Andor rises to meet the challenge of telling the story of the early days of the Rebellion through the eyes of a man who hasn’t fully come into his own yet.
Andor swerves by refusing to make Cassian blandly noble. In Luna’s accomplished hands, he’s pricklier and more nuanced than that. ... In taking time to grow its central character, Andor unveils an ensemble with characters who drive a number of intriguing subplots. ... The interiority and self-reflection it demands have created the most challenging and invigorating work in this galaxy in years.
With sharper edges than this franchise is used to, a previously peripheral character has set up one of the most intriguing starts to a live-action Star Wars entry so far.
These characters offer a fresher take on “Star Wars” lore than Andor’s story, which is a rote rebel mission. If the series finds a way to further blend familiar storytelling with the more-unusual-for-“Star Wars” vibe of palace intrigue, “Andor” might yet prove itself to be a favorite among fans much the way “Rogue One” has become embraced in the eight years since its initial theatrical run.
It is a darker, more grown-up approach, although it is slow. Actually, in the first two episodes it's too slow. Diego Luna, reprising his role as the brooding, narky Cassian Andor, is the charismatic fulcrum to this story.
There is barely any shape to these first four episodes. Three of them don’t even build to any kind of real climax, but just seem to stop at a random point. ... The third [episode] is the one where things finally start happening, as well as the only one that actually has something that feels like a conclusion to one phase of the story. It’s a shame, not only because Luna’s Cassian Andor occupies an interesting place within the larger Star Wars universe, but because Andor gets off to a promising start before things quickly begin to drag.