The Mandalorian - A Review (minor spoilers for season 1 and 2)

The concept of a Star Wars tv show seemed far fetched to many people, Star War being the epitome of a blockbuster. But "The Mandalorian" has proven all critics wrong and had paved the way for several Star Wars series that are in the works, including a new Obi-Wan series starring Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christiansen. 

"The Mandalorian" takes place approximately 5 years after "The Return of the Jedi" and sets itself apart from the movies by focusing on a bounty hunter. Din Djarin, is a Mandalorian and the first main character who is neither siding with the empire nor with the new republic. In a way we see for the first time how the average man in the Star Wars universe lives. Someone who doesn't fight in the war or tries to reshape the universe. The show focuses not only on Din Djarin's quest but also on the Mandalorians' culture and history, which is something that hasn't been explored in the live action movies so far. 

The story is simple but effective: Din Djarin ends up as the protector of young alien child, who over the course of the first two seasons is revealed to be very powerful with the force. During his odyssey he meets people who try to help him and others who try to con him. The only thing that feels slightly off is that often the Mandalorian appears almost naïve, which seems unrealistic for someone that hunts hardened criminals for a living.  But considering that he is a loner and not part of a community it makes sense. He is inexperienced when it comes to interpersonal relationships. 

Pedro Pascal in the lead role, does a fantastic job, especially considering, that for about 99% of the time, the Mandalorian doesn't remove his helmet and for large parts he just plays off Grogu (formerly known as baby Yoda). That the show still manages to pull it off and keep the viewers engaged gives credit not only to its lead but also to the show's creative team and writing. Despite this I hope that for season three they will give Pedro Pascal more chances to perform without a helmet, which after the character's development at the end of season two might actually happen. He is supported by a fantastic cast, like Ming Na-Wen, Carl Weathers, Nick Nolte and Katee Sackhoff, just to name a few. 

In addition the chosen time frame was a stroke of genius as the time of the high republic is in a way a blind spot in the Star Wars universe. The writers have therefore the chance to enjoy freedom in developing their story, while implementing known parts of this era. This is one of the reasons, why "The Mandalorian" feels so distinctively authentic as Star Wars despite being something completely new. 

This is also helped by the fact that they use a consistent look, when it comes to alien races and designs. Something that was for instance not done in "Star Trek - Discovery" for which the show was heavily criticized. The designs in "The Mandalorian" are literally undistinguishable from those in "Return of the Jedi". 

"The Mandalorian" is one of the best shows currently on tv and fits perfectly into the Star Wars canon, while keeping its uniqueness. The writers have included characters from Star Wars Clone Wars and further developed the backstory for Mandalore, which hopefully they will further explore in season 3. After seeing Pedro Pascal in "The Mentalist" and "Game of Thrones" it became evident that Pedro Pascal is a major talent with star potential, which is proven in this show once more. 

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