_The Mandalorian_ started out OK, but ended up as some half-baked, lazily written show that exist merely to lure parents to justify a Disney+ subscription. Kids get the usual Disney contents, moms get Baby Yoda, dads get Star Wars nerdy reference. The show almost feels like being made by a bunch of fanfiction writers with familiarity of the setting but zero sense of screen writing.

Nothing wrong with liking it, it's just the show appears to be all style and no substance.

Storyline shows no complexity at all. In fact, most of them are fillers. You can skip 4 of 8 episodes and you'll still understand the story just fine. Characters are completely uninteresting. None of them are developed. None of them had nuances: protagonists are morally good heroes; antagonists are one dimensional evils. The show relies only on a cute muppet and flashy action, but has zero substance. Had a potential great world-building with some details, but they chose to abandon it for rule of cool (and cute).

The **"it's Star Wars, so it'll be simple" excuse** commonly said by the series' defenders doesn't hold up if you actually consider other Star Wars titles such as _Knights of the Old Republic_, _Republic Commando_, _Jedi Academy_, _Thrawn_ trilogy, the original and Tartakovsky's _Clone Wars_, and so on. Those titles are known for having remarkable storytelling; something that _The Mandalorian_ doesn't have for its poverty of creative vision.

Disney didnt bother giving his any rational thinking other than “how can we possibly engage every possible demographic out there with the cheapest means possible” so I see no reason why I should grace it with a review by reviewing the notes I took while watching. So here are the raw notes and comments copied and pasted, sorry for the horrible editing but that would force me into having to use more time on this, time Id rather use to shoot myself in the face with a shotgun:

[spoiler]Shoots door button to close the door cause certainly that wouldnt break it and make it not function.... not even gonna ask how they got out again with a seemingly broken door button

monster breaking ice and swallowing a little speeder but the ship somehow landed just fine

beskar steel just a new and retarded disney invention ofc, surprised they didnt call it “valerian steel” lol

shot in widescreen to subliminally give anyone with less than 10 brain cells available calling themselves an old star wars fan “dat old star wars movies feelin”

“understatement of the millenium”more disney wannabe-funny bs just like in the shitty new movies...

ridiculous cgi lightning when the monster is prodded

that the mandalorians never take off their helmets is also pure bs just now invented by disney so they can set apart new age kidtard fans from old boomers, like the earlier “beskar steel” insert

cheap carbon freezing effects/cgi, but good that they included it for some more old fans service

empire credits apparently isnt good enough but “calamari flan” or whatever the f he said is apparently quote “fine” even though its half of what he wanted... a true mandalorian wouldve taken all of both credit types

“do you want the chit or not” either a retarded way of saying chip, once again so the new age kidtards can get more immersed based on cheap means, or a disney cop out to get to say “shit” even though its kinda for kids, sounds retarded anyway

(java's pet) alien looking at another one of the same species being fried for some reason looks like a cheapass doll and has cheapass dolly movement... oh wait thats ofc so that the disney execs can “activate” old star wars fans subliminally just like the retarded decision to shoot in widescreen

female mandalorian but as a smith ofc just in case we arent feeling her “toughness”... cause the “woke” demographic needs some coverage too

mini-mandalorian in flashbacks ofc seriously looks like little Jango Fett from episode II, cause more subliminal bs

heavy brute monster (blurrg) somehow sneaks up on him from the front while hes using monocular even though hes a “pro mandalorian”... guess theyre super light, oh wait no theyre heavy af, guess it must be some elf magic going on then lol. Also tranq darts give off electric shock for some reason, ofc with the same cheap cgi. monocular only have the color blue for some reason...

our pro anti-hero will apparently need to ride a blurrg cause “the way is impossible to pass without a blurrg... guess they forgot that its star wars and they have tons of “cool” technological equipment not to mention he has a f ship.... but lets go with the having to learn to ride a blurrg thingy cause why the f not right? Alot more entertaining, doesnt matter if its 100% retarded logically speaking

“this is a female, the males are all eaten during mating”, yupp we heard right, a bigass creature somehow survived evolution even though it seems to “do evolution completely backwards”... classic retard-universe-expansion a la disney, too bad they didnt shit out some retarded explanation as to what these bigass creatures subsist on on this lifeless rock planet. Why am I even surprised its retarded execs/writers with jack shit knowledge about ecology and biology (or anything else for that sake) that came up with it... probably the same retards that gave all the same retarded explanations on the different lifeforms in the game that recently came out, jedi order somethingsomething (also horrible too ofc)

I wonder how this ugnaught is able to see anything with those super concave goggles...

lets just forget that the terrain was “impossible to pass without a blurrg” when we are showing them traveling, by not showing any impassable terrain at all, lets just show them jumping over some gaps that the mandalorian easily couldve done himself

oh a bounty droid, which our mandalorian hates for some reason even though it seems to be doing wonders when it comes to disposing thugs, I smell a hk-47 ripoff... que the witty remarks and cold robot attitude probably poorly executed just like everything else (EDIT: I was wrong about this)

blasters dont have the associated “pew pew” sound cause that wasnt cool and tough enough so they had to put on some bass for that extra “umpf” feelin even though they now almost dont sound anything like a blaster have done for all the years star wars have existed

“up top” and the doid shoots straight up to presents us with a falling thug, I wonder where this thug was standing in the first place if the droid shot straight up, guess he was hovering in the air...

less than 10 seconds later the droid initiates self destruct because “it appears we are trapped”... guess he cant just try shooting his way out and if that fails he initiates the self destruct because disney needs some more pointless drama... but because the mandalorian tells him not to then ofc he just throws his “manufacturers protocol” right out the window, more disney logic

lasers hitting stone walls leaves no temperature change marks or singing... guess that wouldve been too much for the amateurs over at the cgi department to accomplish

mandalorian stands on the heavy blaster for 10 seconds shooting everyone around him even though he was taking cover until just then because everyone knows that if someone stands on a heavy gun no one else can suddenly neither shoot at him let alone hit him...

“that blaster hit looks nasty you ok?” yet not a single mark on the droid, IG11 as hes called, but the mandalorian still looks closer at that missing mark to really show us that its nasty even though its non existent

10$ says “the life form present” is a woman, oh wait its ofc the only possible thing that could engage us viewers even more than romantic tension: a cute little “yoda” ofcofc, cause disney's already invested millions into just the marketing (instead of the actual show) so it would be embarrassing if as much as just one critique out there said something bad ,or worse, gave this absolute shitshow anything less than 10/10. so naturally everyone needs to have their fan service organ stroked hard af... OMGOMG I CANT WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, KAWAIIII... geez what a true absolute f shitshow of a fan service mashup, can someone shoot me in the face, I beg you! Byebye star wars :( EDIT: this is where I wrote [/.spoiler] but apparently trakt cant be bothered to follow proper coding (I never wrote it after the first section indicating everything is a spoiler alert... GJ TRAKT!

Wow! Just, wow!
The Mandalorian is not just a sci-fi, but a western as well. Pedro Pascal was awesome as the titular character. But Baby Yoda was the one who stole the show!

Great cast, great cast, great special effects. Just great!

If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog @ https://www.msbreviews.com

Star Wars is a very special franchise to millions of people around the world, myself included. I remember when The Force Awakens was announced, and everyone got excited and pumped to experience this beautiful universe once again. However, with social media having a massive impact, the huge fanbase transformed into something so disrespectful and hateful that I find no longer fun discussing the saga with other aficionados... except for The Mandalorian.

If I had to bet that Jon Favreau was going to create such an astonishing Star Wars series that the whole fanbase would unanimously love, I would have lost so much money because I would have bet against this. There's no denying that the newest cinematic trilogy is one of the most divisive in the history of cinema. But there's also no denying that The Mandalorian belongs to the saga's universally beloved pieces of cinema/television.

This show is a near-perfect depiction of what the universe looks like post-Empire. Some are looking for scraps of the war to make themselves some money, others are trying to hunt criminals to collect bounties, like The Mandalorian or Mando for short (I will use the latter to refer to the character). Following Pedro Pascal's lead character, one that has no name or face throughout the season can be a challenging task in the sense that it's hard to emotionally connect with someone who we wouldn't recognize in the streets. Except we do.

Pascal's facial performance might be impossible to evaluate, but his body movements and attitude are so unique that Mando can be easily distinguished from the remaining members of his Guild. Obviously, his costume also helps to tell him apart from other Mandalorians. However, it's the rich, intelligent writing that surprises me. After a few episodes, I feel like I know Mando, even if he doesn't say much. I understand his life principles, who he trusts, who he doesn't... Yes, there are a bunch of secret past adventures that molded him into being what he is (I'll get there). Still, a simple action like not selling something, not killing someone, or simply a helmet turn a bit faster/slower goes a long way to show the audience who's the character we are supposed to support.

Every single episode is packed with entertainment. There's always some action, and it always brings something new. It can be an innovative trick, a different location, or new characters like Baby Yoda, who undoubtedly becomes the star of the show, and I'll leave it at that. I won't develop or spoil what everyone is or does, but I do have to mention Gina Carano (Cara) and Carl Weathers (Greef Karga). Both are important to the storyline, and both actors deliver great performances. If Gina gives her all during the action sequences, Carl uses his eloquent speech to provide the necessary exposition.

If there was a slight doubt regarding Disney's commitment to this show, the mind-blowing production level shuts down any question about that subject. This series doesn't merely resemble Star Wars, it *feels* like Star Wars. The whole season looks absolutely stunning! Gorgeous cinematography, fantastic set designs, and even the costumes of each species look amazing. Technically, it's one of the best TV shows of the decade, and every director does a tremendous job.

One other aspect I love is how each episode feels different. Each director brings his/her personal filmmaking flair, making every chapter feel new every time. Dave Filoni, who fans will know from the animated Star Wars series, does a good job with the pilot. Deborah Chow, who's the sole director of the Obi-Wan series, delivers brilliant action and a fast pace. Rick Famuyiwa puts a horror vibe into his sequences. And Taika Waititi (who also performs the voice of a droid named IG-11) ends the season with a thunderous finale. However, it's due to Jon Favreau's screenplay that everything works together so seamlessly. Impeccable writing, especially concerning the protagonist.

I have just one issue with the debut season, which is the overall plot. For a long time, it doesn't feel like it has one. It feels like entertainment for the sake of entertainment, just with compelling characters. Following Mando from planet to planet, from mission to mission, can be tons of fun, but if that's all the season has to give, then that fun can quickly turn into monotony (chapter five is definitely the favorite for the worst episode of the season). A lot of questions concerning Mando's past keep coming up, and while I understand that the series needs to have something for a second season, I also feel that a few answers here and there could have helped the story.

If there's one thing that The Mandalorian proves is that Disney has more than enough capabilities to produce a great Star Wars piece... as long as it has someone supervising it with a clear plan and structure, which didn't happen with the sequel trilogy. It isn't a coincidence that the two episodes with no involvement of Favreau on the writing are the season's worst. The apparent lack of a central plot can be damaging, but not enough to steal the "best Star Wars TV series" crown.

With an outstanding cast and talented directors, Jon Favreau offers the world the opportunity to live in the Star Wars universe, following Pedro Pascal's character in some of the most entertaining adventures the saga has ever witnessed. Technically superb, with stunning cinematography, excellent editing, an addictive score (it can feel weird in the beginning, but it grew on me), and amazing directing from everyone involved. Nevertheless, it's Favreau's writing and well-planned season's structure that make this debut a gigantic success. Undoubtedly, one of the best shows of the year.

Rating: A

Well into season 3 its clear that meh strong female lead is going to take the place of Mando, I mean they haven't missed an opportunity to have him mess up, get captured just so meh Strong Female Lead can rescue him.

And it makes sense. All the Disney shows have been a bait and switch to replace the beloved character for Meh Strong Female Leads.

It's a shame. This... well it wasn't good, but it also wasn't bad and for Disney Star Wars not being bad makes the show pretty great.

I don't want to say it had potential for greatness, but it also didn't directly attack the fans so it was the best part of Disney Star Wars.