Star Wars is one of the most talked about and divisive franchises in the world right now, but one thing most people seem to be able to agree on is that The Mandalorian was a huge success.
It became one of the most talked about shows of the year and took the franchise back to its western/samurai inspired roots. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni seem to have a really good understanding of the world and what the fans want.
Mando is a really good protagonist and Pedro Pascal does a really good job portraying him. The array of supporting characters that appear throughout the show are impressive, with Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, and Werner Herzog leave the biggest impressions. I look forward to Giancarlo Esposito’s role as the main villain of Season 2.
Behind the camera everyone does an impressive job, with Deborah Chow’s episodes giving me great confidence about the Obi-Wan series she will lead. Taika Waititi really shone as director of the finale and brought a real cinematic edge to it.
I would go as far to say as the finale is one of the best pieces of Star Wars content since the original trilogy, and it was a joy to watch.
I hope Season 2 follows more of an arc like the start and end of this season did as it was extremely compelling.
The real MVP of this season and the internet’s darling is Baby Yoda. He was a glorious surprise and is incredibly cute and brought real stakes to Mando’s story. I am fascinated where the story of Mando and the Child will go from here, and Season 2 can’t come soon enough.
Rating = 4/5
Howe's World of Film and TV 