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Post by smittysgelato on Nov 24, 2022 19:59:11 GMT
I don't think the Jedi or the Force were ever mentioned. That is partially what I meant in a previous post when I said the spiritual aspect of Star Wars is almost non-existent in this show. Almost.
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Post by jppiper on Nov 24, 2022 20:08:45 GMT
smittysgelato Some fans want to see Star Wars projects without the Jedi/Force
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Post by Ingram on Nov 24, 2022 23:58:04 GMT
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Post by smittysgelato on Nov 25, 2022 0:13:58 GMT
Totally far out dude.
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Post by Cryogenic on Nov 25, 2022 3:29:42 GMT
I know technically they've just started production but I wouldn't be totally shocked if next season gets canceled or maybe whittled down to a two-parter or something. Anyways, this season is already steadily drifting from my impressions. I don't even have much to say about this last episode that hasn't since characterized previous episodes. It was stalwart, and then it was over. And I almost immediately began thinking about other things. Sums up my thoughts perfectly. I finally watched the last episode this evening, and yeah... It was, like, okay? And that was about it. "Stalwart" is probably a good word to describe it. Stalwart and sterile. Ferrix is the most boring of boringist planets, Cinta has one expression, and... Nay, scratch that. Everyone had basically one basic expression and/or emotional disposition in this entire episode: sullen, grim, clenched, and just kinda "there". I liked Maarva's holographic speech, and I suppose the small scene with Dedra and Syril had a touch of something chaotic and edgy (bonus point: it's the closest this show gets to anything transgressively sexual), but that's about all I remember; at least, in terms of emotional colouration or anything standing out from the relentless seriousness of the rest of it. I tried to keep an open mind through all twelve episodes (perhaps I sometimes failed), but honestly, I got bored with this show half-way through. The season finale, in my estimation, is a fitting capstone to the entire season. While technically well-made, I've come to the sad conclusion that "Andor" is ultimately (in my eyes) kind of listless and tiring. Lots of things seem to be happening, or might be about to happen, but nothing ever does; very little that is carried off in a grandiose, memorable, larger-than-life sort of "Star Wars" way, anyway. So what is the point of this show? I'm bejazzled if I know. Also, sorry, but the lead character is like his show: lame and uninteresting. The best character by a long way is played by obviously the best actor: Luthen/Stellan. Hooray for Swedish actors in Star Wars. If you can call this Star Wars because I'm not sure. Other characters and actors are sort of intermittently interesting, but few are all that colourful or compelling. Fans had the nerve to blast Jar Jar for twenty years and then swallow this shit. The show is kind of a drag in other areas, too. Another staple that is done only so-so is all (or most of) the pew-pew, pow-pow stuff. When actions scenes happen, the results are often mixed to disappointing. The scene at the end of the last episode, with Luthen carefully stalling in his ship and then blasting his way to freedom, felt like it was directed by someone else not attached to this production. It was taut and visually elegant and exciting: all the things that the action in this finale wasn't. But again, that might be, in part, because it featured the most interesting character, played by the best actor, with the coolest ship. Elsewhere, "Andor" bleeds tedium and seriousness. Please, someone mop that shit up, put this bloody thing out its misery, and let's get back to something that is actually entertaining and legitimately feels like Star Wars. Roll on Mando Season Three... I guess that's a bit rude, but I remember saying worse things about the "Obi-Wan" series. However, at least that series was legitimately entertaining and got people talking. It was also pretty concise and over in a flash. And it retained a steady comic book feel; at its best, it was electrifying. It was also, I think, a far more emotional series. "Andor" has a few emotional moments, but there's this heavy, pretentious feel that stops it from going deep. It seemingly never wants to really move you; as if evoking feelings in a viewer is too 20th Century or something. Maybe it's simply too into the process of its own grimdark sensibility to be able to create a deeper connection with the viewer. I knocked Ewan in a few places for sometimes being a touch soft or bland in his portrayal of Obi-Wan in the series, but boy, he earned his bread when he broke down and apologised to Anakin in the last episode. "Andor" may be more "realistic", but it is -- ironically -- less emotionally absorbing, less affecting; and in terms of characters having strong connections with one another, less convincing. Everyone is too sour on one another. In the main trilogies, the tragedy and the triumph is believably carried off (emotionally and thematically) because we sense genuine affection and camaraderie. But "Andor" either doesn't establish those things very well or cuts the cord too quickly. And so the fascination of an "adult" Star Wars series quickly wears off. What you don't want to do is end your finale on a bummer or with less good/standout acting than the previous episode. Yet that is exactly what happened here. Now, again, to go back to the trilogies, AOTC and TESB both have some very decent acting and character moments strewn throughout (and structurally motivated), but ROTS and ROTJ manage to at least equal them and arguably top them. Somehow, "Andor" decided to peak in its penultimate episode, leaving the season finale fairly bereft of the immense gravitas of the speeches made by Andy Serkis and Stellan Skarsgård in the previous episode. Some, of course, might prefer a more relaxed finale that is more measured and poker-faced. I dunno, though. It feels -- to me -- like the show is more interested in lever-pulling and tailored grimness than reaching justified operatic conclusions and emotional catharsis. You get a little of both, but somehow, it's not enough. Perhaps I'm just not in-sync with "Andor" (no shit). It's a competent swimmer; but there are never any dramatic dives or awkward belly-flops. I miss that "everything and the kitchen sink" approach of the Saga; the Spaghetti-Western vibes of "The Mandalorian"; and, yes, the comic-book urgency of "Obi-Wan". "Andor" lacks colour and vitality -- eccentricity. Star Wars has been many things, but never grey and frigid. The ambience of this show is too modern, even down to the sombre reimagining of Coruscant. And as I said before, when you keep going back to the same locations, the same sets, you're reminded that this is television merely posing as cinema. A prosaic, straight-arrow approach to Star Wars isn't really Star Wars. By bringing Star Wars to Earth, so the winged life does "Andor" destroy. EDIT: I made a mistake that I'm leaving in to prove a point. I said the strong acting from Serkis and Skarsgård happened in the penultimate episode. It was actually two episodes back (the tenth). I literally plain forgot that there was a whole other episode after that one before the finale. Ugh. This show. It strengthens my contention that the acting peaked too early and wasn't carried through to the finale like it should have been. And it shows you how stretched out and tedious the series is. It has high points and then long expanses of... well, if not nothing, a waiting-room dullness when you're craving to board the train and reach your destination (and forget about the hard seats, the bad smells, and the sheer boredom of being stuck there). It might be forgiveable if the series knew how to completely pay off its various plot and character threads and make you feel something. But "Andor" fizzles quickly. It is no heavyweight champion of the Star Wars streaming world; even though it wants you to think it is. |
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Post by smittysgelato on Nov 25, 2022 5:11:05 GMT
I will slightly defend this series. For me, Obi-Wan was bland and underwhelming because it didn't make strong use of the visual medium that is film like Andor does. For one I am okay with the limited, bleak sets because they are so beautifully designed. By the time Obi-Wan fights Vader for the first time in the third episode my heart was sinking. I thought..really? This is it? They're fighting in this bluh, murky gravel pit? It felt like a ruined orgasm (I know some people are into ruined orgasms, but not me). Oh jeez. That analogy makes me realize Cryo's style is rubbing off on me! Lol! Anyways. I'll take Ferix over a random gravel pit any day. I can see why it feels like nothing happened by the end. That is where I slightly agree with Cryo. Again, it is because it is a television series and that works against it. The finale incrementally moved the characters forward, but now...You have to wait till next season to see where it all goes. The show is good at building tension (pretentious cinephiles love their tension), but it makes you anticipate something big when the filmmakers clearly prefer being understated.
I thought this was interesting and makes me want to watch season 2: It seems like Andor's mommy may have had a positive effect on Luthen, which I didn't see coming. Maybe he won't be such a monster moving forward? So they definitely hooked me on and surprised me with this character.
There is something very delightful about seeing Syril get to rescue the girl, no? Again, you kinda admire his dedication, even though he is a total dolt for dedicating himself to the wrong things. Weird, isn't it? I mean, you get to see a total impotent incel type be kind of a stud. It is SO WEIRD. I like weird.
Places where I completely agree:
Yeah, unlike Syril and Luthen she is not interesting at all. I'm bored of her.
Star Wars does indeed have a zip to it that Andor does not. Star Wars knows how to not take itself too seriously, while still being serious. That being said, I guess I prefer this "Kinda Sorta Not Really" approach to Star Wars because it is executed better than Obi-Wan, which IS very much Star Wars, but Star Wars as a ruined orgasm. But again, that being said, nothing beats just plain old-fashioned Star Wars. The Mandalorian focuses on the Western stuff, Obi-Wan on the melodrama, and Andor focuses on all of the dark political machinations of the Empire. This is why Clone Wars is still the best Star Wars TV in my book because it doesn't leave out any of the Star Wars ingredients. As Cryo put it: "I miss that "everything and the kitchen sink" approach of the Saga." This is why Tales of the Jedi is the best Star Wars of 2022. If you want me to rate Andor Season 1 outta 10 I will give it a 7.5, whereas Obi-Wan is more like a 5 or a 6. Most of those points go toward getting to see Ewan and Hayden in these roles again.
Honestly, though, Andor isn't a hill I am willing to die on. I'll abandon it and let Cryo continue to rip it apart because Cryo is an entertaining guy with far more SPICE than Andor.
Points for referencing Blake.
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Post by smittysgelato on Nov 25, 2022 5:17:01 GMT
I just really didn't like that gravel pit, guys. It would have been way cooler if they fought in a spooky graveyard or something.
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Post by Ingram on Nov 25, 2022 9:44:07 GMT
I will slightly defend this series. For me, Obi-Wan was bland and underwhelming because it didn't make strong use of the visual medium that is film like Andor does. For one I am okay with the limited, bleak sets because they are so beautifully designed. Andor is undoubtedly coifed. Boy is it ever. Be it much else, lastingly, methinks is the argument. My own final verdict is a soft "no", at least not with this season. There's plenty being store-fronted but not much purchase. The ISB's collective psyche revealed a nifty inner clockwork of Imperial rule beyond general autocratic impressions and Sith Lord devilry while Luthen's black-clad monologue in episode 10 was for me the only real pulsating thing that felt in some way new and meaningful to the idea of a Rebellion from Star Wars lore as we've known it up to this point. All other themes & conflicts, while never daft, were also just kinda interchangeable with any set of sci-fi dystopia premises. But I too agree that it still counted for something altogether superior to Obi-Wan Kenobi. While that show had a few (almost incidental) dopey delights, it's general and comparably good intent to be comic-bookish Star Wars wasn't enough to make up for its overwhelmingly limp execution; and less we forget, for every "fun" bit with Obi-Wan dashing about or Reva scene chewing or young Anakin flashbacks etc., there was as much if not more tonnage of bland writing and teledrama with Tala, Haja, Roken and so on. Also, I think I'd still favor Star Wars doing chores with standalone content/characters versus Star Wars dragging legacy heroes of yesteryear great Cinema through the muck of televisual mediocrity, even if only for a one-time sitting. On that same note, matching one against and over the other is ultimately rather petty as I likely will not be revisiting either in any foreseeable future. There isn't much use in tearing down Obi-Wan Kenobi merely to highlight the few admirable qualities of Andor, I guess is what I'm saying; fifteen minutes of The Phantom Menace puts all that business to shame, equally. As for unpretentious TV Star Wars getting back to the basics of pulp swashbuckling, a separate Lucasian fantasy universe will begin its revival starting next week, where I'm hoping some compensation will be achieved. It felt like a ruined orgasm (I know some people are into ruined orgasms, but not me). The same demographic who accept pineapple on their pizza. They're on the spectrum. Anyways, it must be noted how your reference to orgasms, ruined or otherwise, was immediately followed up with the wordplay: And then... That analogy makes me realize Cryo's style is rubbing off on me! Seriously. Stop it. Pervert.
Places where I completely agree: Yeah, unlike Syril and Luthen she is not interesting at all. I'm bored of her. They just didn't give her much to do besides standing around with an adorably pouty look. Disney wants to be all progressive and shit... what, they couldn't have thrown in some hot lesbian action between her and Vel? Guess I'm the perv now.
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Post by Samnz on Nov 25, 2022 21:19:14 GMT
It felt like a ruined orgasm (I know some people are into ruined orgasms, but not me). The same demographic who accept pineapple on their pizza. Stop dissing Hayden, Ingram   |
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Post by Ingram on Nov 25, 2022 22:03:45 GMT
I was about to slam Hayden with a 'being Canadian' joke but even right there in that instant he was gracious and self-knowing enough to lampoon himself. Thus, his pizza topping offense nearly cancels itself out. Nearly.
Props, though, to the video host for pushing the discussion: it's an issue effecting Western Civilization that needs to be addressed.
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Post by stampidhd280pro on Nov 25, 2022 22:13:18 GMT
I like pineapple on pizza. I would though.
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Post by stampidhd280pro on Nov 25, 2022 22:13:49 GMT
And yes, I've had pizza with pineapple and anchovies together.
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Post by Seeker of the Whills on Nov 25, 2022 22:21:25 GMT
The spiritual aspect has always fascinated me the most about Star Wars, and I think it's the glue that holds the entire thing together. Anything that strays too far from that core element is not *my* Star Wars. Also, I find the rebellion to be one of the least interesting things in SW, and the show's whole approach of trying to be a serious drama is at odds with what I think SW is stylistically meant to be. The acting is good and all, but something is missing. Even Rogue One had a pretty strong spiritual streak and an operatic style that fit in with the Lucas saga, but this series is just dull and soulless.
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Post by Ingram on Nov 25, 2022 22:30:15 GMT
I like pineapple on pizza. I would though. And yes, I've had pizza with pineapple and anchovies together. 
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Post by jppiper on Nov 25, 2022 22:58:04 GMT
The spiritual aspect has always fascinated me the most about Star Wars, and I think it's the glue that holds the entire thing together. Anything that strays too far from that core element is not *my* Star Wars. Also, I find the rebellion to be one of the least interesting things in SW, and the show's whole approach of trying to be a serious drama is at odds with what I think SW is stylistically meant to be. The acting is good and all, but something is missing. Even Rogue One had a pretty strong spiritual streak and an operatic style that fit in with the Lucas saga, but this series is just dull and soulless. That's what happens when you take things too seriously |
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Post by smittysgelato on Nov 26, 2022 0:31:50 GMT
The spiritual aspect has always fascinated me the most about Star Wars, and I think it's the glue that holds the entire thing together. Anything that strays too far from that core element is not *my* Star Wars. Also, I find the rebellion to be one of the least interesting things in SW, and the show's whole approach of trying to be a serious drama is at odds with what I think SW is stylistically meant to be. The acting is good and all, but something is missing. Even Rogue One had a pretty strong spiritual streak and an operatic style that fit in with the Lucas saga, but this series is just dull and soulless. If you were a woman I'd propose to you right now. ALSO: Ingram's entire post had me rolling on the floor dying of laughter. |
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Post by Seeker of the Whills on Nov 26, 2022 7:07:21 GMT
The spiritual aspect has always fascinated me the most about Star Wars, and I think it's the glue that holds the entire thing together. Anything that strays too far from that core element is not *my* Star Wars. Also, I find the rebellion to be one of the least interesting things in SW, and the show's whole approach of trying to be a serious drama is at odds with what I think SW is stylistically meant to be. The acting is good and all, but something is missing. Even Rogue One had a pretty strong spiritual streak and an operatic style that fit in with the Lucas saga, but this series is just dull and soulless. If you were a woman I'd propose to you right now. ALSO: Ingram's entire post had me rolling on the floor dying of laughter. Lol. |
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Post by Cryogenic on Nov 27, 2022 4:01:53 GMT
I will slightly defend this series. For me, Obi-Wan was bland and underwhelming because it didn't make strong use of the visual medium that is film like Andor does. For one I am okay with the limited, bleak sets because they are so beautifully designed. By the time Obi-Wan fights Vader for the first time in the third episode my heart was sinking. I thought..really? This is it? They're fighting in this bluh, murky gravel pit? "Andor" might be a bit more inherently cinematic in some ways, but I appreciated "Obi-Wan" hewing to classic Star Wars grammar (mostly) early on, including the lovely new theme from John Williams. "Andor", by contrast, never really got going with a Star Wars feel, and the constant return to that same damn set in virtually every episode from the fourth onwards (Mon Mothma's apartment) got old. "Andor" was trying to disguise the fact it isn't a TV production; Obi-Wan, on the other hand, ended up embracing a trendy TV aesthetic (shaky cam) a bit too much. And the music in the latter declined (no comparison when it comes to MIDI-style apings of John Williams versus the real thing), while "Andor" was at least consistently decent and decently consistent in its own scoring approach. I can give "Andor" a few things over "Obi-Wan", not the least of which is greater verisimilitude. Fewer sins were committed in the depiction of the world, the obstacles the characters had to face were more realistically handled, and the gravity of their concerns felt believable. "Obi-Wan" seemed to turn lazy in the third episode and not all the action material was as thoughtful or compelling as it could have been. Yet, even when "Obi-Wan" was being a bit cheap and dumb, it still retained some cinematic touches. In the gravel pit battle (yes, let's call it that, why not?), there were at least a few little moments of shock-and-awe that kept my attention, as well as the theatrical moment of Obi-Wan bursting a pipe and blanketing the screen with steam to get away, and then Vader dramatically hoisting Obi-Wan in the air and flinging him into -- and then out of -- the flames. Vader standing there afterward, seemingly in a daze, doing nothing to stop Obi-Wan getting away, is certainly debatable; yet there was an emotional pull to the confrontation -- for both the characters and the viewer. "Andor" never really seemed to have this (although I did like the prison breakout in the tenth episode). There was also something a little one-note about the emotional dilemmas it tried to present: Syril was constantly on the verge of snapping, Mon was forever grimacing and looking horrified, Cassian was just, well... Cassian. Even a somewhat more interesting performance like that of Denise Gough's as Dedra Meero embraced a cliched "angry/disgusted at the smell of cat shit" look a bit too often. The only good characters with genuine shading, I would argue, are Forest Whitaker's Saw Gerrera and Stellan Skarsgård's Luthen Rael. Also, as environments go, "Obi-Wan" gave us Alderaan (bright and beautiful), Daiyu (very striking and anime-ish), and, um, yeah... okay, it wasn't the most visually inventive of Star Wars things, but at its best it was more colourful than "Andor", which was, with only some variation, the same colour palettes and textures throughout. One very neat thing Obi-Wan did was to strongly visually differentiate itself with every episode. "Andor" went with storytelling blocks, but even these became a little indistinctly defined in the second half of the season (post-heist). Hey, wait, what? Oh, darn. Ingram already beat me to it. Yep. I like mood pieces, but even mood pieces have to justify themselves. The issue with "Andor" is that there's actually a good deal of teasing and not necessarily a good deal of follow-through. "Obi-Wan" feels, if still a little redundant, nonetheless more conclusive. Of course, it was written to be a (relatively) self-contained mini-series, but Obi-Wan does seem like he's gone through a small rebirth at the end. Then there is, of course, Reva shunning the path of evil, and even Owen and Obi-Wan reaching a flicker of understanding that adds a touch of nuance to ANH. There is also a big theme that emerges in the final episode: that of accepting the past and moving on from it (Obi-Wan) vs. wallowing in it or still seeking a way to have revenge (Vader). Trusting in the Force vs. remaining a prisoner of one's ego. Yes, I spat some fire at "Obi-Wan", but the series buttoned itself up reasonably well and at least ended. I know, this is hardly a fair comparison since "Andor" is only half-done; yet I carry this suspicion that the series is going to be less emotionally satisfying than "Obi-Wan" and maybe not all that great. As one IMDb reviewer put it, the series finale was basically a funeral followed by a scuffle. Riveting. True. I'm being a bit simplistic about the whole thing. "Andor" tries to have more happening under the hood; to such a degree that surface thrills are somewhat suppressed and relatively transient. However, this is where we return to a criticism I earlier articulated and just reiterated above: Luthen is a more interesting character than Cassian. Is that even a problem? Maybe it isn't, but the series does bear Cassian's family name, not Luthen's. Maybe its a bait-and-switch and the whole thing is really about Maarva. Maarva, Mother, The Matrix. "You're letting him kill Martha." The Phantom Incel Attack Of The Incels Revenge Of The Incel A New Incel The Incel Strikes Back Return Of The Incel The Incel Awakens The Last Incel The Rise Of Chadwalker I'm not sure where to place/rate "Andor" in the grand scheme of things. There's such a steady hand to it, it kinda feels shitty to rank it lower than "Obi-Wan". On the other hand, it also feels weird, as a prequel fan, to put "Obi-Wan" lower than "Andor". I would say they are about equal, in different ways. That said, if it weren't for Luthen's speech in the tenth episode, I might be inclined to more comfortably put "Obi-Wan" above it. What is undeniable, however, is that Obi-Wan generated considerably more hype and much better viewing numbers. "Obi-Wan" is a red dwarf; "Andor" is a brown dwarf. That analogy works because the latter kinda fails at being Star Wars, while almost over-succeeding at being a well-made dystopian sci-fi spinoff series. Hence, it is neither a star nor a planet, nor does it stand out in the night sky. "Obi-Wan" is also quite dull compared to the brighter stars of the firmament, but it's actually a star. |
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Post by Ingram on Nov 27, 2022 4:55:52 GMT
There was also something a little one-note about the emotional dilemmas it tried to present: Syril was constantly on the verge of snapping, Mon was forever grimacing and looking horrified, Cassian was just, well... Cassian. Even a somewhat more interesting performance like that of Denise Gough's as Dedra Meero embraced a cliched "angry/disgusted at the smell of cat shit" look a bit too often. The only good characters with genuine shading, I would argue, are Forest Whitaker's Saw Gerrera and Stellan Skarsgård's Luthen Rael. Did Vel and Cinta even serve any kind of narrative purpose past the Aldhani heist? One just walked around as a buffer of exposition between Mon and Luthen's assistant while the other...looked through some binoculars. That might be a legit dock against the series' otherwise dependable writing. As one IMDb reviewer put it, the series finale was basically a funeral followed by a scuffle. Riveting. I think if anything in that finale might sum up the series (or season, at least) as a whole... when the stormtrooper is sent up to the tower to take out the bell-ringer, myself along with anyone else containing even the slightest sense/expectation of 'pulp' was ready for the local to wield one-or-both of his hammers -- the show's recurring aural motif -- as weapons, maybe even hurling one at the trooper's head, knocking him off the edge. but he just kicks him It's like, "Okay. Yeah, that's logical enough, I guess. But Jesus H. would it kill you guys to schlock this up just one iota? It's not a goddamn neorealism German New Wave period epic. Throw the fuckin' hammer!"I actually said all that. Andor. Now streaming on Disney + |
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Post by Cryogenic on Nov 27, 2022 5:42:55 GMT
There was also something a little one-note about the emotional dilemmas it tried to present: Syril was constantly on the verge of snapping, Mon was forever grimacing and looking horrified, Cassian was just, well... Cassian. Even a somewhat more interesting performance like that of Denise Gough's as Dedra Meero embraced a cliched "angry/disgusted at the smell of cat shit" look a bit too often. The only good characters with genuine shading, I would argue, are Forest Whitaker's Saw Gerrera and Stellan Skarsgård's Luthen Rael. Did Vel and Cinta even serve any kind of narrative purpose past the Aldhani heist? I can't think of one. Vel was meant to be tasked with finding Cassian and killing him, IIRC. But that didn't seem to really go anywhere? And, hey, coincidence of coincidences, she was a cousin of Mon Mothma's. Kinda funny how Mon Mothma has gone from something of a mysterious, Yoda-like character in the Saga to having a husband, a daughter, and a cousin who happens to also be a rebel working for Luthen, linking her to Cassian, the main protagonist, all in the same series. Cinta, by contrast, was a non-entity (at least in this first season). Moody rebel who also happens to be the lesbian partner of Vel. And she's Indian and easy on the eye. That's about it. Well, that reminds me of something else I intended to point out re: the writing: What was with everyone converging on Ferrix? I get it. It was the season finale. But it was a mite convenient that virtually all the characters who had been appearing in multiple episodes (save Mon and her husband) were suddenly all keen on going to Ferrix; and they all arrived there without a hitch. Oh, yeah, the Empire was going "easy" on everyone, to reel Cassian in. And he was loyal/dumb enough to show up and almost get caught. But suddenly, everyone is interested in the funeral and able to go. They can just leave their jobs, their family, hop in a spaceship and all make it to some boring planet in the ass-end of nowhere? They all just care that much about catching Cassian; and they're all so confident he'll show up and there'll be some fireworks? Star Wars has always been a bit weird with scale; and "Andor" and its alleged "maturity" does little to change matters here. Luthen is randomly harassed by that patrol ship (and then manages to get away), over a planet with a population in the trillions, yet Cassian was never caught despite twice going back to Ferrix after leaving in a hurry in the third episode? Even with a strong Imperial presence on the planet, in his very hometown, following the Aldhani heist? I was very confused by this. The same with Vel and Cinta. Granted, they aren't being specifically sought after (does the ISB or anyone connected to the Empire know their faces?), but they casually show up and blend right in with the local population. Which is a little odd, as it seems like a fairly closed community; one of those little backwater places where everyone knows everyone. That actually makes "Andor" pretty simple-minded. Don't worry, local traditions and customs don't matter much. Wanted rebels/terrorists can just settle right into your tiny town, even spy on the population with binoculars, never contribute to the local economy, suspiciously loiter around town all day, and all is fine. They'll just be NPCs that have their own little conversations whom everyone else ignores. Luthen, this underworld mastermind, can stroll right in, too. Ferrix is just like that. Easy come, easy go. The locals won't ask questions and even the Empire won't bother to do any checks. People's ships won't be impounded. No, come and go whenever you like. There was, in some ways, quite a detached quality about "Andor" that made it difficult to stay engaged. The kick was okay, but I see your point. I think they just wanted a quick visual punchline. Elaborate hammer guy ain't got no time for any shit. Nobody steps foot in his bell tower and lives. However, I think there's an implicit and very contemporary anti-authority theme underneath that the series believes is sufficient to earn people's approval; and I think the finale, in particular, was milking it. Everyone, these days, can identify with the concept of government overreach, even in our so-called democratic societies in the West. We're meant to cheer at the Ferrix Lives Matter people "sticking" it to the Empire. Heck, it was even Cassian's black adoptive father that tried to quell tensions in that flashback scene, paying for it with his life when the troopers/police shot him dead. And Cassian himself: the Latino immigrant randomly accosted on the beach and sent to prison. The injustice of it all. And, I suppose, if you're against this series in some way, you must be against the rectifying force of people power and the long arc of morality itself. Y'see, George Lucas wanted us to "fight these bastards", too, but he was a bit more subtle and universal about it. |
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