Average "Andor"

Photo Courtesy of NPR

“Andor,” the newest in a slew of “Star Wars” streaming series on the platform Disney+, finished its first season on Nov. 23. The series follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a thief on the run who becomes involved in a raid on an Imperial fortress, which leads to his arrest, escape and ultimate enlistment in the Rebellion as a spy as introduced to audiences in 2016’s “Rogue One.” The series acts as a prequel to the film.

“Andor” departs from the previous Star Wars formula that somewhat fatigued the franchise since Disney’s acquisition of the property in 2012. The series gives us a unique perspective to the franchise we have not seen before, taking on a fresh perspective with new faces that carry the show on its own in their unique characterization.

However, the show is not without faults. For one, the series has very little to do with its titular character; it is deceiving. The show is not about a particular man’s path of change but rather a galaxy of people that sparked a rebellion. The majority of events that happen have nothing to do with him or are completely out of his control. 

The other major issue is pacing. “Andor” is a series that takes a while to find its footing, which unfortunately destroys any potential solid pace. That’s not to say that a series shouldn’t have slower, deeper or world-building moments or that everything needs to be an action-packed spectacle, but when plot points are unnecessarily dragged out for an entire season but go nowhere, it gets pretty tiring. 

These moments toe the line on whether they count as “filler” because, while they do contain relevant information, the execution of these scenes falls flat. 

Another issue comes down to flat characterization of Cassian Andor himself. He’s cold and ruthless, but there isn’t much to him beyond this. The series continues to showcase him in this manner, but he is not developed beyond this or given anything interesting. The audience is given a look at his backstory, as an orphan from a native culture which was destroyed by the Empire within flashbacks during the first few episodes, but this storyline doesn’t go anywhere for the rest of the show. As stated before, for a series marketed as his very own spinoff, it has very little to actually do with him or his progression. He starts as a ruthless, cold and hardened man, and when we see him in “Rogue One,” his only difference is in title as a spy, rather than a thief. There is no strong arc for him internally.

The release format for these episodes serves as another flaw. The series is composed of twelve episodes, progressing though arcs three episodes at a time. The series premiered the first three at once, which told a complete arc. 

In subsequent weeks, only one episode was released at a time. Releasing only one episode at a time proved fatal as some of these episodes contain little action in progressing the overall story and don’t wrap up until the third of the arc. 

What “Andor” does get right, however, is its simple message of hope, bravery and combating oppression. Of all the characters in the series who inspire Andor, the highlight comes from the performance by Andy Serkis as Kino Loy, a fellow prisoner and floor manager of the prison Andor is trapped on during a segment of the series. Loy is dedicated to his job and believes that hard work will set him free. When things begin to go horribly amiss, he has a breakdown and gives one of the most heroic speeches in all of “Star Wars,” something the franchise has been particularly void of until now. Loy leads a rebellion that saves the lives of countless in a very emotional scene. What’s so excellent about this is that Loy is just an everyday person. He’s not a Jedi, like Luke Skywalker or Obi Wan Kenobi, but a simple man who wishes to just live life to the fullest again.

These smaller moments save the show from being less than impressive, but overall, “Andor” is an average tale that has much to improve before its next season, slated for release in 2024. Until then, fans will have plenty of time to mull this over and watch more content to come from the “Star Wars” mythos.