Star Wars: The Mandalorian

[Raid]

Probably proving once again that Dave Filoni (the guy largely responsible for both The Clone Wars and Rebels) is doing more for Star Wars than the films are, this is the first live action Star Wars series. Jon Favreau (who is a pretty big Star Wars fan, seemingly) is the showrunner, with Filoni as executive producer. It stars Pedro Pascal (Oberyn Martell from Game of Thrones), Gina Carano (an MMA fighter and American Gladiator), Giancarlo Esposito (Gus from Breaking Bad) and, apparently, Werner Herzog.

It's set a few years after the Battle of Endor, following the exploits of a Mandalorian gunslinger for hire.




...and that's about as much as we know. It's more Star Wars, probably showing the grittier side of the franchise, and I get the feeling that it's going after the Game of Thrones fans. It's probably the reason I'll cave and subscribe to Disney+, because I'd forgotten it was happening until this afternoon.

[Raid]

The full trailer is out.

[Animalmother]

Looks alright doesn't it

[Achtung Englander]

here a prediction - this show will be behind the Disney + paywall = the most pirated show ever surpassing GOT

[Animalmother]

Oh I'm pirating the shit out of that.

[Drarok]

At least GoT was available in the UK legally. There's literally no way anyone but people in the north Americas can legally get this. Their piracy rates are going to be brutal.

[Raid]

Huh. I had no idea that there was no UK launch date for the service yet.

[Mantis]

I'd be surprised if it wasn't announced by the time this comes out. It seems a bit daft to launch your new streaming service with a pretty significantly hyped show to draw in subscribers whilst not having it available outside of one country.

[Raid]

So the first couple of episodes are... available. It's pretty good, with a couple of hooks at the end of the first episode that ought to grab Star Wars fans' attention. It's not quite the ultra-gritty no-fun-allowed slog that it could easily have been, there's enough of the more fantastical elements the series is known for, with significant screen time given to both an Ugnaught (the little guys that lived in the bowels of Cloud City in Empire that were about to destroy C3PO) character and Jawas. I can't say much for the cast yet because it's not clear how many of the characters we've seen will actually recur, and we don't see the titular character's face at all (what little I know of Mandalorian culture makes this unsurprising, and it's an amazing costume).

It's also pretty expensive looking. I know Disney are absolutely rolling in it, but this is surely going to be one of the most expensive TV productions ever made if it continues in the manner of the first couple of episodes.

[Achtung Englander]

So the first couple of episodes are... available.

[Animalmother]

Watched first couple of episodes, it's ok. Does nothing spectacular, except maybe show what a toilet in the Star Wars universe looks like, which looks like a toilet btw. Acting is good, effects range from great to Sharknado bad in places.

It's the only the first 2 episodes so I have no doubt it will get better. Worth paying a subscription fee for?, certainly not.

[Animalmother]

Episode 3, I think there was some subtle digs at EA's Battlefront going on...

Spoiler

He literally gets a loot box and improves his amour and weapons

[Hatredsheart]

Watched first couple of episodes, it's ok. Does nothing spectacular, except maybe show what a toilet in the Star Wars universe looks like, which looks like a toilet btw. Acting is good, effects range from great to Sharknado bad in places.

It's the only the first 2 episodes so I have no doubt it will get better. Worth paying a subscription fee for?, certainly not.

Agree, thought the first episode was ok, but definitely not worth paying a subscription on the strength of this.

[Raid]

I quite enjoyed the first three episodes, but the fourth is a really tired, done-to-death plot that does absolutely nothing new.

Spoiler

The Seven Samurai / Magnificent Seven has been done far better even in other sci-fi shows (Firefly's was pretty good). It didn't even make a lot of sense; the big conceit is that the bandits have an AT-ST (which is never explained), and Mando says that there isn't anything on the planet that can damage it, despite the fact that he owns a bloody great gunship that has two massive cannons. Ewoks with piles of logs can kill one but a Mandalorian gunslinger with an attack ship can't?

Also; what the hell was that scene where he explains how nobody can see him without his helmet, before immediately taking his helmet off while standing watching a group of children from a big open window? If one of those kids turned around, would he have to scramble and hide?

I hope the producers of this show aren't just going to rely on the fact that it's Star Wars as its only selling point. It's early days yet, but while this is an interesting diversion, it's so far not worth picking up a subscription on the strength of.

The baby is fucking adorable though.

[Rossell]

The meme value of this show is ridiculous.