Stream It or Skip It: The Mandalorian Season 2
Populated by frenetic action scenes and packed with canon information, season 2 of “The Mandalorian,” a “Star Wars” spinoff created by Hollywood filmmaker John Favreau, hopes to continue the current momentum of the series and Disney+.
The titular bounty hunter, the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal), is tasked with returning “The Child,” known to the internet world as Baby Yoda, to Yoda’s species. Also known as Din Djarin, the Mandalorian is a member of the warrior Mandalorian Clan, which was forced into hiding by the Empire during the genocide “The Great Purge”.
He first encounters The Child on a bounty hunting job, but decides to care for rather than eliminate him. With the Empire in hot pursuit of the “asset,” the Mandalorian is forced to stay on the run with The Child while searching for his species’ home planet.
Episode 1 of “The Mandalorian’s” second season picks up right where season 1 left off, with the Mandalorian searching for another member of his clan to help him return The Child. After receiving a tip, he journeys to the oft-visited planet of Tatooine seeking another Mandalorian, but instead finds himself forced to cooperate with an unlikely ally to take down a monstrous enemy.
The Mandalorian continues his ill-fated search for another of his kind in the second episode, following a lead in exchange for ferrying a humanoid Frog Lady and her eggs across a sector to hatch. However, his quarry forces him to travel without hyperspeed, leading to further monster encounters and improbable sources of assistance. The episode also caters to Baby Yoda lovers, giving The Child more screen time and a larger role.
A cursory viewing of the show confirms its signature Disney-caliber production quality.
The show features impressive CGI and special effects, which stand out spectacularly in fast-paced shootout scenes and drawn-out skirmishes. In addition, the animatronics are state-of-the-art, evidently shown in the breakaway success of Baby Yoda as well as various accompanying droids.
The dialogue in the first few episodes follow in the footsteps of the first season, offering terse conversational exchanges and instead prioritizing screen time for more exciting action scenes. Nonetheless, the thought is evident in the memorable, carefully-worded lines that each pack a punch.
However, the writing as a whole could be improved on, as it features easily-predictable sequences and a litany of disposable characters. This leads to what little tension there is for young viewers being paper-thin, and nearly non-existent for anyone seriously considering the plot. Nonetheless, it remains understandable that Disney+ would strive to keep their tentpole show easily accessible to all viewers, regardless of age.
Ludwig Göransson also returns as the composer for “The Mandalorian’s” second season, creating a simple soundtrack that develops over the course of each episode and season. Despite receiving criticism from some viewers, his layered compositions help to tide over aweing desert speedbike scenes and pensive, thoughtful moments.
Each of the eight episodes in season 2 are expected to run 30 to 40 minutes, making season 2 a roughly four to five hour watch once it is released in its entirety. Episodes are slated to release weekly every Friday, beginning on Oct. 30 and ending on Dec. 18.
Verdict: Stream It
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