The Empire is turning up the heat, the Rebellion is forming into a cohesive unit and Cassian Andor is struggling to get through to the other prisoners in the latest episode of the LucasFilm and Disney+ Original Series, “Andor.” Nobody’s listening focuses on how people who know what’s going on are trying to get through to others. In the end, Dedra Meero is becoming truly villainous, Mon Mothma feels like she’s screaming into the void warning about the actions of both the Empire and the Rebellion, and Cassian Andor finally gets through to a long time prisoner when they realize no one is being released from the detention facility.

Andor’s section of this episode really feels like the film, “The Great Escape.” The film is about a group of captured soldiers in a concentration camp during World War 2 and how all of them managed to escape. It takes a long time to convince everyone to join in the escape. Andor is having that same problem here. He understands they need to escape. He’s essentially being forced to go full on rebel. But the others in the facility think they are going to be released when their sentence is over. They don’t seem to understand the Empire is tightening its grip on everyone to the heist on Aldahni. Once they learn that no one is getting out, Andor finally gets his help. A prison break is brewing and that means we are going to get more action soon.

Dedra Meero’s transformation from polite-but-stubborn-loyalist to full on empirical fascist has been quite compelling. It is the best transformation so far. While this series is named after Cassian Andor, Dedra Meero and Mon Mothma have been stealing the show. Quite frankly, I think this series would be stronger if they didn’t name it after a character who appeared in one movie and died at the end. This series has provided excellent focus on the rise of both the Empire and the Rebellion, but the title makes you think Andor is more of a focus than he has been so far. Yes, we see a lot of it from his perspective, but outside the heist, he’s been the weakest part. I’m hoping the upcoming prison break makes him stronger.

This is the best “Star Wars” product we’ve received on Disney+, but it’s also not going to be for everybody. It’s a slow burn. Some people find it boring and that’s their right. It’s not going to appeal to everybody. I can guarantee that if I put this on for my son, he wouldn’t care. It wouldn’t interest him, but it interests me. Some will dismiss it because there’s no light sabers and limited use of blasters. But it’s an excellent suspenseful thriller that is doing a great job of being like its connected piece of media in “Rogue One.” I can’t wait to see where the final story arc of the first season takes us.

Rating: 4 stars

What did you think of this latest episode of “Star Wars: Andor?”

Jeremy Brown

Jeremy has been a big Disney fan since he was a kid growing up during the Disney Renaissance. One day he hopes to go to every Disney Park in the world.

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