I finished Episode 9.

I both love it and hate it at the same time. The pacing is maddeningly slow at times, and I STILL don't know where they are going with Mon Mothma's story. Her dead beat husband and angsty daughter bore me (as the woman ISB agent said - "The most dangerous thing you can do now is bore me" ).

They are spending WAYYY too much time in prison and on the assembly line. Heck, I could assemble that device in my sleep by now. It needs an editor to cut out at least 2 full episodes from the 9 I've seen so far. Yeah, I agree that a slower pace can be good, and not everything should be "Lazer go pew pew!!!," but I simply start drifting off at points. Again, 9 episodes in and I have NO IDEA what one of the main characters is doing. And, I really don't care at this point.

I don't know where they are going with 'Disgraced Security Guard and his Jewish Mother' arc, either. He seems to be a wasted character. I mean, how many minutes have been devoted to him eating his purple Kix cereal with blue milk while his mother gripes at him? Hint: The answer is 'too many.'

I do like the focus on the Empire and it's draconian and counter-productive bureaucracy. The dialog between Blond ISB Girl and Smug Black ISB Dude is awesome, as is that of the older ISB leader. 'Any religious or cultural event used as a cover by rebel forces will lose the Empire's tolerance,' or something to that effect. I keep seeing this 'do as we tell you and like it' and 'you can live your life only so much as we allow you to' attitude in our current government, unfortunately. But, it's really good.

I really like Andy Zerkis' character, too. He's actually a good actor; something that likely gets overlooked with all his Gollum/Kong/etc blue-screen work.

So, overall, it's good. It could just use some trimming.

Mon Mothma's story is going slowly. But clues are being laid to her eventual running from the Senate/Empire and fully taking up the lead of the rebellion. Without getting too much into the weeds/spoilers, she eventually goes on the run, is rescued by the Ghost's crew on Star Wars Rebels, and we see her taking an active role in recruiting/building the rebellion there.

Got done with ep.10-11, best episodes of the series.
Dialogue has been superb, Luthen's baring of his cause to Lonni Jung, the ISB agent they turned, has got to be one of the greatest speeches given in all of SW. Wanna talk about sacrifice, re-watch/listen to that.

Disgraced rent-a-cop Karn and his nagging mother will have a pay-off, likely next season, he'll likely be a sorry patsy that Meero will use. I can see him being a step-away from Andor and his poor luck will result in him getting dumped.

The Mon Monthma arc while slow, is building up to her ultimately jumping fully to the side of the rebellion. She'll be worn down, agonizing over her daughter being made available to an old tradition of betrothed marriage arrangements in an attempt to square-up her finances for the impending Imperial audit. She's been making small 'donations' to the cause, Luthen has been whispering honey to her ears but, she's not fully in, keeping her eye on her position within the Senate and the authorities. Her frustration with the Senate will boil-over, every time she speaks, nobody is there to listen or, support her. Her husband strikes me as a selfish ass, willing to expose his family in an effort to follow 'the rules'. Her sacrifice may be her daughter, it's more likely her family's fortune will be made available for the nascent insurgency and soon rebellion.

I don't understand all of this "slow" talk. But to each his own. I love the backstory, the build up, filling in the corners and making sense of where we'll ultimately go.

Only one hour left until the long gap to the next series. That's truly my only displeasure in the whole, amazing wonderful glorious season!

quote:

Originally posted by Hound Dog:
They are spending WAYYY too much time in prison and on the assembly line. Heck, I could assemble that device in my sleep by now.

Since Hound mentioned this, it made me wonder if we ever discussed what we thought they were assembling on the work line in the prison. I assume it’s pieces of the Death Star. Individual pieces that resemble nothing to menial workers and being shipped up to space to the worksite to be installed. Slave labor working around the clock with no end. If this is the case we may somehow even see that shown to be the case in season two. We know Galen Erso built the weakness into the Death Star and that information is a catalyst for the start of Rogue One.

As a side note, season 2 is going to really move us along as each 3 episode arc is going to move us one year closer to Rogue One, from 4-1 BBY in the Star Wars timeline.

As for Syril, not only would I not be surprised, I’d actually cheer if we ended up seeing his mother drowned, face down in a bowl of Syril’s Cereal.

I'm not sure what they are, but they have that familiar Empire shape.

quote:

Originally posted by swampdog:
Since Hound mentioned this, it made me wonder if we ever discussed what we thought they were assembling on the work line in the prison. I assume it’s pieces of the Death Star.

Almost certainly. It fits the timeline of the series, set 5 years before the Death Star goes operational but about a decade after construction first began. And it's poetically appropriate that Andor would have a hand in building the thing(s) that ultimately kills him on Skariff, literally building Death Star parts while also figuratively becoming even more anti-Imperial and more deeply involved with the Rebellion, which together eventually spell his doom.

57585 axle hub connectors

I have sworn off Disney. I vehemently loathe the Marvel stuff. And to me they have decimated SW. Of the “series”, I thought Obi Wan was just terrible. Mando was OK. The first season was extremely slow to the point it reminded me of a horrible Soap Opera. But the 2nd season had some great EP’s, like 3 of them I thought were really good. Boba Fett was complete trash to me too. So I don’t want to be fooled again. Is Andor worth a one month subscription, seriously? Money is tight right now and I don’t want to waste a dime nor give Disney a drop of piss but SW to me, like many, was “the” trilogy of my youth and some desperate, pathetic, part of me wants to believe that they can do something, anything, well with the franchise.

It's definitely a good series. Overall, I'd rank it just below Mandalorian, but well above Obi Wan and Boba Fett.

Just understand that it's not traditional "Star Wars". It's not full of zoomy space dogfights, laser gun battles, and wizards dueling with plasma swords. And there's not a flashy action scene every 10 minutes to keep the ADHD audience on the edge of their seats.

It's more like a gritty, slow-burning espionage thriller that sometimes looks like Star Wars.

Since you said you thought Mandalorian was too slow and soap-opera-like, I don't know that you'd like Andor... Even though it's a good show, it sounds like it's not your cup of tea.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

Since you said thought Mandalorian was too slow and soap-opera-like, I don't know that you'd like Andor...

Yeah, if Mando is 'too slow,' then Andor is NOT for you.

They go entire episodes just talking. There is a "PEW PEW LAZER BATTLE!!!" maybe every 3 episodes, but it's NOTHING like the movies.

I like how it is set in space in the fantasy Star Wars universe, but with just a few casting changes, it could very well be insurgents in Afghanistan or Central America. It's a very human-centered story telling style.

Andy Serkis hints that the part they're building in the prison is "really important."

https://youtube.com/shorts/mYfa8VJ9V0c?feature=share

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
Is Andor worth a one month subscription, seriously? Money is tight right now and I don’t want to waste a dime nor give Disney a drop of piss but SW to me, like many, was “the” trilogy of my youth and some desperate, pathetic, part of me wants to believe that they can do something, anything, well with the franchise.

I too did not take to Andor because of my continued disappointment with how the overall SW franchise has been treated and used. I heard enough from friends that Andor was 'adult-Star Wars', take that for what you will however, I will say, after binging it this last week, its definitely more high-brow, dialogue heavy series that's building up the greater story of the Rebel Alliance.
The writer who wrote Rogue One, created this series, that's a huge plus in my book and it shows; again, adult-Star Wars. The Message isn't jammed down your throat like the other titles nor, is this action/special-effects heavy, that's full of the implausible; kids and action-junkies are hating this show. If you can appreciate a slow but nuanced developed story, that's more complex and involved than any of the previous stories, than you'll like enjoy Andor.

The guests nail a lot about why Andor stands-out. Member berries...learned a new term, and I don't need them like others think they do.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: corsair,

The writing for Andor and the lines that Luthen uses, almost come out of John LeCarre and Tom Clancy better spy books. Some of things Luthen does reminds me a lot of George Smiley. I waited until this last week and finally decided to give it a try, and ended up binge watching it. I am glad I did. I have enjoy the characters (Stellan Skarsgård and Andy Serkis gave Emmy worth performances and monologues). Yes, I think Andor is worth it.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:

The writer who wrote Rogue One, created this series,

Ok. That’s all I need to know. Rogue One was good. I don’t need Pew Pew every episode and a dialog driven story is no problemo. Sounds decent from what y’all are saying.

My comments about Mando being slow was really season 1. Season 2 was the only SW series/season, etc, that I thought was pretty good. I thought the difference between S1 and S2 of Mando were pretty substantial. I’m not fond of Disney because they have the money to hire solid people to make the franchise great again. They just choose to virtue signal, hire hacks, etc, to milk the profit that much more. Quality people, such as writers, directors, and actors would want a bigger cut which would cut into their profit margins.

Is there anything else coming out on the app this year? Someone I should wait on before purchasing a month’s subscription?

quote:

Originally posted by jsbcody:
The writing for Andor and the lines that Luthen uses, almost come out of John LeCarre and Tom Clancy better spy books. Some of things Luthen does reminds me a lot of George Smiley. I waited until this last week and finally decided to give it a try, and ended up binge watching it. I am glad I did. I have enjoy the characters (Stellan Skarsgård and Andy Serkis gave Emmy worth performances and monologues). Yes, I think Andor is worth it.

Yes, some of his dialog to the senator, where he ignores what she's saying in words and talks past them to get to the truth. I can't recall exactly, but it was something as like, you knew what you were getting into, or you know this must be done. That sort of a sense. A lot more passion in his voice than Smiley, but he is similarly beyond his own ability choose, deep into the void. His own self is his trajectory.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
Is there anything else coming out on the app this year? Someone I should wait on before purchasing a month’s subscription?

Mandalorian Season 3 debuts March 2023. You might wait until it gets near to the season finale in April/May, then grab a month subscription to watch both Andor Season 1 and Mandalorian Season 3.

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:

quote:

Originally posted by jsbcody:
The writing for Andor and the lines that Luthen uses, almost come out of John LeCarre and Tom Clancy better spy books. Some of things Luthen does reminds me a lot of George Smiley. I waited until this last week and finally decided to give it a try, and ended up binge watching it. I am glad I did. I have enjoy the characters (Stellan Skarsgård and Andy Serkis gave Emmy worth performances and monologues). Yes, I think Andor is worth it.

Yes, some of his dialog to the senator, where he ignores what she's saying in words and talks past them to get to the truth. I can't recall exactly, but it was something as like, you knew what you were getting into, or you know this must be done. That sort of a sense. A lot more passion in his voice than Smiley, but he is similarly beyond his own ability choose, deep into the void. His own self is his trajectory.

I really felt the connection LeCarre when Luthen was talking with Lonni and Saw. Now Luthen/s monologue with Lonni, that alone ranks up there with Rutger Hauer's Blade Runner monologue.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

Mandalorian Season 3 debuts March 2023. You might wait until it gets near to the season finale in April/May, then grab a month subscription to watch both Andor Season 1 and Mandalorian Season 3.

Thank you. Excellent point. For me it’ll depend on how slow the film releases are over the next 6 weeks.

Make sure to stay around for a post credit scene.

Fantastic finale as expected. Another great couple of monologues from Nemik and Marva. Music on point as it’s been all season. Man I don’t want to wait a year for more. I’ll always love me some original trilogy but this is the best written and acted Star Wars to date.