Why Andor is going to SAVE Star Wars | Video Essay

Star Wars has been disappointing in recent years. The misfires of The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as the controversial Sequel Trilogy haven't exactly left Star Wars under Disney in a good way. Tony Gilroy and Andor have changed everything for Star Wars on Disney Plus with a mature and darker direction for the IP. In this video essay we take a deep dive into why Andor is going to save Star Wars.
/ movie_overload
Star Wars Channel - / theozzyjedi
Andor - (2022)
Obi-Wan Kenobi - (2022)
Book of Boba Fett - (2021)
The Mandalorian - (2019)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - (2016)
The Rise of Skywalker - (2019)
The Last Jedi - (2017)
0:00 - Intro
3:10 - Part 1
9:49 - Part 2
16:51 - Part 3

[@Dino-Savage]

I know it won’t be as big as Obi-Wan or Mando but it will need enough viewers in order for season 2 to avoid cutting its budget. Word of mouth needs to spread.

[@hungathymug1066]

I think its better that Kenobi at least people actually tried on this show

[@jackrutledgegoembel5896]

@@hungathymug1066 it's BETTER by far but it's getting much less viewership

[@KingCobraLolcow]

@@jackrutledgegoembel5896 I just hope people tune in so we can get more content like this.

[@ArmaHipHopTV]

@@jackrutledgegoembel5896 I think it'll get more viewership in the long run lol. Simply because it has longevity.

[@mckaydiehl]

season 2 has actually already been filmed coming from trustable sources

[@jthegreat3627]

I love how dark and real it feels, like these are real people living in the Star Wars universe exactly how I imagined it’d be for a street level hustler with no name. I love morally grey characters, Andor was easily my favorite character in Rouge One. I’m loving the show. Great video!

[@aspirespire8847]

Im not surprised this show takes 3 episodes to tell simple nothing burger of a plot point that could’ve been told in thirty minutes or less just being a little darker doesn’t make me feel confident in this show 😂

[@shardulniraula8846]

@@aspirespire8847 you just have a low attention span.

[@Djzapaxy]

THIS, and this has restored faith. Gtfo with all these woke producers and shit writers. Fuck them and bring in people like this. And disney WILL see billions

[@aspirespire8847]

@@shardulniraula8846 I don’t I’m just tired Disney drawing things out just to try to keep subscriptions for longer, sure give us a long show but make have layers and not feel like a bunch retard teens are directing this mess, cool you got a bunch aliens why not have a show where all the main characters are aliens and have compelling story from get go 😂

[@gharbog]

@@aspirespire8847 Because the show is building it's characters and taking it's time to do so. It's not rushing it's pacing like Obi-Wan did where it had to cram in a bunch of characters into it's 6 episode run time. It's one if the first times we get a look at all the small scale stuff and the behind the scenes of the galaxy which ultimately makes it feel more real and are getting to see characters interact and have time to breath. It's not just incessant action scenes. Star Wars needs more shows like this. Ones that don't always focus on the grandure of the popular characters and plot and that don't rely on nostalgia or fan service to pull in viewers. Seeing movies and series revolve around the same handful of characters has gotten old and TBOBF and Obi-Wan show that nostalgia isn't enough to create a good series.

[@sav0rybac0n]

My favorite thing is that this show just kept on getting better by every episode

[@MrApostolis78]

A month later and Andor keeps getting even better. I can't believe how good it is. A shame 80% of the fanbase won't even acknowledge its existence.

[@danno14]

That’s because it was absolutely boring. I couldn’t get past episode 3 and even then I kept falling asleep. Just terrible anti-Star Wars flop.

[@simon_xcx]

@@danno14 each arc is 3 episodes… you haven’t finished a single arc and you’re shitting on it. lmao

[@danno14]

@@simon_xcx it doesn’t take more than one to know it’s a bore. The other two episodes only confirmed it. It’s great if you enjoyed it. If it’s good people will watch. That doesn’t seem to be happening though.

[@simon_xcx]

@@danno14 it’s not boring. not every show is gonna be filled with cameos and lightsaber pew pews.

[@danno14]

@@simon_xcx I’m glad you liked it. Someone had to.

[@tigersboy5411]

it's takin it back to the basics: passionate people making a passionate show, not fan service or a checklist

[@RK-ck6pl]

It feels like fan service to me. There's no reason for this show. It's a prequel about a prequel. Spoiler alert. What happens when all the banging stops? Rebellion.

[@fortium1025]

Which is why Last Jedi was great! Rise of Skywalker was so humiliating.

[@tigersboy5411]

@@RK-ck6pl I suppose your right in a sense, due to my poor phrasing. It is fanservice, sure, but it is still a good way of filling in the blank space between the films, at least in my opinion

[@RK-ck6pl]

@@tigersboy5411 To me shows like this are just filler. It's like there's gonna be some rumbling and then a Volcano and all of the aftermath...... I don't really need to see the months and months of occasional tremors that lead up to the rumbling and the eruption. I think the soft world building of the original trilogy is much better storytelling than going back in time to look at little things that don't really matter, more in depth..

[@ranger_8717]

@@RK-ck6pl Sure, but a show isn't necessarily just for the purpose of serving the story of the larger world. This show so far has been just a great work of art in itself, regardless of the pretext of it being a leadup to Rogue One. Shows can just be good, quality writing and production giving a worth while watching experience. Honestly I'd say that these sort that are just good shows that happen to be in the Star Wars universe (same as good characters that happen to be women instead of forced) are better, since they can be stand alone stories without outside reliance.

[@n644620x]

Refreshing to be treated like an adult by Star Wars. I’m here for it.

[@VictoryAviation]

Amen to this. I think that's an issue with so many movies made in modern times. The directors and script writers always spoon feed the audience and it's annoying.

[@shadowteam9943]

Andor feels a lot like the Star Wars comics in my opinion. And I like the comics a lot better than the movies.

[@marcelk2753]

Not only like an adult but like someone with a brain. Modern western productions see the viewer like an idiot.

[@jra8969]

Agreed! I always think about how they could make so many great stories within the SW universe. The maturity of this show gives me hope. Maybe well get a breaking bad type starwars show lol.

[@R4Y2k]

That's the issue with almost every great franchise. They won't mature along with their audience and still treat them like a bunch of 12 year olds when they're in their 30s/40s already^^

[@diego16160]

I'd give you a million likes if I could. You nailed it, every sentence. It seems like Rouge One and Andor went below the radar for Disney execs and were therefore made with quality, competence, and above all creativity, which modern hollywood is almost completely devoid of. I like Diego Luna. I like how he portrayed Andor, full of emotion, he is not perfect, he makes mistakes, he is afraid alot, but he gets the job done. He relies on inteligence, instinct, and experience. It makes him human, it makes him relatable. I like that Tony Gilroy who wrote Rouge One continued as a writter as I feel if they had hired somebody else, it would not have been as impactful.

[@jesperburns]

Rogue One was in development hell. Disney kept meddling with it because of poor focus group reception. They fired the director and writers on that show and reshot half the scenes, and added a bunch more (like the last Darth Vader scene). I have seriously no clue how that mess of a film is getting a pass. Just as an example, they have the passive protagonist (=bad) give an inspring speech to the people who set her up exactly one scene after they killed her dad. That's rewrites for ya. Almost forgot, the reshoots had a far smaller budget and are all far more zoomed in than the rest of the film to cut costs on vfx and editing. Just because "it's dark, everyone dies" doesn't mean it's good.

[@diego16160]

@@jesperburns I don't have love for disney. But even with it's problems Rouge One is leagues above disney trilogy. But, it may not be for everyones taste. As for Andor, the lone fact that the makers of the show dared to make it different from the rest of disney garbage (almost like a thriller) says to me they at least had some creative autonomy. It stands out from the rest. It is a breath of fresh air, but in a different way than Mandalorian was. Looking forward to both. Hope they don't screw it up :)

[@jesperburns]

@@diego16160 I haven't even attempted to watch Andor as everything Disney had made was utter garbage to me (including the Blandalorian, which has Pokemon level writing). If you like it, good for you.

[@jonathanbauer2988]

Fine I will watch this show, I haven't watched much star wars since seeing the rise of skywalker, so disgusting. But fine, you have convinced me I will try this, I dream of a day when starwars is good again

[@diego16160]

@@jonathanbauer2988 Yeah, glad to hear it. I think most of us would like star wars to thrive again, but the parasite in charge needs to go

[@tragicallymalicious1]

7 episodes in, and its the best thing on Disney hands down.

[@peej8541]

it gets better.

[@tragicallymalicious1]

@peej indeed it does

[@MariOmor1]

12 episodes in, and it's the best 21st century Disney Product ever produced... I HAVE SPOKEN

[@lauriebarton9836]

Yeah well. Even Stevens.

[@Kotch111]

Which is why its viewership will be low. Why should I invest in Disney if I only like 2 things on it?... Which is reality. Too many streaming services and let's face it, Disney sucks and is an evil corporation. They make Sidious look like a jedi.

[@redsoxfox]

I have to say…if Luthen Rael walked Casian Andor out of town under a trench coat, I would of cracked up hard

[@juancabardo21]

Imagine Luthen stabs Syril with his knife walking stick thing and then Syril walks away perfectly fine next episode

[@tevildo45]

I went into this show with zero expectations and it honestly blew me away. It’s only 3 eps but they were fantastic. You could could take away all the Star Wars stuff and this show could easily stand on its own 2 feet. No Jedi, no goofy looking aliens, just a kick ass story. Really looking forward to the rest

[@lucasart328]

Agreed

[@erensnk5034]

I want to watch but iam enough for star wars' series that make me feel meh after watching it. This all because breaking bad and better call Saul that make my taste more high.

[@crewchief5144]

It's not SW.

[@camdenembrey8735]

Exactly! Andor and rogue one are both things nobody asked for. And they're both incredible

[@squaresided]

I went into it with high expectations since Rogue One is my favorites & I'm still blown away.

[@henrybauze2932]

Andor is a real breath of fresh air because Disney aren’t trying to emulate the original trilogy or falling for nostalgia bait. This is an ensemble of characters they wrote and designed without any reliance on previous material. That’s why it’s so good

[@timdedecker]

Then why make Andor a Star Wars show if nothing relies on previous material...? It's like making a movie about Titanic but not put the Titanic in it... As a sci fi show I could have liked it and I would have given it an 8/10 but as a Star Wars show it's a 6/10 at most...

[@henrybauze2932]

@@timdedecker by reliance on previous material I mean that there’s no clear nostalgia bait. Usually in Star Wars’ case this means chucking in a couple of characters from the previous movies. With these established characters, it makes the show often worse because the writers are relying on nostalgia and coast through the actual storytelling. Of course this show has some previous material, but I don’t think there’s all that many Mon Mothma stans out there More so than just the new characters, the new dark vibe of the show is something different. Watching the same Star Wars show over and over gets boring, so a different atmosphere goes a long way.

[@Devlinsky]

@@timdedeckerbut it is a starwars show? So you want Vader walking around every scene? Or for fucks sake, literally any other character? How is this not starwars. Empire everywhere and guess what the moire is actually shown to be scary in this show, stormtroopers actually hitting the things the aim at. Also just the feel, the planets, the locations. Starwars is not starwars just because it cameos somthing from the og trilogy

[@Jeff.55649]

its shit lol

[@shadowgamer4306]

@@timdedeckerKenobi and Book of Boba Fett are good Star Wars shows for you, am I right?

[@AzaleaLuna]

Rogue One is my favorite Star Wars movie. When I heard about Andor I was so excited and I have to say it's awesome. Just so good. It seriously deserves some awards it's that good. I've watched the entire first season at this point. Great characters, great acting, great story, great cinematography, I could just go on and on. The costumes! The clothes in this series are gorgeous. I want the show to go on and on.

[@gregorturner9421]

the three episode arcs are what makes it for me. they are able to tell a good story in that time frame. the prison arc was shocking because it pretty much echo's the american prison system. seeing where the parts end up was spine chilling. each arc moving the main characters forward and showing both their strenghts and weaknesses, the mask they wear and what they sacrificed or are willing to sacrifice to get what they want. the isb agent...wow, just wow.

[@GTanya07]

same here

[@elponchonegro]

No Jedi, No Force-Sensitives, No whacky droids, No Tatooine = a refreshing Star Wars story

[@jordank1813]

Except it's about the creation of the rebellion so it's guaranteed Ashoka will be present at least once

[@schutzenica]

I love Be, he's loke a sad puppy

[@phi3947]

no tatooine haha

[@jakes9918]

@@jordank1813 I would gladly welcome her into this show as long as it makes sense 100%

[@bartsullivan4866]

No R2 D2 to bail out every bad situation I might add. Who needs Force users just a fleet of R2 D2's and be on a beer drinking Corona and let them do all the work. Great post I do love this show as well. :)

[@Fi_Sci_]

Andor feels real to me. Not just with compelling characters, but the world and effects all feel genuine. It’s the most convincing live action Star Wars show I’ve seen that immerses you in the world with the direction it takes for the Tone. Helps that the filmmaking has more professional focus as well. A quality that was lacking in Kenobi and book of boba which felt more cheap by comparison.

[@outrightflame4280]

100% agreed the visuals and effects in Star wars Andor is so good everything about Star wars Andor is amazing and I love the more darker and serious route Andor is than most star wars shows it's definitely a nice change imo

[@ValcryeTheSecond]

Your talk about cameos being the only way Book of Boba was watchable is really true. In my opinion, the 2 episodes with Mando are the only 2 that are watchable because it’s basically 100% cameos

[@ABendzify]

Andor is a breath of fresh air, it is good character writing and I am tense and attentive throughout each episode. I want more of this star wars.

[@benfromthesewers1688]

"I want more of this star wars" Well You've got imperial galactic civil war.. aka post endor period that has ben made legends by disney. Heck theres even moment when female officer fed up with powerhungry squabbling imperial officers/Warlords were gassed in room to claim some of their power.

[@lex_rodriguez]

I knew Andor would be great from the start. Wish I could say "I told you so" to everyone who everyone who said, "Who asked for this?" Or every prequel fan who kept over hyping Obi-Wan. The reason this is great is because the creator of Andor isn't a Star Wars fanboy first, he's a filmmaker first.

[@madsketchy9261]

Exactly

[@jujuboohoo]

I can imagine very few people asked for this but I was one of them. I feel you on the I told you so because someone was upset I commented I wanted a series on the main characters in Rogue One. Here's hoping Jyn Erso shows up late in the season even if they just walked passed one another without realizing the end will be just them on that beach.

[@TheLeatheryman]

I didn’t ask for it and rolled my eyes when I heard about it. The one thing that put doubt in my mind was Kathleen Kennedy’s involvement. But it appears, just as she stepped aside during the production of Rogue One, she has stepped back and let Tony Gilroy do his thing. Thank God

[@StarWarsFanatic]

I've been telling people this was going to be different. More adult, darker, etc. Did we ask for it? No...but did we ask for A New Hope in 1977?

[@thomaslacornette1282]

I had a good feeling seeing the mini documentary about Andor like more than one year ago. You could already feel the dedicatin of the team, you were seeing real artist sculpting aliens designs etc... And when the trailer came i was sure it would be good. What is fun is Andor is not "new": its development started just after Mandalorian success, they worked more than two years on season 1.

[@RogueWJL]

Outstanding on every level. Diego has an amazing screen presence

[@KEANUdiffuse]

Andor makes me feel so much concern about the characters. It's really a show about the underdogs fighting against the powers that governs, and you really walks beside them with their struggles. I'm so glad I started watching Andor.

[@rustyrobots426]

Can't get enough andor content. I was avidly watching from week one, and I'm glad more people are getting turned in to it

[@cwireviews3503]

This is the only star wars content where the deaths have actual emotional shock impact and the consequences have layers + it shows the human side of imperials = Officers eating blue noodels and freezing if their friend dies

[@heu245]

I think it's somewhat funny that the smaller KZbinrs are liking this show, but some of the bigger reviewers are still calling it terrible. This show from my perspective is much, much better than anything else I've seen in recent memory. I hope this continues.

[@Angel_Love6680]

What you mean by bigger reviewers? Can you give me some examples of their channels pls? ^^

[@Narrowdark]

@@Angel_Love6680 kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6KTl3yEh8pnrKc&ab_channel=TheDenofNerds

[@hectorbecerra574]

Some KZbinrs think it’s cool to be the contrarian. A few were negative about the show before they even saw an episode. It’s almost like they had to stick to their guns no matter what. Feels insincere to me

[@jcsmith333]

@@Angel_Love6680 Star Wars Theory and Den of Nerds

[@Angel_Love6680]

@@jcsmith333 I don't think they hate the show. It's just not the kind of content they want for Star Wars since they are into Force, Jedi and Sith stuff. Theory even said Rogue One wasn't his favourite Star Wars movie so I understand that. So far the person who doesn't like Andor is Disparu but he only had watch episode 1 so make sense as well and he said Episode 3 is decent. AngryJoeShow, Vito and CriticalDrinker all think Andor is good and they have been pretty harsh with Star Wars for a while.

[@jonathanhansen1222]

Totally agree! Andor is recapturing so many of the greatest features of Star Wars, the mortality and risks involved, the strategies & philosophy of rebellion, the temptation to take the easy path versus traveling the narrow road of self-sacrifice. This show is probably the best Star Wars we've seen since Rogue One and The Mandalorian. It feels like the perfect prologue to R.O. & matches everything from visual style, to grit, action & tension. It is such a surprise that Disney actually produced this, considering its recent flops in the SW universe. I hope it's not just a one-hit-wonder and that there is much more to come.

[@soakedbearrd]

Exactly! Well said

[@louis-patrickrancourt1565]

This show is so good and I don't mean for a Star wars show, I mean for a show period. I hope this style will remain, it shows how deep the Star wars universe is and you don't need any force users to lead. I hope this doesn't get canned because modern viewers have an attention span of a cat.

[@chrisaguilera1564]

The fact we got at all Rogue One following The Force Awakens is a small miracle.

[@_nebulousthoughts]

Yeah all the sequels get worse each time you watch them

[@OldManTheseDays]

The problem with any fandom: ask 100 fans and you’ll get 100 answers. I completely agree with just about everything you said here, and 100%, there will be a Star Wars fan out there that will swear that anything not personally blessed by Dave Filoni is crap. Andor is what I personally wanted to see. New stories, new corners of the Star Wars universe.

[@StarWarsFanatic]

And a lot of the 100answers will be quiet agreement, while about 20 of them will be a loud negative "fan" who wants attention or clicks. As good as Dave Filoni is, there is more to Star Wars than his love for the Jedi. This show is proving that.

[@unhandydaddy5117]

@@StarWarsFanatic Dave Filoni imo is the most overrated writer and director on this planet. He's so extremely mid that it's nauseating when people treat him like some sort of a messiah. He's just got one good character and he just piggybacks her everywhere.

[@StarWarsFanatic]

@@unhandydaddy5117 the more time passes, the more I agree with you. I think he’s also piggybacking off Jon Favreau.

[@icrywhenisleep2130]

Imagine a kir kanos show or death troopers movie they should start doing some legends movies especially death troopers

[@davidluduena8730]

@@unhandydaddy5117 I don't like "Andor", but I totally 100% agree with what you say about Filoni.

[@vincentkrommenhoek7431]

Strange. The first SW spinoff without any Jedi present and it finally works. I loved Andor. The writing, design and acting was soooo good.

[@MrTappers7]

Just finished season 1 of Andor and holy cow after 30 years of consuming everything SW, this show was absolutely amazing! Great intentional pacing, thoughtful dialogue, fantastic locales, gritty and stress filled combat. This show was an absolute treat!

[@jasonritner9662]

My feeling with this show since it was announced was always cautious optimism. Rogue One is my second favorite film of the entire franchise. It felt almost entirely catered to exactly what I have liked about the universe and the stories I preferred to read about. Andor was a pretty stiff character in that movie, but had one of the most intriguing backgrounds and was portrayed well by Diego Luna. In order for this show to get green lit it was going to need a strong pitch in the first place. Having Gilroy as the show runner, man who was partially responsible for the success of the Bourne series, combined with the relatively unimportant character that Andor is meant to me that this was going to be a show getting world class treatment and not a lot of studio meddling. This was always on the path to a surprise hit. It was going to be the type of story meant for the fans like myself who aren't the biggest fans of the Jedi/Sith being involved in everything, or that everything happens in the universe to only 6 people. This show is a realistic story, filled with people, who are just being people that are living their lives inside this universe. The grit and grime are felt everywhere. There's a beauty to it and the story that it can tell. I'm excited to see the rest of the series. I cannot wait for it.

[@chrisnyasia7]

This is as accurate and comprehensive a comment as I have ever read on any topic presented on KZbin... You nailed it. Nothing to add... Mike drop... Really quick: on a personal note-- "the empire strikes back" is the greatest movie ever made; Rogue One is a very close second...

[@PARAD0XPHANT0M]

I feel like the complete grimness and lack of any joy or even optimism from the characters shown in the show, is kind of bringing the show down. I get it's supposed to be a dark dystopian planet, but the characters shouldn't ONLY be all gloom and hopelessness. If the would give more life to the non major characters, I'd say the show would be a lot better, in my eyes at least.

[@wildfire9280]

@@PARAD0XPHANT0M The galaxy is run by an authoritarian Sith monarch whose oppression is far-reaching. The optimism you’re asking for is likely felt only by those blind to it or those who benefit from it in the Core worlds.

[@ericp1139]

Well, that's kind of the problem, isn't it? You like the show because of how un-Star Wars it is.

[@jasonritner9662]

@@ericp1139 the show is very Star Wars, it's just a different story than what others have told in the setting. And that's a good thing

[@ReysonFox]

It reminded me of the in depth story behind Rogue One where they originally had a more dark, gritty, apocolypse now-type star wars movie - which loved to see. However the released product was watered down and written poorly. And this is why Andor is so good, alongside Mandalorian its gritty and written good. Star Wars needs to take this heavier story telling.

[@andrewc3267]

I’d love to watch a director’s cut of Rogue One

[@takanara7]

@@andrewc3267 They put out a comic book that was "supposedly" the directors cut of the movie but I kind of doubt they really put everything in he wanted. It's kind of impressive they were actually able to get something good out of Rogue One after studio meddling. Disney basically wanted to pump up their stock price a much as possible to buy Fox so basically they were firing on all cylinders to put out content regardless of quality and if it ruined the brand. No one cares about the MCU anymore because they basically "finished" the story, and they burned up all good will with Starwars by putting out terrible movies (Although they had plenty of time with TLJ - that was just arrogance Rian Johnson and Kath Kennedy's part)

[@voster77hh]

All that gritty potential that was wasted on Boba Fett. It is all there in the idea of the show, but in the product it was all cut down to pieces and disneyfied.

[@AxelsAndGears]

Andor succeeds at being just a good sci-fi show in general, which I am so happy for. You don't need to be a SW fan already to enjoy it.

[@MrAndymcginn]

What i believe is key to the success of Andor (and my love of it) is that the people who were kids when the OT came out are now in their 40s and 50s. A mature SW show has an audience, and that audience is huge and utterly in love with starwars. I also appreciate the aesthetic ciriticisms - no force, no skywalkers, no sweeping symphonic score ... I really get it and appreciate it. There's still meticulous similarity in the design, and the bottom line is that there's The Rebellion and The Empire. These elements are more important than Skywalkers and Williams.

[@soakedbearrd]

Exactly, I’m 43 and this show breaks down the OT into its essence, the first movie is called A New Hope for a reason (after decades of despair and tyranny). The heart of SW is the rebellion against the empire, the common person against the monolith. The impossible odds overcome through humanity, love, unity and bravery. The prison episodes show that ultimately the structure is frail, which I thought was really clever. And it also added to andors character in that before that experience, he was more of a loner, and through that strict structure (and the injustice of the trial that put him there) he was able to connect with others in the same boat. Forced to work as a team. It was character growth and building done brilliantly. Now SW philosophy and soul will always be the Jedi vs sith, but the heart has always been liberty vs tyranny, and this show is spot on.

[@GinoBtheman]

I watched each episode once so far, and I gotta say it was really refreshing having absolutely zero clue who was who or what the hell was happening

[@IHunterF1]

I absolutely loved the opening 3 episodes. I find myself already being invested in the core characters… Diego Luna, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, and Skarsgard have ALREADY IMPRESSED THE HELL OUT OF ME WITH THEIR PERFORMANCES

[@salvadorarreolarodriguez6165]

Andy Serkis is awesome too...

[@IHunterF1]

@@salvadorarreolarodriguez6165 he is, when I commented this, he hadn’t shown up in the series yet

[@danielrice5676]

You have said it all in a way I wish I could. I AM SO GLAD that someone else sees what I see. I am 100% down with this video and its viewpoints. THANK YOU! I will share it

[@kristinjones7029]

I'm so glad you were willing to say all this about Andor 2 months before the finale. Everyone else waited like they were scared of having to retract their praise again (like for the sequel trilogy). But Andor was so obviously quality from the beginning. Appreciate the honest review!

[@Albertk96]

Just watched ep 4 and it gets better and better. How refreshing to get such a solid, well-written, expertly acted addition to the Star Wars universe. So excited for more!

[@Coolgamer54321]

The scenes within the officials and spies in Courscant were amazing

[@vice2versa]

@@Coolgamer54321 yeah, it felt like a completely different show with a star wars skin to it.

[@banhbaothit1629]

Bro Wednesday is the best day of the week for me because of this show

[@ckeledjian]

Wait till you see Ep 9 and 10. Epic writing and acting

[@evanmendoza7378]

Star Wars gives you a near infinite universe with almost infinite story telling possibilities and people think it should all be pew pew and space wizardry. So far this is what I’ve longed for since the disasters that were 1, 2, and 3. I’ve stopped caring about who does what, I want to learn the why and how. I agree that if it continues on this trajectory SW is saved.

[@crewchief5144]

You mean 7, 8 and 9. Those weren't even disasters. Those were monumental cataclysms. SW died on Oct 30, 2012. Everything after is just licensing and targeted marketing.

[@anonymoose9315]

1, 2, and 3 weren’t bad just not that great. 7, 8, and 9 were disgraces. The moment that S W died was in the signing video where Lucas sold the company to Disney and his “friend” and successor said “there isn’t much story to work with beyond the six movies” that was the moment S W died. The look on Lucas’ face was heartbreaking.

[@crewchief5144]

@@anonymoose9315 and he's only made 10 BILLION since that day (Oct 30th, 2012, btw).

[@anonymoose9315]

@@crewchief5144 how much he’s made is not the point.

[@crewchief5144]

@@anonymoose9315 No. Kidding. Beavis. SW DIED in 2012. Everything after it is just marketing and merchandising to line pockets...NO SUBSTANCE...ALL CRAP.

[@GABDILIVE1]

This is truly the best SW we had in manyyyyy years. I'm amazed by this show.

[@mdfrenchy]

One of the things I love about this show is how much respect they show every character in it. Most of the Star Wars movies/shows, even in the beginning, were only about a couple characters with lots of flotsam and jetsam around them. Very few of the supporting characters made any impact that was intelligent or noteworthy. Andor seems to put real time into fleshing out every character, even those that are only around for a little while. Their actions make sense. For example, the head of the corporate police telling the young ambitious officer to back off strictly for political reasons. The dialog was brilliant and actually shocked me coming from a Star Wars show. My hope is that Andor not only saves Star Wars, but the rest of modern cinema as well. Movies that take the time to respect their characters seem far and few between these days.

[@soakedbearrd]

Yes that scene was pretty brilliant and what’s fascinating about that scene is because the guy doesn’t back off because of his sense of justice (through raw oppression) he starts the chain of events that eventually lead to the downfall of the empire (at least temporarily in ROTJ). Through that one action, it essentially makes a disorganized and almost bankrupts small team of rebels into a full blown (likely in the next seasons) rebellion. Amazing. And if you pay attention there’s a lot of different details littered in this show. Brilliant writing!

[@gregorturner9421]

prob why the clone wars and rebels worked because they developed more than just a couple of characters.

[@moritzweiss3104]

Hate to disappoint you all but we wont get something like andor again soon. The production on this series started befor Mandalorian was created. They spend nearly 5 years with writing and production. Also its much more expensiv than Mandalorien and probably wont get the same attention.

[@resetbutton7982]

At this point just give the entire franchise to this team.

[@hungathymug1066]

They already approved a second season

[@jackrutledgegoembel5896]

@@hungathymug1066 it's the second and final season so we got it in the bag

[@moritzweiss3104]

Yes but it was always planned as a show with 24 Episodes. The first half covers around one year of Andors life and the second half fills the gap up to rouge one. There will not be a third season. There will also be no changes based on audience reaction like in the sequel trilogy. In Mandalorian on the other hand they write the next season after they finish filming the previous one.

[@moritzweiss3104]

@@resetbutton7982 they don't care about star wars and cameos of known characters. They simply want to tell a good story and at this point of the star wars franchise its probably for the best.

[@Quantu04]

Maybe that's the issue with star wars fans being directors and writers on the show, they got their dream job of a lifetime, so their more likely to follow Disney's direction and rules just because they don't wanna lose that dream job. I like that their open to hiring fans but it's not the same if your just going to be pushing your story direction on them because it feels less of their story.

[@johnythecookedsteak4819]

What i think people don’t understand is that Star Wars is not just Jedi and Sith fighting each other. It’s a massive universe with so much potential and so much stories to be told. These stories don’t need to have lighsabers, jedis, some greater good to fight for and they can still easily be amazing.

[@em.5941]

love to see video essay channels that don't just hate and give praise where credit Is due. Rare to see and refreshing

[@MELODYMUNRO]

I saw the original SW in cinema in 1978 when I was 11, a memory I cherish and wish that younger generations of SW could have experienced. Rogue One was like a homecoming for me, I walked out of the cinema very happy and loving SW again. I am loving the Andor show, it is everything I wanted it to be.

[@TheRgordon16]

The very first “mature” movie was The Empire Strikes Back. It is the standard by which all the other Star Wars movies have failed to live up to.

[@michaelkeith5398]

Andor is genuinely one of my favorite shows ever so far. More of this please Disney

[@DaPistolPat]

The best thing about this show is its quality and care that goes into all aspects of its production. Which was completely absent from the other live action productions. Except for The Mandalorian. I guess this is the type of story Disney wishes too put money behind. No more mythical and grandiose stories with hero archetypes that made SW so popular. Now the focus is to humanize and make a story you can empathize with.

[@BW-vp3yk]

I think a lot of people (myself included) are just waiting to see how it ends up. Sure, it looks great so far, but after the last few years I have ZERO faith in Disney not to fuck up every single IP they own, and on that basis I just can't justify watching their shows without knowing it's not wasted time. If the whole season is reviewed well then I'm sure the viewing figures will go up.

[@poisonedyoyo]

It does make one wonder if they'll do that with Encanto and Moana. The latter in its TV show, and the former in the inevitable sequel because Encanto is way too popular to not receive one. But they already disrespected Frozen first with an awful sequel, and then again in High School Musicl the Musical the Series, which in of itself as a whole disresects High School Musical without which it would not even be a thing.

[@pjwg]

For those who say it doesn’t feel like Star Wars, I’d say it does, yet it has its own unique feel. Which is how the originals, the prequels, etc also felt. Note however that they still went together. So far I think Andor fits into the world but does carry it’s own unique feel.

[@tiredoffools8929]

@Peter Williams. Disagree. Yes, each show/movie had a unique feel to them but they all had a SW soundtrack to support them. Even though the Mandalorian's soundtrack is not traditional SW, the visuals and sound effects are very much SW. So far this "feels" nothing like SW and more like Blade Runner. I am not one of those that care about Marvel styled easter eggs and cameos. I don't miss those at all. What I do miss is the soundtrack. I would be happy just to "hear" SW sounds. The blasters haven't sounded like SW, the costumes look a little too clean and unlived in. That feels more like Star Trek. If I wanted Blade Runner I'd watch Blade Runner. Even something as simple as the hyper opening and closing of doors doesn't seem to exist in this universe anymore. Despite all that, I actually don't mind the slow burn of this show, and the character building. Assuming of course it will all payoff in the end. My only real concern at the moment is Kathleen Kennedy's fingerprints showing up in Episode 4, and I am hoping the shoehorned characters don't cause the writer to fumble the overall story like how the Reeva's character did to the Kenobi series.

[@DuoXCity]

​@@tiredoffools8929 People say they don't want Star Wars to feel so small and limited, but then they want Easter eggs that sort of imply that everyone's linked in this big circle. It's less ridiculous if say Rey had been Obi-Wan's kid then to have a K-2SO repair kit sitting on the shelf behind Andor or something. Those things feel very contrived and forced to me, as if everyone in a Galaxy overlap. So basically, I agree with you.

[@mayatara1980]

Amazing to see the characters developing. They are all so captivating. They are all mysterious, nuanced and imperfect. I want to know as much as possible about each one and I am even rooting for Deerdra and Syrill getting involved romantically 😂 That's how amazing the characters are. I even want the bad guys to find happiness with each other 😆

[@TheDarkCow11]

I have always loved rouge one and when Andor was announced I was very happy... now I finally have faith in star wars again

[@Hunt8rJob]

I love this show because they actually develop the characters. Each character feels different with their own strenghts and weaknesses, they are not just there to serve lines. Yes it's gritty and has it's dark moments but if it wasn't either of these it would still be enough that the characters are relatable.

[@jaywill1028]

These episodes are very rewatchable unlike most of the other Star Wars shows with the exception of a couple of Mandalorian episodes.

[@poisonedyoyo]

Star Wars Visions should be rewatchable. Anime fun you know.

[@jaywill1028]

@@poisonedyoyo they need to do some of those Visions episodes into full fledged series!

[@thawk5987]

Yeah I just watched all 9 over the last couple days and it is so well done. Very tight and the 'slow' episodes don't feel as slow watched as a chunk. (Not that I mind the slow ones. They all progress the overall plot and give so much good info)

[@soakedbearrd]

Exactly. This show and tales, have given me hope.

[@SpookyKid_SpaceAce]

This was a PERFECT explanation of why Andor is great, thank you

[@techniqueswithtodd]

I agree with you, sadly, the tiktok generation is calling the show "slow and boring". Attention spans have dropped so low, that shows like this are gonna be rare. I really like this show and how it explores the lore and history of the Star Wars universe. It's paced like a Film Noir and finally gets away from everything being about the next light saber battle. I fear it's just too adult a story/theme for an I.P. created for children streaming on a family platform.

[@movieoverload]

Couldn't agree more

[@SomeYouTubeTraveler]

@@darrel7589 1. It's "Tyrion" 2. You are wrong 3. lol

[@SomeYouTubeTraveler]

@@BBGP.5003 Did you actually read his... what you call an argument? "Andor is unintelligent and boring, factually." That's not an argument, lol. It deserved the ridicule I gave it.

[@Rar830]

@@SomeKZbinTraveler Anyone who states an opinion and uses the words factually or objectively in their sentence cannot be taken seriously.

[@whydoncha]

@@darrel7589 it’s all character development… I don’t think you know what that means. As for dialogue… Star Wars is known for the cheesiest writing imaginable. 😅

[@DaiBenduMonk]

People seem to forget that Star Wars never began with the Jedi, lightsabers or some grand epic. In 1977 this whole saga was introduced and propelled into a grandiose adventure through nothing more than two bumbling droids with no leverage or importance and a farm boy, who's been shackled by an ordinary, relatable life, not so far removed from our own. Eager to leave for a flight academy, preoccupied with an upcoming harvest season and worried about getting in trouble for coming home late and being told off by his uncle. Star Wars, at least to me at it's finest has always found a way to be grounded, in a functioning, real life-like, everyday world, just that which is in a fantastical galaxy far far away. The meat and bones are stories about people. Some grand and important and others almost unlikely, insignificant individuals, who by circumstances get washed away into an exciting adventure, where they transform into something different than where they began. By facing trials and obstacles, both within themselves and the worlds, structures and mechanisms that surround them. Where their will, morals and desires get challenged. At the core it's a story about people, finding themselves and their destiny, overcoming fears and constrains that lay before them or the consequences that come about by doing the bad thing and going down the wrong path. What is and isn't Star Wars in my opinion in a way shouldn't be asked. This is an evolving thing. We are carrying the torch, building new lore, expanding this world. As long as whatever happens carries the heart, feels plausible and grounded, logical within this vast galaxy, no story is off the books. This canvas' limits are only those of our imagination.

[@thomaslacornette1282]

Yes Luke's dream is to become a rebel pilot not a jedi. XD Jedi seems like a monk/warrior life who want that? 🙂(thing that Luke didn't try to modernize when we see how he act with Grogu, were Luke could have rebuild jedi order on a new more human basis more, that is what suggest ROTJ).

[@mrblank-zh1xy]

A lot of younger people can only relate to the Prequel/Clone Wars-era Star Wars, where the flavor that was introduced was light, cartoonish and silly. Glammy, glitzy ships and shining cities, where peak technology shaped everything that everyone did. People barely behaved like human beings, weird, formalized conversations, and stilted dialogue was nearly the entire property of the prequels / Clone Wars/ Rebels property. This is seen again in Book of Boba Fett. When you put this gritty, serious stuff in front of Clone Wars fans, they reel. It's describing a place that they were happier not knowing existed.

[@rjst.thomas9045]

Are you mentally impaired ? The very 1977 movie began with conflicts between the Jedi, Sith and rebellion. The first Star Wars was a stepping stone For Luke to become a Jedi and destroy the Sith. What did you think the whole character of arc of obi wan Kenobi was about?

[@DefMM123]

This show is perfect it feels so mature!

[@jakec9522]

Great video! I hope you make a follow-up now that Andor has ended. Maybe speculate on where the next season will go?

[@greggpirazzini2536]

Thanks for this video! Andor is the adult skewing Star Wars I’ve been waiting for! It has shades of Orwell’s 1984 and Lucas’s THX 1138. I love seeing what the average people are doing and the class differences and the way the Empire treats and tries to control people so we understand why the rebels want to rebel. It’s not just good vs evil it’s the gray in between that makes stories more interesting. I hope Disney continues this more mature route despite Andor’s lower viewership. Star Wars needs variety not more of the same.

[@soakedbearrd]

This is a story of the common man in the grips of powerful yet ultimately frail empire (paradox, and the metaphor of the prison as a micro compared to the macro). It’s actually pretty brilliant.

[@freedomring3022]

whoever wrote the Andor script and directed it, they need to be put in charge of all star wars projects

[@damandarin5415]

seconded

[@PugnaciousProductions]

Tony Gilroy directed it

[@RizDez]

I bet you were happy with Episode 4's length! Absolute banger.

[@markduran2141]

I didn't watch this series because I was disappointed by all the other series and what Disney did with the movies. Thank you to everyone for sharing their positive experience with this show. Going to watch it right now

[@soakedbearrd]

Yeah I felt the same way. My brother had to practically beg me to watch because I was done after 5 episodes of obiwan. Man I’m so happy I listened. This IS the essence and heart of star wars. Remember it started with A new hope. Hope I’m the face of the greatest odds is the backbone, while the force and Jedi/sith is the philosophy and soul.

[@gregmosher4287]

I'm so thankful for content creators who are sticking up for this show. I find it SO refreshing and really shows that despite a few rocky shows there can still be great SW content

[@inthebin2k329]

I like the film style, and the tone of the series. For me andor is already in my top 5 Star Wars series/movie. I like the cameos and fan service as anyone but that’s isn’t what stars wars should always be about. Some people Only watch a series bc some character from a different show is in it.

[@dorianpetrov1317]

I swear , Bee (that droid) is so much more likeable than reeva. Like even tho hes a droid , u can so easily understand that it made him sad when Andor told him that he cant come with him.

[@nicholasbeattie665]

Don't forget Tony Gilroy wrote and directed the 2007 film, Michael Clayton. A film that earned him two oscar nominations, and is still considered one of the tightest screenplays of the past decade.

[@michellelambert6703]

I absolutely love Mr. Gilroy's writings and direction!

[@michellelambert6703]

It reminds me a bit of watching Sin City in it's lovely simplicity and intrigue. However, when I was beginning to study under George Lucas, a trusted friend warned me not to marry him or carry on his legacy because the library, the studio, the house, all of it, is a trap to destroy the thought of Science Fiction, and return us to a brighter age of respecting and loving truth over fiction, of constantly reteaching ourselves the defining values of our Savior Christ, Christians, and the Wisdom within the foundation of our own country.

[@RampidWarthogStudios]

Andor is so refreshing. Excited to see where it goes

[@butternutsauce]

I was blown away by this show, it’s amazing

[@Persev444]

Does it compare to sitting in a movie full theater in the 1970s and everyone in the theater yelling and standing up when the death star explodes? Are their original music scores by John Williams? Ground breaking special effects ? I think what you want to say is its not amazingly bad like the previous disney productions ( exclude mando)

[@redbloodcell4047]

@@Persev444 Genuinely don't understand the mentality of OT purists.

[@Persev444]

@@redbloodcell4047 The premiere of the Original star wars iv - New Hope in a huge movie theater with 100s of other people cheering ; closest words i can find is if you follow world cup football? The feeling when your team wins from behind against overwhelming odds. Add watching lucas arts special effects, superb audio ( thx start). Add involving likeable characters all on the screen synergistic , excellent story telling, superb cinematography, john williams sound track. Imagine all that simultaneously for the first time. Movie goers lined up for 3 revolutions around the cineplex having a great time all around. People leaving the parking lot honking and cheering .

[@redbloodcell4047]

@@Persev444 I'm not old enough to have experienced it in the cinema, and the first SW film I saw in the cinema was Force Awakens, so yeah... I'm also British and I don't think that kind of reaction would have happened during any cinema screening, so I haven't had anywhere close to that kind of experience regardless of the quality of the film itself. For me though, the OT overall is overhyped by the fans. As I say I didn't experience it at the time and I'm sure that plays an important part, what with ANH being one of the earliest science fiction films. John Williams is great but for me his best work is during the prequels (Duel of the Fates, Battle of the Heroes). Equally the writing, particularly the dialogue, is outclassed by so many other films and shows. Plus the stakes feel surprisingly low for a film where a planet-killing superstation is the focus of the story, something which made ESB better where the stakes are more personal and grounded. Also as a 20-something England fan I've never had the privilege of them coming from behind to win a WC game, lol.

[@magicalfruitstudios4162]

Every shot is great, and every episode makes you want more. Rogue one was amazing, and this is too.

[@tsangarisjohn]

It saved Rogue One for me. My biggest problem with Rogue was that I didn’t know the characters enough to care for them. This is giving us a wonderful and rich backstory. Love it. Rogue One is now perfected because of it. Well done !!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@soakedbearrd]

Yeah I watched rogue one once and enjoyed it but haven’t seen it in a long time and after watching this whole season I was BLOWN away. Now I’m definitely watching Rogue one this weekend again.

[@Raygo.]

Thank you for an absolutely first-rate and 100% on the money review. Totally agree with you. My only fear is that so many just can't tell the difference between dross and quality any more. I've seen so many whines and whinges already: "it doesn't feel like Star Wars" "it's slow and boring" etc etc etc. The fact that it is a brilliantly conceived and superbly well-executed drama just doesn't seem to matter to many fanboys. Well as for me I am relishing every moment. I even feel it is worthwhile to rewatch the episodes and savor the work that's gone into it. Haven't felt like that about SW since... Rogue One!

[@nerdrevival4862]

I couldn't agree more - sad that only a Jedi is 'star wars' anymore

[@megagani]

Everything you said, was everything i was hoping for. Love Rogue One, love Andor (so far). Thought the flashbacks was precise and not confusing like in Boba Fett. Thought the set pieces was real and gritty without the fanfare of different masked characters. Thought the pacing was slow burn but it hits the right notes at the right time. Can't wait for upcoming episodes.

[@voster77hh]

This show blew me away. It's so deep in characters. It has all the depth & passion of a Netflix Indie gem.

[@user-yl4lf9mh1w]

the tone of Andor is the tone of The Empire Strikes Back. It feels like the universe we had before the prequels. I love it so much.

[@benfromthesewers1688]

This show remainds me why I loved post endor imperial civil war period (legends).

[@Maximus-uv6tr]

it's the major/hyped up projects Disney always seems to screw up. When there's no expectations they do a lot better. This show has a nice dark tone to it, the new characters actually force them to have character development.

[@linatwoones]

I really can’t wait to see how it ends up. It’s a really interesting idea to have a show about Cassian when you know he’s literally gonna die in 5 years. So now we’ll get to see how he becomes a person so committed he’s willing to do morally questionable things, and ultimately die for the cause. His character development in Andor will not make him a better person morally, unlike most shows or movies. I think that’s what his character development in Rogue One was about, by choosing to disobey orders and not kill Galen. Instead, by the end of Andor, he will just have found a cause worth fighting for, and is willing to go to extreme lengths in its name. And I just find that so fascinating. Really can’t wait for the next episodes

[@Drrck11]

I agree with your essay. Andor is a different flavor of Star Wars and its damn good thus far. I hope and pray this series continues to uphold this standard in the future episodes. As far as I'm concerned Andor and Mando are the only 2 SW shows Disney needs to produce.

[@ArturoN]

hope to hear your updated opinion im so thrilled at this point

[@matth3706]

I didn't know until watching the first 3 episodes that it had one of the directors from Rouge One. So going in blind I instantly fell back into the darker grittier setting. I can see how different people have had different reactions to the show. But I really enjoyed it and having the time to tell the story with out the need to drop in a 5 minuet comedic fight or a hall way shoot out. Those first 2 slower episodes built up all the tension to the point that for near all episode 3 it was seat griping and seeing it play out from each side you felt the tension of andor escaping yet also feeling that moment of shell shock for syrill as he witnessed what happened to his crew.

[@MrBradleyPants]

the world building, writing and acting in Andor is some of the best television I've seen in a long time.

[@erickillian313]

I love how real everything feels in Andor, whereas obiwan felt more green screen fake than the prequels but 23 years later.

[@user-ti4bm4md5y]

watching Andor is like eating good food and realizing you`ve been fed with shit before.

[@marien5501]

I think a lot of people do like Andor. So far all the KZbin I've seen, people love it. Maybe just a couple I've seen do not like it. I absolutely love it!

[@JohanHerrenberg]

Love Rogue One, love Andor. Thanks for this essay!

[@breezy6912]

Incredible, not sure how else to spread the word other than leaving stellar reviews wherever I can.

[@JimenezPerez]

This is quality. Thank you for the video. I agree with all points. It’s still going strong!

[@CasualKrieger]

Honestly im glad it went from having 5 seasons to 2, so that it doesnt get butchered slowly by disney

[@lo9893]

What’s your opinion on the animated projects they’ve been pretty consistent and if you haven’t already I highly recommend them

[@genola]

I truly believe this show will be known as the Empire Strikes Back of Star Wars TV in the future.

[@Lone432345]

Empire is actually entertaining.

[@dgillies5420]

Time to review the first season as it closed yesterday with ANOTHER EPIC episode !!

[@tweak991]

Rogue One is the best of Disney SW by far and in my top 3 for SW (films) overall. Andor is easily the best of the shows (Mando included, yes, I said it). This is serious and interesting territory being covered by the series. It looks amazing and the acting chops on display is astounding for TV or film. Rogue One made A New Hope even better, giving such weight to the beginning of that film. Andor will do the same for Rogue one.

[@LolitaDavidovitch]

Including Mando

[@Hamstar78]

Andor is awesome! May the Force be with us all :)

[@DJFrankeeTNT]

I enjoyed your video and have made very similar topic of discussion to my friends. In my opinion, of every TV show from both Marvel and Disney, this is the one I cannot wait a week for. It’s my favorite

[@kimlip_tree2009]

the directing is SO good, the visuals and camera work was AMAZING!!! especially the scenes in mon mothma's house

[@TheRealJahan]

I’d love to eventually get an adaptation of _Death Troopers_ 🙏🏾 I read that book so many times as a teen

[@spacebaselykyber]

You’ve helped me see Rogue One in a new light. Thank you.

[@DaVeO52]

Great essay. Hope you do a follow up now that the first season is done. Would like to see your thoughts.

[@alsharpe7213]

It’s great so far!