Andor may lack Jedi Knight characters, but the latest season of this acclaimed Star Wars prequel series exudes a formidable Force. The sophomore outing of Tony Gilroy's drama, which delves deeper into the saga of Rebel Alliance warrior Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), boasts the highest critic score on Rotten Tomatoes among all live-action Star Wars television shows and films. With its premiere tonight, Andor's second season currently enjoys a stunning 98% approval rating, edging out its predecessor, the first season, which secured a commendable 96%.
Trailing closely is the universally beloved Star Wars film, The Empire Strikes Back, at 95% positive. (For those curious about Empire's detractors, the handful of negative reviews hark back to its 1980 debut, where critics bemoaned its "darkness," "confusion," and, according to The New York Times, its "blandness.")
On the flip side, 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker fares the worst among live-action installments, scraping by with a mere 51% approval, even underperforming compared to 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story (69%) and 2002's Attack of the Clones (61%), a somewhat surprising revelation.
Regarding Andor, Disney+ granted critics early access to the entire new season, ensuring its score reflects the entirety of its 12-episode arc. For other live-action Star Wars titles, the studio typically offers only a few episodes ahead of time; for instance, last year's Skeleton Crew received three episodes in advance (92% positive), and The Acolyte garnered four (78% positive). While partial seasons are a common screener strategy, sending a full season often signifies confidence—or a season that starts slowly but picks up steam (in Andor's second season, critics agree on both counts). The Hollywood Reporter hailed it as "a devastating testament to the power of storytelling, both within the Star Wars universe and our reality," while acknowledging its slow start.
Of course, Rotten Tomatoes scores are subject to change, especially in the early stages (the review embargo lifted yesterday morning). As the series rolls out, critics who did not receive advanced episodes will contribute their thoughts. It remains to be seen whether the score will hold steady.
Speaking of reevaluations, one wonders if 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (84%) will be reassessed post-Andor season two, which segues directly into Luna's character's introduction in the film. Essentially, Rogue One will serve as the Andor series finale. Having screened all of Andor's second season followed immediately by a rewatch of Rogue One, I concur that the show enhances the film, despite minor narrative discrepancies—just as Rogue One and A New Hope share inconsistencies.
That aside, animated Star Wars titles match Andor's critical acclaim, albeit receiving fewer mainstream reviews. Both 2014's Star Wars Rebels and 2021's Star Wars Visions share a 98% approval rating.
Andor premieres on Tuesday at 6 p.m. PST with the first three episodes, followed by three more episodes each subsequent week.
