Andor Was A Masterpiece That Proved How Great Star Wars Shows Can Be If Done Right

Neil Mockford. Getty Images.

I know that when Star Wars is usually mentioned around these parts these days, it's because some project flopped or got delayed. Which is why Andor being the definition of prestige TV was so awesome. It proved that, as a wise man once said, there is still some good in him the franchise. Mando has been really good from the jump but the rest of the Star Wars TV shows we'll say were…uneven at best.

Andor however was everything we could've wanted in a Star Wars show along with stuff we didn't even know we wanted. It turns out you don't need lightsabers and space wizards to make good Star Wars content. You just need a good story and great actors playing complex characters that resonate even if they are never seen or mentioned in any other Star Wars property. We also got unique planets that made the galaxy far, far away actually feel like a galaxy instead of a parade of desert planets, a bunch of different arcs that always made the story feel fresh, and hardcore political drama that had you on the edge of your seat instead of feeling like you were watching CSPAN. You know a Disney show is good when it focuses on political issues and there isn't a gaggle of people yelling "WOKE!!!" every week. Then again, it's really hard to criticize a show when they are putting up historical numbers like this when things are all said and done.

So as my illustrious pal Robbie Fox once said, Andor creator Tony Gilroy has the motherfucking sauce. What that guy was able to create in this show and Rogue One out of a few sentences from the opening scroll in A New Hope is nothing short of legendary. Luthen is a Top 10 Star Wars character for me and his speech from Season 1 may be on the Mount Rushmore for not only Star Wars speeches but speeches from TV shows.

Season 2 reminded me of how much I love K2-SO and had me stoked to rewatch Rogue One, which was already great but got even better after watching Andor. I don't know what any of this actually means for the future of Star Wars and Gilroy already said he's not looking to continue making stories for this galaxy. But damn it gives me hope for the future of the franchise, which we all know is the most important thing to have when things look bleak.

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For muchhhh more on Andor, check out this week's My Mom's Basement wherever you get your podcasts because Bob Fox and I nerded the hell out for about an hour straight on everything we loved about Season 2 as well as the entire series.