50-Year Sci-Fi Saga Thrives with Hit Series Rated 4.2/5!

By 2027, the Star Wars saga will be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary. Over nearly half a century, the iconic franchise initiated by George Lucas has released eleven feature films and expanded into several live-action series and a number of animated productions.

Despite its enduring popularity, the saga has faced a series of disappointments at the box office and on television screens. Many fans believe that the Star Wars productions released since Disney’s acquisition of the franchise have not lived up to expectations. However, one spin-off series has managed to achieve near-universal acclaim: Andor.

The Prequel to This Star Wars Film Has Already Won Over Fans

This series serves as a prequel to the movie Rogue One, which itself was designed as a prequel to George Lucas’s original trilogy. In Gareth Edwards’s 2016 film, audiences watched a team of rebels embark on a perilous mission to steal the plans for the Death Star, ultimately enabling its destruction by the Rebel Alliance.

Generally, fans regard Rogue One as one of the best Star Wars films of the Disney era. This sentiment is widely shared for the Andor series, considered by some as the best spin-off in the franchise and possibly the best Star Wars production since The Empire Strikes Back, released in 1981!

Andor faces limited competition. Among all Star Wars series, many have been artistic failures (The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi disappointed many fans), and those attempting to carve out new universes haven’t seen the expected success (Skeleton Crew, with its future still pending).

The Only Star Wars Series That Rivals Andor

The Mandalorian stands out as a notable exception. The series, soon to be complemented by the film The Mandalorian & Grogu, pays tribute to the films and the wider Star Wars universe, rewarding fans with prestigious appearances and numerous easter eggs.

Andor is the perfect antithesis of The Mandalorian. Targeted at a more mature audience, the series distinguishes itself with its seriousness and the complexity of its plot. Focused on a secondary character from the saga (Cassian Andor, portrayed in Rogue One by Diego Luna), it opts to exclude any major characters and limits itself to a few easter eggs that do not overshadow the main storyline.

While some fans find it too slow or even boring, others praise it for a return to the very essence of the saga envisioned by George Lucas. There are no Jedi or lightsaber battles, and action scenes are quite rare; instead, Andor takes on the form of a spy series that breaks away from the typical good-versus-evil narrative.

For the first time, we see both the rebels and the Imperial camp on equal footing. The pacing of the series is also unique, with each of the two seasons divided into three-episode chapters (twelve episodes per season), and the plot includes frequent time jumps. The goal of showing how a simple mercenary—Andor—can become a cornerstone of a rebellion is also excellently fulfilled.

Andor is the Best Star Wars Series, But Only If…

Claiming it as the best Star Wars series is not an exaggeration. However, we must also consider the diversity of the audience. As Andor creator Tony Gilroy mentioned, there isn’t just one type of Star Wars fan.

Those who love the saga for Jedi stories and action scenes are just as important as those who prefer more realistic and complex narratives. This is the strength of the expanded Star Wars universe, as evidenced by numerous works—both official and unofficial—published as novels.

Thus, Andor is the ideal series for those disappointed by the more entertaining and family-oriented direction the saga has taken. Still, we cannot fault those who might have wanted to see Darth Vader or Princess Leia in the series.

There isn’t a right or wrong reason to prefer Andor over The Mandalorian, or vice versa. Let’s just appreciate that there can be two such quality and complementary series, something no other sci-fi saga has ever achieved.

Both seasons of Andor are now available exclusively on Disney+.

Explore the list of series currently available on the platform!