The Wild Reed: The Revolution Will Be Televised

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

The Revolution Will Be Televised

Thoughts on the Star Wars TV series Andor

Okay, so let me just say from the get-go that I’m not – and never have been – much of a Star Wars fan.

That being said, I was impressed by the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which serves as an immediate prequel to Star Wars: A New Hope (1977). As such, Rogue One even goes so far as to include digital recreations of Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin and Carrie Fisher as a young Princess Leia Organa (left). The new TV series Andor is a prequel to Rogue One – a prequel to a prequel, in other words!

The series stars Diego Luna, reprising his role as Cassian Andor in Rogue One (right). Like Rogue One, Andor has a much more grittier look and feel – and far more complex characters – than any other movie or series in the Star Wars franchise. This definitely goes a long way in accounting for my interest in, and appreciation of, both Rogue One and Andor.

I also appreciate the show’s contemporary political resonance. In a recent interview, Andor actress Fiona Shaw highlights this when she notes that the show’s writer Tony Gilroy has written “a great, scurrilous [take] on the Trumpian world.”

Shaw goes on to say: “Our world is exploding in different places right now, people’s rights are disappearing, and Andor reflects that. [In the show] the Empire is taking over, and it feels like the same thing is happening in reality, too. . . . I was impressed by Tony’s social-realist intentions. He’s created a whole new morality. It’s very deep and humane – there is grief, mourning, hope, fear. It’s not just primary colours here.”

Following are excerpts from a number of recent reviews of Andor.

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Andor might be the best Star Wars show on Disney Plus to date. It’s a pulsating, morally complex entry that carves out its own place in the iconic sci-fi franchise; one that reacquaints audiences with the gripping espionage thriller tonality of Rogue One. It’s a bit light in the action and humor departments early on, but there’s so much more to enjoy from this terrifically captivating show that those problems become easy to overlook once it gets going.

– Tom Power
Excerpted from “A Blood-Pumping Spy Thriller That Might Be
the Best Star Wars Show Yet: Andor Review”
TechRadar.com
September 20, 2022

As with Rogue One, the new Andor series chooses to wallow in the ground-level existence of freedom fighters pushing back against the grotesque excess of the Empire. We witness outmatched citizens staring up at skies that are completely clogged with Star Destroyers, and the beginnings of the effort of a child thief to infiltrate the Empire and possibly take them down from within.

The “Trojan Horse” aspect to Andor is a new one to explore, as [in the trailer] we see shots of Diego Luna [as Cassian Andor] in military garb, knowing full well that he is siding with the rebellion, and plans to take the Empire down through its own systems. But as with the recent Obi-Wan Kenobi series, and even The Mandalorian, the joy of Andor appears to be the new characters that we are meeting in the Star Wars universe, including a mysterious figure named Luthen, who is played by the always magnificent Stellan Skarsgård.

– Sean O’Connell
Excerpted from “Full Andor Trailer Expands On the
Star Wars: Rogue One Universe . . . and Looks Incredible”
Cinema Blend
August 1, 2022

Andor is, both by design and circumstance, immediately different from its Star Wars television predecessors. Where The Mandalorian, Boba Fett, and Obi-Wan Kenobi wove their biggest reveals into the larger fabric of the Lucasfilm universe, Andor doesn’t rush toward those moments that might make fans gasp out of pure recognition. Instead, it does something more surprising still: it tells the story of people who have nothing to do with Solos, Skywalkers or Palpatines, but whose lives matter nonetheless.

Of course, at least part of the reason the series can take its time this way is because haunted hustler Cassian Andor (Diego Luna, also an executive producer) isn’t a brand-new character at all. As the reluctant hero of 2016’s Rogue One, which portrayed the rebel pilot mission to steal the Death Star plans which drive A New Hope, Cassian’s Star Wars legacy is already written.

We already know Cassian’s life will eventually intersect with someone like rebel leader Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly [left], returning for more in-depth work in Andor). We already know his fate – dramatic and hopeful and unforgettable in those final minutes of Rogue One – and that it’s well and truly sealed.

So, sure: on the surface of it, it’s exhausting to realize that Andor – created by Rogue One co-writer Tony Gilroy – is a prequel to a prequel. But being able to step more outside the one Star Wars path every other series has had to at least visit gives Andor some unexpected freedom to create a world all its own.

– Caroline Framke
Excerpted from “Andor Marks a Huge, and Hugely Welcome, Departure
From Disney+’s Typical Star Wars Model”
Variety
September 20, 2022

From the outset, it’s clear Andor isn’t your traditional Star Wars TV show. Paralleling Rogue One, Andor is tonally different from what viewers have seen from Lucasfilm. It’s more grounded and rugged; a street-level-style series that feels suitably apt for the emergence of an underground resistance, but one that quickly bears the hallmarks of an operatic cosmic adventure.

. . . Andor doesn’t wait to establish every character and story thread before it ramps up the tension and delivers absorbing action. . . . The show’s first 10 minutes are proof of this – Cassian Andor verbally sparring, and physically engaging, with two Empire goons in what winds up being a pretty dark entry point to a grown up-positioned Star Wars story. If that makes Andor sound aggressively un-family friendly, it isn’t. It’s just that this series feels more mature than previous live-action and animated Star Wars projects, such as The Bad Batch or all three film trilogies.

Episode one’s opening sequence aside, Andor is a bit light in the action department. That’s a pity because, when things really kick off in episode 3, Andor’s combat sequences are explosive, nerve-jangling, and will have you on the edge of their seats. It’s a lengthy shootout that turns into a vehicular-laced set-piece filled with suspense and thrills, and gives an enthralling insight into how frenetic and fraught Andor’s action set-pieces may be in future episodes.

. . . Andor offsets its lack of action sequences with fascinating verbal conflicts between its morally gray characters. There’s the occasional interaction between Empire employees and the masses it tyrannically rules over that make for riveting viewing. However, it’s the disputes among individuals on the same side of the fight that are truly captivating – incidents that wonderfully exhibit the level of mistrust that exists between characters and communities, particularly those with a common cause.

From the strained relationship that exists between Luthen and key Rebellion member Mon Mothma to the charged atmospheres on display in different divisions of the Empire, Andor is packed with drama. The show juggles its various character associations with aplomb, giving its major players plenty of screen time so audiences can invest in their respective arcs and character development. Thanks to the murky area that many operate in, and the vulnerabilities they display, Andor makes it easy for viewers to sympathize with and relate to its colorful cast.

– Tom Power
Excerpted from “A Blood-pumping Spy Thriller That Might Be
the Best Star Wars Show Yet: Andor Review”
TechRadar.com
September 20, 2022

The show announces its intentions to be capital “d” Different from its opening minutes, which see Cassian looking for his long-lost sister in an alien brothel. . . . As in Rogue One, Luna’s Cassian makes for a suitably charismatic and handsome leading Star Wars man, but quickly proves willing to risk everything in a much more literal way than most.

This particular trait of his irritates his mechanic ex, Bix (Adria Arjona), worries his adoptive mother, Maarva (the always welcome Fiona Shaw [right]), and straight up infuriates Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), an uptight Empire cop who values order above all. And yes: this being Star Wars, there is of course a mysterious newcomer (the ever enigmatic Stellan Skarsgaard) and an adorable droid whose loyalty and stutter won me over within seconds (especially as voiced by veteran droid voice actor Dave Chapman).

There is, of course, every chance that Andor will become as much a part of the Star Wars movies as its other Disney+ TV counterparts deeper into its 12-episode season. What should still set it apart even then, hopefully, are how Tony Gilroy’s clever scripts and Toby Haynes’ assured directing come together to build senses of place, character, and social order like few other recent (live action) Star Wars iterations. The show’s not in much of a hurry (the first three episodes dropping together really are of a piece), and that might lose it some shorter attention spans. Those who stick around, though, will be rewarded for their patience. Through flashbacks to Cassian’s childhood on the far-flung planet of Kenari, we learn about one of the thousands of civilizations of “dark-eyed” people that fighter pilots speed over on their way to glory. Between Luke Hull’s intricate production design, Nicholas Britell’s swelling score, Michael Wilkinson’s costume design and Emma Scott’s hair and makeup, every world Cassian visits feels far more tangible and lived-in than most Star Wars sets, which otherwise tend to evoke future Disneyworld rides.

In this slice of life before the Rebellion burst from spark to flame, Andor lays the groundwork for the uprising to come. In following the likes of Cassian, Bix, Syril and all the middle management lackeys who keep the Empire running and the citizens emboldened enough to stand up to them, the show ditches lore in favor of following seemingly ordinary people in their boldest hours.

– Caroline Framke
Excerpted from “Andor Marks a Huge, and Hugely Welcome, Departure
From Disney+’s Typical Star Wars Model”
Variety
September 20, 2022

It’s great to see Diego Luna reprise his role as Cassian Andor, albeit as a younger, instinctive, and more brooding version of who we see in Rogue One. The series’ early episodes humanize him in a way that Rogue One couldn’t due to time constraints, showcasing him as a damaged but dangerous individual who’s drifting through life. That said, he’s also a devilish charmer in a manner reminiscent of Han Solo, Star Wars’ most famous scoundrel, which adds an entertaining dimension to Cassian’s persona.

Of equal intrigue are the parallels between Cassian and Syril Karn [above]. Despite the juxtaposition between them – they’re fighting for different sides – the two are strikingly similar. Both are out of their depth at the series’ beginning; naive individuals who think they know how the universe works but soon find themselves catapulted into the eye of the storm. It’s a shared affinity that makes for intriguing viewing, even if they don’t share much screen time in early episodes. It’ll be engrossing to see whether their respective arcs make them more analogous or not as the series progresses.

– Tom Power
Excerpted from “A Blood-pumping Spy Thriller That Might Be
the Best Star Wars Show Yet: Andor Review”
TechRadar.com
September 20, 2022

“Wouldn’t you rather give it all at once, for something real?” Luthen asked Cassian Andor in a conversation that feels like it happened a lifetime ago. Once desperate to cut and run, Cassian’s time embedded with the rebel cell on [the planet] Aldhani has changed him – and the show – for the better. Halfway through Andor season one, Cassian has finally found a purpose that fits him; a cause to believe in. But no good deed goes unpunished, and Andor’s shining moment of its hero’s self-realization comes at a heavy, heartbreaking price that reminds us war has very few winners.

As promised, “The Eye” [episode six of Andor] gives us a spectacle on a level heretofore unseen in this particular corner of the galaxy. First and foremost: does it count as a Star Wars bottle episode if the whole thing takes place on one planet? Everything, up until the final two minutes of the episode, goes down on Aldhani, starting with another spirited sparring session between Cassian and the “true” rebels. He’s had enough of being dismissed as a mercenary waiting to put his feet up and forget the world when the mission’s done. His rage against the Empire, which has lingered at the margins of his character for so long, has finally found its center.

– Tom Philip
Excerpted from “A Tense, Stunning Andor
Takes Us to the Fireworks Factory”
AV Club
October 12, 2022

[Andor’s sixth episode] “The Eye” is a spectacular piece of television and an amazing piece of Star Wars.

The culmination of writer Dan Gilroy and director Susanna White’s three-episode arc, “The Eye” is a masterclass in escalating tension. It is a tightly constructed suspense machine, one that delivers payoffs both nerve-shredding and effortless. It is a reminder of what Star Wars can do and the product of a creative team working at the peak of their creative power. There is tremendous craft on display, particularly Luke Hull’s production design, John Gilroy’s editing, and Frank Lamm’s cinematography.

In particular, it is worth singling out the score from Nicholas Britell. Britell seems an unusual fit for Star Wars. He is best known on television for his Emmy award-winning work on Succession and in film for his Oscar-nominated collaborations with Barry Jenkins on Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk. Britell seems as unconventional a choice for a Star Wars streaming series as showrunner Tony Gilroy himself. This is probably part of why his work on Andor feels so revelatory.

Britell finds a way to score Star Wars that fits the material without feeling completely beholden to the work of John Williams. Britell’s work on Andor is striking, particularly in “The Eye.” As the daring raid progresses, Britell’s score keeps pace. It continues to heighten, becoming the beating heart of this high-stakes mission. Much like the show around it, Britell’s score manages to sound convincingly like Star Wars while still feeling like a fresh and dynamic approach.

“The Eye” is packed with memorable beats and lines, images and choices that linger after the closing credits. It’s so tense that Jayhold Beehaz (Commandant Stanley Townsend) has a heart attack in the middle of a standoff. There are countless pump-the-fist moments, from the shot of pilots climbing into their fighters to Lieutenant Gorn (Sule Rimi) [left] acknowledging to Beehaz that he [Gorn] may be hanged for his crimes. “Seven years serving you?” he replies without missing a beat. “I deserve worse than that.” Gorn goes hard.

“The Eye” is pure spectacle. It is also an episode about spectacle. In particular, the episode’s big recurring motif is about the importance of making people pay attention – of forcing them to watch. After all, the clue is in the title. In some ways, “The Eye” feels like part of a broader cultural conversation about the power of spectacle, dovetailing neatly into Jordan Peele’s work on Nope. “The Eye” is about creating something so powerful that people cannot look away.

. . . This is established as early as the opening conversation between Karis Nemik (Alex Lawther) [right] and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). “The empire has no moral boundaries. Why should we not take hold of every chance we can?” Nemik asks. “Let them see how an insurgency adapts.” When Andor replies that the Empire will never learn, Nemik replies, “Perhaps they’ll think differently tomorrow.”

Andor consistently argues that the Empire succeeds by fragmenting its adversaries, constructing individual traps that prevent their subjects from seeing the big picture. Commandant Beehaz boasts as much to Colonel Petigar (Richard Katz), talking about overwhelming the subjugated Aldhani with “alternatives.” He explains, “You put a number of options on the table and they’re so wrapped up in choosing, they fail to notice you’ve given them nothing they thought they wanted at the start.”

Beehaz talks about the pilgrimage that the Aldhani take up to the valley, to observe their religious festival. The Empire has placed “Comfort Units” along the route to break up the march. What began as 500 people marching is efficiently reduced to a group of about 60. This limits the possibility of rebellion. If only a handful of people are able to make that ascent and to look up at the stars, then only that handful of people can realize what is truly possible.

In both a literal and figurative sense, “The Eye” is built around the idea of ascent, of rising above the chaos and the noise. The Aldhani Chieftain (David Hayman) leads his followers on a trip up into the highlands. Beehaz boasts about how the Empire sits “above the stench” of the indigenous population. Nemik’s command to Andor during their escape is a simple leap of faith: “Climb.” The Aldhani need to look up to witness the miracle. It’s a cohesive thread that runs through the episode.

It’s also a clever way of tying Andor back into Rogue One. After all, the last command that K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) would give to Andor was also “climb.” The climax of Rogue One is about Andor ascending a tower to send out a signal that will help the Rebellion deal a crippling blow to the Empire, a moment that galvanizes the Rebellion and bloodies the Empire’s nose. It’s clever to see that imagery mirrored in Andor’s first true mission as a rebel, prefiguring his last.