Mandolorian Stumbles out of the Gate in Season 3
Season threes have become a turning point. For Star Trek Picard, it has been a miraculous resurrection of a show many thought was dead. For The Mandolorian, sadly, the first half of season three has been a tragic fall to mediocrity.
The second season ended beautifully with a wonderful finale and perhaps a few strings that could be spun on for season three. There was Bo Katan’s desire for the dark saber and the right to rule a Mandolore that might not be a poisoned wasteland. There was Cara Dunn’s character and her potential story of returning to the Republic, There was the Fennec Shand/Boba Fett angle, and Ahsoka’s search for Thrawn.
Well, some of those things were going to be explored in other shows but surely one of them was going to be the basis for season three, right? Based on the first four episodes, it appears to be about Mandalore but with some odd subplots taking up time and space.
That wouldn’t be a huge deal if we got some cool sci-fi action, weird aliens, or some force-wielding awesomeness. We got very little of that. Cute baby Grogu just isn’t enough. Overall, the quality has taken a noticeable step backward. For a TV show that is clearly the flagship for Star Wars—whether they like it or not—the production values seem not much better than a CW TV show.
The portrayal of Mandalorians as silly, superstitious people in colorful helmets and armor looking like power rangers is a massive step down for the fictional culture. In Star Wars lore, Mandalorians were among the very few that were a match for the Jedi. Their armor, their commitment to a bushido code, and their rich history are all so deeply appealing and provide so much potential.
Instead, we get power rangers. For some odd reason, they make expensive helmets for kids made with an extremely rare metal. Helmets that will fit the youngling for a few years at best before it’ll have to be melted down and reforged. Not to mention that the helmet looks like part of a Halloween costume.
There is also something strange going on with the acting. The cast is a talented one, yet a number of scenes feel flat and uninspired. Katie Sackhoff’s expression seldom changes, and her deliveries feel so strained. It is as if most of the scenes were finished after only one or two takes.
Is that where Star Wars is now? CW-level quality? A franchise that produced billion dollar movies is now pushing out the next Smallville or Batgirl?
Even if the latter part of this season delivers a big, satisfying finale, so much time and momentum has been lost. A clear downward trajectory is bad news for LucasFilms and Kathleen Kennedy. The one bright spot for Disney in its stewardship of Star Wars is dimming.