Television The Mandalorian OT - This is the Way

[TheShader]

48 minutes ago, Kal-El814 said:

This wasn’t even a bad episode, y’all need to watch some shit TV from time to time to reset your baseline. 
 

I swear, I have no idea how shows like The X-Files lasted as long as they did. There are some truly rancid turds in most show runs, and something like that show was 85% “filler” by today’s standards. 

This is why I try not to get into discussions too much anymore over TV shows/movies. There's only so much I can take of watching people rip apart something that's more often than not mediocre at worst as being the hottest pile of dog shit they've ever witnessed. Especially in television, you can have 10 great episodes in a row, but then a mediocre episode hits and suddenly its somehow indicative of how far the show has gone downhill, and everyone that watches this season is puking all over their living rooms in disgust with themselves.

[CayceG]

I like the rating system the podcast A More Civilized Age (wonderful podcast, you should listen to it) used when they reviewed Book of Boba Fett:

 

Was it fun?

Was it good?

Did you like it?

 

 

More than just being a numerical score, this breaks out a lot of the things I've mentioned with respect to the latest episode. 

 

The episode wasn't really "fun". It had some fun in the Mando scenes (dogfight, wonderful; tension with the cult at the end, great) but the stuff with Pershing wasn't super duper action packed or thrilling. 

It was "good". Not good in a quality filmmaking sort of way with set dressing and blocking--those things were weak. But the episode did interesting things with the narrative and the background aspects to the season's story overall. 

And despite what criticism I have for it, I did indeed like it. 

 

I don't care how Rotten Tomatoes is going to rate it. This is how I'm evaluating Mando from now on. 

 

 

 

[Reputator]

2 hours ago, CayceG said:

I like the rating system the podcast A More Civilized Age (wonderful podcast, you should listen to it) used when they reviewed Book of Boba Fett:

 

Was it fun?

Was it good?

Did you like it?

 

 

More than just being a numerical score, this breaks out a lot of the things I've mentioned with respect to the latest episode. 

 

The episode wasn't really "fun". It had some fun in the Mando scenes (dogfight, wonderful; tension with the cult at the end, great) but the stuff with Pershing wasn't super duper action packed or thrilling. 

It was "good". Not good in a quality filmmaking sort of way with set dressing and blocking--those things were weak. But the episode did interesting things with the narrative and the background aspects to the season's story overall. 

And despite what criticism I have for it, I did indeed like it. 

 

I don't care how Rotten Tomatoes is going to rate it. This is how I'm evaluating Mando from now on. 

 

Using that metric, for me it goes:

1. Was it fun? Your points are the same as mine. I love seeing the TIE Interceptor in action again (one of my favorite Empire ships) but what I thought was going to be a brief aside with the scientist carried on way too long.

2. Was it good? Again, the action scenes bookending the episode were well-done, and it's really amazing how good CG looks in a TV show setting these days. The rest, while they did a suitable job in moments helping you feel the tension that was building in Pershing, the editing was lackadaisical and cinematography was merely functional.

3. Did you like it? At best, the world-building is interesting and it gives you something to chew on while in the shower. But overall the segments bookending the episode could not redeem it for me.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

As much as I appreciated and enjoyed this episode's digression into a facet of the post-RotJ era that I really never even gave that much consideration to before (the re-integration of former Imperials into the New Republic), I cannot help but wish that its treatment came at the hands of Andor's creative team rather than The Mandalorian's as I feel that they would've given it the sufficient gravitas this particular subject warrants.

 

Still, I have to give full credit to The Mandalorian's creatives for devoting essentially an entire episode to something that doesn't appear to be directly connected to Din Djarin's tale...at least for now!

[Spork3245]

4 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

Still, I have to give full credit to The Mandalorian's creatives for devoting essentially an entire episode to something that doesn't appear to be directly connected to Din Djarin's tale...at least for now

 

FWIW those were Mandalorian S1/S2 characters who served under Moff Gideon and were involved in experimenting on Grogu. This episode likely sets up Moff Gideon’s return and their hunt for Grogu to aide in cloning Palpatine/making force sensitive soldiers.

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Just now, Spork3245 said:

 

FWIW those were Mandalorian S1/S2 characters who served under Moff Gideon and were involved in experimenting on Grogu. This episode likely sets up Moff Gideon’s return and their hunt for Grogu to aide in cloning Palpatine/making force sensitive soldiers.

 

Oh sure - I totally remember them as part of Moff Gideon's Imperial Remnant force.

[Spork3245]

2 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

Oh sure - I totally remember them as part of Moff Gideon's Imperial Remnant force.

The scientist is the one who was experimenting on Grogu and ultimately helped Mando free him. The “comms officer” was indeed mostly a bg character that had some lines, though, iirc.

[Guest]

I was enjoying this episode, but also fell asleep in the middle of it. I think that pretty well captures episode 3.

[Spork3245]

52 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

but also fell asleep in the middle of it.

 

You essentially missed Stranger Things Season 2 Episode 7.

[CayceG]

"It was mid but I loved it" is really summarizing my entire feeling on Mandalorian as a whole. 

[CitizenVectron]

I haven't started this season yet, somehow I'm not excited for it? I loved Seasons 1 and 2 (though I wasn't a huge fan of the Luke appearance, but that's okay). From the sounds of it, ratings are down a fair bit for this season? 

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

23 hours ago, CitizenVectron said:

I haven't started this season yet, somehow I'm not excited for it? I loved Seasons 1 and 2 (though I wasn't a huge fan of the Luke appearance, but that's okay). From the sounds of it, ratings are down a fair bit for this season? 

im glad I’m not alone about the Luke appearance. 
 

I didn’t hate this episode like some others, but I do agree the middle didn’t feel like it had anything to do with the Mandalorian other than being about a character we saw in season 1. Maybe it will be like BoBF where this will get paid off in some way by the end of the season. Though I’ve seen some suggest this is just tying up threads to show we’re the Palpatine and Snoke clones in ROS came from. 
 

I like seeing a side of post empire corosant and what the new republic was doing with empire officers. But if that’s all this was, or if it’s just making connecting threads to answer questions nobody is asking in movies long past, then this was a mistake and injustice to the show. These shows aren’t 23 or so episodes. A lackluster episode stands out and hurts a season more. 

[EternallDarkness]

13 hours ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

These shows aren’t 23 or so episodes. A lackluster episode stands out and hurts a season more. 

 

truth

[SimpleG]

Meh episode overall.  This episode "side story" could have been split up and run with earlier episodes. Nothing about it felt compelling enough to warrant almost entire episode to itself. All so can't tell if the "twist" was supposed to be so telegraphed or if was just poorly done.

[Remarkableriots]

Very good episode!

[jinx8402]

I thought it was an OK episode. I think the biggest issue is that up until now we haven't spent very much time away from Mando in any episode. There were a few scenes here and there over the first few seasons, but nothing like this. So it definitely just felt out of norm for the show.

 

I do like seeing what is happening outside of his view to get a better sense of "why", it was just awkward compared to the rest of the series. Perhaps if they broke it up and went back to Mando for a bit it wouldn't have felt as dragging on.

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

Yeah without any context to how any of that stuff relates to Din it just feels like a storyline from a different Star Wars show. So at the moment I’m just using a bit of faith that what we saw this episode will pay off and involve Din by the end of the season. 

[legend]

Yeah I'm willing to see where the season goes before judging the time they spent on it.

[TheShader]

1 hour ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

Yeah without any context to how any of that stuff relates to Din it just feels like a storyline from a different Star Wars show. So at the moment I’m just using a bit of faith that what we saw this episode will pay off and involve Din by the end of the season. 

I mean, I feel like it's obvious the remnants of The Empire aren't done with their attempts at cloning Palpatine, which we already know heavily involves Grogu. The connection to the overarching story feels fairly obvious to me, even if we're still waiting on seeing exactly where it's going. With my guess being a mind-wiped Pershing is going to be more malleable and useful than a Pershing that has genuinely divested from The Empire and is trying to do the right thing going forward.

[Spork3245]

Fun episode

[Kal-El814]

Ahmed Best getting to be a Jedi is fucking great and feels great. 

[CayceG]

1 minute ago, Kal-El814 said:

Ahmed Best getting to be a Jedi is fucking great and feels great. 

 

Truly, I am so happy for him. He not only gets to be a Jedi, but his character is responsible for saving the most beloved character in Star Wars media since Chewie and R2-D2. 

[Reputator]

2 hours ago, Kal-El814 said:

Ahmed Best getting to be a Jedi is fucking great and feels great. 

 

holy shit I didn't realize who that was til I looked him up

 

 

What an arc his life took! That's pretty cool!

[Greatoneshere]

4 hours ago, Kal-El814 said:

Ahmed Best getting to be a Jedi is fucking great and feels great. 

 

First thing I thought too. They finally gave the man his due! Jar Jar Binks sank his acting career and Liam Neeson has gone on record I believe as saying he loved working with Ahmed Best so it stings even more. Not his fault, no one could save Jar Jar. Considering that, he didn't do bad.

[SoberChef]

First off, Carl Fucking Weathers killed it this week! For nearly 40 years I have wondered what the core identity of Mandalorian culture would look like & we finally got to see it fully here in action today & I couldn't be happier about that fact. A superbly sublime episode to be sure.

 

Spoiler

I love that Jar Jar (recognized him immediately & was rooting for Ahmed) rescued Grogu!

 

[Jason]

So I'm caught up and also did episodes 5-7 of Boba Fett and man what a vote of confidence in that show that they turned two whole episodes into bonus Mandalorian episodes. And as I think was said man sure is a decision to just have Mando and Grogu just show up at the start of the season and have that backstory be in a different show.

[TheShader]

10 minutes ago, Jason said:

sure is a decision to just have Mando and Grogu just show up at the start of the season and have that backstory be in a different show.

Would have been ballsier to have it in a comic book rather than Mandalorian season 2.5(aka Book of Boba). Would have guaranteed that the internet would have lit up with non stop 'I'm the world's biggest Star Wars fan, and this is an irredeemable plot hole !' 

 

That said, just finished the episode myself. It actually bugged me that I KNEW the Jedi that saved Grogu, but couldn't quite place my finger on why/who he was. When I came here it instantly clicked while reading the comments. 

[johnny]

ahmed best showing up was sick. 

 

also i love this bo katan arc we are getting. 

[Kal-El814]

33 minutes ago, johnny said:

ahmed best showing up was sick. 

 

also i love this bo katan arc we are getting. 

 

More like Bae Katan

[TheShader]

5 hours ago, johnny said:

also i love this bo katan arc we are getting.

I loved that The Armourer sounded exactly like your typical WAY too religious leader when discussing the mythosaur. The conversation could have easily been 

 

Person: so what if... Like... Someone saw Jesus? 

 

Priest: we all see Jesus, in our own way 

 

Person: no, but like, I mean REALLY saw Jesus, like in the flesh 

 

Priest: yes, the flesh of Jesus is with us all 

 

Person: I DON'T THINK YOU'RE UNDERSTANDING ME 

 

priest: it is not for me to understand your journey, only yours to understand 

[CayceG]

1 hour ago, TheShader said:

I loved that The Armourer sounded exactly like your typical WAY too religious leader when discussing the mythosaur. The conversation could have easily been 

 

Person: so what if... Like... Someone saw Jesus? 

 

Priest: we all see Jesus, in our own way 

 

Person: no, but like, I mean REALLY saw Jesus, like in the flesh 

 

Priest: yes, the flesh of Jesus is with us all 

 

Person: I DON'T THINK YOU'RE UNDERSTANDING ME 

 

priest: it is not for me to understand your journey, only yours to understand 

 

 

The depiction of the hyper-religious Mandalorian sect is really fascinating to me given my upbringing in evangelical Christianity. I love this. 

[EternallDarkness]

the episodes have been decent and yet this season seems to be moving slow or rather there seems to be no focus

[Reputator]

53 minutes ago, EternallDarkness said:

the episodes have been decent and yet this season seems to be moving slow or rather there seems to be no focus

 

This is the first season where we don't have a driving objective behind the story. "Save Grogu", "Get Grogu to a Jedi", etc. Now it's.... they might try to retake Mandalore? Maybe? I mean that was mentioned in the last season but they sorta stopped talking about it.

 

We don't really know what it's about yet, and I think that's stealing some of the momentum. This season seems to be a moment-to-moment adventure romp so far.

[EternallDarkness]

3 hours ago, Reputator said:

 

This is the first season where we don't have a driving objective behind the story. "Save Grogu", "Get Grogu to a Jedi", etc. Now it's.... they might try to retake Mandalore? Maybe? I mean that was mentioned in the last season but they sorta stopped talking about it.

 

We don't really know what it's about yet, and I think that's stealing some of the momentum. This season seems to be a moment-to-moment adventure romp so far.

 

exactly and given that we are halfway through the season that's a bit of a problem 

 

 

edit: when you have a 20-22 episode season you can have interesting/fun random episodes but when its only 8 or 9 episodes you need to stay on top of a storyline and it's not good when the people watching the show aren't sure what the actual storyline is 

[legend]

I don't think you need a final clear goal to accomplish like it's a video game.

 

The story seems pretty focused on what it means to be Mandalorian and how that interacts with the characters current beliefs and motivations. It's using both Mando and Bo as opposing sides.

 

Mando grew up in the cultish set of beliefs, but his own journey brought him in conflict with his core beliefs. He's struggling to hold on to how things were before and to be reunited with his former home and people. But the problem that's probably always at the back of his mind is his conflict with the beliefs remain. He would still violate his oaths for Grogu and probably others he cares about. It's a ticking time bomb.

 

On the other hand, Bo came from a more modern concept of what it means to be Mandalorian, but in her journey that "way" has failed her. She lost everything. But the cult she previously mocked very readily accepts her and offers her a new home. She's seen things she didn't think were even possible before. Her new experiences are causing her to rethink her beliefs and whether "the way" has value.

 

The conflict is palpable for both characters, yet the tension is in opposite directions. I'm not sure how they're going to resolve it, but something is going to happen.

 

Of course, if nothing does come to a head with these conflicting trajectories then that will be a disappointment