Andor

[hornian 5210]

8 hours ago, Snake Diggity said:

So far it’s been ok.  Solid character development, good acting, excellent world building.  Lacks the Star Wars nostalgia which I’m sure will come.

Mandalorian was grade A and I will be shocked if any SW shows top it.  Boba Fett was weak (C-), and Obi-Wan was a mixed bag (B-/C+).  So far I’m giving Andor a C+ But I expect it to get better.

That sure is an opinion. 

[Murfdogg21 4412]

On 9/21/2022 at 10:55 PM, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

You can definitely tell Filoni didn't really have much of a hand in this, which actually works out quite well. As much as I love everything he's done for the Star Wars Universe, his stories have a sort of signature feel. This didn't have that, and is actually a good thing. 

Maybe this is what they were shooting for with The Last Jedi before ryann ran the franchise off the rails? I thought this show was awesome so far. 

[Radical Larry 28539]

I guess they sent out episodes 1-4 for reviews and they pretty much all say the pace really picks up in episodes 3 and 4.  
 

It damn sure did in episode 3

[ztejas 43411]

Pretty good so far. Has kind of a dark, 70s sci-fi vibe to it - very unlike most of the SW universe - even R1 dare I say. 

That security team are the biggest dipshits. Some serious OT stormtrooper-aim vibes with those guys. They'll need to find a more formidable enemy. 

[Doc Sam Beckett 5792]

20 hours ago, DoneWithit said:

This little bit had me pumped. Sry about the cat meme but it vibes with what I was probably doing at the time. 

 

Cat meme was the best part 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4974]

7 hours ago, oSuJeff97 said:

I'm sure you'll get some "Leia in bikini" responses.

For my money, nobody in SW has ever been hotter than Carrie Fisher in ESB. She was just so freaking hot and it was before the cocaine started putting extra miles on the treads.

We didn't get to see her in anything very revealing in ESB which is too bad because got damn.

 

ESB Carrie in the gold bikini would have ushered in the apocalypse. She had to get coked up and all before RotJ just for the sake of humanity.

[mdmost 42999]

Pockets of fomenting soon to be all up your ass. Finally, a dark, gritty Star Wars for adults. 

Edited September 24, 2022 by mdmost

[CooterBrown 18002]

15 hours ago, ztejas said:

That security team are the biggest dipshits. Some serious OT stormtrooper-aim vibes with those guys. They'll need to find a more formidable enemy. 

Not to go all Cloak Room, but I took it to be the Empire farmed out some security to the Star Wars local version of the Gravy Seals.

[ztejas 43411]

1 minute ago, CooterBrown said:

Not to go all Cloak Room, but I took it to be the Empire farmed out some security to the Star Wars local version of the Gravy Seals.

Had to look up gravy seal. That's a good one. 

[HornOnTheBayou 8905]

4 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Not to go all Cloak Room, but I took it to be the Empire farmed out some security to the Star Wars local version of the Gravy Seals.

I think a better comparison would be the British East India Company. They have a lot of leeway outside of the law to do what's needed to protect the Empire's economic interests without the Empire having to get its hands dirty and actually occupy the planet.

[Xminus6 790]

On 9/22/2022 at 2:16 PM, MagicSoccerSpray said:

 

I was encouraged by it and am not copy pasting shit. I saw what they did to Obi-Wan, Boba Fett, and Luke.

 

 

No shit. Watch 6/7/8, Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan, then get back to me. I'm just happy this seems to be written and directed for adults instead of thirteen year olds, though I'll hold final judgement till I've watched all of it.

 

This is what they’ve needed to do for a while. They just get away with being this gritty with “beloved” characters because they know that people will want their kids to be able to watch shows about Obi-Wan or Han Solo.

 Using unknown characters allows them to expand the tone of the Star Wars universe.  

[Scary Stranger 1714]

Why were all those engine blocks clumsily suspended in the air?

[oSuJeff97 3435]

51 minutes ago, Scary Stranger said:

Why were all those engine blocks clumsily suspended in the air?

So they would fall when the action started creating dramatic tension.

[mdmost 42999]

Yeah, I was really worried one might fall and crush Cassian to death. 

Edited September 26, 2022 by mdmost

[oSuJeff97 3435]

42 minutes ago, mdmost said:

Yeah, I was really worried one might fall and crush Cassian to death. 

Yes. Same vibes as the "factory" scene in AOTC with Padme and Anakin, lol.

[mdmost 42999]

Just now, oSuJeff97 said:

Yes. Same vibes as the "factory" scene in AOTC with Padme and Anakin, lol.

Yeah this is why prequels are always pretty much a miss for me. You already know Cassian, Mon Mothma, and Saw live at least to Rogue One. For me, I will enjoy this show for the time period it is set in and how the alliance got off the ground. I'm hoping for a show that isn't afraid to pull punches. I get the feeling Stellan's character doesn't have a long shelf-life and that a lot of the parts with him are from the past, hence the long hair. 

[UT_OB1 2213]

8 hours ago, mdmost said:

Yeah this is why prequels are always pretty much a miss for me. You already know Cassian, Mon Mothma, and Saw live at least to Rogue One. For me, I will enjoy this show for the time period it is set in and how the alliance got off the ground. I'm hoping for a show that isn't afraid to pull punches. I get the feeling Stellan's character doesn't have a long shelf-life and that a lot of the parts with him are from the past, hence the long hair. 

[mdmost 42999]

Meaning killing people, blowing shit up, getting dirty. All the stuff Disney Star Wars shows rarely do. Those 3 characters aren't dying but there's a lot of new characters that certainly can. Boba, Mando, Obi Wan didn't really kill anyone off of note. This show feels like it has a lot more leeway since 2 of the 3 die in Rogue One. Gilroy showed he wasn't afraid to have Andor do some pretty Empire like shit in the name of the Rebellion. 

[UT_OB1 2213]

1 hour ago, mdmost said:

Meaning killing people, blowing shit up, getting dirty. All the stuff Disney Star Wars shows rarely do. Those 3 characters aren't dying but there's a lot of new characters that certainly can. Boba, Mando, Obi Wan didn't really kill anyone off of note. This show feels like it has a lot more leeway since 2 of the 3 die in Rogue One. Gilroy showed he wasn't afraid to have Andor do some pretty Empire like shit in the name of the Rebellion. 

Yes, but if you want a show that isn’t afraid to pull punches, so it pulls those punches, you won’t see any of that. I think you want a show that doesn’t pull punches. 

[mdmost 42999]

[oSuJeff97 3435]

12 hours ago, mdmost said:

Meaning killing people, blowing shit up, getting dirty. All the stuff Disney Star Wars shows rarely do. Those 3 characters aren't dying but there's a lot of new characters that certainly can. Boba, Mando, Obi Wan didn't really kill anyone off of note. This show feels like it has a lot more leeway since 2 of the 3 die in Rogue One. Gilroy showed he wasn't afraid to have Andor do some pretty Empire like shit in the name of the Rebellion. 

I mean, plenty of people die in Star Wars. Motherfuckers are getting blown away all the time, whether it's Stormtroopers getting mowed down by the dozens, entire planets getting blown up or younglings getting killed (albeit off camera).

What Gilroy and his team have done differently is *the reaction* of the characters to killing and dying.  Look at the opening scene with Andor in the series when he shoots the security dude in the face... that mirrors his opening sequence in Rogue One.  The regret and pain on his face for those killings are palpable... contrast that with the way dudes are typically dispatched in Star Wars... characters rarely bat an eye about just blowing people away left and right.

So it's those character *reactions* to the killing that gives the show a different feel to me. I remember at one point in Rogue One, for example, when they are at the battle of Scariff... one of the "regular" Rebel solders gets shot and we see another one shout "No!" and go to check on him in the middle of the battle... I remember that really standing out because I'd never seen something like that in Star Wars before... just a regular character having a real reaction to his buddy getting shot.

[Neonmoon 38129]

This show has been outstanding so far. 
 

 

[DDD Dad 14324]

5 hours ago, oSuJeff97 said:

I mean, plenty of people die in Star Wars. Motherfuckers are getting blown away all the time, whether it's Stormtroopers getting mowed down by the dozens, entire planets getting blown up or younglings getting killed (albeit off camera).

What Gilroy and his team have done differently is *the reaction* of the characters to killing and dying.  Look at the opening scene with Andor in the series when he shoots the security dude in the face... that mirrors his opening sequence in Rogue One.  The regret and pain on his face for those killings are palpable... contrast that with the way dudes are typically dispatched in Star Wars... characters rarely bat an eye about just blowing people away left and right.

So it's those character *reactions* to the killing that gives the show a different feel to me. I remember at one point in Rogue One, for example, when they are at the battle of Scariff... one of the "regular" Rebel solders gets shot and we see another one shout "No!" and go to check on him in the middle of the battle... I remember that really standing out because I'd never seen something like that in Star Wars before... just a regular character having a real reaction to his buddy getting shot.

I need to re-watch Rogue One.  I had forgotten that Diego Luna played the same character in that (I'm old).

[crash_davis 23096]

Really liking this series. It's the most refined directing and story telling of any live action SW series to date. It's not perfect but it's damn good. The cast and acting is first rate.

 

[ztejas 43411]

Slow episode but still enjoying it well enough. 

Not sure why they gave the rebels AK47s. Seems like a bizarre prop decision. Are they going to escort the freighter out in a couple MiGs? 

[Levi 2585]

 

all I could think about. 

[Captainant 27625]

There were some mad Easter eggs in Luthens ship and gallery!

Spoiler

Definitely saw the Sankara stones from Temple of Doom and what looked like a whip encased in Carbonite lol

I'm pretty sure there was a Sith helmet that Starkiller had in Force Unleashed too

 

[crash_davis 23096]

Feels like this episode is part 1 of a 2 or 3 part movie. I like how it shows the conviction that the rebels have to the cause and Empire's conviction to controlling the whole galaxy. 

Good writing, story telling, and directing.

[Ted Lange 16083]

After getting 3 episodes last week, just getting a single episode this week kinda sucked.  

[oSuJeff97 3435]

On 9/28/2022 at 9:02 PM, DoneWithit said:

 

all I could think about. 

It was driving me nuts where else I’d seen this guy… he also played John Quincy Adams in John Adams.

[Levi 2585]

4 hours ago, oSuJeff97 said:

It was driving me nuts where else I’d seen this guy… he also played John Quincy Adams in John Adams.

In the bear another character comes and messes with the group. Now, it’s happening again but in this universe. The guy can’t catch a break. 

[Buzzrock 14902]

Three episodes in with the family tonight and this show is great. So far it lives up to the bar that Rogue One set. Bix is smoke and I love me some Stellan Skarsgard.

[Levi 2585]

Question for all the nerds: do you think Andor still feels like Star Wars?  
 

Personally, I think SW can be multi dimensional in the way it can tell a story, with Andor leaning more into the slow burn style. What are your average Joe’s doing, and how are they making a difference? How did Mon Mothma become so important to the rebellion? All stuff we’ve kinda read about in books and comics but never seen on the screen. 

Some think Andor is reaching into other sci-fi genres such as blade runner, and taking the SW feel out of it. It’s too slow for it to be SW. 

[oSuJeff97 3435]

25 minutes ago, DoneWithit said:

Question for all the nerds: do you think Andor still feels like Star Wars?  
 

Personally, I think SW can be multi dimensional in the way it can tell a story, with Andor leaning more into the slow burn style. What are your average Joe’s doing, and how are they making a difference? How did Mon Mothma become so important to the rebellion? All stuff we’ve kinda read about in books and comics but never seen on the screen. 

Some think Andor is reaching into other sci-fi genres such as blade runner, and taking the SW feel out of it. It’s too slow for it to be SW. 

This is an interesting question.

I'm fine with the pacing... I put this earlier in the thread, but the pacing of Andor (so far) is more akin to the middle third of ESB, which just about everyone agrees is the best SW film, so I'm fine with the pace.  The thing that was really missing from the first three episodes (in a visual sense) was the Empire, since we were mostly dealing with the "corporate security" team... that made it a little less "Star Warsy" to me, but that went away in Episode 4 with introducing the Empire/ISB characters on Coruscant.

Also the other thing to think about, in terms of "Star Wars feel" is that whole vibe of Star Wars was always borrowed from other genres... primarily Westerns, Samuri, mythology, etc.... that was always the cool thing about it... taking those genres and setting them in the Star Wars universe.  Where people have got intro trouble over the years (*cough* J.J. Abrams *cough*) is just trying to replicate the "Star Wars" vibe without really tapping into the underlying influences. That's something that Filoni and Faverau got and applied to Mandalorian/Boba Fett when those shows were at their best.

So I love what Gilroy is doing with Andor.. he's taking exactly what Lucas and Filoni/Faveru get... take an exciting film genre you love and apply it to Star Wars... in this case it's primarily paranoid 70s espionage/Cold War films.... and it's the perfect template for this story... how a Rebellion forms from within (Mon Mothma) and without (Cassian, etc.) an established government and how that government is simultaneously trying to sniff it out via it's intelligence agency... (ISB as a stand in for the CIA, KGB, etc.).

[henrygandorf 29189]

i said it about the ot.  i said it about the prequels.  i said it about mando, rogue one, solo, obi-wan.  it's even more true now, with andor.

when it comes to star wars content, the more light saber scenes there are, the worse the finished product is. 

the ot used them when they had to, and were limited by 1976-1982 special effects.  that saved lucas from himself, and later doomed him with the prequels.  when people tweet things like "this is star wars without having to yell star wars" what they mean is "no light sabers".

and yes, it looks like a 12 episode season that already has an order for a 2nd season of 12 episodes.  fuck yes.

[oSuJeff97 3435]

1 minute ago, henrygandorf said:

i said it about the ot.  i said it about the prequels.  i said it about mando, rogue one, solo, obi-wan.  it's even more true now, with andor.

when it comes to star wars content, the more light saber scenes there are, the worse the finished product is. 

the ot used them when they had to, and were limited by 1976-1982 special effects.  that saved lucas from himself, and later doomed him with the prequels.  when people tweet things like "this is star wars without having to yell star wars" what they mean is "no light sabers".

and yes, it looks like a 12 episode season that already has an order for a 2nd season of 12 episodes.  fuck yes.

Ha so true.

And when someone finally does whip out a lightsaber, it has MUCH more impact.  Think about the first two seasons of Mandalorian. There have been 16 episodes of that show... so that's say roughly 10-11 hours of content (give or take... just estimating about 40 minutes/episode) there have really been 2-3 lightsaber scenes.... Ashoka with the cold open and a few scenes at the end of "The Jedi" and the Luke scene in "The Rescue." 

And people lost their minds with those scenes because they weren't common... they were rare and unexpected and they kicked ass.

[Js1 85269]

Good points.

I think after episode 4, it's starting to feel like Star Wars.  I think it will build to feeling more like Star Wars when we see some familiar locations, a few familiar OT faces.  And that's good. 

Andor and Mandalorian both have given me primary what I wanted - Star Wars stories where Jedi and Skywalkers aren't the main story.  

[Levi 2585]

55 minutes ago, oSuJeff97 said:

This is an interesting question.

I'm fine with the pacing... I put this earlier in the thread, but the pacing of Andor (so far) is more akin to the middle third of ESB, which just about everyone agrees is the best SW film, so I'm fine with the pace.  The thing that was really missing from the first three episodes (in a visual sense) was the Empire, since we were mostly dealing with the "corporate security" team... that made it a little less "Star Warsy" to me, but that went away in Episode 4 with introducing the Empire/ISB characters on Coruscant.

Also the other thing to think about, in terms of "Star Wars feel" is that whole vibe of Star Wars was always borrowed from other genres... primarily Westerns, Samuri, mythology, etc.... that was always the cool thing about it... taking those genres and setting them in the Star Wars universe.  Where people have got intro trouble over the years (*cough* J.J. Abrams *cough*) is just trying to replicate the "Star Wars" vibe without really tapping into the underlying influences. That's something that Filoni and Faverau got and applied to Mandalorian/Boba Fett when those shows were at their best.

So I love what Gilroy is doing with Andor.. he's taking exactly what Lucas and Filoni/Faveru get... take an exciting film genre you love and apply it to Star Wars... in this case it's primarily paranoid 70s espionage/Cold War films.... and it's the perfect template for this story... how a Rebellion forms from within (Mon Mothma) and without (Cassian, etc.) an established government and how that government is simultaneously trying to sniff it out via it's intelligence agency... (ISB as a stand in for the CIA, KGB, etc.).

Agree with all of this. The pacing fits because the casting, writing, dialogue and acting are all well done. Each scene feels like it has a purpose. 

 

57 minutes ago, henrygandorf said:

i said it about the ot.  i said it about the prequels.  i said it about mando, rogue one, solo, obi-wan.  it's even more true now, with andor.

when it comes to star wars content, the more light saber scenes there are, the worse the finished product is. 

the ot used them when they had to, and were limited by 1976-1982 special effects.  that saved lucas from himself, and later doomed him with the prequels.  when people tweet things like "this is star wars without having to yell star wars" what they mean is "no light sabers".

and yes, it looks like a 12 episode season that already has an order for a 2nd season of 12 episodes.  fuck yes.

I think the “no lightsabers” helps with the smaller story’s, especially. I haven’t felt a need to see one in Andor, and I’m enjoying that feeling so far. With Mando there’s Grogu so the force is more prevalent, but we still only saw a tiny bit of lightsaber action. The lightsaber allowed SW standout from other sci-fi fantasy shows. Anytime a person sees one they think of SW, even if it’s only a tiny resemblance. But the meaning and story behind them, along with other things (i.e. the force) is what makes SW great imo. 

[kingkoopa6 8344]

Diego has been killin it here! That dude was awesome in Narcos. Love him here too.

and bix is hella fine... 

when she took off her coat and went to the bed room..

SFW? idk.. lol

Spoiler

 

 

Edited October 3, 2022 by kingkoopa6

[LonghornSean 3989]

Who else recognized The Waif from Game of Thrones (and Qyburn)? Plus several from Chernobyl: Skaarsgard, naked coal miner, Toptunov (nuclear tech who’s skin melted off in the hospital).

I believe this show has the same production designer as Chernobyl.

[Pig Bellmont 8712]

On 9/30/2022 at 8:41 PM, DoneWithit said:

In the bear another character comes and messes with the group. Now, it’s happening again but in this universe. The guy can’t catch a break. 

COUSIN!

[CooterBrown 18002]

17 hours ago, henrygandorf said:

when it comes to star wars content, the more light saber scenes there are, the worse the finished product is. 

 

The fewer Jedi, the better.  They quickly developed the same issues as Superman, they're too powerful.  In the OG SW, they were a tiny, weird cult few knew about.  Even the Imperial officers weren't scared enough of Vader to not talk shit to him.  Once the Jedi took center stage in the universe, it got lame quickly. 

I did like the opening out of focus shot of the street lights that looked like swinging lightsabers. It was a direct FU, that's as close as you're going to get to a lightsaber in this series.

[oSuJeff97 3435]

8 hours ago, LonghornSean said:

Who else recognized The Waif from Game of Thrones (and Qyburn)? Plus several from Chernobyl: Skaarsgard, naked coal miner, Toptunov (nuclear tech who’s skin melted off in the hospital).

I believe this show has the same production designer as Chernobyl.

It does and it was also filming in the UK during the pandemic so it had access to basically all of the great London stage actors to fill out all of the little parts, which is a huge plus for the show.  Basically anyone with a speaking line is a great, accomplished actor.

[kingkoopa6 8344]

ahh.. the waif!

I was snappin my fingers at her but couldnt nail it down.

[huge 3793]

Apparently Bix is currently filming something tastefully called Pussy Island.

 

STAY TUNED

[F250 28762]

11 hours ago, LonghornSean said:

Who else recognized The Waif from Game of Thrones (and Qyburn)?

Thanks, I couldn't place him but I recognized him. I kept thinking I've seen him in a robe before and he was a bad person and assumed it was from some other Star Wars movie/series.

 

[F250 28762]

4 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Even the Imperial officers weren't scared enough of Vader to not talk shit to him.  Once the Jedi took center stage in the universe, it got lame quickly. 

The Imperial officers FAFO'd with Vader on a number of occasions. Then he would have to choke a bitch.

Personally, I enjoyed all of the light saber wielding Jedi in The Clone Wars series but it was kinda meh in the middle trilogy.

I do agree that it's more enjoyable when it's limited like in Mandalorian because it's cathartic.

[Levi 2585]

 

[Buzzrock 14902]

The fewer Jedi, the better.  They quickly developed the same issues as Superman, they're too powerful.  In the OG SW, they were a tiny, weird cult few knew about.  Even the Imperial officers weren't scared enough of Vader to not talk shit to him.  Once the Jedi took center stage in the universe, it got lame quickly. 
I did like the opening out of focus shot of the street lights that looked like swinging lightsabers. It was a direct FU, that's as close as you're going to get to a lightsaber in this series.

It’s more than just the Jedi. You have to be sparing with all the member berries shit. The brief glimpse of TIE fighters, for instance, was perfect. The little touches on Luthen’s ship that are similar to the Falcon are nice.

And I like that this show doesn’t appear to be using the Volume so much, and is actually shooting on location. The Volume is amazing tech but also limiting.

And the other nice thing is that this show isn’t beating us over the head with the plot or forcing some unnatural message. The Empire sucks and it turns out these guys are gonna rip em off. Dig it.

[Horny Bull 2759]

Next week is setting up to be pretty exciting.