A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas created the pop culture phenomenon that is the Star Wars franchise. Now, 43 years, 11 films, three animated series, and one Holiday Special later, the Star Wars universe is being explored in its first live-action television series, The Mandalorian. When Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, along with the entirety of the Star Wars franchise, it seemed inevitable that now, in the golden age of television, Star Wars would receive its own live-action TV series. 

The Mandalorian takes place five years after the events of Return of the Jedi, following the fall of the evil Empire and follows the eponymous Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal), a bounty hunter trying to protect the child (nicknamed ‘Baby Yoda’ by fans) from a galaxy of scum and villainy. The show was created by Jon Favreau, director of Iron Man and The Lion King with the help of George Lucas’ protégée Dave Filoni, creator of Star Wars animated series The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. Through uniting the minds of a Star Wars veteran in Dave Filoni with the relative newbie Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian feels like something new whilst retaining the trademark Star Wars atmosphere fans have come to expect. 

The Mandalorian is somewhat of a divergence from classic Star Wars. The show has a distinctly Western feel, which fits the cowboy persona that the Mandalorian emits. The score, composed by Ludwig Göransson, matches this tone whilst adding a sci-fi twist that makes it match any iconic Star Wars theme by John Williams.

A potential problem the series could have run into is the fact that the Mandalorian is always donned in a warrior’s armour with a mask concealing his face. Through having the protagonist hidden like this, there was always the risk of the audience struggling to sympathise with him due to his lack of obvious humanity. However, by giving him the companion of an adorable alien baby, it allows the audience to form a connection with the faceless Mandalorian due to a mutual concern about the wellbeing of the child. 

Every episode feels like a new approach to the series as each director has their own spin on the Star Wars universe. This makes every episode feel like its own contained film whilst also serving the overarching plot of the series. Despite the fact that not every episode hits the mark, the show is never boring and always finds new and exciting ways to engage the viewer.

The show is proof that the Star Wars franchise can grow beyond the Skywalker Saga which allegedly ended with The Rise of Skywalker. With the reception the show has received from the fanbase, it seems that soon The Mandalorian will not be the only Star Wars live-action series as Disney has commissioned two more shows, one following the beloved character of Obi-Wan Kenobi, another about Rogue One character Cassian Andor. So, if the quality of The Mandalorian is anything to go by, the future of live-action Star Wars television shows is bright.

Rating = 4/5

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