Andor's Cinematography is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Star Wars, According to Reddit
It will come as no surprise that Reddit has been crammed full of opinions on Andor since way before the series was even released. And a lot of the pre-show talk was about why the show wasn't necessary, the low expectations of it following a pretty lukewarm reception for Obi-Wan Kenobi, and a general feeling of apathy.
Yes, there was a general hum of anticipation – but did you really expect positivity from Reddit?
However, much of the chat since the show's release has been about how great the cinematography is and why the series is proving to be something of a breath of fresh air for fans of Star Wars.
So, what is it about Andor that makes it so great?
One theory is that it came with very little hype. Ok, this is Star Wars and 'no hype' was very much a no-go. But it's certainly true to say that, like Mandalorian, Andor came with less expectation and, therefore (dare we say it?), far less interference from Lucasfilm bigwigs.
Maybe then, the fantastic cinematography is a result of leaving production and key decisions to those who know best.
There's no doubt that cinematography has been a significant factor in gripping fans. But is it as straightforward as that?
Another school of thought suggests that part of the reason that Andor and Mandalorian have exceeded expectations, while both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Boba Fett have been underwhelming, is simply that fans already had a view on those series that delved into the lives of major characters from the movies.
Even if they hadn't consciously thought about it (but let's be honest, we all did) people had a general idea of what they would expect from the backstory of both Obi-Wan and Boba Fett. And, yes, we should have probably all had a pretty watertight theory on how the rebellion began and what motivated the formation of the Rebel Alliance.
But hey, you don't need to be an expert on the politics of 1930s Europe to think Saving Private Ryan was a great film.
(6).jpg)
Ultimately, there is a strong argument for the belief that minimal executive interference has resulted in a series that has captivated fans and provided a unique insight into the Star Wars universe. But the question is, will those execs realize this fact and take a step back from future series irrespective of how big the main character is in the history of Star Wars?
Of course not. And this raises the question of whether the cinematography in Andor really is the best thing that ever happened to Star Wars. Or whether it was just a stroke of luck for the series itself – and a reminder to fans that these lesser known aspects of the Star Wars backstory can be even more compelling than a glimpse into the lives of characters we all know pretty well already.