Hello all!
With the eager anticipation of Season 3 coming out in 2023, I wanted to recap how the first two seasons of this much-enjoyed show has been! Star Wars, and more importantly Disney, has had a VERY inconsistent run of shows and movies as of late and I wanted to go back and visit what was for many a resurgence in the belief that Star Wars content can be good again. The Mandalorian was such a show that since Rogue One, put some faith back into the IP.
Season 1 (Chapters 1-8)
Final Verdict: ★★★★ 4 Stars - The first season of this now-beloved show does a great job at telling a competent story that works for all ages and fans of Star Wars. Set in the bigger Star Wars universe, it doesn't have to tell a "Skywalker" or "Jedi" story, and just sits in the landscape of Star Wars lore that everyone has asked for but have never really gotten. Pedro Pascal plays Din Djarin with nuance, grit, and swagger that makes you root for him from the very beginning. The supporting characters range from fine to great to odd and a few cringeworthy ones, but they usually don't drop the overall enjoyment much or for long. While the script is not always top notch and sometimes overly simplistic for what the rest of the show boasts, the episodic adventure avenue works really well, combining the weekly mission with the overall narrative. The end of the first season ends on a satisfying, sad, exciting, and intriguing note to advertise what's to come for this hopefully long-running show.
Season 2 (Chapters 9-16)
Final Verdict: ★★★★ 4 Stars - While I originally wanted to rank the second season higher than the first due to it expanding the story, there are aspects to this season that drops lower than the first while also being better than the first in certain areas. While the episodic adventure style continues, most of the episodes feel more connected than they were during the first set of chapters. There is a linear narrative here that is exactly what people wanted and it delivers in tension and cohesion. That being said, season two does feel like it gets bogged down by the "necessary inclusions" it is required to do in order for Disney to expand their Star Wars television universe of shows. It set up The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka, we're introduced to several Clone Wars characters that play pivotal roles, a famous Jedi returns, and the bigger story of what is going on with the Empire has to be told. Most of this is done fairly seamlessly, but it feels really stuffed to the brim for eight episodes that should primarily focus on Mando and Grogu. It is just as fun as the first and continues the (mostly) high quality it has presented so far.
BONUS FRY: The Book of Boba Fett (but only Ep. 5-7) or The Mandalorian Season 2.5 😄
Since I won't be reviewing the full...let's say misstep of a show, I'm just going to review the episodes where the Mandalorian shows up and makes the last few episodes worth watching.
Final Verdict: ★★★★ 3.5 Stars - The Book of Boba Fett should not have really ever existed in the current state of Star Wars lore. I believe that they should have kept Boba Fett's story as a movie and invested more talent and power into a short and tight narrative rather than trying to suck fans dry of any possible story connection to the much more desirable Mandalorian series. Since we get to see what Mando and Grogu are doing, I can't complain about it, but it's hardly a complete story. These episodes truly feel like an in-between set of content to hold fans over for season three and while I'm not complaining, I don't want to have to watch The Book of Boba Fett again when I rewatch all of The Mandalorian. These three episodes are worth watching, but since they're in another show, it also feels awkward and pretty forced.
Let me hear from you! If you like what you read, want to hear more thoughts on this show, other reviews, or talk movie recommendations and Essential Reading, leave a comment below.
