The “Andor” Season 2 Reactions Are In

Reviews for the second and final season of “Star Wars: Andor” aren’t out until Monday, but social media reactions have now been released with critics having been able to see the entire season.

Like most early reactions, this spins very positively, but overall reaction seems to be that showrunner Tony Gilroy has kept up the high standard of the first season while expanding the story’s scale and scope considerably.

Amongst the reactions, there’s indications the back half of the season is the better half, and there’s a lot of love for Genevive O’Reilly’s work as Mon Mothma and Elizabeth Dulau’s work as Luthen’s concierge Kleya Marki. Seemingly all cite it as some of the year’s best viewing and some of the best “Star Wars” produced outside the original trilogy.

The disagreements seem to be over structure, with the approach Gilroy adopts not exactly working with some viewers. Others seem disappointed by the show’s even more obvious rejection of fan service this time out, and it being more self-aware that it’s prestige TV and thus beholden to different standards.

Here’s a sampling of reactions:

“‘Andor’ Season 2 is another tremendous season of TV from Tony Gilroy. Quite structurally & narratively different from S1 but still very, very effective in creating a devastatingly powerful & heart-breaking Season 2. Diego Luna joins the echelon of top Star Wars performances here easily. The Ghorman storyline especially this season is absolutely gripping all throughout and rivals the Narkina-5 arc for best Star Wars writing potentially ever.” – Jacob Fisher, Discussing Film

“I’ve seen ALL of #Andor season 2 and it’s both Star Wars at its absolute best and a triumph of storytelling in general. I cried, I cheered, I laughed, I gasped. It’s smart, sophisticated, propulsive, entertaining and hugely resonant. Everything you want & more. It’s a miracle.” – Germain Lussier, Gizmodo

“Joining the ranks of Better Call Saul, #Andor is one of the most enriching prequels of all time. It was evident in season one, but it’s cemented with season two. It enhances Rogue One and the Original Trilogy, and there’s even a cool nod toward Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” – Brian Davids, THR

“At points watching Andor season two, you can draw parallels, or what I described as “this is too real” to our own situation in the world right now. It’s raw, intense, and while different from season one, it is just as excellent. Episodes 8-12 are some of the best TV ever. #Andor” – Hunter Bolding, That Hashtag Show

“This season is far larger in scale than the previous one, excelling with its multi-layered narrative and character-driven drama. Each character is given the opportunity to shine, the plot is engaging, the performances are outstanding, and the series truly delivers some of the best Star Wars content in recent memory.” – Phil Roberts, Future of the Force

“A MASTERCLASS in slow-burn storytelling – GROUNDED, GRIPPING, and deeply focused on the personal sacrifices behind the rebellion. The structure is ambitious, sometimes uneven, but ultimately powerful. This is proof Star Wars thrives through genre, not nostalgia.” – Justin Lawrence, Geek Centric

“The choice to divide Season 2’s twelve episodes into four three-episode chunks works brilliantly. That structure heavily contributes to the success of one of the most incredible aspects of the season – the multitude of layers of a building rebellion that the show is able to depict effectively… This is a downright phenomenal season of television, an excellent series overall, and also a real achievement when it comes to franchise storytelling.” – Perri Nemiroff, Collider

“#Andor Season 2 continues a notably intense, thoughtful take on Star Wars that feels topical in ways that are both powerful and sometimes heartbreaking. Hurtling through 4 years of story in 12 episodes does make some aspects disjointed at times, but the show’s core remains strong.” – Eric Goldman, IGN

“There’s no universe where #Andor isn’t still the best of Star Wars. Season 2 is just as visually stunning and brilliantly performed as the first – but it’s also a bit too keen to be the ‘smart’ Star Wars show, leaving us (and Cassian himself!) behind in pursuit of prestige. Too much fan service has long been a problem for star wars, but #Andor goes too far in its efforts to subvert that. Season 2 just feels like the medicine without the spoonful of sugar – especially if you’re a ‘Rogue One’ fan with high expectations. I suggest you temper them” – Lyvie Scott, Inverse

“The second season of #Andor has moments that are even more thrilling than the first, but a bit too inconsistent to reach the same heights as its predecessor. It felt like this should have been spread out as 2 more full seasons instead of just one. Still rocks, but a small step down.” – TJ Zwarych, Agents of Fandom

“ANDOR SEASON 2: Brings me no small amount of pain to say it’s a steep drop from S1. While the finale is rousing enough and there’s moment in Ep. 9 that’ll set the internet on fire, it’s mostly slow and grinding stuff, with little approaching S1’s heist or prison arcs. It’s … a trap?.” – Barry Hertz, Globe and Mail

A new TV spot and featurette is also out for the series which returns with the first three episode on April 22nd. Each week will see three more episodes released through May 13th.

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