Disney bought the “Star Wars” franchise in 2012, launched Disney+ in 2019 and has since delivered “The Mandalorian,” “The Book of Boba Fett” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi” — the last two in fairly quick succession.
You can be forgiven if you didn’t see “Andor” coming. That’s appropriate, though, because so far it’s a fairly understated series that follows an understated character from one of the more understated (though excellent) movies in the “Star Wars” library.
What is ‘Andor’? The breakdown
- “Andor” is an original live-action series that premiered Sept. 21 on Disney+ with the first three episodes.
- It stars Diego Luna, Genevieve O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller and Fiona Shaw.
- 12 episodes
- Rated TV-14 for language and violence
Watch it or not, here’s what you should know about it
- “Andor” is the fourth “Star Wars” television series made for the subscription streaming service Disney+.
- It follows Cassian Andor prior to the events of “Rogue One.”
- Disney describes it as a “tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.”
Can you watch it with the whole family?
This series is not for young kids, for a few reasons.
First off, it’s quite slow, and younger children will likely be bored. “Andor” has all the indicators of a slow burn. So far, it’s more tension than action. In fact, there are long stretches when you might forget you’re watching a “Star Wars” show before a droid shows up and reminds you.
Also, the series already deals with more adult themes. The opening scene shows a visit to a brothel, followed by a killing via blaster to the head. The second episode also features the closest thing you’ll see to a sex scene in the Star Wars universe.
There’s nothing gratuitous. The brothel is basically empty, the kill shot isn’t shown and the brief scene of sensuality features only kissing and implied sex. However, this “Star Wars” series is more grown-up and the TV-14 rating seems appropriate.