He doesn't follow a typical hero's journey arc. He may be especially skilled in some ways, but time and again he will step aside, either because someone else is better-suited for the job or because he wants to be left in peace. Karn is convinced he is a special person with a great destiny. He has internalized the fascist belief of every citizen needing to be a hero, despite being mediocre or incompetent in many respects. He doesn't care for ordinary people; when he seeks justice it is only for those on his side, who he believes must be in control. Maarva's speech and the violence after didn't move him at all, as opposed to his former peer Sgt. Mosk, who we can see losing faith in the empire and pondering this over a flask of... probably alcohol. And Karn, also as someone who believes they're on the hero's journey, is destined to get the girl, right? He develops an obsessive crush on Dedra and _stalks her repeatedly._ She'd never show weakness by vocalizing this, but she is plainly _frightened and disgusted_ by him. Basically, yes, he may have been led astray; he has developed in this system that wants him to be a cog and doesn't give a shit about him, but he loves that system and will do anything to elevate it and prove himself to it. He does so in the face of all the evidence of its evil. He's not just an antagonist, but a villain, even if we can empathize with him in some moments. Edit: after that wall I should also add that I agreed with most of what you said in the video :D

[@meathir4921]

I wonder if that’s the case by the end. We’ll have to wait until S2, but the events of the funeral surely showed SOME sort of change in both him and that officer he befriends. Whether it’s a turn for the better or falling off the deep end and getting worse we have yet to see.

[@100timezcooler]

the writing in this show is soo fucking good. Ive never gotten so many chills from monologues. props to the writers

[@CinematicSeriesGaming]

Thank you for this video. I agree with pretty much everything you said. IMO Andor is the best Star Wars show to date and it's not even close. It's realistic, grounded, compelling and it's the first Star Wars show that doesn't feel like a cheap rollercoaster ride. It's a proper drama with branching plotlines, interesting character arcs, smart writing, impressive acting, beautiful cinematography and movie-tier music. It's quite amazing to me how this show about a support character from one spin-off movie got 10 times better writing and production value than a show about literal Obi-Wan Kenobi or Boba Fett. It just goes to show that nostalgia and familiar characters can't supplement talent. I can't wait for Season 2 and I really hope future Star Wars projects are more like Andor and less like the childish nonsense I had to endure in Book of Boba Fett. Let me put it this way: the brief scene from Episode 1 where Syril talks with the chubby security manager was more interesting and more compelling to me than the finale of BoBF. This is how good Andor is.

[@Yojack872]

35:08 I love the Shade thrown at Star Wars Theory

[@josemiguelmarquescampo4902]

Yes, Andor is intelligent, high-level Star Wars. Honestly, I was among those who thought from the beginning that this series was most promising… if it were “done right.” And Andor was need done spectacularly right! Literally everything is of the highest quality production, especially the character building and the acting.

[@anthonyroosenmaallen2679]

Honestly I was expecting very little from this show but it blew me away

[@thegoldman25]

same!

[@vice2versa]

same. I legit was really upset that this show existed when I first heard about but my dad told me to watch and when I did, I was blown away at how different it was.

[@palpatinesboi9549]

I knew it was gonna be great lol

[@terentule]

I was very hyped for the show, as I love Rogue One, and it still blew me away.

[@gauchomarxx]

syril is definitely evil. his motivations are completely self-serving. the “justice for murdered cops” was just a guise for his thirst for being respected. this is made so incredibly evident by his relationship with his mother. he might change, but in the first season syril is, wholly, a bad guy. that being said, great video. 👍👍

[@thegoldman25]

Thanks for watching!

[@WalkerOne]

Every villain is the hero of their own story.

[@matthewblack2926]

As always, superb analysis Goldman! Andor is a story of sacrifice, and you summed it up perfectly with your commentary on Luthen's speech and Cassian's death. The characters in this show make sacrifices, that many people, ironically enough, in both the Star Wars world, and our own world, will never learn off. It was something that Rouge One really nailed, that this fight against the Empire was like a frantic relay race, and our heroes sacrificed everything for the next person to even have a chance of succeeding. I'll never be able to watch A New Hope again, knowing all that it took to give Luke just a chance to destroy the Death Star. If anyone is craving some more in depth Andor analysis, I would highly recommend the channel "Generation Tech". They do superb video essays on Andor, discussing the individual characters, the bureaucratic way the Empire is presented, the social commentary Andor has on the real world, and so much more. Definitely worth your time if you're interested in the ideas Andor explores!

[@jujuboohoo]

The flashback shows a few things about cassian that a few lines of dialog wouldn't do them justice tho. It shows he had to fend for himself. We see his sister and that they were close. His hesitancy is what got that girl, tribe leader, killed. He saw the dude coming to but froze, and this has to be why cassian does not hesitate to shoot people. We see maarva's maternal instinct clouded her better judgement. The pain cassian must have felt knowing his little sister was left behind and maarva def has to carry that guilt around daily. We see an innocent cassian grew up to be a self centered prick yet maarva loved him unconditionally. That's my take anyway.

[@raoularte]

Completely agree with you. We see him being somewhat weak, or better to say, unexperienced. It's his first "mission" I can guess. There is a shot of all the kids crossing over a log by stepping on it, except for Kassa; he slides over on his butt. Also he is being constantly reminded to keep the pace or stay low. After the leader gets killed, he finally gathers courage and at least for me, he goes into the ship seeking some kind of revenge. He sees his reflection on the panels and acknowledge his "mistake", he is angry with himself and that is one of the last emotions he feels in his home planet before being taken. You are absolutely right by pointing how painful that could have been leaving her sister behind, after everything that just happened and then, after what will (the disaster on Kenari) happen. His hesitancy leads to the biggest consequence of his life: being alive. And him being alive and knowing his sister also may live are the basic trigger for his whole story. The flashbacks tell us enough to know how is it that Cassian is actually looking for her sister in a brothel: such is his desire to find her sister, that he doesn’t discard any possibility.

[@rodrigocpmarinho]

I completely agree with you! Loved the video, but I couldn't disagree more with the part where he says that the flashbacks were useless

[@jujuboohoo]

@@raoularte Hey, that's a really good explanation about him being angry at himself and smashing his reflection in shame. I honestly didn't get that scene.

[@Troopertroll]

Marva abducting him as a child was quite a strange way to write it.

[@kirkdarling4120]

Lucas film was not "smart" in releasing the first three episodes at once. That was caused by unforeseen timing issues with other series. To prove that they weren't smart (and that they haven't even figured it out YET), they're releasing only the first two episodes in other channels, thinking they will draw more subscribers to Disney+. They don't realize they need to release the entire first arc.

[@justinpyke1756]

Great review! I was absolutely blown away by Andor. It's by far the best thing to have ever come out of the Star Wars IP, even including the OT, for me personally. It was everything I had wanted out of a Star Wars movie/show and more since I latched onto minor background characters like Admiral Piett in the Empire Strikes Back as a kid. I never thought I would see a Star Wars show that would tackle the banality of evil, the functioning of authoritarian systems, intelligence agencies, the dynamics of empire, and the struggles behind forming an organized rebellion. I got chills listening to Commandant Jayhold talk about the Aldhani people. It was so similar to the stuff I study. I could go on for hours about all the little details I appreciated. Then to have all of this wrapped up in a package that is among the best writing, acting, and direction of prestige TV generally, not just within Star Wars. My brother HATES Star Wars, like proudly, and I convinced him to watch Andor with me after I watched the first three episodes. He watched all of it in silence despite being a guy who loves trash-talking, and he never missed a new episode release all the way to the finale.

[@thecynicaloptimist1884]

One small thing I loved about the prison escape: from the overhead shot we get, the prison looks a lot like the Imperial logo. We see all the prisoners streaming out into the ocean; a metaphor for them escaping the bonds and shackles of the Empire. The fact they have to swim to salvation is a great touch too; freedom is a slog.

[@RedcoatTrooper]

Watched a number of reviews now and yours is still the best, you cover both the meta and in universe elements and themes perfectly.

[@dereksendrak]

I’ve watched andor 3 times! It’s absolutely brilliantly written! Amazing show🤘🏻

[@AnnPMadera]

I really liked the perspective of just random people and the Empire. TIE fighters don't come off as threatening since they're typically destroyed as quickly as one would eat popcorn. However, when you're not the hero, it actually seems scary. A Star Destroyer isn't just something for the good guys to annihilate, it's legitimately intimidating. The idea that these people could just exterminate everything and everyone you care about in moments is terrifying. And having seen Rogue One, obviously know how this all ends, but it doesn't mean the adventure there is a bad ride. Diego Luna really sells it.

[@adamcarrell]

The flashbacks in the first 3 episodes were the best part of those episodes. Marva is Cassian's most important relationship in the whole season. Everything he does is linked to her in some way. Not to mention the parallel editing used for the flashbacks was awesome! Those flashbacks are the marrow of the first 3 episodes. And the first 3 episodes were 3 of the best episodes of the series so far.

[@stephanieweisbart777]

Very realistic. Great acting. Loved Andor. Not your typical Star Wars bells and whistles, which makes it great ❤😊

[@gobanito]

The fact that we can relate to Syril and to others like him who work for the empire is what makes this show brilliant. None of the "bad guys" represents the kind of demonic villainy we have come to expect from Star Wars. Instead they are represented as ordinary people who "are just doing their job." This is what's called the banality of evil. We know Vader is evil, we know Palpatine is evil , Snokes, etc, but what's refreshing about Andor is its presentation of the regular people who ran the empire, people who went home at the end of the day, and did regular ordinary things.

[@Snagabott]

Man, I loved Andor. It was just fantastic from start to finish... Great writing, great acting, great visuals, great sound and a great ambiance. it takes its world and its characters (and audience!) seriously, and it works even for people who have never seen or liked any Star Wars (like my gf). 10/10

[@jakesullivan1683]

Andor is so good an showed the nitty gritty of the rebelion. You covered the show very well.

[@liamobriean8922]

I remember watching Andor purely to keep up with star wars series and the canon as a whole without expecting really anything considering how Disney dropped the ball with Obi Wan. By the end of the series I had been brought to tears on multiple occasions and had a genuine sense of connection with the characters and the principles they act on. This show is a proper masterpiece and I will forever recommend it to anybody who wants a great self contained series or a star wars story that makes the viewer feel and relate with the characters more than any other

[@Rey20171]

Andor” a series that elevated itself to want to be so much more. It came in with an intention to showcase a story it was comfortable in showing. It allowed itself to become what we it needed to be, wanted to be and should be with no reservations or overthink itself. It broke the status quo and maybe a few toys but did it in a way that was more thought provoking. Really it's a series that is an exploration of humanity, the human race and just how brutal it can be and what levels people are willing to go to...do the right thing or gain something like freedom that's worth the fight and the sacrifice. I would say the series falls in line or goes toe to toe with the likes of Robin Hood and Les Miserables with a hint of Captain America and the Winter Soldier more in a sense that that film was also a spy thriller, a political thriller and was not your typical superhero film and was independent from the developing bigger story in the MCU before the rise of Thanos. This series is a little independent project that didn't need the weight of the bigger story of the Skywalker Saga hanging over it or be reminded of what was to come later but just gave it more juice to set up what will come later

[@thegoldman25]

you make some excellent points!

[@Rain322-]

I actually loved the flashbacks. Plotwise, sure it doesn't add too much, but I think it works emotionally and thematically.

[@bobbycecere1037]

Flight path versus tree branch, I love it! I'll be using that from now on

[@rye419]

Excellent video. Andor was a masterpiece and I don't say that lightly. It was just incredibly well executed, written, and acted.

[@carmencecilialopez7536]

I loved Rogue One and Andor so much that I saw other films from Star Wars. Even clone wars or Rebel animated series. I wasn’t a Star Wars fan but now I fell like one fan because of Andor. Because of Andor I wanted to see the precuels and Now I understand a lot better what is going on with Star Wars. 😅

[@vice2versa]

lol I feel you on that

[@davedahl4461]

It’s easily the best season of a sci fi thriller I’ve watched in a long time. I know some people had issues with it’s slow pace. But for me that’s part of why I love it.

[@johnny_123b]

Loved it. Finally story with stakes, causes and consequences, meaningful action quite well planted in reality. I find it hard to enjoy any newer star wars content as it feels like a spit in the face to the star wars legacy, but this one changes everything. I really hope they realize what they achieved here

[@taka2721]

I felt like Andor did things "for the fans" when they made one of ISB officers be posted on Ord Mantell and a prisoner before Andor be sent to Belsavis. Both planets would be known to fans of the Legends and Swtor, so these were nice easter eggs to catch. I felt genuinely noticed when I spotted these planets

[@TimDaco]

Great Video! This Show is Absolutely Incredible!!! The Acting, The Writing, The Music and The Character Arcs, Everything is just Brilliant!!! Not just One Of The Best Star Wars Shows, But Also One Of My Favorite Shows Of All Time!!! This Show is Perfection!!! I Can't Wait for Season 2!!!

[@nathanbarber8638]

When this show first came out I was watching it with my friends, I don’t remember what episode it was specifically but it was when Syril (spelling?) was talking to his boss about going after Cassian, and his boss responded with essentially “no they were doing stuff they weren’t and shouldn’t be able to do” after that I turned to my friend and said “this is a type of starwars I have never seen before” the writing and dialogue felt like it was ripped straight from an HBO original, if I saw that scene and didn’t know it was starwars I probably wouldn’t be able to guess what it was and that’s probably a good thing with the state starwars is in right now.

[@christinejorgens6577]

I enjoyed this show, unlike certain people who claim to be ‘Star Wars fans’ who like to be toxic! By the way since there are plenty of characters in this show who lived or fought during the clone wars such as Anto Kreegyr, Saw Gerrera, Mon Mothma, Clem Andor, Maarva Andor, Wulff Yularen and of course Cassian, I’m certain S2 will introduce more Veterans of The Clone Wars! Perhaps there can be some references to Clone Force 99 with Luthen Rael mentioning to Mothma and Cassian about “A Highly Skilled Group of Soldiers!” With Knowing Luthen Rael’s operations as an antiques dealer, I think he might have some knowledge on Clone Trooper squads! Even if he’s not too familiar with them! I can see Luthen Rael, wanting to Bring the Bad Batch into the Rebellion; With Tech being his main interest due to his Enhanced Mind! By 5 BBY, Tech would be older as would the other Bad Batch members with Omega being an adult woman! With Luthen Rael, he can literally be used, utilized and featured in any fan story!

[@extendedepicmusic5017]

The reason it is so great because of the realism of the story telling and characters. No jokes, no comedic antics in serious situations.

[@Mr_Hutt]

Your point about the noble sacrifice makes me appreciate Luthen and the rebels even more. The audience knows the rebels will win but the characters at this point don't know that. Their collective sacrifice to stand a chance is far greater and noble than one popular character sacrificing themselves. Also, I have never been a fan of the rebels like the ckine army, but this show made me love the rebels and finally made me sympathize and root for their rebellion.

[@Bilijack147]

Great videos, remembered me the tears i gaved to this show. 32:54 best use of this quote since Lucas, i've only seen it used to say "look, it's the same scene in two deffierents shows, so, it's cool". Thank you, really, i want to see Andor for the third time now !

[@peachymin1404]

YES excellent video essay!!! I couldn't understand why this series is so underrated and called not SW because it embraces the theme of hope so well, which is arguably the main theme of SW

[@chrispy1398]

This was hands down the best thing Disney+ has put out. I'd argue Andor might be for Star Wars what The Dark Knight was for comic book movies. ...Yeah, I said it, fight me. Only a few things I'd add in addition to this review: 1) Syril and Andor are effectively the same character on different sides, right down to a prominent mother who wants what's best for their son. You could ask both these characters "what radicalized you?" and they'd spit out similar answers based on the same events, but from a 'certain point of view,' if you will. And at the end they both end up with the person who will effectively mentor them. It will be fun watching this play out into a season two. 2) RE: Tony Gilroy not being a Star Wars fan and people disliking that. Look, for the better part of a decade people who loved Star Wars identified their love of Star Wars based on how much they hated LITERALLY ONE HALF of it in the prequels. I just don't want to hear that garbage. Give the man the whole franchise if this is the quality he can deliver.

[@soakedbearrd]

Yes I’ve been saying this about Syril and Andor. I use agent smith and neo from matrix. Syril is coming from a different perspective, but the parallels with him and Andor although subtle is definitely there. Both are gray characters that are finding themselves, coming to realizations, and bend rules if they need to. The mother connection is a great observation, I didn’t think of that. Funny it’s crazy how important mothers are, one was demanding and criticizing and the other was supporting and praising. Syril because of how his mother was, went towards a path of more control (because he never hand control in his house growing up), and Andor was allowed to be more free spirited but ethically vague (more underworld) because his mother didn’t micromanage. Both had pros and cons.

[@thegoldman25]

what an excellent point about Cassian and Syril, I wish I acknowledged that!

[@alittlecreepywhenyou]

FYI, I subbed after your GOT...3 years later retrospective, which was my introduction to your channel. Just keep doing what you are doing and your deserved subs and recognition for your obvious talent and creative efforts will eventually come to fruition. GG TGM

[@tomodachi1644]

I like how Syril is a rebel in his own way, constantly modify his uniform, doesn't follow direct orders from his superior, he is told to stop with the andor thing (he continues), he is told to not meet deedra again, etc.

[@TealJosh]

He's a cop who couldn't make it to the military. Driven by insecurity and demanding of respect. He has bought into the fascism, by definition opposite of rebel.

[@RoamingAdhocrat]

Disagree with the flashbacks in S01E01-03 - the payoff is the interposed symmetry of Maarva taking Young Cassian off Kanari and Luthen taking him off Ferrix. It'd be a shame to lose that moment for a faster pace.

[@user-yl4lf9mh1w]

Andor used the volume a lot but they do it smartly. You can tell when they use it because the LED panels are kinda low resolution compared to everything else. One of the shots is when the guy gets into the Tie Fighter in The Eye episode.

[@oXRaptorzXo]

Woah that was the volume?

[@2Namii]

My personal favorite star wars content. Loved this shit

[@thestupidnintendokid]

On the last topic you mentioned, I think Erik Voss at New Rockstars actually did a great job of breaking down the show. He not only did find a few nice references, but also did a great analysis of characters, themes, and shots.

[@eatingpancakesrightnow2786]

I used to think Andor himself was the weakest part of the series, but this video made me realise just how good his arc is! I hope in season 2 they stick with the idea Andor is for the most part a full fledged Rebel and maybe we can focus more on Rebel divisions like all the factions Saw mentions

[@flatline8580]

Tony Gilroy (showrunner) said specifically that he didn't want anything shown that the characters hadn't seen. It's *all* supposed to be from what they (and us) can see, as people.

[@taste_is_sweet]

Which is why I figure we'll never know what happened to Kino Loy.

[@hallowfish691]

There's actually a lot more fan service and other star wars tie-in than most people realize. The obvious ones, besides what was listed in the video, was Luthen's shop. There's Padme's headdress, pieces of the mural of the Father the Son and the Daughter, there was a jedi and sith holocron in the back, etc. Then there's the tie-in with other stories like how the ISB got so much authority in Rebels, it was because of Andor. The increase in sentencing in Andor could be connected with why characters in Rebels were arrested for Treason for minor offenses. Even the timeline of it. It's showing us how Mon Mothma gets to the point of completely leaving the senate to fully commit to the rebellion. That the rebellion is about to unify into an alliance, which is something Saw Gerrara points out to Luthen (the division and different factions of rebels). Even the progress of the building of the Deathstar is accurate because this show takes place 4 years before A New Hope.

[@CableAnna]

I loved your take on this series. Just the amount of levels this show operates is phenomenal but the best thing is we’re not always fully aware of it.

[@edwaaard46]

Like Steve Jobs once said: You know who the best managers are? They're the great individual contributors who never, ever want to be a manager, but decide they want to be a manager, because no one else is going to be able to do as good a job as them." This is exactly the case with Tony gilroy. He is not a Star Wars fan like everyone else, and therefore could concentrate on the most important thing: to tell worthy story, that is compelling and smart. Other directors like JJ, Abrams failed because they were concerned too much with nostalgic things and making the fans happy and so on. But forgot the most important thing: to create a compelling and smart story. Andor is paradox, from every level and that's great!

[@gameware722]

I love your videos, they’re so thoughtful and interesting. Keep going :)

[@thegoldman25]

Thank you! Will do!

[@oldman5247]

37:26; Tony Gilroy wasn’t the only guy who has made something. Of which he wasn’t a fan of. Star Trek 2 Wrath of Khan’s director; Nicholas Meyer. Never watched a single episode of Star Trek or even cared about it that much. Yet he made the best movie he could. Despite previously never caring about the Star Trek franchise. Yet Star Trek 2 Wrath of Khan. Is seen as one of the best films in the Star Trek series.

[@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive]

Ridley Scott barely watched sci-fi or horror movies. When he was picked to direct _Alien,_ the writer Dan O'Bannon gave him a crash course and had him watch dozens of sci-fi and horror classics. He hated almost all of them aside from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Exorcist.

[@themanfromvolantis]

You nailed this. About the claustrophobic camera work.

[@Mreasyplay2]

Andor is just that good! It was one of the Highlights of 2022. Can't wait for season 2. I hope it's as good.

[@jasonsaddison]

Really liked your thoughts on camera perspective there, bud.

[@thegoldman25]

thank you!

[@wh8787]

There's a great line from Dedra Meero, where she says "because that's how I'd do it" on how the rebellion is stealing resources. She's better at her job because she is on some level able to get inside the heads of the rebellion in ways her colleagues just aren't. It makes her a very compelling character, and also a very dangerous foe.

[@aquapendulum]

You are probably the first KZbinr who acknowledged Cassian Andor's character arc and development. What boring protagonist? This guy's character growth was spreaded throughout the entire season instead of self-contained in one arc like Kino Loy and that's why other KZbinrs don't see it? This is the Han Solo arc except we don't just assume he comes to care for the cause off-screen, we get to see it happen bit by bit, one influence after another. This is Han Solo done 10 times better. Cassian Andor's arc has another layer to it: from selfish to selfless. Ferrix arc: Completely seflish Aldhani arc: Mutually-beneficial, Andor still has money to gain. Prison arc: Mutually-beneficial, Andor still has his freedom to gain. FInale arc: Completely selfless. Rescuing Bix was all risk and no reward but he still did it anyway. This is a heroic act. This is no longer the selfish rogue we see at the beginning. This is a hero.

[@thegoldman25]

I'm shocked to hear you say I'm the first, Cassian's arc is so important to the story, how can I be the first person to acknowledge it!

[@alethearia]

As someone from Portland who experienced the Portland riots... the last 2 episodes were so so tangibly real.

[@abrahamtomahawk]

Just discovered this video. The thing that really got me about the cultural genocide of the Dhani. You liken it to the native Americans. But the more 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.

[@michaelday6987]

The greatest thing about this show is how it takes seeming pointless side quests, but manages to add to the story instead of bogging it down.

[@fondu-design]

Great analysis and storytelling. Pls note 'Comfortability' is not a word, especially when 'Comfort' exists.

[@toyz1784]

Dude. I just came across this video and it and its analysis and editing are superb. Subscribed!

[@OuterRimPride]

I love that everyone, including me, thought this show was going to be bad and the premise was dumb, but then we get this

[@underscore_5450]

Andor is probably the best Star Wars media since the 80s.

[@JayTraversJT]

Those who say "it doesn't feel like star wars" are the ones that scare me the most and a reason I think so much star wars media is just horrendous these days. Star Wars is not a genre in itself. Stop treating it as such. It is simply a theme of which other genres can use as a vessel. Explore it.

[@thegoldman25]

i disagree, Star Wars has a certain feel to it

[@ryanbarth6691]

Andor needs more appreciation

[@MumRah]

Tony Gilroy's writing of this show made him a fan whether he likes it or not. Only a true fan could do Star Wars the justice it deserved, and the fans always wanted.

[@julianmoriati4682]

This series is the best Star Wars because it’s going deep and it’s pretty emotional, imo. I like the fact that every character on both sides are doing their best to reached their goals, but nobody really succeeds. It’s more like a real war: there are only victims. A nice detail is the end scene where you see robots installing parts on the Death Star. I just noticed these parts are the parts the prisoners worked on.

[@randyl7667]

The fact that they introduced NEW cool stuff. The ships were awesome. The weapons were awesome. My point is what has always made Star Wars captivating is the introduction of the New. It’s why fan service sucks the life out of it. It has to continue to introduce us to the best stuff in the Star Wars universe. That doesn’t mean creating new characters out of thin air, or ships, or species, or weapons, etc. It means SHOW us this stuff that we to this point have only been able to imagine and do so in a way that makes good sense and feels realistic.

[@oldman5247]

Are you going to make an updated ranked of the franchise?

[@thegoldman25]

I might do a stream on it!

[@pipoms]

I feel that in the beginning Syril cares more about the order, "law" and control of things than the 2 mens that were killed. Obviously, he searched for the person responsible, but as I remember, he never stopped to contact the men's relatives or anything like that when I have more time i will finish the video, so far so good :)

[@Dumitaz]

Even knowing that Cassian will not die, and will join the rebels, the show manage to keep you in the edge of the seat all the time about what going to happen to him.

[@MercerCreate]

Andor being adopted is essential. Almost adopted kids will, by adulthood, try to learn about their real family. This explains why, Cassian, who, at the time had an ailing mother and no work prospects on Ferrix and an exgirlfriend who was seeing someone else, to go after any lead he could to find his sister

[@4kporgservices39]

Just THANK YOU for having done the best review of the best series based on the best movie of the best cinematic universe ever!

[@thegoldman25]

Wow, thanks!

[@OriginKirby]

Amazing video, this needs more attention.

[@thegoldman25]

Thank you!

[@alabaster7958]

13:41 I like your graphic, it helps clarify ideas in a way I easily understand :)

[@DaringDan]

really solid intro, dude. have a subscribe, homie.