Star Wars: The Mandalorian Series 1 Review

 

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Gina Carano

and more

Writer: Jon Favreau

Rating: 7 of 8

Star Wars

The Mandalorian Series 1

One of the most consistent things about Star Wars is just how split the fanbase can be and, though it can be nice to see one franchise generate so many varied opinions, it's refreshing to get a sense of unified positivity. Despite a great deal of division over the Sequel Trilogy, even it's die-hard critics heaped the space opera's 1st live action series with praise.

Having watched The Mandalorian's 1st Season, it's easy to see why. Set just a couple years after the fall of the Empire, it follows Mandalorian bounty hunter, Djin Djarin, as he attempts to reclaim his now reclusive people's former glory. He tries to achieve this by taking in bounties for various individuals and though he's pretty good at it, it's his latest bounty that makes him question just how far he's willing to go for his people.

Dubbed Baby Yoda by fans and the general public, the Child (above) is one of the best parts of the series - and one of the most surprising. Going into the show, I expected a tense, thrilling show set in a seldom explored time period - and though that's what we get, I never expected it to have such a sense of heart. We get this throughout the series, thanks to the surprisingly father-son like bond between Djin and the Child.

It's also rare that we see other members of Yoda's race, with the Child and Yodel being two of the few other members that we've seen. The series is also one of the few times we've gotten to see the state of the Mandalorians after the Empire's fall, which I appreciated. Though we got to see how things were with them before it's rise (in The Clone Wars) and in it's early days (in Rebels), it's nice to see how they're doing after such a seismic event.

Despite it's fall, it's presence is definitely felt, both early into the series and towards it's end. Given how it ends, I'm sure that'll continue with Series 2 and I look forward to seeing Moff Gideon's - played with the usual aplomb by Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, The Boys) - story explored more in future episodes. But if you're looking for great performances, look no further than it's lead, Pedro Pascal.

Throughout the series, he gives a compellingly understated performance, one that, along with the Child, helps to anchor it. As has been noted by my Dad and other reviewers, it's very reminiscent of Clint Eastwood in just how strong his presence can be, despite being a man of few words. It's noteworthy just how expressive he can be, despite wearing a mask throughout. We get bits and pieces of his backstory throughout, in an event that ties into a pivotal moment in Mandalorian history.

I'd be remiss if I went without saying just how amazing the series looks. Despite having a budget of $100 million, I was still shocked at just how good it looked for a show. I remember asking my Dad if a show could've looked this good years ago and he said no. I can't help but thinking, looking at the costumes, the various aliens and, most of all, the beautiful vistas on show, of just how far we've come.

 Overall, this is a fantastic show, with very few flaws. Even if you're not a big fan of Star Wars, I highly recommend it. It's easy to get into, easy to follow and just very good.