** Warning: May Contain Spoilers**

–Chapter One–

If 1977’s Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope is classified as a space opera, Jon Favreau’s new Disney+ series The Mandalorian is most certainly a space western. From a saloon style brawl to a visit to the local blacksmith to taming a bucking blurrg, all of the classic outlaw and cowboy tropes are bound together to create THE Mandalorian himself. A bounty hunter with no allegiance to sides, he is a drifter and a contractor with a tragic past and we can only begin to speculate about his future.

The series takes place roughly 5 years after Return Of The Jedi and about 20 years before The Force Awakens. There are several references to the fall of the Empire in case there are any questions. Our Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) embarks on a mission to find a mysterious 50-year old with only a tracking device to guide him. After an unexpected meetup with a droid, it appears our antihero has found himself a sidekick. And the hunted? You’ll have to watch for yourself.

Very little is what it seems in this Star Wars story and many of the characters ask the key questions that will no doubt be answered in subsequent episodes. But perhaps the number one question on everyone’s mind is, who is THE Mandalorian? We already know that Boba Fett was cast into the Great Pit of Carkoon and may have survived. Could THE Mandalorian be another one of Jango Fett’s replicas? Is he simply an elite bounty hunter of Mandalor? Is it true they never take off their helmets?

Pedro Pascal gives a surprisingly nuanced performance considering he is completely covered in head to toe with armor. The tilt of his helmet or a lingering camera shot aid in conveying his inner monologue and an impeccably timed audio track for which I can only assume was ADR is a whole other level of acting and flawless. A cape can also do wonders to build on the mystique that Boba Fett instilled in moviegoers.

With a hefty budget, Favreau and team set off to accomplish an enormous undertaking. The pieces are all there and I’m excited to see what the next chapter holds. The combination of live-action, CGI and elaborate prosthetic pieces mesh well this installment. The beasts are designed much better than those of Episodes I, II and III, surpassing even the porgs and thala-siren of The Last Jedi. The camera work takes a hint from its predecessors and is less than perfect in an intentional way, occasionally drifting out of focus and sweeping from scenes to suggest a change in location rather than a harsh cut.

Familiar creatures and ship designs are sprinkled throughout The Mandalorian. I will spoil one bit…..stop reading if you don’t want to know it…..it’s not really a spoiler, but just one little dig at the Empire.  Salacious Crumb fans, be forewarned. In a brief pan, a Kowakian monkey-lizard is being roasted while another looks on from its crate.  Ultimately tragic, but I couldn’t help but sneer.

The long and the short of it is that I will absolutely continue to watch this show, probably in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping. Chapter 2 is set to be released on November 15, then continuing weekly on Fridays (except for the week of December 18th) through the end of 2019.

Chapter One is written/produced by Jon Favreau and also stars Giancarlo Esposito, Werner Herzog, Nick Nolte and the voice talents of Taika Waititi who directed an episode yet to come.  The Mandalorian is available exclusively on Disney+ through the app on your smartphone and major streaming devices.

Drop a comment below and let me know what you are watching on Disney+!

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