Andor – Season One [2022] on Disney Plus

The first season of Andor is the best season of Star Wars television I’ve ever seen. No comments. Take notes Disney.

Starring Diego Luna, Denise Gough, Stellan Skarsgård and others, the show explores what happens with regular folks when fascism and dictatorships rule. Sounds familiar?

Creator Tony Gilroy achieved the impossible here. A great show, in the Star Wars universe, that has nothing to do with “the force” or “Jedi” or anything that would drag us down. It’s pure action, politics, and human connection. That’s where the real drama is. The boots on the ground espionage setting the stage. And if ROGUE ONE whet that appetite, ANDOR gives it room to breathe. The people, no matter their origins, will rise.

In fact, there is more character, wit, nuance, and life in a single episode of Andor than in any previous Star Wars series to date. It’s a triumph that displays what a crew of smart filmmakers can do with the franchise when they’re not burdened by legacy.

What Andor does well, it does really well. And it does a lot of things. Yes, the whole show is a prequel to Rogue One, but it doesn’t feel like a one to be honest. The show’s intense focus on character is both exhilarating and rewarding. We get to connect with the characters. Feel their pain and their struggle. We get to sheer for them as they revolt against the empire.

That’s more than I could have said watching any other Star Wars series, or most of the movies since the prequels.

Can’t wait to watch season two! And I sorry for being late to the party.

Should you watch it?

Duh! You don’t have to be a Star Wars fan to like this one. It’s a political action thriller that happens to be set in the Star Wars universe. Not the other way around. Thankfully.

Where can I watch it?

You can stream Andor exclusively on Disney Plus.