Television: Season Two of Andor

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: Disney+

Finally, after two and a half years, Star Wars: Andor is returning to Disney+. The second season, premiering on April 22, will also be the final season, but that’s okay. I am just glad it’s back.

The season two trailer is all you need to become invested in what is the best of the Star Wars spin-off television series. And if you need to catch up, you will want to watch this recap of season one.

Andor is by far the most adult of the Star Wars series, consistent with Rogue One, which became one of the best Star Wars movies after the original three films.

Critics are already raving about season two, such as this statement by Erik Davis from Fandango:

I have watched the entire second season of ‘Andor’ and it is as good, if not better than the first. From an epic opening Tie Fighter heist to a finale that left me in tears, this show has it all. Hang on cause the last six eps are all bangers. Absolutely loved it.

Be prepared to want to watch ‘Rogue One’ immediately after finishing ‘Andor’ – it truly sets up that film and expands upon the characters and stakes in some emotional ways. Just getting to watch Andor and K2 on a mission again meant everything to me. The cast crushes it. The sets are incredible. Star Wars fans will adore this and all the classic lore explored. Big recommend for me!

All of this is proof that the owners of the Star Wars franchise have the ability to produce quality TV. We just need to hold them to this standard going forward.

Television: Skeleton Crew

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: Disney+

On December 2, Disney+ will premiere Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, its latest television series trying to cash in on its Star Wars investment.

This is Disney’s quick summary of the story:

“Skeleton Crew” follows the journey of four kids who make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy, crossing paths with the likes of Jod Na Nawood, the mysterious character played by Law. Finding their way home—and meeting unlikely allies and enemies—will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.

Clearly, this series is targeted at children, though given how bad some of the series for adults have been, maybe this one will be better. Jude Law has signed on for this adventure, which is a positive sign.

Maybe this is Disney’s plan – rebuild the brand from the ground up for a new generation of kids. Given the earlier series that litter the landscape, that might be the best bet for this franchise.

I would have put my money into Andor, but Disney seems to have abandoned the adults in the room.

Stay tuned.

Update: I enjoyed the first season and hope to see more. It is better made and not as stuck to the Star Wars orthodoxy as the other television series, making it a fresh take on a well-worn galaxy. It may be Goonies with light sabers, but that’s okay. Plus, when you throw Jude Law into the mix, you get an edge that keeps in all the more interesting. A number of critics appear to agree, and Rotten Tomatoes gives the series a 91%.

  • Zaki Hasan, San Francisco Chronicle: “Fresh score. For anyone who says the House That Lucas Built is out of ideas and has been picked clean, “Skeleton Crew” proves there’s still meat left on those bones.”
  • Jack Seale, Guardian: “You’re best advised to pretend Skeleton Crew isn’t there until the holidays begin, and then enjoy it non-judgmentally, sprawled en famille eating chocolates from a round tin. This less-serious Star Wars is an escape to a happy place.”
  • John Nugent, Empire Magazine: “This is a perfectly fun entry in the ever-expanding Star Wars canon: light and frothy by design, driven by a genuinely sweet cast of younglings at the fore.”

Videos: Behind the Scenes Look at the Evil Empire

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Scene from season one of For the Empire. (AFK)

If the political news these days is a bit too much, I recommend you sit back and have some fun with a few Star Wars videos. The For the Empire series provides humorous behind-the-scene antics in the Empire. One of my favorite short films is The Battlefield where a storm trooper encounters a Jedi on the battlefield for the first time. Or try A Certain Point of View for commentary on the Empire’s foreign policy.

It reminds me of the Star Wars skits from Robot Chicken, which are worth a second viewing as well.

While none of this is Andor, it is a welcome respite from today’s news. We all need a laugh or two.

The For The Empire series on YouTube uses Epic Games’ Unreal Engine to produce these high quality videos. It it quite a few steps beyond the claymation of Robot Chicken. If this is the future of animation, then Hollywood had better watch its back.

Television: The End of The Acolyte

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Scene from Disney’s Star Wars: Acolyte television series. (Lucasfilm)

I cannot say I am surprised that Disney’s new Star Wars television series The Acolyte has been cancelled after only one season. I watched a few episodes and gave up.

Given that Disney has decided to spread the Star Wars series very thin over multiple storylines, it seems that the goal has been more TV rather than better TV. Even the trick of dropping in the occasional cameo, be it Luke Skywalker or various versions of Darth Vader, has worn thin.

So while the first series, The Mandalorian, is going into its fourth season, the other series are more or less limping along. The best of the lot, Andor, missed 2024 completely and will have its second and last season next year. What if Disney had concentrated more on Andor and less on these other spin-offs (The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka)? Maybe we would be talking about season three of Andor and the franchise would have some new and true fans.

With all of this busyness with little to show for it, I was surprised to read that Disney was putting out a Mandalorian feature film that mashes together some of the television storylines. Are we now milking to death the still struggling offspring of the Star Wars family? Why?

Disney needs to use its cash and creative talent to come up with new sci-fi series. Look at The Expanse for some ideas or just visit the sci-fi section of the library.

All I know is that turning Star Wars into a money pit is not the way to go.

In Case You Missed It: Experiencing Disney’s Star Wars Hotel

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Drinks at the Disney Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. (Disney)

The Disney hotel lasted for less than two years, but for more than four hours you can experience it on YouTube.

Opened in March 2022, Disney’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was an expensive, all-inclusive hotel that brought Star Wars adventures directly to the well-heeled. By September 2023, the fun was over when Disney shuttered the hotel forever after failing to attract enough customers.

The YouTube video, The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel, follows Jenny Nicholson, who paid $6,000 for a two-night stay at the hotel. You get to see the experience for yourself and get deep into the highs and lows of her adventure.

Since most of us either lacked the funds or chutzpah to check into this hotel, this is the next best thing. You may never see such an adventure again. Of course, maybe the Alien franchise will see something to build on. After all, that series is all about the gullible checking in but not checking out.