The Mandalorian (Star Wars Live Action Series)

[jaztermareal]

I call it Andor Lite.

Perhaps aliexpress Andor might be more fitting...

 

[Misterbadguy]

Watched Ep 3 over the weekend and have to agree. Middle section was nothing more than Andor without teeth.

I went back and watched S1E1 after it, just to make sure I wasn't going mental and that the quality in writing really HAS dropped that much. The difference is fairly stark.

 

[wormlander]

My wife said E3 was boring af

Women lol

Never let her go

 

[wormlander]

This volume thing they use needs to be got rid of. Or at least used more sparingly

How about more tastefully?

 

[Cap'n Cook]

 

[ScoutingForToys]

How about more tastefully?

Yeah I think it calls for director that really knows how to make the most of it.

 

[wormlander]

Yeah I think it calls for director that really knows how to make the most of it.

Well, I'd say they pretty much hit a homerun with both the Volume and the overall designs/visuals in seasons 1 & 2 (a handful of questionable choices such as the Mythrol and the one-eyed frogs were expected, but nothing truly devastating i.m.o). Now, I realise It's extremely hard to create believable fake cityscapes. They need to provide an interesting sci-fi look and feel, yet cannot be too vibrant/busy while serving as the backdrop for characters who need to stand out. Lackluster design and execution aside, the worst offender of this season is still the weak scripts and (to a degree) also poor character development. There are decent story beats in there but like others have mentioned It lacks the focus and sense of urgency from previous seasons. Seems like Favreau didn't have enough time (or passion?) to preserve the excellent quality level we've all gotten used to by now.

 

[chrisstbh]

A criticism I do have for the show is Djarin is as bounty hunter by trade. I get there needs to an overarching storyline for the mythology elements, but he's got to go on missions, secure bounties and go get paid.

What made Andor work, much like Rogue One, was it showed the unpleasant daily grind and raw mechanics of how the societies in this universe and world building operate. If the show wants to lean more into the Andor territory, i.e. more hard grit realism, then Mando just can't stop being a bounty hunter.

My take is that if Djarin starts doing bounties every other episode, that would clean up a lot of the fractures of where the show might be veering off from what made it more successful in S1.

It would also help if the episodes were generally longer. If they are going to pay Carl Weathers anyway to be in an episode, then at least show more of him in his new role. And that should operate the same for all the guest stars. If you are going to have Bill Burr back, then really give us more than a half hour.

Personally I don't see more Bo Katan as a good thing. I get that she's becoming more integral to the rebuilding of the Mandalore society and culture, but IMHO they picked the worst possible actress to play her. That's probably just a personal preference there.

More bounties = Bringing back the more fun elements of the show

He hasn’t really been a bounty hunter since the start of S1.

 

[Dave_W]

He hasn’t really been a bounty hunter since the start of S1.

It's been downhill since he strolled into that bar and cut a guy in half with a door.

 

[jye4ever]

It's been downhill since he strolled into that bar and cut a guy in half with a door.

Like really?

REALLY?

That has been some of the best swashbuckling SW ever created same quality as ANH/ESB.

Downhill after E1 c’mon now seriously.

Seriously!

SERIOUSLY!!!



S1 and S2 possess some of the most potent, powerful, fun, sad, thrilling and memorable cinematic moments in Star Wars history!

Grogu ALONE is a master creation just on his own something not thought even remotely possible after the death of SW during the ST era.

 

[Otomofan]

Maybe they really should have just ended it after season two, and let Filoni tell Bo-Katan's story in a separate series or on Asohka.

It's like that episode of Seinfeld where Jerry tells George to go out on a high note and leave them wanting more. If all we got was those two seasons, The Mandalorian would have been considered one of those near-perfect shows.

I don't think this season is BAD so far....it's just not great like the first two. All shows decline in quality over time. I know it's only been 3 episodes but it's still a hell of a lot better than Obi Wan and BoBF.

 

[jye4ever]

Maybe they really should have just ended it after season two, and let Filoni tell Bo-Katan's story in a separate series or on Asohka.

It's like that episode of Seinfeld where Jerry tells George to go out on a high note and leave them wanting more. If all we got was those two seasons, The Mandalorian would have been considered one of those near-perfect shows.

I don't think this season is BAD so far....it's just not great like the first two. All shows decline in quality over time. I know it's only been 3 episodes but it's still a hell of a lot better than Obi Wan and BoBF.

The reason i’m not panicking is because I still want to know what happens next.

With TLOU I stopped caring soon after it started but then again zombie apocalypse bores me and will never be Star Wars for me.

I guess what i’m trying to say is that SW is my life even bad SW lol

 

[chrisstbh]

Maybe they really should have just ended it after season two, and let Filoni tell Bo-Katan's story in a separate series or on Asohka.

It's like that episode of Seinfeld where Jerry tells George to go out on a high note and leave them wanting more. If all we got was those two seasons, The Mandalorian would have been considered one of those near-perfect shows.

I don't think this season is BAD so far....it's just not great like the first two. All shows decline in quality over time. I know it's only been 3 episodes but it's still a hell of a lot better than Obi Wan and BoBF.

End at S2, have Mando be a supporting/guest character on other shows.

5 years later you bring back "The Mandalorian" where he is doing some stuff then reuinites with Grogu, the end.

 

[Garlador]

He hasn’t really been a bounty hunter since the start of S1.

Last year he was chopping dudes in half and dropping their severed heads off on the table of his employer. It wasn’t that long ago.

 

[chrisstbh]

Last year he was chopping dudes in half and dropping their severed heads off on the table of his employer. It wasn’t that long ago.

Because he didn’t have Grogu then instantly went back to not being a bounty hunter after getting him back.

 

[Sassafras]

The reason i’m not panicking is because I still want to know what happens next.

With TLOU I stopped caring soon after it started but then again zombie apocalypse bores me and will never be Star Wars for me.

I guess what i’m trying to say is that SW is my life even bad SW lol

IMO there isn't anything bad. It's a different approach that's appropriate for where Mando's arc is at this point in time. Season 1 we were getting to know Mando, and his world view gets derailed. Season 2 he has a distinct goal, and pays a heavy price to achieve it. Gets stripped of his child, ship, and identity, but rebuilds.
Season 3 - we don't know yet. So far his primary concern has been reclaiming his identity. But IMO it's a kind of "man plans, God laughs" kind of thing . Because of meeting Bo-katan and other Mandalorians. He owns the Darksaber that he can't use effectively, yet. His child is strong in the Force which makes him a target. There's Bo-katan with her own agenda, and from Season 2 apparently (since she kind of bs'd Mando about taking the ship) she's willing to stretch things to get what she wants. The Mythosaur could have swallowed him, and Bo as well. It didn't. Why?

All these pieces that have been laid out need to start coming together. Also, I think we're seeing - and the trailer alludes to this - that the New Republic is just overly-confident about how nice the world is now. Trying to rehabilitate without considering that remnants of the Empire may not be too happy, and would lick their wounds and regather.

Mando being weak and incompetent would be fine, as would him being incredibly competent and tough, either can work, but this show makes him (and the other mando's) so inconsistent it stretches suspension of disbelief to breaking point. The character(s) can be tough or weak, super smart and capable or completely inept idiots etc depending on what the writer wants to make the next thing happen. This is the sign of terrible writing. Sure, smart and tough characters can certainly make the occasional mistake but when it flip flops this much it is just comical.

This particular series gets the most forgiveness from viewers thanks to timing. Season 1 came when the sequels had messed things up so badly that expectations were at rock bottom, so being just OK was comparatively like being the best Star Wars ever to the viewers.

There's stuff that's happened with Mando that I find questionable; but, overall - and one of the images in my head is the Jawas just shooting him off their crawler - is that - he's just a guy. He can be hurt. So I don't think the writing is terrible. You've got this stoic, dangerous bounty hunter who has a code, and isn't too proud to accept help, and doesn't treat the rest of the world like *&^% and beneath him. From Clone Wars and this show, I have the feeling usually you wouldn't ask the average Mandalorian for directions. Din D'jarin seems to be different than a lot of his peers. Above all, the character has honor.

Which is one of the biggest reasons I love the show, to see how Din D'jarin comes to terms with his inner conflicts. Not because of nostalgia. At least for myself, I hadn't been an SW uber fan, but a fantasy/mythology fan. Ended up backtracking a lot - hadn't watched Clone Wars, or Rebels, or really understood the dust-up over the PT (still not sure I do). Loosely in a way, the idea of a very young sacred child needing protection and a motely band of protectors gathered along the way feels more like a fantasy trope, vs. how I think of SW - in a broad sense.

I've got no problems with the writing, so far. There's a nice continuity with Navarro flourishing. There's a reason Mando now needs a droid (a far cry from where he started). There's a nice lead to hooking up with Bo-katan again, and why she ends up staying with him. We've got a vicious mole right there at Coruscant. And a Mythosaur. Plus some awesome fights. And an interesting dynamic between Bo and Din D'jarin, because the script gave things time to breathe.

So far, so good.

 

[jye4ever]

IMO there isn't anything bad. It's a different approach that's appropriate for where Mando's arc is at this point in time. Season 1 we were getting to know Mando, and his world view gets derailed. Season 2 he has a distinct goal, and pays a heavy price to achieve it. Gets stripped of his child, ship, and identity, but rebuilds.
Season 3 - we don't know yet. So far his primary concern has been reclaiming his identity. But IMO it's a kind of "man plans, God laughs" kind of thing . Because of meeting Bo-katan and other Mandalorians. He owns the Darksaber that he can't use effectively, yet. His child is strong in the Force which makes him a target. There's Bo-katan with her own agenda, and from Season 2 apparently (since she kind of bs'd Mando about taking the ship) she's willing to stretch things to get what she wants. The Mythosaur could have swallowed him, and Bo as well. It didn't. Why?

All these pieces that have been laid out need to start coming together. Also, I think we're seeing - and the trailer alludes to this - that the New Republic is just overly-confident about how nice the world is now. Trying to rehabilitate without considering that remnants of the Empire may not be too happy, and would lick their wounds and regather.



There's stuff that's happened with Mando that I find questionable; but, overall - and one of the images in my head is the Jawas just shooting him off their crawler - is that - he's just a guy. He can be hurt. So I don't think the writing is terrible. You've got this stoic, dangerous bounty hunter who has a code, and isn't too proud to accept help, and doesn't treat the rest of the world like *&^% and beneath him. From Clone Wars and this show, I have the feeling usually you wouldn't ask the average Mandalorian for directions. Din D'jarin seems to be different than a lot of his peers.

Which is one of the biggest reasons I love the show, to see how Din D'jarin comes to terms with his inner conflicts. Not because of nostalgia. At least for myself, I hadn't been an SW uber fan, but a fantasy/mythology fan. Ended up backtracking a lot - hadn't watched Clone Wars, or Rebels, or really understood the dust-up over the PT (still not sure I do). Loosely in a way, the idea of a very young sacred child needing protection and a motely band of protectors gathered along the way feels more like a fantasy trope, vs. how I think of SW - in a broad sense.

I've got no problems with the writing, so far. There's a nice continuity with Navarro flourishing. There's a reason Mando now needs a droid (a far cry from where he started). There's a nice lead to hooking up with Bo-katan again, and why she ends up staying with him. We've got a vicious mole right there at Coruscant. And a Mythosaur. Plus some awesome fights. And an interesting dynamic between Bo and Din D'jarin, because the script gave things time to breathe.

So far, so good.

Epic post

 

[ZE_501]

Loosely in a way, the idea of a very young sacred child needing protection and a motely band of protectors gathered along the way feels more like a fantasy trope, vs. how I think of SW - in a broad sense.

Interesting; Star Wars is generally regarded as Space Fantasy, given the wizards and mystic powers that figure so heavily, dressed as they are in outlandish technology.

I've got no problems with the writing, so far.

@Sassafras is merciful.

 

[Zurdo95D]

How crazy is it to think that ESB even had a budget. The global phenomenon that was Star Wars should've given Lucas a blank check at that point. I'm glad we got what we got with Fett though, so it worked out.

It's been years since I read about it, can't remember if he was financing ESB himself at that point, but yeah ... everything has a budget.

Yep he was, and even had to take out loans from multiple banks if I remember correctly.

He was in constant danger of running out of money and had 20th Century Fox constantly offering to give him that oh so tempting blank check...if he would only agree to turn ownership of the IP over to them.

It wasn't until the PT that he was so astronomically wealthy that he could give the movies whatever budget he wanted and look how that turned out, lol. It's good to have limits that force creative solutions.

Oh dang I didn't know ESB was working around big budget constraints; it visually still holds up.

 

[Zurdo95D]

View attachment 628564

Neat poster!!