After waiting over two years for the newest installment of the Mandalorian saga, my expectations were very high. Considering the season two finale saw the return of Luke Skywalker, in a masterfully written episode with an emotional payoff that literally brought people to tears, this premier had a tough act to follow. Sadly, it didn't rise to the challenge.
Seasons 1 and 2 exhibited great storytelling with great characters you made emotional investments in, and they all had great story-arcs. Instead of continuing this formula, season 3 seems to be descending into a worrying pattern of fan-service.
A series jumps the shark when it becomes clear there is nothing new for its characters to accomplish. What remains is only episodic repetition. Mando accomplished his task of reuniting Grogu with the Jedi. His arc included great character development when he chose to value his commitment and affection for Grogu over the demands of his creed. The emotional impact of rasing his helmet to allow "the kid" to see his face before they parted was strong enough to bring a tear to the eye of this reviewer. Sadly, if the writing of this episode is an indication of what is to come, this series may have hit its zenith.
In my humble opinion, this series thrives ONLY if it continues to chart new dramatic territory, not re-visit old haunts. I like Carl Weathers, but I've learned all I want to about his character. IG-11 was an inspired character and his arc was emotionally powerful. WHY ruin it by bringing him back? Why shoehorn in a scene with a roomful of Babu Fricks trying unsuccessfully to repair him? He needs a new part. Virtually impossible to find. Here we go, a new "quest." After searching the galaxy to reunite Baby Yoda with the Jedi, the "Quest To Find A Droid Part" seems underwhelming. Ultimately, Mando's desire to go to Mandalore to be forgiven for his transgression of removing his helmet seems to be a regression in his story arc. He's learned there's a bigger universe outside the cult of The Watch. Why is he wasting time trying to regain their favor? I will even go so far as to suggest that keeping Grogu around is a bad idea. Yes, he is a fan-favorite, but the character of The Mandalorian is already being over-shadowed by what is essentially A PUPPET. Move on. There is more to accomplish than becoming a space-age version of "The Rifleman."
Many viewers will clamor for whatever is offered under the Star Wars banner. I prefer to be told a great story, with great characters with well written dialog and intelligent screenplay. Fan-service is a cop-out and becomes cringe-worthy very quickly. It will kill this series if it doesn't stop.
The Mandalorian had a lot to prove when it premiered. Star Wars as a franchise was on its last legs because everyone had forgotten how to tell a good story. Favreau and Company got it right, and they earned the rave reviews and plaudits that were heaped upon them. Sadly, it seems the production is now showing signs of hubris. Now that they are Star Wars rock stars, they no longer have to prove anything so the screenplays and the vision suffers. You will get what you get and you will like it. This is a sure-fire recipe for failure. Time will tell. Assuming the entirely of season 3 is already filmed, there may be no time for a course correction if the series goes off the rails.
Seasons 1 and 2 exhibited great storytelling with great characters you made emotional investments in, and they all had great story-arcs. Instead of continuing this formula, season 3 seems to be descending into a worrying pattern of fan-service.
A series jumps the shark when it becomes clear there is nothing new for its characters to accomplish. What remains is only episodic repetition. Mando accomplished his task of reuniting Grogu with the Jedi. His arc included great character development when he chose to value his commitment and affection for Grogu over the demands of his creed. The emotional impact of rasing his helmet to allow "the kid" to see his face before they parted was strong enough to bring a tear to the eye of this reviewer. Sadly, if the writing of this episode is an indication of what is to come, this series may have hit its zenith.
In my humble opinion, this series thrives ONLY if it continues to chart new dramatic territory, not re-visit old haunts. I like Carl Weathers, but I've learned all I want to about his character. IG-11 was an inspired character and his arc was emotionally powerful. WHY ruin it by bringing him back? Why shoehorn in a scene with a roomful of Babu Fricks trying unsuccessfully to repair him? He needs a new part. Virtually impossible to find. Here we go, a new "quest." After searching the galaxy to reunite Baby Yoda with the Jedi, the "Quest To Find A Droid Part" seems underwhelming. Ultimately, Mando's desire to go to Mandalore to be forgiven for his transgression of removing his helmet seems to be a regression in his story arc. He's learned there's a bigger universe outside the cult of The Watch. Why is he wasting time trying to regain their favor? I will even go so far as to suggest that keeping Grogu around is a bad idea. Yes, he is a fan-favorite, but the character of The Mandalorian is already being over-shadowed by what is essentially A PUPPET. Move on. There is more to accomplish than becoming a space-age version of "The Rifleman."
Many viewers will clamor for whatever is offered under the Star Wars banner. I prefer to be told a great story, with great characters with well written dialog and intelligent screenplay. Fan-service is a cop-out and becomes cringe-worthy very quickly. It will kill this series if it doesn't stop.
The Mandalorian had a lot to prove when it premiered. Star Wars as a franchise was on its last legs because everyone had forgotten how to tell a good story. Favreau and Company got it right, and they earned the rave reviews and plaudits that were heaped upon them. Sadly, it seems the production is now showing signs of hubris. Now that they are Star Wars rock stars, they no longer have to prove anything so the screenplays and the vision suffers. You will get what you get and you will like it. This is a sure-fire recipe for failure. Time will tell. Assuming the entirely of season 3 is already filmed, there may be no time for a course correction if the series goes off the rails.