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When I started writing this blog, it was a sort of dev diary. I didn’t post once a week and I titled, rather than numbered, each post. While I thought that no one would likely read what I wrote here, on the off chance that they might, I tried to make it a somewhat pleasant experience. Somewhere along the line, I decided to both switch to one post a week and stop worrying that people might read it. That’s why the posts are numbered rather than titled, and I sometimes repeat myself. Like right now. I have written a very similar thing in an earlier post, but I don’t think that anyone has read all of them, so I can probably slip it by without anyone catching on.
There was one other thing that I decided when I switched to one post a week. I decided that this would be a place where I advocated for good things. Usually that takes the form of commenting on Best Games, video games from the past that are great and deserve praise and recognition. Usually those games are fairly old, and have had countless articles and other, more important, blog posts written about them. I don’t like to Best Games a game that is new or current or ‘hot’.
I’m going to break that trend here. Also, I’m not advocating for a game this time. 
It’s pretty rare that the first few minutes of a TV show make my eyes go wide. I like a good show, but even when they start strong, most shows will have a lull in them that makes me think ‘oh, the creators of this didn’t think that hard about this part. It’s just filler until they get to the next set piece’. 
The new Andor Star Wars show doesn’t do that. Every shot matters, and every bit of background minutia has been considered. This is a TV series made by people with a deep love of Star Wars, but also by people with a deep love of stories. How stories grow and build. How one moment that seems inconsequential, but still sticks in your mind, can become the spark for wonderful, powerful scenes down the line.
This is a TV show that expects you to pay attention. You have to bring yourself to the material. There are things happening when the camera isn’t on them. There are characters saying things counter to what they mean. There are threads working through the background, and you have to keep them in mind while watching a scene in another locations with other characters.
Now, they could easily fumble this show. They could have a great setup and fail to pay it off. But I don’t think so. There is too much care and affection in this show. The creators know where it’s going, and all the steady pacing is deliberate. When those threads start to entangle with each other, I think the payoffs will be well worth it.
When the first episode ended I wanted to cheer. This was a Star Wars show made by people who love Star Wars and it was like they were saying “just go on this ride with us, it’s gonna be great”.
I’m on the ride and so far, I’m loving it. 

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