“Andor” is a science-fiction, espionage series streaming exclusively on Disney+. Set in the Star Wars universe, this series follows the life of a rebel spy named Cassian Andor before the events of Rogue One, the 2016 film where he made his debut. “Andor” has some cool lighting and great use of cinematography and the production design, costumes, and makeup are very good too. The tone is consistent throughout and the cast does well with the material given. I just wish they had better material to work with.

A long time ago, in a galaxy right here, a young filmmaker named George Lucas created “Star Wars.” Released in 1977, “Star Wars” changed cinema forever and was temporarily the highest grossing film of all time. But sometimes, there can be too much of a good thing, such as this latest series to come out of the Star Wars franchise. “Andor” is style over substance, with no creativity or sense of passion whatsoever. The first “Star Wars” film made me fall in love with two robots within the first two minutes of runtime. With “Andor” on the other hand, I didn’t care whether I saw these guys again or not. If a “Star Wars” nut like me can’t be invested in a “Star Wars” series, then “Houston… we have a problem.”

In the day and age where bathos is covering every single piece of pop-culture “filmmaking,” it is refreshing to see a series made by Disney that isn’t afraid to be serious and even grim sometimes. That’s what hooked me in the beginning. I thought it was cool to see two goons from a space bar follow Andor before he attacks and overpowers them. The show started off promising, but as the minutes went by, I got bored of watching a series that didn’t bring anything new or original to the silver screen. It’s no different than the other sci-fi shows we have airing today. 

I think the biggest problem with “Andor” is that no one seemed to have any fun making it. When I watched the original “Star Wars” trilogy, even the prequels, I could feel George Lucas breathing life and creativity into every little frame and sequence. I could sense him behind the camera almost. But ever since Disney purchased the rights to George’s IP in 2015, nothing feels personal anymore, and “Andor” is no exception. It doesn’t feel like the work of an artist bringing to life his or her unique vision to life. It feels like something that’s been churned out in a boardroom and pushed out for no real purpose than to make money.

Seriously, did we really need a spin-off series about a side character from another Star Wars spinoff? “Andor” is not worth your time. There are far more interesting, fun, and more creative series and films out there. If you’re looking for a unique and creative passion project with characters that will hook you to the end, I’m sorry to say that you will not find it here.