Andor may not feature a single Jedi, but it’s using the Force in ways that even a lightsaber couldn’t touch — critical acclaim. The reviews across the board for the second season of Tony Gilroy’s critically beloved Star Wars prequel series have been universally positive, and the show has officially landed with a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated live-action Star Wars title ever — film or TV. The only real competition? Its own first season, which sits just behind at 96%. Not bad going. Yes, folks, the hype about this one is very real.
Premiering tonight on Disney+ with a three-episode drop, Andor Season 2 continues the story of Rebel Alliance spy Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, and leads directly into the events of 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Disney sent all 12 episodes to critics ahead of time — an unusual move for the studio, but one that paid off big time given the hype that’s building for the show. While it’s standard for studios to only release a few episodes to critics, Andor Season 2 was sent out in full — suggesting Disney had serious confidence in the quality of the complete arc.
With 98%, Andor Season 2 leapfrogs even The Empire Strikes Back — the long-standing critical darling of the franchise — which holds a 95% score. At the lower end of the spectrum, Solo (69%, not too bad) and Attack of the Clones (61%) aren’t faring quite as well, and something called The Rise of Skywalker — did that happen? — sits at 51%. Ouch. And while animated series like Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars Visions also hit that coveted 98% mark, they don’t usually pull in as many reviews from mainstream outlets — meaning Andor is in a league of its own.
‘Andor’ Is Nine Hours of the Best Star Wars You’ll See
Collider‘s review of the series, written by Maggie Lovitt, gave it a perfect 10/10, hailing the performances of Luna, Adria Arjona and praising the vision for the show, and execution, from Gilroy.
Andor Season 1 set high expectations for where the series’ final installment could go, and somehow, Season 2 exceeds those expectations at every turn. The only flaw in the entire series is the fact that it’s over now. A decade after his creation, Cassian Andor’s story has finally come to an end. Luckily, it is an end worthy of one of the most impactful characters Star Wars has ever created, with this grand finale a triumph for both Gilroy and Luna.
Andor Season 2 debuts on Disney+ on April 22 with a three-episode drop.
via Collider