Andor [Disney+]

Flinty997

I don't need a 18+ rating to enjoy a show. Usually ruins it.

Sudden Valley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832549#Comment_119832549

I dont think it needs it, it just is sometimes more noticeable when a show is pg rating. Alot of the best show out there were 18+ such as the wire, sopranos, breaking bad, game of thrones. War on screen definitely feels more authentic when 18+

Flinty997

War on screen 18+ usually is like put down the guns and do hand combat for 30 mins.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832777#Comment_119832777

I actually think the 18+ became detrimental to GoT. The early seasons were better when they just talked about the battles and stuff like that.

They started to rely too much on shock value.

Sudden Valley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832854#Comment_119832854

The writers of GOT did develop a penchant for rape- storylines which was unhealthy. I believe the tv ahow hannibal was not 18+ in america, violence seems ok there but sex and language is a big no-no.

Perhaps when lucas dies star wars will develop, similar to the way star trek did after Gene Roddenbery died.

Flinty997

GoT was a very flawed show. I enjoyed most of it. But it lost the run of itself.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832888#Comment_119832888

Frankly, GoT would have been better without all the cheap titillation.

Sudden Valley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832846#Comment_119832846

That is not my recollection of all the 18+ classic vietnam war movies. Though the mostly recent Rambo movie had a lot of that!

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832888#Comment_119832888

Theres been a lot of low quality stuff added to Star Wars in recent years.

As for Trek Discovery was horrible. Picard very patchy. But other stuff has been ok.

I guess everything is a mixed bag.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832967#Comment_119832967

Classic stuff is different. I'll give you that.

Remember the doctor said "not anymore" in relation to releases. It's likely a new phenomenon like the cycle increases and massively increased sentences.

pixelburp

Episode 7 down, fantastic stuff as always. So much heavy lifting by its cast elevating the dialogue that cut to the heart of everyone's motivations without using Capital Letters. Fiona Shaw's tearful determination to stay put, her little response to Andor's comment that he'd fret of "that's love, nothing you can do about that..." absolutely fabulous. I had wondered what became of her partner (business or romantic it hasn't been clear), but again this show nails the balance of horror and bloodlessness.

Nails too the idea that revolution costs, and you can't raise an army without deception, money and tough decisions. Such as forcing enemy to lean into its own villainy, even if it costs lives, to push more people towards the rebellion - that's an astonishing level of moral subtly for a Star Wars show.

Or indeed playing a front to the extent your own friends think their politics differ from you. Playing Mon Mothma as the performative bleeding heart a neat touch.

And leave the moment you realise your workplace is like that of an ISC conference. Yikes.

Also: was this the first episode to feature stormtroopers? Did feel like we got the first reference to Palpatine. Almost feels comical, a villain that evil speaking trivialities with that ISC boss.

Flinty997

For all the slow pace it does build tension well I think..

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119841124#Comment_119841124

Palpatine has been getting mentions in Mothma's dinner parties and the likes before this episode.

If there were any Storm Troopers early on they were very background I think.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119841528#Comment_119841528

Fair enough. It does speak to the dissonance at the heart of this mind you. As brilliant as this show has been to render a universe of mundane, functioning tyranny, it's hard to reconcile the ISC's diligent, pragmatic malevolence compared against the operatic EVILLLLLLLL of Mr. Palps. Maybe the ISC chief said he met the Emperor but I highly doubt Palp is the kind to swear the small stuff. Or indeed give a jot about a payroll theft on some backwater planet.

And if this season doesn't end with Lucille Bluth's head being caved in, I'll be shocked. Love her voice, so strange to the ears but kind of hypnotic. Reminds me of a higher pitched version of The Expanse's Shohreh Aghdashloo

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119841662#Comment_119841662

I think the heads of ISB are probably some of the more important of Palps cronies in peace time. He probably gives them a few minutes via hologram to feel important.

They are essentially his Stazi.

Agent Coulson

Looks like this won't be dragged out over 3/4/5 seasons...

Tony Gilroy has said season 1 will represent 1 year in Andor's life

Season 2 will be broken into 4 blocks of 3 episodes with each block representing 1 year.

The series finale episode of season 2 will walk the audience straight into Rogue One

Season 2 starts filming on the 21st of this month.

https://deadline.com/2022/11/andor-season-2-sets-filming-start-date-creator-tony-gilroy-1235164764/

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119842516#Comment_119842516

That's absolutely brilliant from the point of view of quality and goes against everything that is the "content for the sake of content" mantra of Hollywood.

Reminds me of the great British/Irish comedies like Faulty, Black Books and Ted which were 3 seasons of 6 compared to a million seasons of Friends or my favourites Sunny and Curb dragged long beyond sell by date.

pixelburp

Both glad and sad there's a hard limit on this show - but it makes sense and glad Gilroy got to call the shots enough to put an ending on this. We'll have a start middle and end.

Hopefully when all's done Disney learn the right lessons here. Cos having tasted Star Wars with a distinct flavour and purpose I'd despair if we went back to Power Ranger Mods. I'm hopeful the respective responses to this and Obi-Wan / Boba Fett are instructive.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119842615#Comment_119842615

"Power Ranger Mods" so true. Lol.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119842615#Comment_119842615

They will probably keep making sht Star Wars but as long as they keep making stuff for the Andor audience alongside it I will be happy.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119842659#Comment_119842659

Well I have next to zero expectations with that Ahsoka series; I'm a avowed hater of all things Jedi anyway, so it was always going to struggle to build hype in my blood. Especially after this series showed me the version of Star Wars I've always wanted more of.

In which case, I'll be very curious to see what, if anything, Disney commissions next in this rough sphere of Star Wars with more mature storytelling techniques. I'd hate for Andor to become the one swallow we all thought was summer - but there's so much potential here. Even within this specific series, though not sure who you could potentially spin-off from if Andor has to get to a pre Rogue One status by Season 2's end.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119842753#Comment_119842753

There is the whole period when the empire falls which could see a lot of worlds in grey areas. The galaxy must have been absolute chaos.

Could also go post TRoS but that would take a seriously good writer to create a whole new post Jedi/sith force world.

Slydice

Oh cool. I imagine it will be something like this current season then.. with different writer/director combos for batches of episodes.

Has felt like a pretty good way to do it so far.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119841662#Comment_119841662

The ISB (Imperial Security Bureau) chief is a guy called Yularen. He was the guy in the white uniform from the original 'Star Wars' conference scene where Tarkin discussed his own conversations with the Emperor about dissolving the senate.

So to me, at least, it wouldn't be that out of place to have Palpatine engage with functionaries on that level, who would then have to pass on the communique to the lower ranks. Plus the decree to increase Imperial heavy handedness, which was what Yularen was talking about, would probably have to come from the highest orders.

Your inner sTeR WaArS nerd needs a good kick up the arse. 😋

But yeah, there is a definite contrast between the nebulous and unseen "Emperor" of the original film and the ridiculous pantomime that George Lucas concocted for 'Return of the Jedi' and, ugh, the prequels.

Tony EH

@Agent Coulson

Season 2 will be broken into 4 blocks of 3 episodes with each block representing 1 year.

Really don't like the idea of that.

breezy1985

Never realized that the original movies had guys in white uniforms. I always thought they were only introduced in Rogue 1

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119842659#Comment_119842659

As long as shit Star Wars can be separated from good Star Wars, I'll be happy. When it starts to overlap, then there's a problem. So far, shit Star Wars (prequels, sequels, Solo, cartoons, BoBF, Obi-Wan) outnumbers good Star Wars (original unmolested trilogy, Rogue One, Andor, The Mandarlorian) which is a shame. But there is a throughput to be followed in the good Star Wars that can eliminate the shit Star Wars.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119844225#Comment_119844225

I agree about the overlap.

All those cartoon characters in Mando really bored the ars off me. Having the cartoon Mandalorians made a little bit of sense but I can't stand that Ashoka character who was conveniently sitting out the war and Luke's rebuilding of the Jedi. Also bringing fat old Bobba Fett into Mando was a joke.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119844304#Comment_119844304

Having Starbuck (whatever her name is) show up was fine and ties into the whole Mandalore thing, even though they were kinda stupid. But there wasn't ever any need for Ashoka to make an appearance at all and that was simply down to Filoni, because she's largely his creation. Having Boba Fett return from the dead was just insipid too and, TBH, the show took a real nosedive at that point. I forgave Luke's dodgy CGI appearance, because he made sense. Dingaling was always going to be passing off baby Yoda to a Jedi. So passing it to the guy who was supposed to be making a new Jedi school rings true.

And while 'The Mandalorian' is "good" Star Wars, it's only just inside that category. There's plenty of flaws within it, just not egregious enough to get it kicked out of the good club. Frankly, I'd like to see it tighten a lot of things up for S03.