[TV] Disney+ Star Wars: Cassian Andor

[Witchblade77]

I guess because my exposure to star wars is as much through games as it is through movies - this definitely still feels like Star Wars to me... and holy hell did they raise the tension there.

I love Deidra ... so... much. I LOVE smart ruthless antagonists and I really REALLY hope they do not mess her up and hit her with a random stupid thing. I want Mon Mothma and Rael to genuinely outsmart her.

speaking of - husband makes a LOT more sense now... I guess they started in a similar place values wise at least....

P.S.

[cface]

For me, this is the best show that airs now. I keep thinking about the horrible vibes from last episode, it just hits me so deep. The slowburn is insanely well done.
The actors and the director, the manuscript is all just in harmony, and it is so dark it feels realistic.

Im not sure if it would be better to see the entire season in one go compared to waiting a week between. If I could go back, I think I would just wait till it all came out, but I never imagined Andor would be good, I thought this was gonna be some starwars shit for manbabies, the regular superhero vibe.

[Triceron]

Im not sure if it would be better to see the entire season in one go compared to waiting a week between. If I could go back, I think I would just wait till it all came out, but I never imagined Andor would be good, I thought this was gonna be some starwars shit for manbabies, the regular superhero vibe.

I watched it in two parts of 3-episodes, now caught up and going week to week. I feel like this is the best way to watch the series. I really didn't think I would enjoy this series as much as I am, and the latest cameos were quite awesome. It wasn't just a 'they did the thing!', these scenes add a LOT of depth to the Star Wars canon.

[Koriani]

Eh, we like Star Wars - And I agree, this show still "feels like" Star Wars even if its a different 'note' than the movies. Its nothing about the events themselves, or the dialogue, or the characters that myself and hubby are having issues with.

But instead of enjoying the show more as its gone on, we're finding it harder and harder to "give a shit" about what's going on, on screen - when its not a "Three Arc Story Climax" Episode (epi. 3 and 6). Even knowing each of these 3 episode arcs are just /that/ and that the 'point' to it all comes in the third episode of the trio - still just growing stale I guess, this pattern, of watching two episodes of "slow slog" to get to a *point*.

Watched Episode 7 two nights ago - and my husband couldn't even finish it, he was so bored. Which was really surprising to me - because he's the one that "watches everything Star Wars because its Star Wars and I love it all". Up until show that was a true statement. He hung in and enjoyed the first three episode arc, he seemed to like the 2nd three episode arc better, but episode 7 just killed it all for him. The "slow slog" had him walk out and wander the house with 15 minutes of the episode left, after uttering "This is the most boring thing I've ever watched."

Which sucks because he missed the one scene in the entire episode that I actually had any reaction to - the "Imperial Meeting Scene" (I guess) at the end where the Chick Imperial Officer verbally serves some Burnnnn to the Guy Imperial Officer (clearly their names have been made important to me lol) when he attempted to call her out in the meeting to get the Head Imperial Officer to smack her down. Man - best "MEETING BURN" I've seen in a long time. Course -the fact the only reason that 'meeting smack down' made any sense, or meant anything, was because of the slow-slog of other scenes setting THAT SCENE UP to be a burn - I guess is why we are struggling with this show.

I don't know why, or how, Star Wars politics as written about in THIS show is somehow coming off as more boring than the other 'political play' shows we watch and enjoy (Game of Thrones, House of Dragon, as two examples of what I mean by 'political play' shows), but somehow it is. Everything in me says it shouldn't be - that the budding days of the rebellion and 'hearing about' all this SHOULD NOT be boring, but...its boring us. I'm trying to see how its being seen as 'engaging and interesting' by all you guys here - but whatever it is, we're just missing it. And I swear, we're trying. We WANT to enjoy this show. Hubby LOVES ALL STAR WARS, normally.

But somehow only about one hour out of 3 viewed is actually engaging our interest. And all the political talk in between is still struggling to be seen as relevant by these two viewers. Out of Episode 7 - I feel fully engaged with the beginning when Andor is talking to his adopted mom about trying to leave (check), the conversation between the 'art store' owner (double agent spy man who hired Andor) and the Ambassador, and then the final Imperial meeting scene when the blond-chick delivers her burn. The rest of the episode - I don't even remember and the 'dinner party' scene that probably should have been more impactful given what I know was happening, just wasn't.

We're trying. Just can't figure out why other shows can manage to make this sort of political intrigue and 'all dialogue' interesting and engaging, but this one just isn't for us. Even knowing where its all going.

:/ *bummed fan*

[Darththeo]

Despite being called "Andor" the story feels less about him, and more about everyone else.

Which is fine, I am loving this series and hope that it finishes this way.

[s_bushido]

Well, someone's trying to get himself an Imperial dommy mommy...

[Sorshen]

Another strong episode. I hope Serkis gets to carry over his character to more... adventures, but he may well be just here, now.

[PACOX]

This show is so damn good. Almost nothing happened and yet the episode was great because it has a great cast and crew. Its a great production.

[Ashana Darkmoon]

Boy I wish the other shows had anywhere close to this quality of writing and attention to detail. Sad that it will end up the worst rated (because the premise is not good) but talk about a diamond in the rough.

Really hope we can get more mature/adult stuff like this in the future

[Darththeo]

Boy I wish the other shows had anywhere close to this quality of writing and attention to detail. Sad that it will end up the worst rated (because the premise is not good) but talk about a diamond in the rough.

Really hope we can get more mature/adult stuff like this in the future

Likely not, Lucasfilm is learning the WRONG lessons constantly. They believe Solo flopped because people do not want to see new actors in classic character roles (which isn't true for Star Wars at all). Solo flopped because it was marketed terribly and had a rushed and troubled production which wasn't helped by the negativity from TLJ.

They'll likely feel that people don't want more adult Star Wars.

---

On another note, given we known Andor will survive the series because we know when Andor dies. I am enjoying that they are allowing us to learn more about the other characters who we do not know anything of. When these characters die, I am actually feeling sorry for some of them or in one case satisfaction that the man got what was coming to them. Even Mon Mothma's storyline, she is surrounded by characters who can die even though we know she has to live.

And because the character's around the characters who have to survive, I am not feeling the strong plot armor vibe in this series as I did with the Clone Wars (not that the Clone Wars series is bad, but there were times where the plot armor was too strong for me to feel the characters were in real danger.)

[Witchblade77]

Andor is making me realized just how much term "fan service" has been perverted, because despite Director's assurances of "no fanservice" the show is packed with it. little references to prior properties, all the various connections gradually revealed, similarities between camera work that has GOT to be intentional because of how specific those shots are.... which leads me to believe that people can no longer see fan service as anything good and that is just sad. Fans service is not inherently bad, its only bad when its done solely for the sake of it and not to serve the story.

also, OMG Deidra is such an amazing villain, I fucking love her so much. if I were to guess, I think she is dying on deathstar. she is just too damn competent.

[Koriani]

Well it took 7 episodes to get there - but episode 8 got there! Finally, an episode where everything is moving along and everything everyone's talking about has context and makes sense!

Really, really, really feel they didn't need 7 hours before that to get to THIS point, but ok - we're here! NOW STAY HERE and keep it going!

And finally we have an episode where what's is 'all horrible' about the Empire isn't just a single statement you miss if you aren't paying close attention to every word. I thought perhaps it was an issue that "Space Fascism/Nazi" just wasn't that engaging anymore because they are certainly a villain trope that's been done to death and, in past Star Wars movies/shows, you had the charisma/fun/magic of the Sith being that 'damn evil!' factor. I felt the 'threat' in this show was really being underplayed and/or underdeveloped with that lack of Sith - as most of the Imperial oriented scenes were dry and flat dialogue in white/black halls and meeting rooms being quite underwhelming and not at all "wow that's just horrible" (in the discussions). And the show *really* relying on its fanbase already knowing the Empire is a threat, rather than showing much of how the 'common people' across the galaxy are being effected 'so badly' by that threat. But FINALLY in Episode 8 - we get to see the Empire in its practical evil-ness that effects its 'citizens.'

I realize in the first tri-arc of the storyline we also saw the Empire 'Evilness' in the soldiers harrassing/killing villagers when they are first seeking Andor (as mostly unknown solo criminal) but what they were showing was really nothing all that 'evil' that hasn't been troped for decades (scenes of soldiers harassing commoners). But compared to what we know, from previous shows/movies, that's barely touching the 'evil" of the Empire that this rebellion is suppose to be rising against. And the "bigger evil" stuff was literally relegated to single statements in otherwise dry conversations that didn't come across with any impact or 'gravitas' when the statements were being made (like the fact that they were wiping out the native population of the heist planet). Being 'told and not shown' the Empire doing actually awful things that one expects to inspire rebellion. But Episode 8 finally got us there!!

Just think this show would be up there in competing with GoT/HoD level of buzz and enjoyment by viewers if they had done this 8 episode journey (so far) in 5 or less episodes. Seeing "the points" come together on Episode 8 of where the characters/plot strings in the last 7 episodes start to really meet - immediately also showed me where the 'slow burn' that turns other viewers (and ourselves) off could have been cut - in some ways MAJORLY - to make this all clip along better and not lose any of the 'adult meat' people enjoy.

Now - just keep that story rollin' like that!! Best episode of the entire season - by far.

[Jotaux]

Does it get better? Like I tried watching episode 5 and gave up after watching the recap of the last 4 episodes.

[Mekh]

Andor is making me realized just how much term "fan service" has been perverted, because despite Director's assurances of "no fanservice" the show is packed with it. little references to prior properties, all the various connections gradually revealed, similarities between camera work that has GOT to be intentional because of how specific those shots are.... which leads me to believe that people can no longer see fan service as anything good and that is just sad. Fans service is not inherently bad, its only bad when its done solely for the sake of it and not to serve the story.

There's been blink-and-you-miss-it references to EU and Old Republic stuff in there like the Rakata and Belsavis. As a fan, I feel served fairly well.

[Koriani]

Does it get better? Like I tried watching episode 5 and gave up after watching the recap of the last 4 episodes.

If you read the post above yours, you'll see where at least one poster who found the rest of the show a bit slow-boring, thought the show 'got better'.

I'm not saying it all again as I literally typed it all out in the post just above yours. Reading FTW!

But TLDR - Episode 8 (newest episode) is where all the slow stuff comes together and starts to make sense.

[Witchblade77]

There's been blink-and-you-miss-it references to EU and Old Republic stuff in there like the Rakata and Belsavis. As a fan, I feel served fairly well.

oh I know. its just nothing was there in this "see? see?? look, its totally for YOU fans, look at all the references we are making, look, are you looking??!" all these blink and you miss it references in Andor made sense. they didn't feel gratuitous and yes, I felt served well as a fan as well. precisely because of how these little references were implemented. fan service is not inherently bad. only its execution.

[PACOX]

I realize in the first tri-arc of the storyline we also saw the Empire 'Evilness' in the soldiers harrassing/killing villagers when they are first seeking Andor (as mostly unknown solo criminal) but what they were showing was really nothing all that 'evil' that hasn't been troped for decades (scenes of soldiers harassing commoners). But compared to what we know, from previous shows/movies, that's barely touching the 'evil" of the Empire that this rebellion is suppose to be rising against. And the "bigger evil" stuff was literally relegated to single statements in otherwise dry conversations that didn't come across with any impact or 'gravitas' when the statements were being made (like the fact that they were wiping out the native population of the heist planet). Being 'told and not shown' the Empire doing actually awful things that one expects to inspire rebellion. But Episode 8 finally got us there!!

Just think this show would be up there in competing with GoT/HoD level of buzz and enjoyment by viewers if they had done this 8 episode journey (so far) in 5 or less episodes. Seeing "the points" come together on Episode 8 of where the characters/plot strings in the last 7 episodes start to really meet - immediately also showed me where the 'slow burn' that turns other viewers (and ourselves) off could have been cut - in some ways MAJORLY - to make this all clip along better and not lose any of the 'adult meat' people enjoy.

Now - just keep that story rollin' like that!! Best episode of the entire season - by far.

Just clarifying stuff.


The 'bad guys' in the first arc weren't Imperials. Most local law enforcement/a security firm that independent of the Empire but subject to Imperial law being in Imperial territory. They weren't really bad, but botched serving a warrant on Andor at a bad time. We see how things get worse for the people a few episodes later when the real Imperials move in.

[Polyxo]

The portrayal of Mon having lines she doesn't intend to cross, recognizing she's approached them, balk at crossing them, and then having to cross them anyway to keep pushing rebellion is really interesting to watch.

[Geckoo]

I always liked the star wars universe, but when it comes to the movies i've always felt like they offered a very bidimensional and shallow vision of the star wars universe... the depth and layers that make the star was universe more interesting lie in the content created after the movies through other media and lately with this shows, including the animated shows and rogue one. That's why i'm loving this show despite being slow and boring more times than i'd like it to be, because it expands the SW universe in a way that adds more depth and layers to it, how it offers different perspectives of the empire, some of the politics involved, the ISB... As someone said, this show is not about Cassian Andor, is about everyone else, Andor is just the excuse to take us to know and care about the different characters and stories.

[Ashana Darkmoon]

Does it get better? Like I tried watching episode 5 and gave up after watching the recap of the last 4 episodes.

If you dont like it by then it's not the show for you