Tony Gilroy, the showrunner forAndor- which is widely considered to beStar Wars’best TV show - has shared his appreciation for the very first live-action TV show in the franchise,The Mandalorian. Despite being the franchise’s two most successful and well-received TV shows,AndorandThe Mandaloriancouldn’t be more different. Because of their great achievements, however, these two shows have often been pitted against one another - and Gilroy won’t stand for it any longer.
Speaking toEmpire Magazine, Gilroy shares his full appreciation forThe Mandalorian, insisting that it was Din Djarin’s story that madeAndorpossible in the first place.“The Mandalorian protected us,” Gilroy explains, as “the success of The Mandalorian gave us the platform to jump off” forAndor. Gilroy also states quite plainly that"no Baby Yoda, no Andor. Seriously. Don’t think that we don’t know that."
The success of The Mandalorian gave us the platform to jump off. Their success is what would fuel the whole thing. I mean, no Baby Yoda, no Andor. Seriously. Don’t think that we don’t know that.
Gilroy goes on to take things one step further, addressing the commentsStar Warsaudiences have often made online that compare these two very different TV shows and their creators. “It’s horrible what people say,” Gilroy laments. “Andthe truth is,we don’t have a show without [Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni]. They gave us the muscle to go.”
Online, [people] attempt to drive a wedge all the time between us, and [Jon] Favreau and [Dave] Filoni. It’s horrible what people say; it’s terrible. And the truth is, we don’t have a show without them. They gave us the muscle to go.
What Tony Gilroy’s Mandalorian Appreciation Means For Star Wars
Gilroy Recognizes The Mandalorian’s Crucial Role In The Franchise
Gilroy’s comments aboutThe Mandalorianare very important forStar Wars, as public opinion on the TV show turned quickly after the release ofThe Mandalorianseason 3 in 2023. Although seasons 1 and 2 remain some ofStar Wars’most revered works to date, both critically and among audiences, season 3 led many fans to begin perceivingThe Mandalorianin a more negative light. The comparison game withAndorbegan from there, withfans pitting the two TV shows against one another for the title of “the best.”
Andor’s ISB Is Secretly The Foundation For The Entire Mandalorian Era
The Empire has survived into The Mandalorian era, and surprisingly, Andor’s ISB is the major reason - drawing the threads of Star Wars together again!
What Gilroy says here, however, is vitally important: there is no comparison, becauseAndorwouldn’t even exist were it not forThe Mandalorian. It doesn’t mean thatAndorcannot be crowned asStar Wars’best TV show, because even I, as someone who callsThe Mandalorianmy favoriteStar Warsproject to date, acknowledge thatAndoris indeed in its own league, but it does mean thatThe Mandaloriandeserves much more appreciation from fans than it’s currently receiving, especially whereAndoris concerned.
The Mandalorian Has Truly Paved The Way For All New Star Wars Content
Andor & More Wouldn’t Exist Without The Show’s Success
One thing Gilroy has proven throughout the release ofAndoris that his words carry weight, and he isn’t afraid to speak the truth at all times. Gilroy standing up forThe Mandalorianis thus not only huge, but it’s also immensely true.The Mandalorianis toStar WarsTV asA New Hopeis toStar Warsmovies; without its massive success, we wouldn’t have gotten any of what we have right now -Andorincluded.The Mandalorian, despite what people think of its later seasons, deserves to be treated as the trailblazer it truly is.
This is whyThe Mandalorianis now being rewarded with its own movie, the firstStar Warsmovie to hit theaters since 2019’sStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The franchise has seen how impactfulThe Mandalorianhas been, and Gilroy is highlighting those achievements, too.Andoris undoubtedly the best thing to come out of Disney’sStar Warsthus far in terms of quality, but it wouldn’t have even been given a chance hadThe Mandaloriannot changedStar Warsforever in 2019.
Andorseason 2 premieres April 22 at 9 PM ET on Disney+.
