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TV Series Review: Star Wars: Andor - Season 2 (2025, Disney+) *No Spoilers*


Disney+'s Star Wars: Andor the first season is widely regarded as some of the best Star Wars since the original trilogy, and I don't disagree in my Andor Season 1 review.

Despite that, it does have its problems, mainly a lot of space between action pieces. That's not to say nothing is happening in those spaces, but I do remember being frustrated how long season one took to get to a promised heist scene, going from conversation to conversation over several episodes.

However, when Andor does have action, it usually delivers, with action that serves the story rather than action because 'it's time for some action now'.

Unfortunately that gave Andor the reputation for being Star Wars 'for grown ups'. People who understand how tension and intrigue can come just as much from character interaction, who is talking to who, and what they're saying.

That lead to low viewership and the show's proposed number of seasons being reduced to just two (I believe the initial pitch was five seasons with each being a year closer to the battle of Yavin depicted in Star Wars: A New Hope).

While season two may be a condensed version of what was originally planned, I am very thankful Disney allowed it to be made, instead of cancelling the show after one season of low viewership.

Season two is everything the first season was, including the slow build through character interaction more so than action, while still telling a fairly complete story on how the Rebellion came to be.

Broken up into four blocks of three episodes, each block spaced one year apart, the series plays like extended glimpses into the lives of all the major characters at each year in time. Finally coming to a relatively satisfying ending at about the point where Star Wars: Rogue One begins.

All the major characters, and even some supporting characters, get complete story arcs as the episodes progress. Though there are one or two fairly prominent minor characters who just disappear, and we never heard about them again. They're not crucial to the formation of the Rebellion, and it's likely the result of the series being reduced to just two seasons.

I'm not going to get into the weeds of the plot or praise performances (though everyone deserves the praise). If you liked the first season (and didn't binge it), you may find yourself binging season 2. I binged the last three episodes despite being someone who doesn't like to binge TV shows so I can interact with, and enjoy them over a longer time frame.

While it's still very much focussed on characters and who interacts with who, it's not as frustrating as the first season because the storytelling needed to pick up the pace, and then it jumps forward a whole year after every three episodes.

If you enjoyed the first season, you'll only be disappointed by season two because it's the final season. Here's hoping this show's team will get an opportunity to tell more 'grown up' stories in the Star Wars universe.

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