Andor Season 1
Episode Number 8 Preview and Review
Episode 8 of Andor begins with Cassian Andor in big trouble. He was piloted by the Shoretroopers and taken to a planet called Narkina 5. The planet is home to an Imperial factory, and he’s fit enough to work, and he—along with numerous new prisoners—is tasked with manual labor. Unfortunately, there is no chance to escape.
Cassian meets a number of different people, including his leader, Kino, who reflects the demands of the empire. Not only is the work hard, but there is a “sprint segment” that sees them forced to work harder and faster, the least productive desk is ill-disciplined.
Meanwhile, Syril continues her desk job, but Lieutenant Meero takes her away from it. He noted that he was looking at all the various inquiries Cassian had made about Andor. Cyril admits to using the limited resources he has to figure out where Andor is and clear his name.
Meero takes this to the Imperial group and suggests that Andor may be part of this rebel group. He is convinced that this is their best lead and begins to work with Syril to learn more. He notes that Andor had an organized group of associates working with him, including Luten. Cyril does his best, but before Meero leaves, he notes that he’s a great supervisor and does his job diligently. She wants her old role back, but Meero isn’t going to bargain. He warns her not to raise the alarm again.
Meanwhile, Mon continues to be wined and dined as he learns from Tay and the others that the new P.O.R.D legislation has been passed, which of course means doubling everyone’s sentences thanks to rebel activity.
Increasing security in the galaxy forces Lute to make a big decision. He admitted to Clea that he didn’t slip, but he hid for too long. As a result, he decides to go to Segra Milo. Interestingly, he meets Saw Gerrera, Forrest Whittaker’s character in Rogue One. “Oppression breeds rebellion.” He leaves things on an ominous note reminiscent of Saw.
Episode Review
So Andor ends this week’s episode with another slow, laborious chapter, and in many ways Andor and Narkin’s trial is reminiscent of Kevin J. Anderson’s Quest for the Jedi. For those of you who don’t know, Han and Chewbacca spend almost the entire book working in a spice mine.
Andor was great from a world-building perspective, and learning more about how the Empire operates and all the intricate parts of the great Imperial machine is absolutely fascinating to watch. However, it comes at the expense of an urgency that is sorely lacking in this series.
We’re already halfway through, and apart from the attack on Aldhani, very little has actually happened plot-wise. Andor doesn’t exactly light up the room with his charisma, and it’s Andy Serkis’ character Kino who stands out with all of Andor’s scenes.
It’s not a bad show, and Andor certainly gets props for at least trying to do something different in the Star Wars universe, but there’s a difference between a slow burn and a slow, labored show, and right now Andor is slipping into the latter. .