Star Wars' best TV shows, if not the single best. That raises interesting questions about whether five seasons would have made the show better or worse—but Tony Gilroy has a clear and assertive answer.
Per Backstory Magazine, Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy explained that, although the show shifted from a five-season plan to just two seasons, he doesn't feel as though the story was compromised in any way or is missing anything. Gilroy said:
"I don't feel that way, man, no. I think, alright, maybe it would've been a lot of jazz hands and a lot of drinking coffee. I don't know what the hell it would've been. I mean, I can think of scenes. I'd love to have Eedy go into Luthen's gallery, as I said, you know, I'd love to see that. But I'm not missing anything. I don't feel any absence whatsoever."
There are always going to be curiosities about what a Star Wars show or movie could have contained based on earlier versions of the story, but, at least from Tony Gilroy's perspective, we aren't missing anything even with three seasons being slashed.
What Andor's Change In Direction Means For Star Wars
It's Nice To See The Franchise Prove That, Sometimes, Less Is More
It's no secret that, at times, Star Wars has struggled with concluding a story or knowing when something is ready to come to an end. In fact, the Star Wars sequel trilogy, which many consider to be among Star Wars' worst movies, in particular seemed to struggle to stick the landing based on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Arguably, even The Mandalorian, which is largely beloved in the franchise, experienced some serious criticism in light of The Mandalorian season 3, which is all but universally viewed as the show's weakest season.
Star Wars' Best TV Show Is Over, And It May Never Be Topped, So Where Does The Franchise Go From Here?
Andor season 2 has been a tremendous success for Star Wars, but can Lucasfilm ever possibly match its success? There are some promising signs.
It is therefore refreshing to see a Star Wars show know when it's time to end and understand that, sometimes, less is more. As Tony Gilroy's comments make clear, given the sarcastic references to jazz hands and coffee, had Andor been five seasons, it's likely that at least some of that would have felt like filler. In place of that, Andor focused on telling a succinct, intentional, and action-packed story, for which all episodes feel essential.
Our Take On Andor Dropping Down To Two Seasons
This Was The Right Call
I'll it a bit of curiosity about what three additional seasons of Andor could have looked like, and I adore actors from Andor like Diego Luna, Adria Arjona, and so many others, but I still have to it, it's ultimately great news that Andor changed direction and was reduced to just two seasons. I am among those who think this is Star Wars' best show, and it would have been so disappointing had the show instead dragged on. Inevitably, this would have diluted the story.
I also hope this sets the example for Star Wars moving forward that a well-planned story is better than a long one. Yes, it's always great to get new (or more) Star Wars shows, but it's also essential to know when shorter is better. Ultimately, Tony Gilroy is absolutely right that two seasons of Andor were enough.
Source: Backstory Magazine
All episodes of Andor season 2 are now streaming on Disney+.
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