Courtesy of Apple TV
The “Star Wars” Prequel Series Is Not Only Disney Plus’ Crowning Achievement, But a Crowning Achievement For Television in General, As One of The Most Confidently-Constructed Shows Ever
“Andor” seemed sort of destined to fail — a spinoff series from a spinoff movie centered around a supporting character from that movie. I mean, respectfully, whose fucking idea was this? Just a disaster on paper.
So I don’t think anyone saw it coming when “Andor” ended up becoming a phenomenon, hailed by fans and critics alike as one of the best shows on TV. And it’s totally deserved — at just two seasons, “Andor” is one of the most confidently designed shows I’ve ever seen. Creator Tony Gilroy clearly had a vision for it, and besides a rocky first couple of episodes, there isn’t a wasted scene or line of dialogue in the whole show. It’s meticulous and calculated, but in a nevertheless entertaining way. Designed to run just 24 episodes, the show was made with great purpose, and accomplishes that purpose with aplomb and expertise.
That purpose? To show the events preceding and leading up to “Rogue One,” one of the more praised “Star Wars” spinoffs, and to show the slow but steady growth of the rebellion that our pals Luke, Han and Leia would be a part of later.
But unlike the adventures of that iconic trio, “Andor” portrays a “Star Wars” story like none other. It’s grounded in reality, which the normal human beings involved with the frontlines of the rebellion. It’s gritty and unforgiving, like an old Western, and the fantastical elements of the universe are absent here. (I think the word “Force” is used, like, maybe three times.) Sure, that fantastical stuff is a part of what makes “Star Wars” so fun, but trust me, the realistic approach only immensely benefits “Andor,” as you’re dealing with three dimensional characters navigating some legitimate moral quagmires, characters you hate sometimes and love others, like the titular prickly pilot Cassian (Diego Luna) , his partner Bix (Adria Arjona), grand rebel master planner Luthen (Stellan Skarsgard), waylayed senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), Imperial monster Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), and sycophantic Syril Karn (Kyle Soller). Even the villains of “Andor” are shown as being just cogs in a fascist machine, as the show truly shows the corporate and political machinations that can wear down a civilization’s freedoms — and the sacrifice that comes with standing up for those freedoms.
Fiercely intelligent and startlingly purposeful, “Andor” is what television at its best is supposed to be and do — deliver a story well, efficiently, and with something huge to say. It may just be the rare perfect TV show.
