It was around my freshman year of high school when me and my dad sat in front of the TV to catch the premier of season one of the new Star Wars show Andor. We were reluctant to say the truth that “Obi-Wan-Kenobi” and “The Book of Boba Fett” were shows that were obviously made on a smaller budget and were only meant to capitalize on fan favorite characters. We just walked away from them saying “Yeah, that was good,” denying the fact that they were just cheap cash grabs only meant to in a content slot on Disney Plus. Then the show that nobody asked for, starring a B tier character from the spin off movie, “Rogue One” released on streaming. My dad and I were blown away by its realistic approach and its commentary on the rise of and fight against fascism. It finally felt like a Star Wars show that was made by actual filmmakers who were not distracted by shoving a nostalgic character down people’s throats every episode. Then we had to wait two and a half years for its second and final season. In the meantime more subpar Star Wars shows were released. Ashoka had its moments, but it brought previously animated characters into a duller live action show that seems like it was only meant to set up the upcoming movie “The Mandalorian and Grogu” which will be the finale to all the Disney Plus shows. “The Acolyte” was a show with over a $180 million budget and yet it felt like watching a fan film with writing so abysmal that I decided to drop out after episode 3. “Skeleton Crew” was fun but it was clearly intended for a younger audience and was another show that nobody asked for. Then – the day after the closing show for “Disaster” – I was feeling beyond exhausted but excited to catch the three episode premiere of the second season of “Andor.” As the credits for the first episode rolled, my dad and I turned to each other, and said “we are so back.”

         This season has a lot to live up to with just how amazing the first season was. The writing was unlike anything that was ever seen before. The show continues to follow Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, fighting for the newly formed rebellion at a time when the empire is at its most oppressive and powerful state. This season of the show is set to take place over the course of multiple chapters, hence why there are three episodes per week instead of one. My Dad and I are really excited about this choice because it essentially means that we’ve got an hour and a half of brilliant TV to look forward to on Tuesday nights.

Star Wars has been known for its somewhat clunky dialogue that is very exposition focused.

                A lot of the Disney Plus shows have fallen victim to this trope with characters constantly explaining lore and fan service and hope any casual viewer will understand. Andor is nothing like that. There is a reason why the official Star Wars YouTube channel has put up the iconic character monologues from the first season online for everyone to see and have had not much from the other shows. It’s because they know that this is what fans truly want now. A show that does not hold your hand and explain everything that is happening so the kids can understand. The senators and politicians actually talk like real senators and politicians. There are insights to how the empire slowly corrupts star systems and how people like Senator Mon Mothma, played by Genevieve O’Reilly, give their whole family to help fund money towards a growing rebellion. A lot of this may sound boring to a Star Wars fan looking for the lightsaber and ship battles, but it is carried by some of the best performances I have ever seen in this franchise. This is the first truly adult Star Wars show and the writing represents this perfectly. The empire has never felt more real or evil than in this show. This is the only Star Wars project where I said “Oh my God, Stormtroopers are here.” Even in the first few episodes of this season, they continue to find new ways to show how messed up the galaxy can be under the emperor’s rule. There are even a few uncomfortable moments in this show that previous shows would not dare to come even close to. A lot of criticism may be said that “This doesn’t feel like Star Wars.” When I hear that, I think that proves the point on how good this series is. Of course if feels different because this is the only project in a galaxy far far away, that the force and the Jedi don’t even get a passing mention. Star Wars can survive only for so long when relying on callbacks to a nearly 50 year old movie. But when it dives deep into engaging stories with amazing commentary and splendid acting, it will always have a future.

            Another thing that has been carried over to this season is the stunning visuals and cinematography. The most recent Star Wars shows had an over-reliant use of “The Volume.” Which is the process of using multiple LED TV screens to fill in a studio background with whatever background they want. This technique was first used in “The Mandalorian” where it was heavily praised for how technologically groundbreaking it was. It was with the Kenobi show where problems started to rise. Many environments looked super flat and obviously not shot on locations. It led to very stilted camera work and very generic looking scenes. Star Wars was always known for its wide variety of visually dazzling locations and it was getting tiring with every show looking like it was always shot on the same sound stage. Andor is a show where genuine love and care had been put into telling this story. The volume is still being used but it is obvious a bigger emphasis was put on the sets and making each location feel different. I was blown away by the revolving camera shots around characters and how natural the lighting felt. The chase scene at the beginning of episode 1 felt straight out of a theatrical release with how amazing it looked. Andor embraces a cold, militaristic vibe which is a style that I will always adore when adopted into Star Wars. I am so glad that you can actually see what is going on in the night time scenes instead of characters talking in pitch black darkness.

              This show is the best Star Wars has to offer in terms of streaming and I cannot wait for the other 9 episodes to come out. Tony Gilroy has clearly cared about this show since Rogue One released in theaters and I am so glad adults can continue to enjoy a Star Wars show more suited for them. It’s dark, complex, and takes a lot of risks, which is everything this franchise needs. So overall, definitely watch this over “Rebel Moon.”