Andor Rank the Episodes of Andor Season 1

I will need to think about it for a while because I don't want to make the typical mistake of choosing the episodes with more action/spectacle.

Generally, I feel like there was more continuity among episodes than in other shows, and they look closer from a tonal and thematic point of view, so I think that I won't feel too strongly about my voting choice.

 

I voted the Eye. Loved the Aldhani heist. Rix Road was also good as was Reckoning. Prison arc was alright too, some clever psychological drama there, but not my personal favorite. Weakest episodes were middle parts of the trilogy, especially That Would be Me and The Axe Forgets, but overall they were important parts of the whole still. Great show, good episodes. Hard to rank them all.
Maybe:

1. Episode 6 - The Eye
2. Episode 12 - Rix Road
3. Episode 3 - Reckoning
4. Episode 7 - Announcement
5. Episode 8 - Narkina 5
6. Episode 1 - Kassa
7. Episode 10 - One Way Out
8. Episode 4 - Aldhani
9. Episode 11 - Daughter of Ferrix
10. Episode 9 - Nobody's Listening
11. Episode 5 - The Axe Forgets
12. Episode 2 - That Would Be Me

It's really hard to say about them all. I didn't really dislike any episodes.

 

I think I liked the heist episode best, where they robbed the vault.

 

I'd have to say Announcement was my favorite. Perhaps it's an easy out because it's the only episode that isn't fully tied to a larger arc, but to me it's the one where it felt like the stakes were dramatically shifting for a bunch of characters: Luthen making his intentions transparent to Mon, Kleya's meetup with Vel and ordering the hit on Cassian, Mon establishing her partnership with Tay Kolma, and Dedra's promotion within the ISB. And yes, it was the aftermath of Aldhani, but Cassian's return to Ferrix also underscored that it was addressing the personal aftermath of the season's first arc as well. His scenes with Maarva and Bix were some of his most memorable in the whole season.

1. Announcement
2. One Way Out
3. Narkina 5
4. Aldhani
5. The Eye
6. Rix Road
7. Kassa
8. Daughter of Ferrix
9. Reckoning
10. Nobody's Listening!
11. The Axe Forgets
12. That Would Be Me

 

They are all so good. Not a dull episode among them

 

I usually have a very clear picture of those things, at least for all the other Star Wars shows.

For this one, it will be tricky. Mostly because 11 of those episodes belong in 4 different blocks of episodes, so it's hard to think of them as separate entities. It would be far easier for me to rank the 4 blocks really.

1. Rebellion on Aldhani (Aldhani - The Axe Forgets - The Eye)
2. Andor in Prison (Narkina 5 - Nobody's Listening - One Way Out)
3. The People of Ferrix (Kassa - That Would Be Me - Reckoning)
4. Maarva's Funeral (Daughter of Ferrix - Rix Road)

I will rank the episodes separately when I rewatch the whole thing over the holidays!

PS1. Announcement was a great episode, it could be included with the prison block I guess.
PS2. I voted for One Way Out, the only episode I rated as a 10.
PS3. Those names for the blocks are obviously mine, you should all feel free to come up with better ones

 

Funny, it's the complete opposite for me. The middle parts were my favorite of each arc, except possibly the first arc where all three episodes were pretty close and hard to choose between (maybe because I watched them all at once). I feel like this shows greatest strengths are characters and tension, which the middle episodes were most focused on. I generally liked the first introductory episode of each arc the least.

 

Two episodes I actually felt bit bored were episodes 2 and 5, and to some degree 9 as well (another middle part). I mostly did enjoy characters and tension in them too, but some scenes started to feel too long and even a bit pointless and since I knew we are not finished with story until next week it was just a bit frustrating to watch. It is hard to compare episodes as such though since I don't feel that makes justice to the great scenes that were in most episodes. Middle episodes in general just had less tension IMO.

Overall I liked this show a lot, but some individual scenes I didn't like that much. It would be easier to compare scenes I liked a lot and those I didn't like that much than individual episodes. All scenes had a point in overall story, but some were just better IMO. My least fav scenes were with Bix and Timm as I have said several times. There is dynamic I didn't feel worked at all. Just didn't get any romantic or even really friendly vibes from them, just didn't do it for me. Actress of Bix was great during and after torture though.

Mon Mothma scenes were also getting bit repetitive nearing the end. There were so many scenes with same topic, same setting and same faces I got bored. I felt like I don't need to hear it umpteenth time that Mon Mothma has problems transferring money and we saw more than enough her living room. Tay Kolma was also character that was left very thin. Actor was good, but his intentions were not extremely clear. He had some rebel sympathies apparently, but there could've been more info on him and less on Mon Mothma we already knew her situation. In the end she also told it to Vel. I felt like ok good for her to know, but I know this already, so edit this out and show me something I don't know. Loved all the actors though in all scenes.

Syril and his mother scenes were also bit repetitive in some episodes. If their dynamic wouldn't have worked so well I would've get bored, but I didn't since it worked marvelously. Syril and Dedra dynamic was also fantastic btw.

Aldhani rebels were left bit more distant to the viewer. I kinda liked Nemik and his ideology and Vel Sartha is great character and actor. Cinta always had same face, but that was part of her character I think. That she is unable to show emotion and prefers action. Ex-stormtrooper and lying convict guy were killed so it was understandable they didn't focus on them too much. Just enough to give them some backstory. Same with Imperial captain that helped them. This is good way to handle side characters IMO. They are not in focus, but not completely empty either.

 

Mon Mothma scenes were repetitive in only the most superficial way. The emotion of the scenes were very different each time. When she tells Vel, she also tells her that Aldhani has doomed her. Vel is grappling with the guilt of having gotten her cousin in trouble, and having to hide it. It also shows her growing dissatisfaction with Luthen. On Mon's end, the premise is more tightly tied to the impact on her daughter. The plot moves slow, but we get more and more character with each scene.
You bring up the development of the Aldhani rebels, but it is really the middle episode of that arc that did the deep dive on those characters. I had little interest in any of them after the first episode in the arc, but I thought they were great after the second. My enthusiasm for the heist was WAY higher after the middle episode than it was after the first. That is why I found the middle episodes so effective.
I'm not sure Syril's relationship with his mom would work as well if we weren't as beaten down as he is. I think spending a long time on these plotlines and characters is very effective. I wonder how it will work in a potentially compressed season 2?

 

This season was so consistent and so non-episodic that I find it hard or impossible to rank each episode. So I’ll rank the episode arcs instead.

1. Prison Arc
2. Aldhani Arc
3. Post-Prison Arc
4. Opening (Ferrix) Arc

 

Its going to be interesting to binge watch this in one go because those episodes that I thought were dull will possibly seem better when viewed with the next episode linking to it straight afterwards.

 

I’ve done it. And yes, that’s exactly what happens.

 

I think that's where I'm at too re: arc's versus episodes though One Way Out is my favorite single episode.

 

One Way Out was not a bad episode for sure, but I was not overly impressed by it. I wonder why almost everyone else seems to be. What you think made it so good for you? I think it was a bit predictable, minus the Kino Loy part. I think he would die.

 

I loved the relationship and role reversal between Cassian and Kino. Seeing Kino shellshocked and Cassian taking more of leadership role was great stuff. There was also some top notch dialogue and acting in this episode as well and not just between Cassian and Kino.

The scene where Mon Mothma and Davo are politely speaking in double talk about how to handle Mon's financial situation was another scene filled with great acting and dialogue. And my god, that speech that Luthen gives to Lonni is a stone cold classic.

And predictable or not I thought watching the prison break unfold was thrilling stuff. Loved Kino giving his speech at the command center with Cassian prodding him on and loved Kino's final moment. Plus the overhead visual of the prisoners swimming away was beautiful.

 

Oh wow. Quick thoughts:

-In large part thanks to the buildup, the entire escape felt so desperate, high stakes, and inspiring. You really felt how much this was a last-ditch effort. Even though we didn't "know" the prisoners that well, I felt empathy for every one of them and understood what they were feeling.

-A lot of it was also the mechanics of the escape itself - the way the prisoners used the facility against the imperials, weaponizing the floor. The way it was simultaneously organized and thought-out but also chaotic and improvised was well communicated visually.

-And the Mothma and Luthen stuff was also amazing in this episode. Beautifully communicated the stakes and sacrifices for both these characters

-Really it's hard to think of anything about it that wasn't super well-done. The episode accomplished everything it set out to do and more, and being "unpredictable" wasn't one of its goals.

 

I just can’t fathom not understanding why the episode is so beloved. Kino Loy. Look at the journey that guy goes on. And look at how Cassian leads him. It’s an episode that captures the hope and despair of humanity better than most things I’ve seen in the last decade. An instant classic. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Next-level of inspiring.

And on top of all that, the episode ends with a genuine surprise (rebel spy in the ISB), followed by one of the best monologues ever delivered in a Star Wars anything by Luthen Rael.

The greatness of this episode is almost impossible to deny.

 

Fair enough I guess. Good points there. I also liked Lonni-Luthen scene a lot. It was highlight of that episode for me. And that shot of swimming prisoners was beautiful yes.

But to be honest Kino Loy, as good as Serkis was as him, was not that interesting character to me to be honest. I feel bad for saying this since he is very liked, but I want to be honest and this is my opinion and my feelings. He is objectively good actor no doubt, had a great character arc too, but I didn't get attached to his character as much as many seem to have. He had these great moments there, gave a speech and overall he proved to be very selfless person going all the way with knowing he would probably never get out. Despite all this I felt my emotional connection to him was lacking since I didn't know who he was originally. Any backstory for him would've IMO made it easier for me to get inside his head a bit better and relate to him. Now I didn't know was he in prison because he said "Empire sucks" in public or like brutally killed ten people. By his actions he proved he cares about others, but I still didn't even know who he is.

That is probably why I couldn't relate to him very strongly and didn't feel so powerful emotions during this episode. Also I expected him to die so yeah.

My own expectations also were bit too high. I expected some ingenious twist how they manage to escape, but their escape was mostly based on opportune moment and some brute force with strength in numbers, with some help from Cassian breaking down that pipe. Anyway I expected something more surprising and clever so I was disappointed how straight forward the escape actually was.

At this point I was kinda bored to Mon Mothma subplot already so while scene was not bad I was not invested in it very much honestly. I guess rewatch could be in order.

Okay, good you liked it. I expected the unexpected so it was perhaps my expectations that caused this episode feel worse for me. I really liked how Aldhani robbery went totally differently than I expected, but prison break went almost just as I expected (minus the death of Kino Loy) so I was not that impressed by it. Sure it was not bad episode, it's right there in the middle of my listing and I loved all episodes of this show. Just surprised why I didn't hold this particular episode in such a high esteem as many others.

I think I explained back there why Kino Loy didn't make such a great impression on me as to many others apparently. He was still a great character with interesting journey I agree on that. Inspiring? Sure I think he was that too.

But I just didn't feel so strongly about this episodes as some of you. If you cannot fathom that... well then it's your problem I guess. I just asked why you thought it was so great and you answered. Thanks for that. It was not meant as an insult or criticism of any kind and I agree that episode was good. I just didn't feel this awe and was thinking why.

 

I think the prison escape was the most thrilling episode. So, I voted that number one.



Gilroy and his crew of outstanding directors and actors bought their A-game. I thought that Andor himself, Vel, Bix, Cinta, and Mon Mothma were awesome. But I also liked Andy Serkis' character and Stellan's.

On the Imperial side, I found the Imperials very human, and I didn't agree with them. But they were perfectly understanding. Great stuff overall on both sides. Moral ambiguity and greyness = my favorite kind of writing.

 

I'm not sure how I would rank all the episodes yet, but my top 5 would probably be:

1. Episode 10 - One Way Out
2. Episode 6 - The Eye
3. Episode 12 - Rix Road
4. Episode 3 - Reckoning
5. Episode 7 - Announcement

I really enjoyed how they concluded the arcs in this show.