the Mandalorian

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Okay, I just watched Episode 5 & 6 (so two more to go), right after posting that last bit -- and the whole series has jumped up a notch. Damn. I don't know what they were waiting for, but I feel like there are real stakes now and decent character appearances etc, leading to me wanting to see what happens next.

Dave Filoni directed and wrote Episode 5, and it's definitely higher quality than what came before this season. Whatever the regards for Dawson's comments on Twitter, she does elevate the acting in this episode and is a decent Ahsoka -- I think the only weird thing is that the cartoons/shows previously with Ahsoka make her seem like a teenager, whereas here she is definitely a grown woman beyond her 20's... but whatever.

Decent fight sequences and staging. Love the architecture, which is kind of a scifi aging town with hutong and even an inner sanctum/garden area -- the Asian influences are clear despite the genre being entirely different. Lighting and fog was really great. (I think the only dumb bit is sending pairs/trios of guards into the narrow alleys against a stealth Jedi -- their only real play was the original group cluster with concentrated firepower... this was about as effective as the crew of the Nostromo going after an alien in cramped air ducts... but okay fine.)

But seriously, on the action sequences -- the choreography actually felt movie-quality here, some of the better sword-play -- and especially when Ahsoka and Mando have a short go at it. That is likely how it would have played out.

And we FInALLY have a name for the child (Grogu) and a history for him, at least so we can trace him a bit. I had also forgotten where in the timeline we were -- this is about 5 years after Return of the Jedi, and some years before the First Order appears in the ST.

Getting onto Episode 6, I cheered when Boba gets his armor back and appears just in time to save the day -- and that was AFTER he kicked ass with the tusken raider weapon. Again, decent action sequences with the stormtroopers. How remarkable.

it was also hilarious when the moff enters the cell and Grogu is throwing stormtroopers around -- and the moff just smiles and lets him have his fun. Poor troopers, they get no goddam respect... even by their own side.

Personally, I think some of the cameos are wasted, like Michael Biehn. (Boy he's looking weathered. I kinda had a crush on this guy in the 80's.) But I am always happy to see Ming-Na Wen show up; she has such a great voice. I also appreciate they were able to get Temuera Morrison into this because he has such a pedigree in the role that he took over in the 90's/2000's -- he's looking a bit messed up after his apparently short tenure in the sarlacc, but hey surviving all this shit is pretty impressive.

I should say too, I like how it's actively tying back into the other properties now, and make a deal of locations like Tython, bringing up Alderaan actively, and so forth... it feels little more anchored in the history of the time. Also, seeing a mandalorian take on a jedi briefly... brings more viability to various types of characters we see. In SWTOR half the classes are Force related, but I appreciated their attempts to make bounty hunters and ruffians and troopers viable class types .... and here we do see they actually all have different but powerful capabilities. We even say the HK47's (or whichevere model was used) dragged into things -- the way one of them flipped up on the rooftop was so fluid.

Ahsoka is actually supposed to be way older in this It's 18 years from episode III (and the last season of the Clone Wars) to ANH. This takes place 8 years after ANH. She's 26 years older than in the Clone Wars. I am not sure what her exact age is in Clone Wars, but assuming it's 18, that makes her 44 here.

 

[Totenkindly]

Ahsoka is actually supposed to be way older in this It's 18 years from episode III (and the last season of the Clone Wars) to ANH. This takes place 8 years after ANH. She's 26 years older than in the Clone Wars. I am not sure what her exact age is in Clone Wars, but assuming it's 18, that makes her 44 here.

Well, that makes her more believable. Dawson is actually 41 but looks younger by good genes, as well as with all the makeup on.

It's hard to keep the chronology straight with so many overlapping series, and I honestly am only familiar with the 9 films + 1-2 spinoff films + SWTOR/SWKOTOR properties, I wouldn't consider myself very knowledgeable at all in the various SW series or of the Extended Universe or whatever they are calling it now. Like, I just know a handful of names and their roles, with little detail.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Well, that makes her more believable. Dawson is actually 41.

It's hard to keep the chronology straight with so many overlapping series, and I honestly am only familiar with the 9 films + 1-2 spinoff films + SWTOR/SWKOTOR properties, I wouldn't consider myself very knowledgeable at all in the various SW series or of the Extended Universe or whatever they are calling it now. Like, I just know a handful of names and their roles, with little detail.

I recently said on a date with someone who had watched some of the Mandalorian and only seen some of the movies that the timeline in Star Wars is really confusing. I can see how someone less obsessive could get it mixed up.

 

[Totenkindly]

So episode 7 has a promising opening: Prince Oberyn Martell, Angel Dust, Mulan, Koby, and Boba Fett, all off on a grand adventure to kill Gus Freng and save Baby Yoda! Makes you feel bad that Apollo Creed couldn't come along.

I recently said on a date with someone who had watched some of the Mandalorian and only seen some of the movies that the timeline in Star Wars is really confusing. I can see how someone less obsessive could get it mixed up.

In my favor, I did pick up on the big name drop in Episode 5. So I have that going for me!

If that is true, we might have all of the above amended to "... kill Gus Freng, save Baby Yoda, and take out the Big Bad of Khan Noonien Singh AKA Sherlock Holmes!

 

[Totenkindly]

So I only got to watch the finale today and it was already spoiled for me despite my attempts to dodge. (It also didn't help that the Vulture recap had a typo in the title, so that I was reading what I thought was Episode 7 as listed, but it was actually their finale recap.) Ah well -- I mean, it wasn't SHOCKING, with that ending.

I was slightly disappointed in the finale and would only rank it a 7-8 out of 10, whereas the prior three episodes were all around a 9 for me. I think it was more they couldn't sell what they had been building to, so a let-down was natural. The basic gist is that they couldn't really deal with the threats of the episode (mainly the Dark Troopers), so they had a deus ex machina ending so to speak. I mean, Mando had to pull out the stops just to end one of those things; but you know as soon as Mech-Hand Green-Saber Dude walks into that hallway, the Dark Troopers don't stand a chance.

I mean, like father, like son, right? Obviously a harken back to Rogue One, except in green this time.

I think what was breathtaking in Rogue One was simply we never got to see Darth Vader go on a spree before -- his appearance in the OT was overall tame, physically. And these are people; and he just mows them all down. Because he's Sith. And he's incorporating Force powers in that spree. And it just doesn't end, it's inevitable as he just walks down the hall and they have no chance in hell.

Here, Luke isn't killing people. And we already know he can kill robots. And he was more dexterous in the OT than his dad, so it's not as big a deal -- I think the best moment is the last dark trooper, that he simply grabs with his mind, then proceeds to crush it to a pile of junk. That was pretty cool.

This doesn't mean the fighting sequences weren't well-choreographed. One thing I also appreciate in the series is the snappy nature of the action. Even when Moff Gideon tries to cap himself, he moves quick on the film but just has the slightest hesitation and is stopped. Like, I think it is something that is often missing in action films or especially sequences on TV -- everything typically feels slow or half-assed -- but watching Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon the other day where my eye could barely keep up with the action on screen was a reminder of how fast and deadly actual fights can be. Aside from the stupid "trotting through the halls" sequences resulting in a lot of stormtrooper orphans, the show actually does get the one-on-one fights more realistic.

Anyway, the thing is I never felt like they were going to lose or things could go poorly for anyone, so... no real threat. I felt threat in the last few episodes, and characters were doing unwise things but things they would do in character... so I really loved that.

The deep-fake was still a bit off -- the mouth wasn't quite moving as much as it needed to, and eyes, etc. But probably the closest they have ever gotten. I really was wondering if they would try to pull this off (and on a TV show, not a film!) and they went for it.

I wonder how Season 3 will fare without the heart of the show in place -- the relationship between father and child. Will it still be compelling? Because honestly for me that was the best part of this... watching Mando develop feelings as a father would, for his ward. He had instincts for it, yet it also felt new to him and he was consciously unaware of what to do sometimes, but ... he tried his best and sacrificed for Gorgu. Also, we might all have lines for ourselves; but who we are is defined to what degree we refuse to cross the lines, vs who or what we are willing to cross them for.


Getting back to "dumb moments," though -- wasn't Gina Carano firing a laser/pulse rifle? Is she firing energy or actual rounds? Because I sure as hell don't know how an energy rifle can "jam" if that is what it was (and hope it fires physical shots with the energy pulses, because otherwise JFC....). An energy rifle should just fire until its energy is depleted, as happened in another recent fight where the gun just ran out of juice; it should never "jam."

 

[The Cat]

Everyone is going to starve to death during the feast. You may die of lack of substance, but it's not so bad as long as you can still enjoy the flavor. Hold your nose and drink the new green milk. Or don't. But it's what's on the menu.

 

[Totenkindly]

 

[Abcdenfp]

This show made me fall in love with Star Wars in a whole new way. Jon F. Did a fantastic job of seamlessly entering and exploring the SW world in a new but inclusive way .. I fell hard for Mando and his principles but more than that his willingness to abandon them when realizing that we are more than just the soap box we choose to stand on

 

[Riva]

SW struck gold with this one. When you have a good setting to a story the possible plots and subplots are endless. A bounty hunter being hunted for by a formidable enemy for betraying them and for running away with the price ACROSS the galaxy, creating emotional bonds with numerous characters even though he doesn't want to, getting involved with their dramas, helping out when he can etc. Amazing.

This is one reason I loved Star Trek - the setting of human exploration, encountering numerous alien species, making friends, falling in trouble, getting entangled with their sociopolitical dramas and fighting for its existence.

The only thing I wish they would improve on is Din Djarin's fighting skills and ability to predict danger. If not for the Beskar he would have died in literally every episode. He just walks into trouble, has no sense of predicting danger and depends on the Beskar to save his life. Maybe he is depressed. I'm just doing this because I have no purpose and will to live. If I survive I'll fire back, murder you and collect the price. The story could be renamed the 'Beskalorian' and it would make more sense.

But criticism aside, gosh I love this show. It has a Star Trek vibe to it - the interaction with all the numerous alien cultures, species and technologies.

 

[Riva]

I recently found out that Disney has got ride of Gina Carano from the show because an uneducated remark she made - comparing the treatment of republican voters to that of people who suffered in concentration camps. It was a stupid remark but does it warrant an expulsion? Sigh! She was one of my favourite characters of the show. Her character had amazing potential too.

 

[The Cat]

I recently found out that Disney has got ride of Gina Carano from the show because an uneducated remark she made - comparing the treatment of republican voters to that of people who suffered in concentration camps. It was a stupid remark but does it warrant an expulsion? Sigh! She was one of my favourite characters of the show. Her character had amazing potential too.

they actually brought her back from that and she got herself fired again.

 

[Totenkindly]

I had almost no interest in Gina Carano's character, and she's been shooting off her mouth off-set repeatedly for a long time so I wasn't surprised they dumped her. That was not the first time.

She's also kind of a lousy actor, although she's still got some of her trademark physical moves in Mando from her professional fighting period. (Best summary: Watch Haywire (2011, Soderberg film)-- she's physically top-notch, her fights and stunts are great, but boy can she NOT deliver any lines worth a salt, she doesn't really have a knack for it.)

Is she still part of the F&F franchise?

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I had almost no interest in Gina Carino's character, and she's been shooting off her mouth off-set repeatedly for a long time so I wasn't surprised they dumped her. That was not the first time.

She's also kind of a lousy actor, although she's still got some of her trademark physical moves in Mando from her professional fighting period. (Best summary: Watch Haywire (2011, Soderberg film)-- she's physically top-notch, her fights and stunts are great, but boy can she NOT deliver any lines worth a salt, she doesn't really have a knack for it.)

Is she still part of the F&F franchise?

I'm not about to defend what Gina Carano said, and I don't feel bad for her.

That being said, I did enjoy the character; it's too bad the actress is insane enough they had to retire the character. I thought it was interesting to see a muscular woman on screen. The actress perhaps wasn't very good, but I don't think I've ever seen a woman with that kind of body on screen (I have not seen most of the FF movies). It was a breath of fresh air.

Edit: I guess there have been muscular women in James Cameron movies, but they weren't bulky. So I suppose I should clarify to add bulky muscular women. I realize bulky sounds unflattering but I don't know what else to call it.

 

[SearchingforPeace]

I'm not about to defend what Gina Carano said, and I don't feel bad for her.

That being said, I did enjoy the character; it's too bad the actress is insane enough they had to retire the character. I thought it was interesting to see a muscular woman on screen. The actress perhaps wasn't very good, but I don't think I've ever seen a woman with that kind of body on screen (I have not seen most of the FF movies). It was a breath of fresh air.

All of the female characters on Mando are very well done and believable. Gina was completely realistic doing physical combat. No suspension of belief necessary, unlike so many shows. When they fired her, they also canceled the Rangers of the New Republic show, which they had been setting up in season 2.

One of my sons told me he read something about Gorgu and Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. Gorgu was supposed to be absent for season 3, to return in a later season. Kathleen got worried about Mando merch sales without Gorgo and put Gorgu in BoBF. This caused Favreau and Filoni to rewrite Mando season 3.

Not letting Mando free of Gorgu keeps the focus on Gorgu/Mando relationship instead of letting Mando have independent adventures.

 

[Totenkindly]

I'm not about to defend what Gina Carano said, and I don't feel bad for her.

That being said, I did enjoy the character; it's too bad the actress is insane enough they had to retire the character. I thought it was interesting to see a muscular woman on screen. The actress perhaps wasn't very good, but I don't think I've ever seen a woman with that kind of body on screen (I have not seen most of the FF movies). It was a breath of fresh air.

Edit: I guess there have been muscular women in James Cameron movies, but they weren't bulky. So I suppose I should clarify to add bulky muscular women. I realize bulky sounds unflattering but I don't know what else to call it.

She definitely had a unique build, maybe also part of the aging process as well when activity and metabolism slow. Her build had looked different when younger and when she was really active in her fighting career. Normally they stop casting people when their bodies change, so it's great Carano had the opportunity in that regard.

It sounds like what I experienced watching Melanie Lynskey in Yellowjackets -- she's also taken some crap for her build (can you believe people were shits about it, even for her 2 episode cameo in TLOU?!), but people's bodies are all different and it's time we see more variety on TV that is actually representative of real women.

 

[Totenkindly]

The Mandalorian Producers Address the Absence of Gina Carano’s Cara Dune

Dave Filoni and Rick Famuyiwa have revealed how they will approach Cara Dune in The Mandalorian Season 3.

movieweb.com

 

[Totenkindly]

So I tried watching The Mando"boring"on today. I feel like I'm watching 12 year olds play with their Star Wars figures in the sandbox. Didn't even finish Episode 1 of Season 3 at this point.

I'm also kind of put off by them not only bringing Grogu and Din back together on a different show (Boba Fett, which feels like a rotten marketing trick to boost that series), but they didn't even include that plot bit as part of the pre-season recap, in case you hadn't watched Boba Fett or don't want to watch it.

WTF is wrong with Disney lately? It's like they are out to just screw up about every franchise they have. I was originally kind of eager to see what they do with these properties because of their deep pockets, but in the last five years (and once Endgame aired), it's all kind of gone bottom up.

And now we also have that shit with Warner Bros upset that Fantastic Beasts was so crappy, so now they're going to try and reboot Harry Potter way before they should as a shameless money ploy. I'm ready to just bail on almost all franchise companies/shows at this point.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

So I tried watching The Mando"boring"on today. I feel like I'm watching 12 year olds play with their Star Wars figures in the sandbox. Didn't even finish Episode 1 of Season 3 at this point.

I'm also kind of put off by them not only bringing Grogu and Din back together on a different show (Boba Fett, which feels like a rotten marketing trick to boost that series), but they didn't even include that plot bit as part of the pre-season recap, in case you hadn't watched Boba Fett or don't want to watch it.

As baffling a decision as it was, those two episodes were the best episodes of that series and include no characters from the rest of the show.. If you still happen to be curious you might as well watch.

I liked the episode I just finished (episode 4: the foundling), but will probably wait until I finish the end before going for a review of my thoughts. My reasons for liking it consist of a lot of dumb fanboyish reasons and a few intriguing character moments. I'm not sure I'll like it as much when it ties into something "bigger" which seems to evidently happen at some point.

I'm fine with "bigger" on the level of a bunch of mandalorians doing cool stuff on jetpacks; or "bigger" on the level of seeing Ahmed Best get to be a badass as a Jedi, rescuing Grogu on Coruscant. Will I care about where they are going next? Will it just be an attempt at correcting the sins of the sequel trilogy that falls flat? Or will it instead work and improve on those movies the way the Clone Wars did? Will I care when they bring in the big guy I know they're bringing in? These are all things I'm waiting to see.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Season 3, Episode 5: The Pirate

I could have sworn that was Warwick Davis playing an Ugnaught on the pirate ship (it sounded like him), but I guess I was mistaken. I gotta say that was a pretty cool design, and I liked the fighters they had also. I even liked that it turns by someone steering a big metal wheel. Again, I appreciate the more world-building about the New Republic, and I really don't have any complaints about seeing that. To me this was another solid episode that delivered everything I wanted; this sort of thing hasn't yet worn thin for me. I'll see how I feel about the cameos in the next episode; Tim Meadows as an apathetic New Republic colonel doesn't bother me. Perhaps this is sacrilege, but I always find Amy Sedaris the most distracting and she's a recurring character.

Note that the pirates immediately start attacking the Kowakian monkey-lizards, I suppose roasting them on a spit again is next; I guess we're meant to take them as barometers of how good a place to live Navarro is, which is amusing.

The real test is what happens when they meet up with whatever is going on with Moff Gideon.