Tony Gilroy’s Andor is Star Wars for grown-ups, and for my money the best thing to come out of that galaxy in decades. Set in the years before Rogue One, it follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a thief with no interest in causes, as he is drawn into the messy early days of the Rebellion.
Forget lightsabers and the Force: this is a slow-burning political thriller about surveillance, bureaucracy, prisons and the price of resistance. Stellan Skarsgård is magnificent as Luthen Rael, a Coruscant antiques dealer with a very different second life, and Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma and Denise Gough’s chillingly ambitious Imperial officer Dedra Meero are every bit as good.
Two seasons, 24 episodes and a complete story that ends where Rogue One begins. Fans of the patient, careful spycraft of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy will feel right at home. Essential viewing, even if you think Star Wars isn’t for you.
Abbreviated Cast List