Andor has been recognized as one of, if not the, best Star Wars productions. The reasons for these accolades are numerous, and many stem from familiar categories, such as writing, story, and character development. Yet, Andor also offers something beyond those areas that makes it stand out from the rest of the franchise.
Table of Contents
1. The Writing
Like any successful series or movie, writing is the foundation of Andor. We may appreciate this show for many reasons, but the writing stands out the most. Like the series, the writing aims for realism, emotion, and empathy.
This recent article places the writing as the number one reason why Andor is “the perfect Star Wars show.” We can easily see why, given Andor’s strong dialogue alone, but the series also “has no bad episodes” and agilely “weaves the story through multiple years.” Luthen Rael’s monologue in Episode 10 of Season 1 immediately comes to mind for both incredible dialogue and moving the story along.
Several fans in this discussion emphasize the writing, with one calling Andor “an extremely well written show that happens to have Star Wars as a universe.” The writing, and other aspects, are not meant to convey a “Star Wars” feel first, but instead an alluring story and deep characters. Because of its originality, Andor is “upper echelon entertainment, regardless of genre or franchise.”
2. The Stories
Complexity, excitement, drama, mystery, and angst are a few of the words we could use to describe the stories in Andor. We use the plural because multiple lives intersect in the series alongside the overall arc of trying to counteract the will of the Empire.
This video supports the idea that Andor “isn’t just the best Star Wars show”, but also “one of the best Star Wars stories of all time.” In comparison, the stories in Ahsoka and Book of Boba Fett appeared to have something “missing”, namely a theme. In the case of Andor, a major theme was “sacrifice” where throughout the story, all the “heroes” had to “sacrifice something for someone they cared about” in their struggle to defeat the Empire.
We may think of Luthen and Kleya’s sacrifices along with Bix’s leaving Cassian as top sacrifices. But the list goes on with characters like Mon Mothma giving up family and career and Cassian abandoning his independence and potential life with Bix for the greater cause. The struggle to make these sacrifices provides an underlying theme that links the separate character stories.
3. The Characters
Depth and complexity define Andor’s characters. That was reflected from beginning to end, including Luthen’s arc. We may also have not expected to get “so emotional” about his death.
Character development is a major reason why this article calls Andor “the best ‘Star Wars’ TV show of all time.” We may agree that “every character” “wins the audience over, especially Dedra.” That we empathize with this Imperial stalwart is surprising and refreshing. Who would’ve thought that we would feel for the demise of Dedra, left sitting in her prison cell in the final episode?
The character of Dedra alone could spin off into another world. This video highlights the pivot point of her downfall when she went to confront Luthen on her own. She also unwittingly undermined the entire Death Star project by consolidating all the secret information. Yet, we feel for her, even though she was trying to stop the Rebellion.
We could say the same for Syril, an Imperial hardliner who came to see the error of his ways by the end of the show only to meet his end. Syril became an “unforgettable character” with a unique story that originated and stopped as an unknown entity within the Imperial web.
4. It’s Like Empire Strikes Back
Arguably the best film of the franchise, Empire Strikes Back captivated audiences for showing what would really happen against the Imperials. The Rebels are losing and in disarray but still with hope. As with #2 above, Empire showcased sacrifice at “a great personal cost” and how sometimes “the bad guy wins.”
Andor follows this lead and shows that it’s incredibly difficult to carry out a rebellion. This is one of the aspects that made the series depart from prequels and veer toward the second original movie.
5. Maturity
Andor was intentionally geared toward older audiences and adult themes like loss, love, and tragedy. The show provided a maturity level that was indeed “dark for Disney” and felt at times like Blade Runner in the early episodes.
While Skeleton Crew veered in the traditional way toward younger viewers, Andor aimed to bring in a wider audience, perhaps not even Star Wars fans, but those interested in intrigue, realism, and an alluring plot.
6. Heartfelt Performances
Previous articles about the first season emphasized the “elite Star Wars cast” and their standout performances. Across the two seasons, Diego Luna delivered “stellar” performances as Cassian, Stellan Skarsgard may be the “MVP of the cast”, and Denise Gough led the entry into the Empire.
The list of heartfelt performances runs across the actors, including Kyle Soller as Syril and Elizabeth Dulau in her first role as Kleya. We could go on, but you get the idea.
7. The Empire Exposed
Andor exposed the inner workings of the Empire. From ISB meetings to major events like the Ghorman Massacre, we got a more nuanced and up-close view of what the fall of the Republic really meant.
The Empire in this series is “quiet, omnipresent, and insidious”, an all-encompassing machinery that showcases its brutality. Yet, by the end of Season 2, it is also slightly vulnerable and disorganized. It’s a human-led Empire after all.
8. Attention to Detail
Not to neglect the details, the show gave great attention to them instead. As commentary here attests to, attention to detail went into areas like visual effects and wardrobe, as well as the writing.
To provide that realistic edge, the visual emphasis and set arrangements went “beyond refreshing.” Yet, it was the “little details”, such as the wall of gloves on Ferrix, that reflect angles like community and add up to complete the show.
9. Andor’s Contributions to Star Wars
For this point, we mean the way that Andor fits into Star Wars, instead of distinguishing itself from the franchise. As this listicle aptly describes, this series is “distinctly Star Wars, but not in an overpowering way.” In its subtle way, Andor is still about “the mega-plot of the Rebellion” and the building of the Death, directly leading to both Rogue One and A New Hope.
10. Gilroy’s Creativity
Last but not least, we can recognize show creator Tony Gilroy for his creative delivery. He may have been “incongruously” placed behind Andor, but he commented that the series is “the best thing I’ve ever done.”
His creative energies provided the backbone of the show. By Season 2, Gilroy guided it toward revealing “the journeys of Cassian, his Ferrixian friends, and the host of allies and enemies they’ve met along the way,” and more.