TV Show Review - The Mandalorian (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Science Fiction/ Adventure/ Action
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2020
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Gina Carano, Giancarlo Esposito, Katee Sackhoff, Temuera Morrison, Ming-Na Wen, Rosario Dawson, Bill Burr

Description: The travels of a lone bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic.

Review: Bounty Hunter Din Djarin is determined to deliver The Child to the mythical Jedi. Meanwhile, the supporters of the fallen Empire, led by Moff Gideon, are right behind him.
“Star Wars” is one of those franchises whose name has long been synonymous with major theatrical releases, but since 2019 it has also taken a step towards streaming services, with the first live-action series: “The Mandalorian”. And it is the crown jewel of Disney +.
There have been many animated series, but “The Mandalorian” is an original concept. Led by showrunner Jon Favreau. The first season turned out to be a hit with “Star Wars” fans all over the world, including myself. And it was one of the best, if not the best, series of that year. And with season 2 having its finale, it probably also is of 2020.
At the start of this season, we follow Mando and each episode contains a separate plot. But as the season continues, it becomes a more connected story that works towards a goal. The fate of The Child turns out to be more important to the “Star Wars” universe than expected.
In the first season, Mando was mostly the protector of The Child. He simply did his job. He is still the protector, but the two have formed a bond. This gives the bounty hunter even more character development. Despite the fact that we only seen him in a handful of scenes without a helmet, Pedro Pascal provides him with a lot of personality by making good use of his voice and body language. Pascal is yet again a strong asset in the series.
Season 2 contains a lot of references to the original trilogy, but also the prequels, the sequels and the animated series. This is not just for fan service, although most of it feels like it. But I don’t care, because it’s been done so well and it makes a lot of purists happy.
I think, season 2 of “The Mandalorian” gave us what we were hoping for with the last “Star Wars” movie. This movie was a big disappointment for a lot of people, including myself. And the second season of “The Mandalorian” is anything but a disappointment.
Once again, Jon Favreau and his directors take u to the crucibles of the “Star Wars” universe. “The Mandalorian” remains a series that will only appeal to “Star Wars” fans. The second season is bigger, better and more exciting. And I didn’t believe that was possible.

TV Show Review - The Mandalorian (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Science Fiction/ Adventure/ Action
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2019
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers, Gina Carano, Werner Herzog, Nick Nolte, Taika Waititi, Giancarlo Esposito

Description: The travels of a lone bounty hunter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic.

Review: A ruthless bounty hunter who shoots, beats and punches himself through a treacherous universe. In "The Mandalorian", the Star Wars universe is introduced to the action, excitement and humor of a spaghetti western. The first episode of “The Mandalorian” alone raises the bar for the rest of the series and all the new Disney+ projects.
"The Mandalorian" takes place a few years after "Return Of The Jedi". After the second Death Star was blown up, and Darth Vader threw the emperor into a well (spoiler alert!), the Galactic Empire fell apart. Because of the victory of the rebels, people have regained their freedom, but have lost all their stability. Order is barely maintained and there is a deep economic crisis because the imperial currency has become worthless in one fell swoop. The new republic is still organizing itself and former members of the empire are working behind the scenes frantically to regain power. Golden times in short for criminals, smugglers and bounty hunters who don't ask too many questions.
"The Mandalorian" follows one of these shadowy figures and takes you into the messy underworld of the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) is a silent bounty hunter who ruthlessly takes on defaulters and cheaters. The Mandalorian's career takes an unexpected turn when a wealthy client sends him to a remote desert planet on a vague, super-lucrative mission: delivering him The Child, whose importance isn’t known yet.
Lawlessness, the chance of a huge fortune, shootings, open plains and a collection of factotums that try to trump each other... Deep inside, "The Mandalorian" is actually an old-fashioned spaghetti western, with the Mandalorian as the legendary 'Man Without a Name'. The period between "Return Of The Jedi" and "The Force Awakens" is very noisy, and because everyone is busy with his own ass, the threat of shoot-outs and betrayal is constantly present. The action is also a bit rawer than we are used to from Star Wars, a few bandits are killed in a very inventive way, but fortunately it never gets really graphic.
Pedro Pascal gives the Mandalorian a self-assured, alert 'swagger' without becoming theatrical. Very well-done and very important, since the main character remains pertinently masked. How the makers got the idea to cast Werner Herzog in a Star Wars series; we don't know, but it's a masterly move. The bounty hunter's mysterious client knows a lot more than he's letting go, and despite his kindness, an uncanny threat emanates from him. An unrecognizable Nick Nolte plays an important supporting role as a strict alien who helps the Mandalorian on his way. Also worth mentioning are Gina Carano, as the badd-ass Cara Dune, who helps out the Mandalorian in his journey to protect the Child.
A characteristic of Star Wars is that the created worlds usually look as if they were actually being lived in. Showrunner Jon Favreau has paid extra attention to this, it seems. The universe is in crisis, so the world of The Mandalorian looks particularly worn out. Vehicles spit smoke, buildings are temporarily patched up and a few stray stormtroopers walk around in worn armour. In the first episode there are quite a few 'easter eggs' that make Star Wars fans smile, without getting annoying.
"The Mandalorian" of course has a smaller budget than the Star Wars films, but due to the clever use of camera angles and indoor locations, the series does not fall short in most scenes. Because it looks like a million dollars.
I also want to use this as an ode to the new fandom that was started: The Child, or as the fans call him, Baby Yoda. Without a doubt the best thing that TV brought us this year.
The new Star Wars series is a fresh new insight into the worlds of Star Wars, and "The Mandalorian" keeps all promises, because it’s what us Star Wars fan really deserved. With the series, Star Wars takes a welcome detour through the Wild West and I can hardly wait for the sequel!