Andor [Disney+]

Mr.Nice Guy

I liked the latest episode. The prison scenes were interesting and it's nice to to see more of Bix.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119798166#Comment_119798166

Next few episodes could be a tough watch. That prison is a pretty horrific place to live mentally and that hotel on the planet has awful South American junta vibes about it.

pixelburp

Watched Episode 6 and phew, what a rush. All that build up, all those pieces put together and the execution was just as tense and exciting as you might hope. Surprisingly unsentimental too: the casualties happening without fanfare or a lingering camera on a tragic loss - bar the one at the very end, when the first little seeds are (perhaps) planted about Andor stepping up and caring about a Rebellion. I do love a good heist sequence; there's just something so inherently cinematic about that whole concept - and when executed well are some of the more arresting set-pieces on TV & Film.

Oh and another first for Star Wars: its first heart-attack! The Base's administrator just collapsing from the stress and exertion of it all was quite a moment. I almost felt sorry for him and his family - even if he was a very low-grade of evil. Which again, speaks to the brilliance of this show. Evil isn't always operatic or melodramatic, full of snarling villains we can easily boo. It's cunning and manipulative in a very mundane way; the Empire shunting native populations to camps, then getting them drunk & distracted so they don't waste time with their customs or rituals. It's fiendish, and believable.

Loved the four armed doctor. That's be super helpful for a surgeon! And the FX were subtle but really worked; I was never distracted by the FX - in fact I was wondering if this was a practical effect or CGI, or some mix. All 4 arms seemed reall. It did also remind that across the whole series so far, we've seen precious few Aliens. It has been a very human-centric series.

Oh and my favourite little detail was a tiny visual moment at the end, during Mon Mothma's interrupted speech. Did anyone else notice how empty the Senate looked? the prequels had this giant hall of debate and noise; thousands of species all working in harmony. Here, Mothma gave her impassioned speech to rows of empty benches - a really simple but effective way to demonstrate how Democracy was dying in this world. Slowly, subtly, the wheels of normalcy disappearing. You can see why and how by A New Hope the Senate was finally dissolved.

johnny_ultimate

Loved episode eight. It's great to see a show reinvent itself every few episodes with clear, interesting new story arcs. But the design of the prison itself was what really impressed me. You have this curious mix of slick, bright design and absolutely torturous, oppressive technology keeping the prisoners in line. It's an elegantly-realized example of hostile design - all its shiny walls masking the sinister nature of its operations. And the filmmaking lived up to it too - especially in those hurried, stressful sequences of the prisoners at work, where even the jittery editing choices underline how they're always just one slip away from punishment.

It's the first time in any of these shows that it feels like we're getting a proper expansion and deeper understanding of the depths and subtleties of how this galaxy works and how its people live.

Tony EH

Spoiler Warning

Loved the way Saw Gerrera was just appears in this episode. When the camera panned by TwoTubes, the thought they might include him immediately popped into my head and we end up with a great cameo which was not only fan service done correctly, but also served to expand our understanding of the various infighting spats that the Rebellion submit themselves to.

The despair of the prison life that Andor now finds himself subject to, as well, was a great insight into how life under an increasingly heavy Imperial heel feels like to ordinary folk, criminal or not. Also made me wonder how many people who were fighting for the Rebellion against the Empire were former criminals, some of whom would have engaged in some very serious crimes?

breezy1985

Did anyone catch the list of "rebels" Sol called out.

I think I heard : New Republicans, Separatists, partitionists, human supremacists and he himself seems to be an anarchist.

gmisk

Episode 8 was another excellent one imo. The scope and scale of this show is terrific, it really does look fantastic.

This episode moved things along really well can't wait for the rest of the season.

I am really enjoying the politicing scenes with Mon Mothma...still not trusting that mate of hers... gossiping about palpatine ha.

One great thing is you feel like everyone (bar Cassian) is at some kind of risk/jeopardy.

The dread when Andor was looking around in the workshop and when lining up! The cells and that whole facility is really well done, the hot floors eek.

Spoiler Warning

I always felt like the Niamh Algar story would link into the Syril character. I like how they didn't go for the obvious bring him into the team storyline. Algar (sorry Gough) really is top notch in this like she is in everything fecking nasty piece of work and she plays it brilliantly.

Nice to see Andy Serkis popping up as well as Forest Whitaker (wasn't this character in Rogue one?!?)

More Fiona Shaw as well, yes please! I worried we might not see much of her again or indeed Ferrix.

ohnonotgmail

Loved episode 8. The music in particular is fantastic. Very gritty and unsettling. Nice to see actors you know as well. In particular the guy who played Jez in gimme gimme gimme. Plus the old guy on andors table that I have seen in a lot of stuff

Fiona Shaw checking on tunnels...

Spoiler Warning

Definitely going to be mounting a rescue for one last hurrah

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119801905#Comment_119801905

 Algar really is top notch

Denise Gough you mean. So many Irish actresses in this it's easy to get mixed up...

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119801905#Comment_119801905

I don't know I think Andor might die and come back as a clone or have robo legs like Maul 🤣

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119802091#Comment_119802091

Ah Jeepers your right lol that's the one!

thegreengoblin

I really enjoyed the big callback in this week's episode to Lucas's dystopian THX 1138 film. I had only rewatched it fairly recently, so it hit me straight away. There has been a nice retro vibe to many of the scenes in Andor, especially with the excellent electronic music that has been used, so this was a nice nod to that.

I thought there was real feeling of hopelessness in that prison. The sense of time just ticking over day by day, task by task, was well captured. Nice to see Andy Serkis back in Star Wars.

Andor is a special show, I'm so glad it got made.

Sudden Valley

The quality of actors playing minor characters in this show is very good, reminds me of game of Thrones, really fleshes out the world. Serkis was very good in the episode.

delly

I was looking at one of the reaction videos on YouTube and one of the guys named at the prison table was also a character in Rogue One. Good to get hardcore fan insight now and then.

TheIrishGrover

Yeah, another great episode. Luna did great work with minimal dialogue. Watching the look on his face from confusion to calculation (As he watches the disorganisation as he is lead to the workfloor) to the despair as he looks at his life now... When queuing in the tunnel and seeing one of the others repeating their moves. Then you saw someone in another tunnel doing the same and you thought "Oh, are they signalling to eachother?" Then thinking "No, they are just literally going through the motions"

Knew Forest Whitaker was coming up as I think it was teased in some trailer (And makes sense). Then BAM! Andy Serkis.

Then back to Fiona Shaw and his friends and the awesomedroid "She has b b bad knees" Just such a simpe line and for some reason still great.

Then to security guard. Pathetic little man with his (No doubt "tailored") extra-wide tie thing. (Loved the retro monitors he was using at his job)

It does seem a bit convenient that his face has not turned up on the Empire database. Even if he is under a different name and world. But that's only a matter of time and I suppose, apart from the security guard, he wasn't really on the Empire's radar.

They keep bringing in Mom Mothra's daughter when she is with her friend. I presume the daughter will inadvertently throw a bit of a spanner in the works by assuming they are having an affair and kicking over a bit of a hornet's nest.

Acosta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119801910#Comment_119801910

Yeah, the music is class.

There's nothing about this that doesn't impress me. The characters, acting, writing, sets, camera work, story..all top notch.

thegreengoblin

Great interview with director Toby Haynes. What he says just echoes everything we're all talking about in here. It's all so refreshing.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/andor-episode-8-toby-haynes-forest-whitaker-stellan-skarsgard-1235250954/

AMKC

Just watched cpusode 8 there now and episode 7 this morning and zi must say they were two brilliant episodes after the disappointnent that was episode 6.

I had almost gave up on it but decided to give it one more go and am glad I did

Anyone any idea what the prisoners on Nimius 5 are making.

I can not wait to see how Andor gets out of this. Its going to have to be very inventive and skilled. Jeez you would be a robot after doing that for 6 years. The Empire would probably make them stormtroopers then is it no wonder stormtroopers aims are so crap lol and that they can not think for themselves must of them anyway.

Slydice

It's for the empire. I was more like.. I wonder what weapons these are parts for 😁

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119809174#Comment_119809174

Think this one bit "make a show that isn’t hyperaware that it’s Star Wars" sums it up, let's just make a good show, with a good story and screw throwbacks and easter eggs!

TheValeyard

Prison episode was great.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119810740#Comment_119810740

Easter eggs used to be fun very background stuff but went way overboard and a ton of different shows developed "small world" problems where everyone was related to or a call back to someone.

For what purpose was C3PO built by Anakin or Burnham a Sarek

pixelburp

Bit salty but saw this in passing. It's not wrong, even if I appreciate Filoni's work.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119811056#Comment_119811056

I does seem a bit desperate to cram as much of the cartoon stuff into Mando as possible.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119811056#Comment_119811056

It's bang on really.

Filoni has always been a bit of a chancer AFAIC. I've never bought into his status as the next "star wars big guy". He should just stick to the cartoons and let others do the live action stuff. That way his input is limited to the kids content.

TheIrishGrover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119805965#Comment_119805965

Yeah, that discordant music was really uncomfortable - Sounded like it was out of tune/speed. Very unnerving.

I don't have a problem in general with cameos as long as they make sense: Luke/Asoka in The Mandalorian make sense: Grogu is Force aware so it makes sense that Luke would know and seek him out. But entwining SO MANY makes the universe smaller rather than bigger. As I said before, there is a place for both - Andor's (slightly) more distant and (slightly) more "grounded" aesthetic and Filoni's cameo/spin-off riddled aesthetic. There is room for both.... BUT I know which I prefer and season 3 of The Mandalorian really REALLY has its work cut out for it. It shouldn't necessarily turn into "The Andor-lorian". I mean it probably has a younger demographic but it (IMHO) needs to be less episodic that the first couple of seasons (Especially S1)

Glebee

Another great episode, really loving this show. Hopefully future star wars follow suit and try to match this.

Yeah that prison episode was really very good.

johnny_ultimate

I’ll be a bit bummed out when the prison arc ends because it has been an already excellent show at its very best IMO. It has given the writers and Toby Haynes they space to really expand on the show’s central ideas, in particular how people live, interact and resist in the face of authoritarian rule. The filmmaking is really bloody good in those prison sequences - twitchy, nervous and tense.

Two brilliant episodes in a row. Also love how they’re handling Syril Karn’s character - how they show him as this snivelling little imperial bootlicker, even going as far as introducing a creepy sexual / humiliation fetish element to his new-found obsession with Meero.

Major Partagaz: "Dedra, I'm getting increasing numbers of reports from across many sectors that our Stormtrooper combat firing accuracy isn't exactly what we'd call up to snuff. When we get this nasty Axis business put to bed, maybe you'd like to try your hand there to see if we can't make some improvements, eh?"

Whole different set of films.

delly

That ending of episode 9, such a jaw dropper, so many cogs turning.

Slydice

9: Ooof. This episode threw me out of the immersion a bit. It regained the feel of itself by the end but I think it could've been done better.

Spoiler Warning

That headset torture device.. what a dud looking contraption. Every single scene showing it could probably be cut and the episode would be better for it.

The Coruscant and Mon Motha scenes leaned back towards the feeling of the rest of the season so far and the Prison and the performance from Serkis really pulled out the recovery.

The simple solution I think would easily just be not to show the device. Leave it to the imagination. Dr Gorst would have been enough of a threat with the before and after scenes. It was even there on the display with the meeting with the head of the ISB. He didn't say "UNLEASH THE HEADPHONES!!!".. no.. instead it was Dr Gorst by name.

Bar that mis-step, the story continues fine. At this point, I'm thinking..

Spoiler Warning

the close of the season is going to be aiming at either a big gathering.. or a big bunch of separate gatherings of Rebel groups in a way that lends the idea that these will be the ones who become the core of the Rebels.

These prisoners could easily be one of the groups.

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119826818#Comment_119826818

We already know that one of the prisoners end up on Scariff.

Mother f*&ker with your 6 minutes of credits, at the end. I thought there was loads more and they leave me hanging like that!!!

ollkiller

Episode 9 was brilliant. Loved and I mean loved the ending when Serkis finally answers the question. This show is fantastic.

Sudden Valley

The prison scenes were very good- but it is a bit jarring how noticeable its a very adult show (as in well written) shot like a 1940s movie- no blood in killings, mental rather than physical torture scene, no romance scenes. no cursing, homosexuality hinted at but never explicitly. This show will not be interesting to kids so I wish star wars would take some risks.

TheIrishGrover

Another good episode. Maybe not up there with the highlights of the season but still a solid episode.

I actually had no problem with

Spoiler Warning

the torture headset

I thought the doctor's monologue was sufficiently creepy :)

I tell ya, yer man's mother (Karn, it is?) His mother's head is going to be on a stick by the end of the season. But even that is well portrayed: His interest (obsession/"love") for Dedra. Even though (BECAUSE) she treats him like dirt.

I love all the scenes in the Empire Boardroom. the casual, official, almost bored way they go about their business is mundane-ruthless. I'm reminded of that terrible "Street fighter" movie. As terrible as it was, it had an amazing burn from M-Bison (The baddie) to Chun-Li (The goodie): For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important day of your life. But for me, it was Tuesday.

In the prison, did I mishear/misunderstand:

Spoiler Warning

It sounded like the doc said that someone from one other group accidentally was sent back to a group that knew him or something? As if, when people were "released" they were simply being rotated to another group? I may have misunderstood and haven't had a chance to re-watch yet)

I did love the last couple of lines.

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119827821#Comment_119827821

Somebody was "released" but was just moved to a different floor. Somebody copped this so they killed the whole floor. Nobody is being released. Hence the change in attitude from Andy Serkis.

TheIrishGrover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119827837#Comment_119827837

Yeah, that's what I gathered (May want to edit that to Spoiler it)

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119827711#Comment_119827711

I don't want it to go anywhere near romance and mental torture can be far more scary and disturbing than physical.

I'm also pretty sure child me would have loved this show. Child me loved Robocop and Terminator which were way more violent.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119827837#Comment_119827837

Ya either "released" prisoners were going to a different prison or being killed. And one accidentally went back in.

johnny_ultimate

The Serkis stuff was so good this week. You could see him constantly wavering under Andor’s badgering but always pulling back, until that final reveal pushed him over the edge. A great performance matched with great writing, leading to a very well-earned character moment and dramatic cliffhanger. It’s especially impressive given last week there was no reason to believe the character was much more than an Imperial bootlicker (plenty of them in this here show).

thegreengoblin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119811506#Comment_119811506

He definitely lucked out because he worked on the Clone Wars cartoon. I'd love to hear what he thinks of Andor, I wonder does he think it's gone 'too far' !

Slightly off topic here, but I've been kind of feeling a bit sorry for him since that Tales of the Jedi cartoon series was released last week. Apparently he retconned a gay character, and is therefore homophobic so is now facing the wrath of a certain corner of Star Wars fandom. Jeez, whatever happened to just liking a show for its entertainment value.

Sudden Valley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119828103#Comment_119828103

I dont think this show has been that popular with many people saying the story is too slow. If its too slow for adults, it would definitely seem slow to children. Like the last episode was very sparse in terms of action, even though it was a good episode.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119828220#Comment_119828220

You are not giving children enough credit I reckon. There are ones who will love it and others bored the same as adults.

Honestly I never understood this constant obsession with "pacing". I think a show is either good or bad and if it's good i don't care how long it takes to get from A to B to C.

Sudden Valley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119828310#Comment_119828310

Pacing, especially in netflix shows where they extend light storylines to too many episodes really bugs me. It is crime Andor is being watched less than even Bobba fett, but i guess it was built around a character with not a lot of name recognition.

johnny_ultimate

It’s a shame that streaming services are so secretive about viewer counts, because we can only really work on anecdotal evidence.

I will say this has been very warmly received among the cinephile circles I follow online, but a other people I’ve spoken to in real life barely know it exists. I’ve also spoken to people who are really burnt out on the series after Boba Fett and Obi-Wan and have no interest in any other Star Wars show (very fair!). TBH, I nearly skipped it myself until a few reviewers and people I usually trust gave it ecstatic reviews - glad I listened to them!

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119828379#Comment_119828379

Do we actually have viewing figures to support that ?

My only gauge for these things are here and one other forum and practically everyone loves it. I doesn't seem to be moving beyond its own niche market but that's fine for most sci-fi.

Sudden Valley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119828419#Comment_119828419

Its a tv series that lacks quintessential star wars elements like jedis/siths, aliens, major characters from the first three star wars movies (films 4-6).

There are nielsen viewership figures for Andor out there so perhaps Disney is somewhat less secretive on viewership than say Netflix. It is clear, as even Disnety have admitted it that Andor is less popular than their other three star wars shows.