Every time an episode of Star Wars: Andor lands, Fantha Tracks will be giving their responses, and here are our initial gut feelings, deep dives and thoughts on the first three episodes of season one, ‘Kassa’, That Would Be Me’ and ‘Reckoning’. Beware of spoilerific elements in here.
Paul Naylor
So, at long last, the prequel to the outstanding Rogue One – itself a prequel to A New Hope – has commenced its run on Disney Plus with a three-part launch. Of all the Star Wars content announced in recent times, nothing excited me as much as the prospect of the further exploration of this character.
It did not disappoint.
The first three episodes felt like a real departure from the TV content we’ve enjoyed on Disney Plus in the last couple of years. The ‘Mandoverse’, comprising The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, both feel similar in production value and overall aesthetic, and whilst Obi-Wan Kenobi is not part of the same timeline, it does bare the hallmarks of ‘The Volume’/stagecraft – which is proving to be simultaneously brilliant and limited in scope.
Don’t get me wrong, when Mando first hit, the style was refreshing. Now, it all feels a bit samey.
Roll-on Andor. Tony Gilroy’s vision for this dark and moody entry in canon, for the most part, rejects use of The Volume. Instead, an entire town was constructed (and deconstructed and reconstructed for Season 2) providing a most enriching backdrop for the production.
Andor, at times, feels like the Blade Runner sequel we deserved. It’s almost devoid of Star Warsian heritage, introducing the rather nifty security services in blue with hints of orange, rather than traditional Imperial Commander uniforms aplenty. We encounter a new type of droid in the form of B2EMO, who is more a distant cousin to Disney’s ‘The Black Hole’ robots Vincent and Bob than an astromech or BB unit.
Even laser blasts are in short supply.
It’s a dirty, battered-n-bruised slow-burn of a show that thrives on story development and quality acting. The minutiae is under the microscope here. It’s the perfect prequel to Rogue One. Diego Luna is intense and brooding and the supporting cast is equally impressive.
Much has been made of the swearing in the show. I have to say I don’t understand the fuss. We’ve already experienced similarly aggressively expletives in the sequel trilogy.
A thoroughly enjoyable entry in Star Wars canon, Andor is sure to feel more like the galaxy we know and love as the story develops. For now though, let us rejoice in its simplicity and the fact that by being produced in a vastly different manner to its TV stablemates, it has essentially – and delightfully – gone rogue.
Eric Onkenhout
Beginning in August, there have been several new streaming shows to watch that generally have all been very good; She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, House of the Dragon, and The Rings of Power. All these could be why Star Wars: Andor got pushed back three more weeks. However, none of them were as anticipated as Star Wars: Andor. In fact, they’ve been a mere appetizer for the main event, and it’s here in all its glory. Star Wars: Andor did not disappoint. The first three episodes dropped on 21st September with positive reactions from fans and critics. Let’s review why.
Timelines in Star Wars can be confusing, so to clear that up, Andor begins five years before the destruction of the first Death Star, generally around the same time as Star Wars Rebels. So, while Hera, Kanan, Sabine, Zeb, and Chopper are picking a scrum rat named Ezra Bridger, a thief called Cassian Andor is walking into a seedy club looking for his sister on Morlana One: Preox-Morlana in the Corporate Zone. At this point, Cassian is not a rebel yet. He steals from the Empire and sells the stuff on the black market. Right from the onset, we’re exposed to a Cassian that has had a shady past and continues to dive deeper into that lifestyle.
Jumping ahead on Ferrix in the Morlani System in the Free Trade Sector, B2EMO arrives to wake a sleeping Cassian. B2EMO is a cross between the robots from Silent Running and WALL-E, but he can speak Basic. There is a flashback which was done really well. Cassian is shown with a group of kids aged six to late teens. In a scene from Lord of the Flies meets Yellowjackets, a group of kids survive on their own in the forest, thankfully speaking another language other than Huttese with no subtitles. The strength of good storytelling is all the viewer needs when hearing a new language and understanding what’s being said. Make the viewer use their natural instinct and maybe a little brain power rather than explain every little detail.
During the flashbacks, Cassian appears to be 11-12 years old, which would place this period around three years after Revenge of the Sith, close to Jedi: Fallen Order, and just before the prologue to Rogue One. So, if Cassian has been in the fight since he was six, that’s half his life.
The way Andor does not rely on countless new Star Wars terms is so refreshing. Having new items to discuss is great, but when it’s overdone, it can be cumbersome (I.E., bounty puck, pram, tracking fob, chain codes). Do we all remember the conversations about how tracking fobs work? None of that is necessary when the story is good enough to stand on its own. This is one of the benefits when the creator, Tony Gilroy, isn’t concerned about placating Star Wars fans. Admittedly Gilroy isn’t a fan of Star Wars, which is also refreshing. It gets tiring and disingenuous when every actor claims they loved Star Wars as a kid. All you need to do or want is to tell a great story, then take the story and place it in a Star Wars setting. This is what sets Andor apart from all other Star Wars series.
Let’s get to the swearing. There are legit arguments on both sides, and it’s based on personal preference. Would George do it? He has just not to this extent, but things sometimes need to be shaken up. The world is much different now than in 1977 and 1999. Then again, plenty of movies released in the 1970s rated PG would be rated R now. So take it or leave it, it’s here now and the signs say it was coming. Swearing in Star Wars books has been a thing for a while, so it’s nothing new. Should it go any further? Let’s hope not.
During the third episode, Cassian meets Luthen, who tries to recruit Cassian into the rebellion. Realizing he has nowhere else to turn, Cassian leaves with Luthen and escapes the oncoming Pre-Mor Security Force. Only a quarter of the season has passed, with one episode per week coming now. Soon more of the rebellion will get the spotlight, with Mon Mothma leading the charge from the inside while Cassian exposes the Empire from without. The Empire is at its height, but cracks form as dissension grows throughout the galaxy. The clock is ticking on the Empire, whether they want to acknowledge it or not.
Daniel Lo
In 2012, I attended the Isle of Man TT for the first time. Widely regarded as the most dangerous motorcycle race in the world, the 100+ year old event stands alone in the world of motorsports as a living relic from a bygone era. At that point I had worked as a motorsport photographer for several years, with over 30 motorcycle races under my belt. However, when that first TT superbike blasted past me, I quickly realized all that experience counted for nothing. This was something else entirely.
That more or less describes how I feel about reviewing the first three episodes of Andor. While I’ve contributed to group reviews on Fantha Tracks before, none of that experience seems particularly helpful at the moment because Andor is already so different from anything that’s come before it. For the sake of at least stumbling out of the gates, I will start with the two elements that immediately stuck out to me: The quality and pacing. Right off the bat I was gobsmacked by how good it was, and the amount of care and attention that went into every single aspect of this show. Nothing stood out to me as poorly done, and to say it’s on a completely different level from any live action Star Wars series that we’ve seen so far would be a serious understatement. As for the pacing, the show unfolded almost like a novel: Slow in tempo but rich in detail. It was like watching Star Wars in slow motion, and at a much higher resolution than normal.
While the story is clearly set in the Star Wars universe, hardly anything or anyone is immediately familiar. As usual, we have a resident droid in B2EMO (Thanks, subtitles) that has a superficial resemblance to astromechs but isn’t one, although he does continue the Star Wars droids’ tradition of having no choice but to broadcast comms at a loud volume at inopportune times. The Pre-Mor Authority is an independent affiliate of the Empire (Thanks, Wookieepedia), but is clearly nothing like the Empire that we know. Many of the ships teeter perilously on the edge of Star Wars vehicle style guides, although they do retain the all-important kitbashed look for the most part. While not completely absent, Andor has a vanishingly small amount of comic relief. And speaking of “Star Wars“, we don’t really see much of either so far. We only get a few short glimpses of space, and have to wait until the last half of the third episode for the first proper action scene.
Even action aside, not a whole lot happens in general. In fact, the episode summaries pretty much say it all: Cassian Andor’s reckless search for answers about his past makes him a wanted man. Cassian attempts to lay low on Ferrix as agents of the law close in. Cassian’s desperation to avoid arrest leads him to a mysterious man with unknown connections. In addition, relatively brief flashbacks of a young Cassian (then known as “Kassa”) are peppered throughout. I appreciate that the writers weren’t afraid to take their time, allowing the audience to soak in the world building, learn who the new characters are and how they relate to our hero, and develop an understanding of where the story may go next.
A few thoughts on the title character: Aside from yet again kicking things off by shooting someone who didn’t completely deserve it, Cassian isn’t quite the same man we saw (will see?) in Rogue One. This is perhaps largely due to not yet having the full might of the Rebellion behind him at this point. He appears to be operating as a one man show and his interactions, regardless of who they involve, almost exclusively consists of asking for sketchy favors, deflecting and changing the subject, negotiations, and outright deception. If my notes are accurate, he only has three brief moments of confirmed honesty from his exchanges, with the first instance being an accident. This is what initially gets him into trouble, sparking the events of the show.
The character I find the most interesting so far is Syril Karn. He is the primary antagonistic force, despite being a bit of a pushover within a second tier organization who commands almost no respect. Karn takes his job seriously when no one else seems to, even going as far as tailoring his uniform with vaguely awkward results. He does defy his boss’s orders and proceeds to identify and hunt down Cassian, but once the ball gets rolling it’s Sergeant Mosk who actually runs the show. By the end of the third episode, Karn is left visibly shaken and shell shocked by the massive failure of his mission.
I don’t know the reason for the show’s delay, but the decision to release the first three episodes together appears to have worked out for the best. They collectively function as a springboard, culminating in a beautifully scored and edited montage that I expect will transport us into a larger and more familiar looking world. Early reports described the show as “Star Wars for adults“, which I so far find to be true in the best possible ways. I have always liked dark and gritty Star Wars, and the start of Andor has given me plenty to be excited about.
Brad Boutelier
<Insert young Anakin podracing meme>
Now this is Star Wars!
Well, episodes 1-3 of Andor dropped and I’m thoroughly impressed. It’s so nice to cap off a viewing of Star Wars content and be excited and eager for the next episode to drop. To this point that hasn’t been the case for me with any live action series. The Mandalorian had some good moments but often I’d finish an episode kind of ambivalent, with The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan I often finished an episode dismayed.
That’s not the case with Andor! I can’t wait for next Wednesday, and I can’t stop thinking about the episodes we got and how they’re so great. All of the critiques I’ve levelled at the other Star Wars live action series in my past reviews have been addressed, and I’m just so pleased with the start to this series.
Probably the biggest thing that has stood out to me thus far is that this series has depth. That depth isn’t attributable to just one single piece of the production, though. It’s the result of good writing, casting, performances, set/costume design, score, photography, accounting, editing, and direction all working together in harmony to produce something beautiful and worthy of the name Star Wars. One of my biggest complaints of prior series is that they were largely surface level, and that’s certainly not the case here.
So, let’s talk some more about that depth. So far they’ve done a great job of showing the motivations of our characters and helping us understand who they are, and most importantly they’ve done that without being overt about it. No cheesy or too on the nose lines, no heavy handed acting or camera shots to try and get your point across. Just tasteful, subtle, and mindful choices from those involved in a given scene.
In discussing the series on launch day with fellow contributor Dan Lo, I remarked that you can take any given ~15 minutes of these 3 episodes and find more depth and quality story telling then in any other single live action Star Wars series combined. That’s not hyperbole or me basking in the Star Wars equivalent of post orgasm bliss, I genuinely believe it to be the case. To illustrate my point, let’s examine the Bix and Timm plot line-
Over the course of these 3 episodes the pair share ~5 minutes of screen time, and each has ~2-3 minutes of screen time on their own. Bix has ~2-3 minutes additional thanks to her scenes with Cassian and Luthen (full disclosure, I’m simply ball parking these times, I’ve not actually measured them). Over the course of that relatively limited amount of time we learn that Bix and Cassian have a history, one that’s likely deeper then contact/informant. That Bix is much more complicated then she appears on the surface, she’s world weary (as it seems most on Ferrix are), slow to trust, and keeps a lot to herself. We also get hints that despite being world weary and beat down, she’s soulful.
We learn that Timm distrusts Bix (understandably, given her secrecy) despite his love for her. We also learn that he’s a jealous and insecure man, and that Cassian seems to be the primary source of this. It makes me question whether it’s actually Bix’s secrecy that makes Timm distrustful of her. Obviously Timm sees Cassian as a romantic rival, but could his insecurity be so great that he feels he’s not good enough for Bix, or that maybe he’s landed a woman above his station, and this is the primary driver of his distrust in her, rather then her secrecy? Maybe he feels that Bix is using him, and he’s nothing more then an ends to a mean?
Whatever the case, it’s clear above all else that he’s a jealous and insecure man and Cassian provokes those feelings into overdrive. It motivates him to turn Cassian in, presumably in the hopes that removing him from the picture will assuage his inner turmoil and allow himself and Bix to settle down into a comfortable relationship and live out their lives in relative peace. In the end he eats a blaster bolt and dies, so we’ll never know his true motivations or the drivers of his inner turmoil. But hey, at least we have a romantic interest for Cassian now! (Though I question whether Timm’s presence would have dissuaded Cassian in the first place.)
So, to wrap this part about depth, we learned all of this in a very short amount of screen time, and none of it was actually vocalized. Neither by any of the interested parties, nor by those around them. It was all conveyed by strong writing, shot selection, and great performances, those performances being possible due primarily to great casting, and also to good direction. They’re telling the story in the cuts, it’s the things they don’t say, rather then what they do.
Now I’d like to touch on some other areas. I could write a few thousand words about this premiere, but I’ll try to keep it brief as I don’t want to monopolize too much space on this community review page.
Casting and Performances: Top notch, on both respects. While the prequels had more star power, I think the depth of this cast is greater then any other Star Wars production to date, even before the Disney takeover. I’m always happy to see lots of Brits on a casting list. Personally I find British actors or those who’ve trained classically or done the English theater circuit are always top rate, regardless of their level of fame. All the actors here were exceptional, and credit to the casting department for finding them and giving them a chance.
Score: I really like what they’re doing with the music here. Some of the pieces are distinctly Star Wars, while others are very much not. It’s the very much not which really intrigues me. The selections have fit the scenes very well, and they really lend gravitas to moments which need that. They also really illustrate that the creative team on this project is coming at this from a very different angle then anyone else has with a Star Wars show- an epic drama.
Writing/Direction: What really cemented for me that this show would have a different approach was seeing the inclusion of Beau Willimon as a writer for a block of 3 episodes. Beau is one of the primary minds behind the Netflix series House of Card, which in my opinion is one of the great series in history, up there with the likes of Breaking Bad. Also, the show has mostly been broken up into chunks of 3 with a different writer and director tackling each block. This should help give some consistency and flow to each segment of the series. Given this, I really wish they’d release each block all in one go like they did with these first 3 episodes. That said, given the approach and consistency of writer/director for several episodes at a time, I’m hopeful I won’t mind single episode releases as much as I have in past series.
So this more or less concludes my thoughts on Andor thus far. This show has reinvigorated my love of Star Wars, and I’m looking forward to seeing what else they have in store for us. I’m trying to temper my hopes, but I remain cautiously optimistic.
See you all next week!
Becca Benjamin
It’s here! Star Wars: Andor dropped on September 21st with a 3-episode premiere on Disney Plus! Essentially, the fandom ate well that day with what would ultimately be equivalent to a full-run cinematic feature, but in the comfort of your own home.
So let’s get to it! Andor is a live-action series that is “basically” the backstory of Kassa, a.k.a. Cassian Andor, from the prequel story to A New Hope known as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. That said, it’s a prequel to a prequel.
The 3-episode premiere takes us on a journey into the catalyst that catapults Cassian’s career as a Rebel spy. While doing so provides us with a window-view of Cassian’s backstory through flashbacks. Those so-called flashbacks are pretty important, as we learn he has a sister and a whole community that works together to survive the oppressive elements of the rising Empire.
These flashbacks seem to echo Jyn Erso’s flashbacks from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and for me, that seemed quite impressive from a writing standpoint; as George Lucas once said, “Star Wars is like poetry. They rhyme.” It also sets up parallels that demonstrate ‘why’ the two are fated to meet and ‘why’ they develop such a bond. Essentially, they have a lot in common in the ways of their upbringing.
Besides Cassian’s backstory, we get to see ‘ordinary,’ everyday people of all kinds living in the era of the Empire. It’s gritty and disorderly, and it feels so real because the situations are relatable from a real-world standpoint. And that’s what makes this series unique from all the other Star Wars thus far.
And then, there’s the scoring. The music for Andor is quite different and yet, familiar, too. Nicholas Britell is brilliant! He knows when to kick it up and when to bring it down. Essentially, the music is very moving.
Now, on a personal note, some of the most rewarding touches to the story so far are Maarva (portrayed by Fiona Shaw) and B2EMO. Of course, Bix and Luthen are excellent additions, too. But, highlighting a ‘Mother’s story,’ in conjunction with the main plot, is genius and adds a lot of weight to Dave Filoni’s words from the last Star Wars Celebration, “Moms are important, too.”
All in all, Andor is shaping up to be a fan-favorite series! And I’m looking forward to hearing everyone’s reactions to episode 4, because it’s spectacular!
Jennifer Sopchockchai Bankard
Andor is kinetic art.
The world building in Andor stands apart from other sci fi or fantasy series or films of late because the world building manifests not through aliens or folklore but through social relationships, hierarchies, and systems. Cassian Andor, in trying to find information about his long-lost sister, has a run-in with local law enforcement (who are essentially mall cops affiliated with the Empire). In an attempt to cover his tracks, he seeks out a variety of friends and associates, each with their own livelihood, their own secrets, and their own rapport with Cassian. I got Blade Runner vibes, especially from the first episode, in the best way. And not in the same way Obi-Wan Kenobi channeled vibes for one underworld planet, Daiyu. The entire series, regardless of location, feels like it’s channeling that sci fi noir feel. It’s a mood. It’s moody.
Diego Luna, of course, reprises his role as Cassian Andor, a character he originally played in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016). That makes Andor a prequel. Or a prequel to a prequel, since Rogue One itself is a prequel to A New Hope (1977). Andor doesn’t actually feel like a prequel, though — at least so far. It feels like its own new story. The first three episodes seem completely unburdened by connecting the dots to Rogue One, but during Andor I never thought once about the plot of Rogue One or A New Hope. That was refreshing and exciting. Even liberating. It allowed me to get drawn in very quickly.
I now see that Disney/Lucasfilm decided to drop three episodes instead of one because the arc of this thread of episodes works so well. And after constantly shifting the weekly release day and/or the number of episodes in a premiere so many times, with both Star Wars and Marvel shows, it’s nice to finally see them get it right. The crescendo that slowly builds across the three episodes makes for a sensational finish. I would definitely recommend watching them all back to back if you have the time. For some, the pacing may seem slower in the first two episodes, especially if they’ve become accustomed to the six-episode formula Disney+ series have established, more or less. I say slower because the show gets more granular and goes so in-depth with Andor’s relationships with multiple characters. I don’t say slower to imply that nothing happens. So, perhaps, incremental is more the word I’m looking for. Incremental yet kinetic, as the story always keeps moving (just like its titular character).
In terms of what lies ahead, I don’t think we’re going to find Cassian’s sister alive. We also need to find out what happened to Kenari before the flashbacks; what was the mining disaster that some of the mall cops refer to? Why was Cassian’s tribe basically Peanuts meets a more harmonious version of Lord of the Flies, with no adults in sight? And was the jaundice-like disease that took down the shuttle that Cassian investigates related to any of it or just a coincidence? I suspect we should also brace for impact in the weeks ahead.
(This is condensed and edited – with permission – from Jen’s The Long Take review, which you can subscribe to here)
Greig Robertson
What can I say about the first 3 episodes of Andor? At times it had flashes of Blade Runner and Wall-E, and that was just episode 1. This doesn’t feel like the Star Wars we know but at the same time it is world building, and this is something I am so happy to see.
The casting choices for the show are first class, the performances from everyone in the first 3 episodes are incredible. Fiona Shaw, Stellan Skarsgard and Diego Luna all blew me away. B2EMO is such a cool designed droid and Dave Chapman does a great job with the stuttering voice. The score in the show is one of the real stand outs for me, especially the use of drums throughout.
Two things I never expected from Star Wars….space brothels and the use of the word sh*t. Not sure if The Maker would be on board with this, but I like the darker, more adult feel of the show and I think it could bring a new audience who perhaps haven’t been taken with the Wars before.
With so much Star Wars content on the way, we are not going to like everything coming out but there truly is something for everyone. Young Jedi Adventures doesn’t look like my cup of tea but my younger sons will probably love it. Andor ticks a lot of boxes for me and I’m excited to see where the next 9 episodes take us – but I will be keeping the 6 and 8 year old sons away……for now.
Ross Hollebon
Raindrops. Synth beats. Hammers poetically assaulting an anvil. Explosives rocking walls. Scrap metal against scrap metal, in rhythm, across the entire free trade sector of Ferrix. Percussion holds our hands during the first three episodes of Andor as it guides us through tension, flashbacks, desperation, and conflict in nearly every character we meet. There is also discretion, and a critical slip-up in that department by the main character.
It’s something Cassian Andor should have known before he entered the brothel on Morlana One: “Nobody here gives their real name,” or shares important personal information. Talented and dangerous, the burgeoning black market smuggler, and thorn in the side of the Empire, isn’t quite the spy we know in Rogue One yet—he’s learning. But his eagerness to find his sister cost him even before he killed two crooked security guards who shook him down. He told a stranger, who owes him nothing, Kenari is his original home and it sets off reactionary sequences that endanger Cassian’s friends and force him to flee a loved one yet again.
The first three episodes teach us where Cassian came from, how he was estranged from his sister and came into contact with Maarva, and, most importantly, the beginning of his absolute disdain for the Empire. We are swept up in his web of lies and favors to get what he needs in his day-to-day life, especially now as a bulletin from Pre-Mor Security has been blasted out looking for him. There is so much to deconstruct from these three episodes. Other than his complex ties to local friends and acquaintances—and the varied collateral damage they cause—we launch away from Ferrix with a contemplative Cassian entering his newest complicated relationship. His friends below await certain retribution from Pre-Mor, and maybe even the Empire, while the mysterious Luthen Rael enlists the raw talent of Cassian into his more organized world of rebellion against their Imperial rulers—one beat at a time.
Andrew Walker
The Mandalorian, wow! The Book of Boba Fett, meh! Obi-Wan Kenobi, wow, so now it’s time for another meh, right? Well, so far, I’m not honestly sure. While Andor is a prequel to a prequel, is based around a secondary character and doesn’t immediately scream Star Wars, I’m still kind of enjoying it. It doesn’t have as many instantly recognizable nods to our favourite galaxy far, far away but there’s something about it that interests me.
With three episodes seen, I feel it’s a slow burner rather than the instant action of Mando but already has way more interesting side characters than The Book of Boba Fett. There are still nine episodes to go so I hope for a bit more pace than we have had so far, but I’m liking the darker feel of the story with Andor having very few qualms about doing what he sees to be necessary to survive. I also look forward to seeing exactly who Stellan Skarsgård’s buyer is, and how he fits into the rebellion (which I assume he is a part of). We know from the trailers that Mon Mothma will be appearing, and I’ve heard rumours of when (no spoilers) and I really look forward to seeing her character fleshed out more than we have seen in Canon so far.
From what we have seen so far, I like the grey areas that are being explored. Police investigators who just want a quiet life, thieves taking advantage of a downed ship and the people of Ferrix coming together to terrorize the unwanted security forces. More of that please, but also a bit more story.
The casting seems pretty good so far and, while I think she has been great so far, I expect to see Fiona Shaw go and shout at Harry Potter for allowing Karn to make a mess of her house!
Mark Newbold, Mark Mulcaster, Matt Booker, Clair Henry and Samantha Alleyne discuss episodes 1 – 3 on Making Tracks Reaction Chats.
Brian Cameron and Matt Booker discuss episodes 1 – 3 on Good Morning Tatooine.
