Andor Episode 1, 2 and 3 Review – A Slow Burn Star Wars Thriller That’s Simply Awesome!

You know a quality show when you see one and the new Star Wars spin-off, Andor is surely one of them. After largely disappointing The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor has breathed a fresh air into the Star Wars Universe. Andor  Even though he was one of the largely fogotten Star Wars characters, Diego Luna’s portrayal of Cassian Andor in Rogue One was one of the film’s strongest aspects. And while the outcome of Andor’s story is known, much of his past is still a mystery and so, this live-action prequel series centers around the rebel’s dark and sinister past. Star Wars just released the first 3 episodes of Andor and without any further ado, here’s what we think about this surprisingly good show!

Rating – ★★★★

An Unexpectedly Glorious Thriller From Star Wars

A struggling Star Wars universe seems to have found its saviour in the form of Andor as I am happy to inform you that the show is really good. The quality of the production for this show rivals that of The Mandalorian, which makes it one of the most qualitative Star Wars project. Andor boosts impressive SFX and CGI, beautiful cinematography, intricate set designs, and an enthralling score. Honestly, the score of this show elevates the visuals and the plot like a hundred folds. Even when there is nothing particularly exciting going on, the score leaves you on the edge of your seats. So, Nicholas Britell has done a tremendous job in carrying forward the good scoring work we’ve seen throughout the Star Wars shows. Viewers would have loved a well defined main theme for the show as well, but it is what it is.

Moving on from the technical triumph of the series, the cast has delivered some tremendous performances. Diego Luna’s Andor makes up for a compelling lead character who successfully manages to intrigue the audience. Stellan Skarsgard, like always, is a pleasure to watch and his character Luthen Rael is another compelling and exciting character in the show. Kyle Soller (Syril) has also performed brilliantly and Syril seems to be a complicated antagonist who will be unpeeled in the upcoming episodes. Aside from these three, Fiona Shaw’s Maarva also succeeded in leaving an impact on the viewers thanks to her talent as well as her lines.

This brings us to one of the strongest aspects of this show i.e., the writing! Writing was the weakest aspect of Obi-Wan Kenobi as well as The Book of Boba Fett, however, Andor clearly succeeds at it. The plot moves slowly but hits hard when it needs to and the storyline so far is THE MOST engaging Star Wars story in years. Also, in the course of merely 3 episodes, there have been some wonderful dialogue exchanges between the characters, which really ups the quality of the show. I am so glad that Star Wars decided to work of their writing and the result of their efforts is pretty clear. If this continues, there is no doubt Andor will end up being one of the best of Star Wars. This is how important writing is as even the best of the actors can fail if they aren’t provided good lines or a good plot (yes, I am hinting at Obi-Wan Kenobi). Now that you have a basic idea of the series is like, let’s talk about it episode wise. From this point on you will encounter some major spoilers, so beware!

Andor Episode 1 Verdict

Within the opening 10 minutes of the show, Andor made a bold and frankly, ruthless choice of killing the other guard, after the first one died by accident. That scene itself established Andor as a man of focus, commitment, and sheer will. In the following 2 episodes Cassian Wick, ahem sorry, Andor deals with the consequences of his actions. The only thing is that he doesn’t deal with them alone as a lot more people are affected by his actions. So, nothing else significant happens in Andor Episode 1, but it does a phenomenal job of setting up an intricate plot which will evolve as we move forward. That aside, it introduces us to some of the other players in the series. So all in all its a job well done.

Rating – ★★★★

Andor Episode 2 Verdict

Andor episode 2 was probably the weakest of the first 3 episodes, however, it was still pretty good. It introduced us to Luthen Rael played by Stellan Skarsgard as we see Andor prepping to leave the planet. We also get to see the relationship dynamics characters of Andor, Bix, and Timm shared with each other eventually leading up to Timm’s betrayal. That aside, we also received a deeper understanding of Andor’s past, although a lot of his backstory still remains to be unfurled. The episode was left both Andor’s backstory as well as the current narrative on a cliffhanger and all of this is why Episode 2 also worked wonders for the series.

Rating – ★★★1/2

Andor Episode 3 Verdict

Andor episode 3 was simply the best Star Wars episode since “The Return of the Mandalorian (TBOBF Episode 5)”. The element of urgency and thrill in this episode gave classic spy thriller vibes and the action in this episode was just cherry on top. Once again, the blood-pumping score throughout the episode and the committed performances by the cast kept viewers on the edge of their seats. Episode 3 acted like a mini-finale to the events in the first 2 episodes and concluded the immense build up in a highly satisfying manner. Also, every scene Andor and Luthen were on screen together was simply amazing. Now add to all this, the gloomy monologue by Maarva, and you have yourself the best 40 minutes of Star Wars in years.

Rating – ★★★★1/2

Final Verdict

Andor has set a high stage for itself in this three episode high quality thrill ride of a premiere. It has successfully established its characters and a wider narrative, while at the same time, concluding a well executed mini 3 episode narrative. While it features highly pleasing visuals, committed performances and an engaging plot, its biggest strength is its sense of urgency fueled by the powerful score and sound design.

Rating – ★★★★

The first three episodes of Star War: Andor are now airing on Disney Plus and we’ll see you next week when we bring you our Episode 4 verdict.

If you have any questions regarding Andor, feel free to ask in the comments below. For more content, stay tuned. As usual, like, subscribe and share our articles as we here are trying to build a community of people High on Cinema!