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Forum namePass The Popcorn
Topic subjectIt truly is GREAT television.
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=6&topic_id=744690&mesg_id=746413
746413, It truly is GREAT television.
Posted by soulfunk, Thu Oct-20-22 02:51 PM
This is how you do a transition episode. Nothing happens, but it isn't filler at ALL. This episode shows the impact of what happened during the heist, lets us look beneath the hood on both sides of the conflict, and sets up the second half of the season all in an episode with zero action.

I straight up CARE about these characters. On both sides!!! This show has been outstanding in showing that it's not always good vs. evil, or right vs. wrong.

For example the Major from the ISB has shown that he's a great boss - recognizing that Dedra was doing the right thing even if it meant that the sectors he'd drawn were outdated and useless given the circumstances. We're also pulling hard rooting for Dedra in this show even though she's trying to take down the rebels. Even Syril Karn has become a relatable character that I'm pulling for, in seeing him get demoted for doing the "right" thing and getting berrated by his mother constantly. Subtle thing but there was a shot of him in his bedroom with her offscreen calling his name, and you could FEEL the unease in the pit of his stomach just hearing his mom's voice.

Then on the rebel side you see how it ain't all roses. They out here ordering a hit on Andor himself. Mon Mothma is battling on multiple sides (she is KILLING this role, crazy to think she was first cast way back during the prequels and had her scenes cut, and is now finally able to do the role.)

On top of that, the worldbuilding is freaking top notch. We got to see a beach resort planet in Star Wars, and it still felt like Star Wars. Andor is there with a fake name, a fake girlfriend, living a fake life, and he gets pulled out of it and sent to prison for 6 years when he didn't even do anything. But actually - he did. The Empire is clamping down on everyone because of the heist and it's impact. At the same time that heist has emboldened others across the galaxy to rebel. So on his vacation planet running errands to go to the store, he gets caught up in the mix with some rebels that he unknowingly inspired. Also when you think about it - him getting caught up is because he isn't doing what he SHOULD be doing. He's not supposed to be burying his head in the sand shilling on the beach - he should be out there rebelling himself. So him getting caught up was almost like the Force intervening and pulling him out of his fake life and back into the game.

I haven't even mentioned Luthen and his plotting, the multiple Palpatine name drops from this episode, Wulf Yularren from the ISB showing up, Karn's new job doing data entry (Dedra will definitely end up finding his name in a report and working with him to catch Andor), Cinta doing a secret mission back on Aldani, or Vel meeting with Luthen's assistant.

All of this in an episode where nothing really happened. Wow.