Disney’s Star Wars Movies And Shows Are Hurting Andor?
The perceived failures of Star Wars projects like The Book of Boba Fett could be turning fans away from Andor.
Disney’s takeover of the Star Wars franchise seems to have one hit for every two misses — which could explain why the fantastic Andor is struggling to gain the same audience that other films and shows in the franchise have enjoyed. The Rogue One prequel series has been struggling to bring in big viewer numbers and hit the right audience demand metrics (Parrot Analytics via Indiewire). While those who have seen the show love it, there are just not enough people tuning in.
It’s a shame too because Andor is pointing Disney’s Star Wars franchise in the direction fans have been wanting it to go. The tightly-paced series created by Tony Gilroy has political intrigue, rebel action, and character development with nary a lightsaber or Skywalker in sight. The Star Wars universe is an embarrassment of world-building riches that has largely been ignored in favor of fan service and connecting each and every character to the original trilogy.
Disappointments like Disney’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and The Book of Boba Fett have certainly soured fans on the once beloved franchise. As mentioned, this could certainly play a role in Andor‘s smaller viewer numbers compared to its other Disney+ brethren, but it also lacks recognizable characters (not including Diego Luna’s titular role) from the franchise. Of course, those watching will know this is one of the show’s biggest strengths.
Unlike other Disney Star Wars shows, Andor is free to move without the constraints of pre-existing characters and expectations. Because of Rogue One, we know what will ultimately happen to the main character, but there is so much more the series is exploring and we’re seeing new sides of the Star Wars universe that has yet to be explored. Plus, the formation of the rebellion gives us a more adult side of the universe as we see the real consequences of the Empire’s fascism and the cost of starting a war.
On top of all that, Andor boasts a top-notch cast that includes the aforementioned Diego Luna along with Stellan Skarsgard, Genevieve O’Reilly, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Adria Arjona, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, and more. Despite the low ratings, fans of the show have the silver lining that the show was ordered for two seasons and creator Tony Gilroy has already said the second season will lead right up to the events of Rogue One. That means that Disney will at least be giving us a definitive ending to this particular Star Wars story, whether the audience’s interest is there or not.
The worrisome aspect is that the low viewers may point Disney in the wrong direction for future Star Wars projects. If Andor isn’t getting them the ratings they want, then what motivation will a profit-driven mega-corporation have to continue to give us stories in that same vein? This is the type of Star Wars show we’ve all been waiting for, so make sure to tune in to Disney+ and give it the viewership it deserves so we can get more shows like this in the future.
