Thursday, December 3, 2020

I Have Finally Seen the Mandalorian!

Yes, it was a major delay, but I bought the toys immediately and am all caught up now.

It took a while because we didn't jump on the inevitable Disney + bandwagon immediately.  Plus our main television is kind of old. I refused to watch it on a small screen, meaning there was hooking up another device to the TV in an auxiliary fashion involved.

The next question is, naturally, why didn't Anabelle and I instantly binge the whole thing?  The answer isn't only that, in general, I like to process between episodes (like the Marvel Netflix shows) but also that the pacing of this series works far better with down time in between.

One thing I love about this series...

Yes, of course I love this series, it's Star Wars, and have you seen the list of the creative minds behind it?

One thing I love about this series is that it is unashamedly a western. The action scenes are dynamic and exciting, but between them, patience is required as the gunfighter gets everything lined up.  It would be overly emotionally draining to watch a whole bunch in a row.

Once again, the world is clamoring for and heaping praise on a disguised western, while simultaneously stating, "We don't like westerns."

The world is still weird.

The series is also firmly, deeply and powerfully entrenched in the Star Wars Universe and mythology.  However, while it has a boatload of references to characters, movies, locations, toys, cartoons, and horribly remembered holiday specials, the focus remains on the new characters and their mission.  In other words, it lives in the continuity and history of Star Wars and occasionally pokes fun at it,  without being bogged down by it, or invalidating past victories in it.

It's like the early days of the franchise where every side character and alien in the background didn't need to have a hundred stories written about it.

The Mandalorian is the star and delivers on the mystique and awesomeness we were promised in the pre-Empire hints about Boba Fett over forty years ago.

The cast is fantastic, the feel of Star Wars is there, and while the first arc had failures and losses mixed in with the triumphs it was fun all around.  Season one balanced having each episode be a full, self contained story, with building on several threads and the main story arc.  It progressed to showing how the Old Gunfighter adopted the Orphan through many insane Star Warsy moments.

The bad guys are classic era Imperials. Woo!

The Razor Crest is an admirable edition to the flying hunk of junk pantheon of Star Wars spacecraft.

Seeing an Assassin Droid fulfill it's dangerous reputation was amazing. Equally amazing was getting to see Jawas demonstrate how they and their treaded armored living quarters survive the dangerous wastes of Tatooine.

And Baby Yoda is constantly adorable.

Yes..."Baby Yoda." I know the show takes place after Jedi and the official title is "The Asset"  "The Child" or the revealed name in Season 2 (to jump ahead) but just look at the precious little thing...
It's Baby Yoda.

The Mandalorian's other allies are each cool in their own way.  
Cara brings the muscle and firepower.
Casting Nick Nolte as an Ugnaght was inspired. 
Apollo Creed is as cool as always.

Hey, If I can say "Baby Yoda" I can call him "Apollo" too.

I'll have more thoughts on season two when its done, as I watch them at the proper western pace of one a week.

This is the way.



Shameless self promotion plug (yet again):
In the mean time, due to my excitement, 
I accidentally watched all of the films again. 
New thoughts start here a week from Monday.





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