There are a few things that immediately come to mind when one thinks of The Mandalorian: Pedro Pascal’s titular bounty hunter darkening a doorway before all hell breaks loose; dusty, western vistas; and fantastic pulp sci-fi adventures. And, of course, the adorable, diminutive Grogu, who becomes Din Djarin’s ward and surrogate son — and the de facto mascot of this new era of Star Wars. It’s a series built out of cool images and watercooler moments, predicated on the idea of centering a show around a sleek set of armor (though not the original one) and pulpy sci-fi touchstones. But what was novel seven years ago feels stale now. And The Mandalorian and Grogu, Jon Favreau’s hollow attempt at bringing the bounty hunter to the big screen, falls short even of that epochal first season.
It’s clear from the get-go that The Mandalorian and Grogu, which takes place shortly after the third season of the Disney+ show, is attempting to recapture the lightning in a bottle of that first season. It does away with the confusing lore that was starting to weigh down the final season of the show, and makes a concerted effort to go back to basics: Mando and Grogu, going on standalone adventures across the galaxy.
