«The Mandalorian» Season 1 (2019): Review
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THIS IS THE WAY.
Visionary director Jon Favreau, who kick started the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Ironman), travelled to a Galaxy, far, far away, to bring us the first Star Wars western-type series: The Mandalorian; starring Pedro Pascal (Din Djarin/The Mandalorian), Carl Weathers (Greef Karga), Gina Carano (Cara Dune), and Giancarlo Esposito (Moff Gideon) amongst others. Directed by various directors such as Favreau, Taika Waititi (who also plays IG-11), Bryce Dallas Howard, Deborah Chow, Dave Filoni, or Rick Famuyiwa; The Mandalorian is set between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. Ludwig Goransson was in charge of the soundtrack, just like he did in Black Panther. The series has 8 episodes and its second season is confirmed to debut in October 2020 on Disney+. It received great praise from both the critics and the fans.
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THE MANDALORIAN
The Mandalorian feels like something completely new inside the Star Wars universe we all know and love. We follow Mando’s adventures, in a very gritty and dirty environment, as opposed to the films. Even though we’re in a universe we already know, we are introduced to new elements; such as IG units or different ranks of the already fallen Empire.
The series is more grounded than any other Star Wars movie, and the story progresses due to the interaction between all the characters: what stands out is how closely they all interact with each other, thanks to the much simpler plot that drives the story forwards. There are no galaxy-changing events here; we’re just watching how a man gets to survive day by day. In that aspect, The Mandalorian really shines through.
The series has a very special and unexpected guest. It is none other than Baby Yoda, or “the Child”, as it’s called throughout the entirety of the series. Baby Yoda shows up at the end of the first episode, and just like the audience, Mando cannot get enough of him. Even though Baby Yoda is the cutest thing in the whole series, it is also the first season’s main mcguffin. From the writer’s part, it’s a very smart move in order to keep the audience engaged from beginning to end. While it’s obvious that the Child is what everyone’s going for in the series, the audience is desperate to see it appear on screen too. We want to see it at all times and we really cannot wish him any harm.
Who would want to see how the adorable Baby Yoda ends up in a bounty hunter’s dirty hands? No one, obviously. Unless you’re from the Empire, of course.
The last two episodes are the best from this first season, hands down. Not just because of the new elements that are introduced, but because of their continuity. The story suddenly goes up a gear by its events, making it far more interesting and engaging, where the audience wants to know what’ll happen next. The ending with Moff Gideon and the darksaber he possesses is more than exciting, since that unique lightsaber used to be of the Mandalore’s possession. Adding that there’s a strong rumour about Ashoka Tano making her live-action debut for the upcoming second season, The Mandalorian’s future seems to be bright.
One again, Ludwig Goransson did a fantastic job with the soundtrack. He was able to perfectly capture the western feel to the series with his music; that along with the costumes allow the audience an immersive experience in this little new world presented by Favreau. The aesthetic and special effects are top-notch too, making it a very solid first season.
WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD ABOUT THE MANDALORIAN
Like its own name indicates, this series follows the adventures of Din Djarin, the Mandalorian. For those who don’t know, these mercenaries come from the planet Mandalore, and are unmistakably recognized by their armours and helmets, which they can’t take off unless they’re completely alone. Nevertheless, the series doesn’t dig too deep into Din’s past, apart from the brief flashback in the seventh episode where we get to see how he was rescued. There’s not much effort to humanize his character or flesh him out beyond a bare minimum.
Just like I mentioned previously, the las two episodes are the best of the series, and that’s thanks to their continuity. Lots of times, it feels as if the episodes are independent of one another, where the mission is always different from the previous one. Even if the story doesn’t suffer from this, there aren’t open endings or cliffhangers like in episodes 7 and 8. I think that the series would benefit greatly if they just divided the ending in two or even three parts, making it feel more continuous; where the first couple episodes can serve as an introduction, and the rest can just go at full gas.
There are moments where you feel that you’ve entered the same cycle over and over again: episode starts, there’s a mission, the mission is accomplished, and the episode ends. Nevertheless, the las two episodes are different from this, making them stand out.
The last weakness I can extract from the first season is that the series doesn’t really end on any kind of negative note, apart from Kuiil’s death. Even though there are times where Mando is seriously injured, you never get to fear for his life. I understand that Disney wants to make family-friendly content, but I don’t think it’d be a bad idea to include moments where you ask yourself if Mando and his friends are really going to make it out alive.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, The Mandalorian’s first season has been a success for both the critics and the fans. It’s very entertaining and feels like something fresh inside the Star Wars universe; having been taken care of since the very beginning. With different directors and a planned-out series, The Mandalorian is a big step in the right direction, who will have to consolidate itself when the second season arrives. The aesthetic, environment and soundtrack are great, enabling us to discover a unique Star Wars western. This is the way.
VERDICT: 7.5/10
