IR TV Review: THE MANDALORIAN – EPISODE 10 (“The Passenger”)[Disney+-S2]

Using “Star Wars” lore, especially in “The Mandalorian”, is about defying expectation. What Favreau and company seem to be aware of which really makes the show worthy is that it is not rushing the story for a sense of where it needs to go but rather is about letting it be. While this might throw off some fans, needing something to happen, it allows for great re-viewing potential because every step means something and yet it doesn’t have to. Without giving too much away, after returning from the desert, Mando is still searching for more Mandalorians. The construct of the story involving a passenger (hence the name of the episode “The Passenger”) puts story restrictions on how travel can happen, what the themes are, and the problem solving that needs to occur. The true nature is that fixing problems is always messy, even in the “Star Wars” universe. Some of the more interesting textures involving the actions of The Child, which are both humorous but also telling, relate the paradox of the story. The episode also serves to widen the understanding of the galaxy Mando lives in after the destruction of the 2nd Death Star. And so the journey continues.

B+

By Tim Wassberg

IR TV Review: THE MANDALORIAN – EPISODE 9 (“The Marshal”)[Disney+-S2]

The return of “The Mandalorian” has been an anticipation. While being more aware of its production process makes one look for the lines a little more, the texture is still interesting. Like the previous season, giving away too much of the plot belies the intention of the story. Needless to say after the end of last season, Mando is still on his path and his quest to reunite The Child with its own kind still stands. While not as thematically ethereal as the premiere episode, Episode 9 (“The Marshal”) keeps in tone with the Western motif while also still integrating into the lore. While a certain creature does create an interesting idea of why certain paces are the way they are, the reasoning behind this specific structure is not overtly clear (which is alright). The Marshal himself makes total sense as the misdirect serves well for later in the episode. The set piece for the episode also works well enough while paying harks to everything from “Dune” to “Game Of Thrones” while it treads on almost trying to scale up too much. There is an effort with some close ups and medium shots to make it more cinematic which makes sense since Jon Favreau directed this episode. The idea of shadows in the desert continues to be a motif but like last season with “The Mandalorian” it doesn’t feel the need to push or rush plot more than it needs to. The behavior of Mando especially with a certain species is telling but also makes one think if a deeper mythology is, in fact, authored by this.

B+

By Tim Wassberg

IR TV Review: DISNEY GALLERY – THE MANDALORIAN – EPISODE 8 (“Connections”) [Disney+]

With the final entry in the “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian” and its behind the scenes perception in Episode 8: “Connections”, it all comes back to fan service in a way but doing so that is relative to the people making it. Dave Filoni, in many ways, is The Archivist since it integrates to everything that George Lucas is about. He is of Lucas’ temperament and yet regards each facet and detail as sacred. Jon Favreau has the same fandom but because he came at it as an outsider with both a studio and indie sensibility, his approach definitely is an diametrically opposite one but it works since Filoni gives his respect to him (though Filoni has done numerous things that Favreau has not and vice versa). But it is Favreau that calls the shots here. He doesn’t throw it around too much but his presence is felt much like Kathleen Kennedy though it is a different energy.

His approach to obscure lore and separate parts of the “Star Wars” universe is admirable although there is one point in which he asks Lucas on screen “Do you remember this?” Lucas says “Not really” in regards to a weapon in the “Star Wars Holiday Special”. There is a bit of maybe being too close to the material. Lucas remembers every detail even though he might not admit it but that is his secret to keep. One might never know what Lucas thinks overall as it was both the best thing to let it go but also what might have been different? It is good to pass it along to others. Filoni and Favreau seem to have got what Star Wars is about. It is about simplicity but also those differing themes.

The difference is that the world have changed so much since the original “Star Wars” came on the scene. And yet, it is one of the few shows that the entire family including Mom (as seen in many blogs and posts) can see with her children, husbands, etc. on family night because it is not boring, not too crass, not too childish and yet learning in a way. “The Mandalorian” works that way but it will be interesting to see how “Obi Wan” and the Cassian Andor series work out. If it is about story and not necessarily racing to the end, it might be interesting. With “Obi Wan” with just 8 episodes it might be a one and done because of Ewan’s schedule whereas Andor has infinite possibilities as does Mandalorian.

Back to the final episode though, it comes back to those little details. Favreau brings up a prop that became a huge thing at conventions but nobody was really aware of it. And yet it works to connect the fandom. Mark Hamill voices an interesting robot and the irony of what Mos Eisley evolves to is a necessarily piece of progress. Of course the various aliens are brought up. What is a wonderful conclusion though is the Stormtroopers that are in the final aspect of the episodes because of the background of where they come from. It is best to watch the episode because giving it away here would ruin the fun.

It is also interesting to hear Taika Watiti actually talk a little about where it was shot and understand that a couple scenes are shot in a backlot area and not just inside The Volume. Again none of this info needed to be revealed but by bringing in the viewer in in this way, like Lucas did back in the day but with Favreau’s sensibility, it allows this generation to make this Star Wars more their own. It will be interesting to see how the 2nd Season progresses although the shooting was already completed before the pandemic. But as a whole new world dawns in Star Wars, it will be interesting to see the continuing evolution.

A

By Tim Wassberg

IR TV Review: DISNEY GALLERY – THE MANDALORIAN – EPISODE 7 (“Score”) [Disney+]

The essence of music in any show is important but with “Star Wars”, it is equally daunting. With Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, it was about thinking outside the box. Composer Ludwig Goransson is an interesting choice but not an all together unexpected one. His approach is very experimental and that sometimes can be tricky for people working on a big franchise or moving placement because of money and expectation. This is an issue that probably came with Vangelis after composing ground changing work on “Blade Runner”. It is significantly hard to follow up something like that. What is interesting here is how recommendations of younger collaborators influenced Favreau in many ways. He had heard of Goransson in passing and heard of his work with Ryan Coogler, whom it is revealed was his roommate at USC and worked with him through his first film “Fruitvale Station” to “Creed” and onto “Black Panther”. “Panther” of course was important because of the use of different sounds in order to find the correct approach and tone.

The same can be said of “The Mandalorian”. While it is not spoken of, there is definitely in the intro of the theme a Middle Eastern influence. But as the episode goes on, just seeing the basis of certain sounds using old school analog aspects with computer elements is fascinating. Goransson doesn’t want to write in front of a computer he says so as a result his sounds are new but he uses technoloy to capture it. It is a way to work that is both new and old. In the roundtable, Favreau and Filoni seem to take over the conversation but in the interior of the studio, Gorannson is a teacher and shows the process. Favreau also heard about him from Donald Glover since Gorannson had scored “Community” and that is how the collaboration for Childish Gambino seemed to happened. Gorannson won Grammys for Record & Song Of The Year for it.

It almost seems that they are underplaying his greatness and possibility of what he has accomplished. Beyond the hip hop and popular music stylings, he has done what “Rogue One” and “Solo” for the most part coudn’t quite do and that is create a whole new sound while not losing what was before it. And yet also not reusing any themes and creating his own. It is a feat, even more so when one hears the story. Gorannson knows how to produce too. But the best piece of footage is on the set of Bryce Dallas Howard’s episode when he brings the first recording of the theme with the flutes to set on his phone. Favreau freaks out and Howard is hit by it too. That is one of the moments when it might have finally become real what they were doing. Music has that power.

A-

By Tim Wassberg

IR TV Review: DISNEY GALLERY – THE MANDALORIAN – EPISODE 6 (“Visualization”) [Disney+]

After the texture of the previous episode with “Practical”, the next episode of “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian” rightly focuses on “Visualization”. This bridges the gap in how the practical in this area and the technology of something like The Volume have to work together. It is an interesting balance. The initial impression is that it would leave less room for spontaneity and more restriction in terms of planning. It does this but probably can’t work in a lot of productions. It works well here simply because of the visual effects involved. Also the idea of a director being involved in a TV show 2 months before shooting as Deborah Chow, the director of 2 of Season 1’s episodes and also the director of the upcoming “Obi Wan” series relates. She says that this is unheard of in many ways especially in a show like “Mr. Robot” where they had 6 days to shoot an episode. It all comes down to budget and how meticulous something might need to be. There likely will be some spectacular work to come out of this technology but also misfires. It will be interesting to see.

Granted the fact of being able to see the entire episode in a game engine setting before a frame is shot is an interesting one. “Star Wars” is a very specific monster though because of the money involved but Favreau did pick the correct team to do this with. Rick Famuyiwa, whom we interviewed for Dope in Cannes a couple years back, is an unusual choice but makes sense in his love of certain type of movies. Again for re-shoots it is an specific move as Waititi and Favreau discuss overall in terms of adjusting something like “Iron Man” and “Thor: Ragnarok”. But then again these are large movies. The question becomes of those great moments based out of on the set inspiration.. Granted the reality is that Lucasfilm and Favreau did not have to show behind the scents. It could have simply been kept a mystery except within Hollywood. They wanted to show how it is done which speaks to them wanting to inspire another generation coming up. That is the concept of what Favreau is doing. Very few make the transition from actor to indie director to big budget filmmaker to the kind of open minded technology that is happening now. The journey continues to show the way.

B+

By Tim Wassberg