Bull Shannon
Well-Known Member
Again, not so much expecting anything, just not feeling very entertained or engaged by what I'm seeing. Even the complaint of the last two episodes being filler doesn't quite tap what I'm saying; I'm totally okay with (even kind of impressed by) the idea of each episode being a stand-alone monster-of-the-week deal; I'm just not finding it very interesting. I think the conversation around this show would be very different (probably non-existent) if it wasn't attached to the most recognizable IP in Disney's portfolio.
I watched the OT when Disney+ arrived, and I'd argue those movies are better than you're giving them credit for. I think in hindsight the editing and music do a lot of heavy lifting, but the characters are strong, the action is interesting (again, could be attributed to editing, SFX, and design), the worldbuilding is dense yet deft, and the pure Joseph Campbell semiotics of it all are super effective at conveying a lot with very little. I guess I just don't quite see how fans deflecting criticism with "these movies are bad and for children and they're just meant to sell toys" is anything but a self-own.
I guess my last point was more along the lines of "when the intrigue comes from the idea that this is part of a larger whole that we can't see, how do you add more parts without diluting that specific appeal?" Using comics as an example, Watchmen totally does this; it implies that the original Minutemen are an established supergroup, and the implication is that there are volumes and volumes of Minutemen adventures, all of which are assumably by-the-book, rote superhero tales. Which is why I think the new Watchmen show is so successful; instead of just expanding on the story of the Minutemen, the show takes the ideas and questions explored in and driving the Watchmen book and throws its own new ideas out there. It expands the canvas, rather than shading in details and crowding the existing one.
So while it would be an insane ask to expect the equivalent of HBO Watchmen from The Mandalorian, what we're getting feels more like American Hero Story.
It’s just so gamer nostalgia that I ate it up. Helping a new guild recruit on their first quest? How freaking cute nostalgic is that?! The Tusken raider bargaining was delightful. I thought the twist was definitely going to be that the bounty hunter was in cahoots with the assassin, but this was better! Dude was a dumbass though. Mando carries his ass the whole mission (even taking THREE sniper shots), but he thinks he can take him!?
