Launching with Disney’s new streaming service Plus, The Mandalorian is the first live action television series set in the Star Wars universe. As the title suggest it focuses on a Mandalorian bounty hunter played by Pedro Pascal. Boba and Jango Fett were arguably two of the coolest characters from the films, bested only by the smooth talking gunslinger Han Solo. As such there is a certain level of expectation that the show’s protagonist must meet. It is clear from the opening sequence of the first episode that Pascal’s Mandalorian is a cool, calm and cunning character. This is one of the most important things and it is pleasing that Jon Favreau has managed to get this aspect of it right.
Western elements have become more and more common in Sci Fi films and TV shows. The original Star Wars film was one of the first to introduce it. Since then there have been a handful that have also utilised it. Series such as Firefly and Cowboy Bebop are notable entries, as are the The Guardians of The Galaxy films. The Mandalorian continues that trend and if anything comes full circle, as it was Star Wars that began it all in the first place.
It definitely has a spaghetti western vibe with its wide, panoramic shots where we see the solitary figure of the Mandalorian walking across empty deserts and snow covered planets. The repeated inclusions of cantinas bear similarities to the saloons from Sergio Leone’s films. Especially with their shady interiors and dodgy clientele. The showdown in the first episode is your classic silent stranger walks into a bar only to be accosted by the locals. With its gritty violence it is a bit more adult then the previous films but the change of style is refreshing. The Mandalorian is all about bounty hunters and it needs to be a bit harsher in its approach to be convincing.
It is evident that Favreau has gone to great lengths to capture the feel and tone of the original trilogy, A New Hope in particular. For the most part he achieves this. The focus on real locations, costume design and puppetry is evidence of this. The visual aesthetic of classic Star Wars is captured with soft focus lighting, filters and the choice of camera shots. The initial showdown in the opening scene involves an antagonist starting on the Mandalorian for making him spill his drink. A few of his buddies join in. Although there are differences, it is blatantly a homage to the sequence in A New Hope when a pair of nefarious characters pick on Luke.
Ever since Disney acquired the rights for Star Wars, the films produced have been a combination of old school puppetry, real sets and costume design with modern day special effects. By mixing these elements together you get the feel of the classic Star Wars trilogy but it is also extremely pleasing on the eye. For the most part The Mandalorian manages to strike the balance well and it is a relief that the days of heavily reliant prequel green screen look to be firmly behind us. Having said that there are a few occasions when the CGI does become a little overly noticeable. An actor’s movement upon a digital creature just doesn’t look right and comes across as a little jerky and juddery. Fortunately, this only happens a handful of times and for the most part the two styles are blended well.
Another issue which crops up is the rhythm and flow of the episodes. The pacing is satisfactory and it doesn’t rush too quickly between scenarios like Lost or linger too long in ones like The Walking Dead. But some of the scenes don’t transition as smoothly as they should. This is mainly to do with the editing. The actual scenes and sequences themselves work really well, and there is some nicely built tension and appropriate development. But when there is a transition to a new scene or setting it feels a little clunky. All the right elements are there for a good story and plot progression but it seems unsure how to tie it all succinctly together. Fortunately this improves as the season goes on and by episode three, the editing and pace settles into a much more rhythmic flow. It is definitely a show that takes a while to find its feet but when it does, it soon begins to run like a well oiled machine.
The score behind the show initially left me in two minds. On the one hand I enjoyed the fact that the show had taken a different style. The classic music of John Williams is iconic but it was interesting and different to see a new approach. Some of it is again very heavily influenced by westerns, reinforcing that idea of the lone ranger on a journey. Despite very much liking the Ennio Morricone inspired soundtrack, it didn’t seem to gel with the programme at the beginning. However, as the season developed and the show found its specific style and tone it improved tenfold. At the end of the day they have gone for a Space Western vibe and the score included makes perfect sense.
One of the most effective aspects of The Mandalorian is its introduction of new material, as well as the many references to old. Like Rogue One there is a suitable amount of homage but it also presents an area of the Star Wars film universe that is relatively untouched. There is new lore to learn about and similar to Solo: A Star Wars Story there is a bigger focus on the criminal underground that exists throughout the galaxy. It is also a show that is pretty darn difficult to predict where it is going. The overall continuing narrative is shrouded in mystery, and although I had a handful of theories I really didn’t guess what was coming.
It is also nice to focus on a character that isn’t force powered, at least as far as we know. Part of the appeal of Rogue One and Solo is that both films focus on a handful of non powered characters. As much as I adore The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, it is a pleasurable change of pace to see gunfights and bounty hunting taking centre stage. Of course The Mandalorian doesn’t quite match the budget and scale of the films but it comes pretty close considering it is a TV show.
The production values are extremely high and the fight and action sequences dotted throughout are well shot, choreographed and look visually fantastic. There were a number of occasions where an episode would come to a close, and I would suddenly be reminded that it was TV show and I wasn’t watching a feature length film. Little touches give the show a much bigger and cinematic feel. The diversity of locations is one, as is the inclusion of special effects. But other aspects like the hand drawn animated credits at the end of each episode make The Mandalorian feel much more filmic.
A really strong aspect of the show is how they have presented the Mandalorian, particularly during the fight sequences. It has become more and more popular in films and TV to show characters taking quite a lot of licks, as well as dishing out the pain themselves. This heightens the tension and makes the fight scenes more interesting and challenging. The character feels more authentic, as he is not some invincible force dispatching his enemies without even breaking a sweat. You really feel the struggle he is experiencing and when he does finally overcome his opponent it is all the more satisfying. At the same time the Mandalorian is a cunning fighter. Episode 6: The Prisoner showcases his talent as a strategist. Furthermore the way he hunts down his foes on the prison ship is done brilliantly, echoing such classics as Alien and Rambo: First Blood.
The Mandalorian has a good balance of self contained bounty hunter narratives and the overall story of the season. Although a little clunky at the start it soon evens out. The last two episodes do a solid job of switching attention back to the central plot and although the reveals are slightly over the top in their presentation, they feel justified after the groundwork that has been previously laid out. The style, tone and visual design is where the show really excels. It’s decision to go full out Western space cowboy achieves two things. It captures the essence of the original trilogy, feeling inherently part of the same universe. At the same time, its choice of music, design of credits and narrative layout give it a really unique and defined style of its own.
Some of the character development doesn’t always work and although well done, the Mandalorian feels overly likeable by the end of the season. Considering he is a bounty hunter, paid to hunt and kill people it seems a tad contradictory how nice he eventually ends up becoming. This is a small blip however on a very strong season. It has everything a fan of all things Star Wars and Sci Fi could want. The production values are to die for with some of the best showdowns and fight sequences I have seen for a while. The story is interesting, the characters are mostly well developed and the whole structure of the show is crafted skilfully and with a great attention to detail. Plus Baby Yoda is seriously cute.
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