Top 10 Things Critics Are Saying About the Mandalorian

Let’s be honest, this show could be extremely mediocre and people would likely still watch it - such has been the excitement for a live-action Star Wars series. But right from the very first episode, “The Mandalorian” embraces the opportunities afforded to it by the change of medium by teasing a story worthy of television - complete with detailed worldbuilding and more than a few burning questions. Seeds have been planted that we can only assume are going to be unravelled far more slowly and meticulously than they might on film. From the traumatic flashbacks of our protagonist as as “foundling” and his motivations, to the mysterious client and his jaw-dropping bounty target, there’s plenty to keep us coming back week after week.

As the plot synopsis provided by Jon Favreau describes it, this story takes place “in the outer reaches of the galaxy”. Be that as it may, we’re very much playing in the same universe. There are a ton of easter eggs in the first episode, and while this easily could have played like an inelegant dump truck of fan service, these various little touches all fit just right. From a character that looks just like Boba Fett in the background of a shot, to Kowakian monkey-lizards, the easter eggs, both large and small, never feel forced. The series shows a real reverence for the world George Lucas created, and promises to mine the lore for all its worth - especially the fan-favorite Mandalorian culture.

Television adaptations of popular film franchises have a high risk of disappointing fans. They usually come with a more restrictive budget and, unfortunately, the shooting style usually looks like it was made for tv - ie. cheap. Thankfully, we’re living in the golden age of big budget television and Disney is said to have dropped $120 million on just these 8 episodes. The end result is a series that looks like 120 million dollars! The cinematography is very hard to fault. Not a single shot feels as if it’s been wasted - the camera movement is always in service of the action or onscreen tension, the lighting is moody and the composition is cinema quality.

As we’ve seen with the sequel trilogy, there are few actors who will pass up the opportunity to cameo within the Star Wars universe. Case in point: actor and comedian Brian Posehn makes a blink and you’ll miss it appearance as a speeder pilot. In terms of the show’s core supporting cast, Favreau has assembled a strong and diverse team of talented actors. Carl Weathers is charming as always, and we’re very curious to learn more about Omid Abtahi’s mysterious Dr. Pershing. Though unrecognizable, Nick Nolte plays a self-serious Ugnaught moisture farmer named Kuiil, who makes a lasting impression with his strange mannerisms. Add Gina Carano and Giancarlo Esposito, and you’ve got quite the cast.

The first time that you watch “The Mandalorian”, chances are that the soundtrack isn’t going to jump out at you. There’s so much happening on-screen (not to mention all the easter eggs), that you just sort of get lost in the story. But we’d argue that the score is actually a BIG part of easing you into the series. It’s a remarkably solid fit - if not what people were expecting. Rather than the soaring orchestral style of John Williams, composer Ludwig Göransson went for more of a spaghetti western sound - albeit with a modern twist. That being said, Göransson borrows just enough compositional elements from Star Wars films past to make “The Mandalorian” still feel at home in this beloved universe.

There are few people currently working in Hollywood quite as strange or unique as German actor and director Werner Herzog. How anyone even came up with the idea of casting idea the eccentric filmmaker, we may never know, but we’re glad they did! Herzog, by his own admission, has apparently never watched any of the Star Wars films. And yet he feels that this didn’t hamper his ability to inhabit the role. Weird choices all around, but the reviews are in and everyone seems to be in agreement that Herzog is a stand out - eccentricities and all. Bonus fact: when asked about Favreau’s highly successful films, Herzog responded matter of factly “I do not know what other films he has made.” Total character… great actor!

Star Wars is a franchise that has always balanced drama and humor. But since Disney acquired the property, the new films have skewed more in favor of overt jokes and silly moments similar to those seen in the MCU. With “The Mandalorian” however, there’s a notably darker tone to the whole thing; it feels most similar to Rogue One. Like the aforementioned film, there are nonetheless moments of levity - but they are brief and likely to be few and far between. Some of them land, and others less so. Taika Waititi’s deadpan delivery as IG-11 was a highlight, whereas critics seemed divided by SNL’s Horatio Sanz as the Mandalorian’s talkative first bounty, Mythrol.

In the first episode, you don’t get a very clear picture of our protagonist, who’s played by “Game of Thrones” alum Pedro Pascal, or his motivations. The titular Mandalorian is a man of few words, but even with his face covered the entire time, Pascal manages to say a lot through body language. And when he does speak, his tone similarly speaks volumes (even if the dialogue is a bit spotty at times). Pascal plays the character cool and steely, but he’s not unflappable as we see during the big shootout alongside the scene-stealing IG-11. We’ve only gotten a taste of what Pascal is capable of in the role, but all signs point to him being an actor worthy of the helmet.

“Star Wars: Underworld” was a planned live action series that died in development back when George Lucas was still at the reins. It would have taken viewers into the seedy underbelly of Coruscant, where criminals and gang activity reign supreme. The show sadly never materialized, but “The Mandalorian” is certainly making good on its abandoned promise to explore the criminal side of the galaxy far, far away. References to illegal organ smuggling, stormtrooper helmets impaled on pikes… In the first episode, we even see the Mandalorian’s toilet! Perhaps most jarring, however, is that our protagonist isn’t really a hero - at least not in the conventional Star Wars sense.

From the opening shot of the first episode, you feel like you’ve returned to a galaxy far, far away. There are some notable aesthetic differences, but they aren’t so significant as to mark a serious stylistic departure. Sure, it feels a bit darker, but this is a darker series, thematically speaking. As numerous critics have pointed out, this feels like the start of a movie - one that just happens to 6 hours long and divided into 8 instalments. Despite the lack of opening crawl, absence of familiar faces, and the addition of the aforementioned more “unsavory” elements, “The Mandalorian” feels firmly entrenched in the Star Wars universe, and that’s in no small part thanks to the high quality CGI, abundance of practical effects and franchise-appropriate set design.