Star Wars: Andor (2022) - released episode spoilers allowed

[Holko 9,499]

Well, so far this is... nothing? Maybe just barely something, at least it has a look and style... but so far it's just setup for maybe some future plot if there will be one, barely any character. The third one tricks you into thinking something happens in it but it's not much more than the first 2.

 

 

And they're still messing up the blaster sound effects! So dull and characterless!

[GerateWohl 4,326]

Call me stupid, but it took me the whole first three episodes to get the slightest idea, what Andor's situation is at all and what he is about. I just knew that rebel agent from Rogue One, who said, he is fighting in the rebellion since he is six years old. So, for the first two episodes I was wondering, is he a rebel already? A rebel agent on a secret mission? But why is he asking for his sister? When he killed the two guys, is this something he does regularly or just now for the first time? Is he on the run, hiding? Is he normally just working in that factory? What is he doing for a living at all?

Now I understand, he seems to be some kind of smuggler, but without an own spaceship. Somehow all still not completely clear to me.

 

26 minutes ago, Holko said:

And they're still messing up the blaster sound effects! So dull and characterless!

Agreed.

 

[DarthDementous 1,059]

Huh? Can someone actually explain what’s wrong with the blaster SFX

 

Being in the fight since you were six doesn’t mean you’re necessarily a part of the Rebellion, I don’t know how you could even be confused about whether Cassian is in the Rebellion or not, especially considering his hesitation with going with Luthen and just general aimlessness up until that point. As you said, he’s a scoundrel who lives off favours and deals just to get by while he tries to look for his sister

[Faleel 5,333]

24 minutes ago, DarthDementous said:

Huh? Can someone actually explain what’s wrong with the blaster SFX

It doesn’t sound like ye olden days blaster sfx

[Holko 9,499]

Old SW sound effects were fun

 

New SW sound effects are dull and lame

[DarthDementous 1,059]

I see that we have very different definitions of the word ‘explain’

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

Rogue one seemed to imply that andor was some kind or “child of war” used by the rebellion from an early age.

 

here is an aimless youth that is recruited by the rebellion in his twenties…

 

Furthermore…he is far over six year old in the flashbacks…

[GerateWohl 4,326]

4 hours ago, DarthDementous said:

Being in the fight since you were six doesn’t mean you’re necessarily a part of the Rebellion, I don’t know how you could even be confused about whether Cassian is in the Rebellion or not, especially considering his hesitation with going with Luthen and just general aimlessness up until that point. As you said, he’s a scoundrel who lives off favours and deals just to get by while he tries to look for his sister

OK, being in the fight of the Rebellion doesn't mean to be part of the rebellion. Bought that. 

But all you describe then was not clear to me before the third episode.

[DarthDementous 1,059]

51 minutes ago, GerateWohl said:

OK, being in the fight of the Rebellion doesn't mean to be part of the rebellion. Bought that. 

But all you describe then was not clear to me before the third episode.

If you acknowledge that line doesn’t mean he would be in the Rebellion yet then what is it in the first two episodes that made you think he was?

[GerateWohl 4,326]

40 minutes ago, DarthDementous said:

If you acknowledge that line doesn’t mean he would be in the Rebellion yet then what is it in the first two episodes that made you think he was?

I didn't think he was in the rebellion. I just had no idea what he was involved in, what drives him, what is all, that he does, about. Therefore, I think, it would have been better to merge the first three episodes into one long pilot episode and not split it into three episodes. Then this slow revelation would have been more ok for me.

But ending episode one leaving me, that confused, I didn't like.

 

[Andy 4,079]

The publicity for this indicated we would learn why Andor became the man we saw in Rogue One.  Of course, the defining scene for him in that film was the shocking killing of the nervous guy with loose lips.  What kind of "good guy" rebel would do such a thing?

 

Problem is, he kills somebody in the first scene of the show.  I don't really see much difference or a lot of room for a huge arc in his character.  We will certainly get to know him better over, what 14 hours (!) of content, but it's not like he's a naive young idealist at the start.

 

It seems clear that he will have a relationship with Brix, but she must die before this ends.  Prequels really are confining.  I get that people like this part of the timeline, but the imagination and wonder of how things will turn out is gone.

[GerateWohl 4,326]

8 minutes ago, Andy said:

Prequels really are confining.  I get that people like this part of the timeline, but the imagination and wonder of how things will turn out is gone.

On the other hand, a 20 episode sequel to Rogue One with Cassian's ashes floating around on Skarif beach as the main character would probably be even more boring.

[Andy 4,079]

I'm not certain it would be more boring.  Brittel could score it with rustling fireplace ashes.  Gritty!

 

.

[Gabriel Bezerra 300]

12 hours ago, Luke Skywalker said:

Furthermore…he is far over six year old in the flashbacks…

From what is said, his parents died at that mining facility, probably when he was 6. What the series will most likely do, is retcon that line for "I've been surviving since I was 6 years old"

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

To add more convolution, it seems the mining facility was from the republic...

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I think to someone in Andor's position, there was not much difference between Republic and Empire

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

The rebellion is called "Alliance to Restore the Republic" So anyone thinking both the republic and the empire are the same s*hit, wouldnt join the rebellion....

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I think it's a bit more complicated for Andor than that.  I doubt Stellan Skarsgaard is about to give him a grand inspiring manifesto speech about the values of democracy to recruit him in episode 4.

[mstrox 6,643]

Yeah, there’s going to be a lot of pipeline between episode 3 out of 24 and the start of Rogue One.

 

Excited for the new episode to pop on tomorrow!

[DarthDementous 1,059]

10 hours ago, Andy said:

Problem is, he kills somebody in the first scene of the show.  I don't really see much difference or a lot of room for a huge arc in his character.  We will certainly get to know him better over, what 14 hours (!) of content, but it's not like he's a naive young idealist at the start.

He does that for the good of the Rebellion, not himself. He also actually hesitates in Andor, and for quite a long time too. That shows he’s still got quite a long way to go. If anything we’re likely going to see him become an idealist as he is given a purpose for his talents by the actual idealist of Luthen, and a way to justify the morally questionable things he does

[DarthDementous 1,059]

I rather enjoyed that last episode in particular, the Imperials are being characterised impeccably so far. Really cool to see the ISB functioning as an actual organisation and the immediate consequences of the uprising on Ferrix. Poor Karn is out of a job now, will he try and go for an Imperial position or will this push him towards the Rebellion? Only time will tell!

 

There were oodles of references to pre-established things that fit seamlessly in the narrative and helped really ground it in the Star Wars universe, and especially the old expanded one. Was not expecting to hear about Rakatans or see what looks like Starkiller’s Sith helmet from the Hoth DLC of TFU 1 in Luthen’s shop!

 

Speaking of Luthen, there was an interesting hint of sadness with the way they portrayed him assuming his alter ego. He legitimately looked happy to not wear such utilitarian clothes but then went straight into business mode. You may say ‘he’s just practising his role’ but listen to the music, it’s adding quite a solemn feel to it, and I hope we explore about how mentally taxing it is to constantly be deceiving others with a fake identity - which seems to be the case so far

[thestat 342]

Yes, somewhat disappointed in this - it just seems to tread its tracks for the first few episodes. Is it edgy? Maybe. Is it engaging? No. I have no idea what the purpose of any of this stuff is (and not that interested in rewatching Rogue One). Character building - definitely. Interesting characters - not sure.

 

Britell's score works okay for what the show is but it's a shame that it's so non-descript. Just anonymous stuff and the rock drums ding-dong in episode 2 seems (is?) like an intro into an early 90s banger track from a sub-Seattle grunge group

[DangerMotif 1,037]

Star Wars is so much better without the “Volume”

[Groovygoth666 650]

On 25/09/2022 at 2:24 PM, DarthDementous said:

Hour and a half of Andor, which is 3 episodes out of a 12 episode TV show. Can we stop comparing apples to oranges? Why in the name of Chobb would you behold Andor to the same pacing standards as a product where that's literally half the allotted run-time. Lucas managed to do it quite deftly in ANH don't get me wrong, and there's definitely some cross-over with what could be achieved in a TV show, but the comparison as presented is wholly inappropriate

I was just addressing what @Andy had said, that the argument for the pacing being slow was because of world building, I also said it was a breath of fresh air for a Star Wars show to take it's time and I don't hold a shows world building to that of a film, but can acknowledge that more was done in less time. Also the runtime is completely arbitrary as it's not a TV show, it's a streaming show, which means no timeslots or advert breaks to worry about and so the series can be as many episodes, with each one running as long as they want. If they don't have enough story to fill 12 episodes at 40 or so mins they don't have to, those first 3 really felt slow and weren't going anywhere till the third one, episode 4 to me really felt like pieces were starting to move into place and the story moving forward. 

 

On 25/09/2022 at 2:24 PM, DarthDementous said:

Pax Morlana Corporate Security is a private organization the Empire contracts for a section of the galaxy where they currently don't have much presence there. Ferrix is inside the corporate zone of Pax Morlana, and is implied to usually be fairly hands off in terms of on-ground forces but micro-manages the hell out of the planet from a distance

Right but the Empire should be at the height of their power at this point, so why don't they have a presence here? Episode 4 shows it's not a lack of resources as they're now going to be taking control of the area. Perhaps when Chief Hyne mentions that keeping the Empire happy is in their best interest he could have followed up with "we've managed to stay out of Imperial control as there's nothing here to draw their attention, so let's keep it that way ", it's not much but sort of explains why there's no Empire and would be a bit of set-up for episode 4 when the Empire decides to take over.

 

15 hours ago, DarthDementous said:

I rather enjoyed that last episode in particular, the Imperials are being characterised impeccably so far. Really cool to see the ISB functioning as an actual organisation and the immediate consequences of the uprising on Ferrix. Poor Karn is out of a job now, will he try and go for an Imperial position or will this push him towards the Rebellion? Only time will tell!

Also interested to see where he'll go, don't think Karn will be ready to go Rebel, he's very much about law and order so think he might try going full Imperial.

 

15 hours ago, DarthDementous said:

There were oodles of references to pre-established things that fit seamlessly in the narrative and helped really ground it in the Star Wars universe, and especially the old expanded one. Was not expecting to hear about Rakatans or see what looks like Starkiller’s Sith helmet from the Hoth DLC of TFU 1 in Luthen’s shop!

 

That's where it was from! Was bugging me the whole time as it looked so familiar, liked the stuff in carbonite at the back of Luthen's shop. Any ideas what the piece he sold Mothma was?

 

15 hours ago, DarthDementous said:

Speaking of Luthen, there was an interesting hint of sadness with the way they portrayed him assuming his alter ego. He legitimately looked happy to not wear such utilitarian clothes but then went straight into business mode. You may say ‘he’s just practising his role’ but listen to the music, it’s adding quite a solemn feel to it, and I hope we explore about how mentally taxing it is to constantly be deceiving others with a fake identity - which seems to be the case so far

Exactly, really enjoyed that little moment, although admittedly I missed the music, for me the score so far has been very much in the background.

 

Also I liked Mon Mothma, getting to see more of what she's about, how her husband is enjoying the life they have while she sees through it and wants to actually help people, hoping next episode has the dinner party and she takes the fun end of the table to task. A little confused by Major Partagaz, at the start of the episode he gives a speech on how ISB is really about identifying symptoms and locating germs that either come from within or outside and how the longer they wait the harder it is to treat, but when Meero brings up the theft of the Starpath unit and 3 other incidents that are similar he just dismisses her for lack of evidence of a connection? So what would he consider symptoms that are worth investigating?

[Andy 4,079]

After the 4th episode, why am I still watching this?  I’m a dutiful SW devotee. 

 

I’m slightly more interested in the Corporate Authority character than Cassian.   And by slightly more interested, I mean not bored to tears.  
 

The ISB looks like an awesome place to work.  Unless you’re the cleaner. 

Hey, no Aliens in the rebel team?  Was there any nonhuman in this episode?

 

Oh well, the plot is advancing like a gritty glacier.  They’re going somewhere, and introducing Mon Mothma and the ISB are at least setting up something.  

 

A very talky episode that just ends as if someone tripped over a plug. 

[Holko 9,499]

4 hours ago, Gibster said:

Star Wars is so much better without the “Volume”

I agree even though I don't agree.

 

I don't remember ever disliking the look of Mando S1 even though that was overwhelmingly in there, even many rooms that looked like sets were just The V plus the props they'd directly interact with, like Herzog's room. It was well envisioned and integrated pretty much seamlessly. Same for most of S2, it's Boba and Obi where they used it very lazily and it broke down the visual sense, it felt like it confined them, not like it allowed them to go free and creative.

[mstrox 6,643]

I think The Volume works well when it works, and the use of it is probably the sacrifice we need to make to get TV-budget Star Wars forty weeks out of the year (unlike a lot of you, I’ve enjoyed all of the D+ shows at this point.  I think the only modern SW TV stuff I haven’t cared much for is swaths of Resistance).

[DarthDementous 1,059]

10 hours ago, Groovygoth666 said:

 

Right but the Empire should be at the height of their power at this point, so why don't they have a presence here? Episode 4 shows it's not a lack of resources as they're now going to be taking control of the area. Perhaps when Chief Hyne mentions that keeping the Empire happy is in their best interest he could have followed up with "we've managed to stay out of Imperial control as there's nothing here to draw their attention, so let's keep it that way ", it's not much but sort of explains why there's no Empire and would be a bit of set-up for episode 4 when the Empire decides to take over.

“We’ve managed to keep the Empire out of our hair so far so let’s not rock the boat” is heavily implied by what the Chief Inspector says, particularly about having to soon report crime statistics to the Imperial regional governor, there is no need at all to spell it out

 

I don’t know why you think the Empire is at the height of their power now, or why you think it’s reasonable for them to have military presence on every populated planet. That wasn’t even the case in A New Hope, the Empire only rolls in after there’s an incident on Tattooine like what happens in the Pax Morlana Corporate Zone

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

I dont think i needed to know mon mothma marital problems, really.

 

i think im going to wait for every story arc be released because isolated… there chapters dont really do very much for me.

[LSH 968]

I'm still hooked on this. Yes, episode 4 was a bit talky, but I really like where it's all going.

 

Love the production design. Loving the on-location shooting (spotting lots of British countryside). 

 

I wish it wasn't 30mins a week.

 

Didn't notice any music.

[Tallguy 3,364]

Finally got caught up. Episode 3 was a tour de force. I wonder if we'll follow up with these people this season, next season, or ever.

 

Episode 4 is becoming the show that I tuned in for. It's an international diplomatic thriller / spy flick / heist movie.

 

I'm assuming that they're going to dump the Alliance timeline from Rebels under the bus. Because they just can't be bothered?

[WampaRat 1,105]

 

I’m not offended by Brittell’s approach (In fact I don’t even notice it 😆) But I listened to this the other day. A Williams-esque approach in this mode would be so cool for this show. This is grade-A tension scoring.

 

 

[Andy 4,079]

[mstrox 6,643]

I liked BoBF and OWK more than most people around here, but they always felt like safe moves, cinematic universe extensions for Lucasfilm.  Andor is the first thing that feels like a real show.  Loving it.

[DarthDementous 1,059]

Would really love to know what Andor absolutely needs to have in order to be considered Star Wars

[mstrox 6,643]

Sand planet 

[Andy 4,079]

16 minutes ago, DarthDementous said:

Would really love to know what Andor absolutely needs to have in order to be considered Star Wars

TBH I’m not sure myself. But there’s an ingredient missing that’s keeping me from enjoying it.  It’s a slog to get through.   I’m not having fun with it. 

[Manakin Skywalker 4,890]

2 hours ago, DarthDementous said:

Would really love to know what Andor absolutely needs to have in order to be considered Star Wars

 

Sand planet, laser swords, space telekinesis, the same ~10 characters, saying poodoo instead of shit, etc.

[GerateWohl 4,326]

Wookies or Gungans or Taun-Tauns or Jawas or Rodians or Twi'leks.

[Arpy 4,145]

I really love aspects of this show, but after 45 minutes each week, it feels like nothing happened in an entire episode!

 

The music is inoffensive - a word I hate - but best describes how it functions and to be honest, it's difficult to feel like Star Wars without the template Williams set. It's too modern, too minimalistic and afraid to have any identity. 

[GerateWohl 4,326]

9 minutes ago, Arpy said:

I really love aspects of this show, but after 45 minutes each week, it feels like nothing happened in an entire episode!

 

The music is inoffensive - a word I hate - but best describes how it functions and to be honest, it's difficult to feel like Star Wars without the template Williams set. It's too modern, too minimalistic and afraid to have any identity. 

That what I once meant with Williams music was the fairy dust that made the events on screen really events in a galaxy far far away and not just actors in weird costumes in a forrest or a desert nearby.

 

[Arpy 4,145]

In one way, yes, and when it defined what a particular group of people sounded like, or becoming intrinsically linked to a place or a person or an idea and the iconic imagery of Star Wars - to then cut it out and replace that familiar sound with something alien is just jarring and unnatural. This isn't to say we have to reference old themes, it's to say that the way that music was presented is what's important and why Rogue One and Solo work well to keep that homogeneous sound. 

 

Then you have Obi-Wan, which is what happens when you take two different approaches and try and mash them together with mixed results...

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I'm liking Andor quite a bit, especially once we got into some Imperial politics on Coruscant (God I love me some Imperial power jockeying).  The pacing is definitely kinda weird.  Seems like the show is going to be divided up into these three episode arcs, and so far 1-3 and 4-6 seem like could have easily been 4 episodes instead of 6.  But it's not a major complaint when I'm enjoying things as much as I am.

[Tallguy 3,364]

OK, I'm shallow. But I LOVED how they filmed the TIE fighters and Imperial shuttle like they were real aircraft at real aircraft scales and speed.

[DiamondFire 67]

Oh yeah totally. The TIE moments in this show so far have been superb. The one in last weeks episode scared the absolute shit out of me.

I really like the show overall. I'm constantly gripped in the talking scenes, really feels like its building towards the "explosion" we see in Rebels and such, which hopefully we get the other end of. 

I also really like the 3 act structure for each "batch". Setup Ep > bridge > explosive finale. 

[Fargo 297]

I think Andor (and The Mandalorian Season 1) are probably the best Star Wars-related things released since RotJ.

 

Spoiler

I never watched Clone Wars (and never will) so I can't comment on that cartoon.

 

The acting is great and I really dig the slow pace. 

[GerateWohl 4,326]

2 hours ago, DiamondFire said:

I also really like the 3 act structure for each "batch". Setup Ep > bridge > explosive finale. 

They could have easily merged each batch into one episode of 60-70 minutes.

Would work better for me.

[Luke Skywalker 1,792]

While im liking the show… am I the only one who finds the mon mothma pedestrian family problems completely out of place and boringly unnecessary? Add to that the house life of whats-his-name unemployed corporate security officer…

 

 i mean… we dont know almost anything about the back story of mon mothma…and they can only think of this?

 

and in the last episode… the mothma and officer one minute scenes are shoehorned with no relation to the plot. Maybe in a feature length movie it would work, but here is looks just like filler.

[GerateWohl 4,326]

Actually, I have to say it, all the female characters in the series are as persons quite uninteresting. They have no flaws except getting overpowered or tricked by men or being too trustful.

The male characters dare to be egoistic, choleric, narcistic or just idiots.

With the time, watching these kind of shows, this increasingly annoys me. 

 

By the way, the score bores the hell out of me.

[Tallguy 3,364]

The biggest thing that keeps me coming back is that this feels like a "person eye view" of the Star Wars universe.

 

The stuff with Karn is so out of place but I want to know what happens next. I'm pretty sure he's a jerk and will keep being a jerk. But I'm also aware that this is the kind of show that will try to confound my expectations.

 

I'm liking the mix of people and motivations in the rebel gang from the political to the personal.

 

All I can say about the music is that it's doing it's job. I don't know as I'll listen to it outside of the show ever. But there have been a few moments where the music is definitely playing a part.