Arriving on Disney +, The first-ever Star Wars live-action TV show is here!
Star Wars has had an interesting history on TV, beginning with the now-infamous Star Wars Holiday Special in 1978, a show so bad George Lucas once threatened to track down every copy and destroy them personally with a sledgehammer. Since then, barring a couple of Ewoks TV movies, the franchise has stuck to animation for its small-screen endeavours. This led to the very popular Clone Wars and Rebels shows spearheaded by Dave Filoni who also directs the premiere of The Mandalorian.
As well as the numerous Disney, Fox, National Geographic and Pixar properties contained within Disney +, the fledgeling streaming service has stated its intent to deliver brand new content. The main selling point at launch is undoubtedly The Mandolorian, a new chapter in the Star Wars saga overseen by Jon Favreau (Iron Man, The Lion King).
From the very beginning The Mandalorian sets itself firmly within the Star Wars universe, the titular character played by Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones) bears a striking resemblance to fan favourite Boba Fett, and by the end of the episode he will have encountered, R2 droids, Stormtroopers and other familiar aliens. Pascal is excellent in the role despite the fact that his face is never seen in this first episode. His performance then relies on his physicality and voice, both of which he uses to show a surprising amount of versatility. The Mandalorian (unnamed as of yet) shows signs of humour, conscience and of course bad assdom in his debut appearance, suggesting that he will be an interesting focus for the show going forward. We are also introduced to a number of supporting characters along the way, with the stand out being Taika Waititi’s IG-11 who also bears a strong resemblance to a familiar character from Star Wars lore.
One of the main standouts in the episode is the visuals which manage to recreate the feel of Star Wars on a TV budget, albeit a huge Disney backed TV budget. There is an enormous amount of practical effect from creature make up to set design which emulates the lived-in feel of the original trilogy, appropriate given that this series is set five years after Return of the Jedi. CGI is, of course, inevitable and it is here that the limits of TV are briefly exposed with a couple of the creatures being that little bit too shiny, their movements too unnatural. Thankfully this is not a deal-breaker and is a long way from the horrors of the prequels.
Slightly more worrisome is the tone which shifts from out and out western to self-aware comedy to slapstick at times. This is most evident in the opening scenes where a barfight evokes Clint Eastwood’s Dollars trilogy, yet a supporting character feels way too broad in his performance and threatens to ruin your immersion. The episode does settle down once we get into the meat of the story, and The Mandalorian sets out on his latest mission. Here, we learn more about the underworld of the Star Wars universe and begin to explore the Mandalorian culture which promises to be one of the most fascinating elements of the series. We also encounter a supporting cast that includes Carl Weathers and Nick Nolte, the latter unrecognisable under makeup. Both are welcome additions as is the unexpected appearance by director Werner Herzog as a shady character with Imperial ties. Your mileage may vary when it comes to the comedic sequence in the middle of the episode but few would argue against the shoot out that ends the episode. Add to it an interesting hook for the next instalment and you’ve got a solid start to what promises to be a great series.
The Mandalorian sets itself firmly within the Star Wars universe
Name: The Mandalorian
Description: The travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic.
Jim King is a lifelong geek who enjoys talking about anything and everything out of the ordinary. He co-hosts a Star Trek podcast and is pretty good at Street Fighter 2.
