To add to the literary theme and Orwell - I saw hints of Homage to Catalonia in the last episode. In Homage to Catalonia there is a vivid description of Las Ramblas with Anarchists in one place shooting at Communists in another and Fascists in the mix too. The whole thing bonkers and all sides as bad as each other. It's more complex than that - but am referring to the funeral scene with the Empire after Cassion, Axel's girls looking for him and Axel himself - to kill Cassian. They are on opposite sides to the Empire but all trying to kill or capture the same person for their own ideological gains. Homage to Catalonia is my favourite Orwell book - and of course led to him writing Animal Farm. It's not quite the same as in Andor, the Republic are bad and the Rebels are good - but just as ruthless for their own ends. Cassian is like George Orwell - in the middle of all this. Watching through a peephole as all the sides gather in the main square.
As to why is no-one watching it? It's not advertised! I vaguely heard of it, as a Star Wars fan and happen to have the Disney channel and nothing good on TV. If it's only on the Disney Channel, it's not reaching people. It needs advertising and also to be on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
I have not read Homage to Catalonia, but, based on your comments, I love it as a point of comparison!
As for exposure to the show, I know that as (what I'm assuming is) a part of a campaign for the Emmys, Disney put the first two episodes of Andor on other streaming services and networks, but only ones owned by Disney: Hulu, ABC, FX, and Freeform. But I'm not sure if they put the rest of the episodes as well. I feel like it really would have done well on HBOMax. If The Last of Us has taught us anything so far it's that the prestige TV crowd can get pulled into a genre series if it's got enough prestige and buzz.
Love the breakdown of Foucault and his theories -- there are clear overlaps between his theories and the story here.
I know you didn't have space for it, but I think a telling moment from the Mothma scenes is when some of the other senators (or whatever dignitary position they may hold) at the party are saying that more laws are needed to maintain order, talking about how scary everything is now. That feels like another prominent way that The System perpetuates itself, keeping everyone afraid of each other instead of the mechanisms of society. Plus, of course, the people at the fancy Coruscant party are nowhere near as in danger as the people of Ferrix and the prisoners of Narkina 5.
To add to the literary theme and Orwell - I saw hints of Homage to Catalonia in the last episode. In Homage to Catalonia there is a vivid description of Las Ramblas with Anarchists in one place shooting at Communists in another and Fascists in the mix too. The whole thing bonkers and all sides as bad as each other. It's more complex than that - but am referring to the funeral scene with the Empire after Cassion, Axel's girls looking for him and Axel himself - to kill Cassian. They are on opposite sides to the Empire but all trying to kill or capture the same person for their own ideological gains. Homage to Catalonia is my favourite Orwell book - and of course led to him writing Animal Farm. It's not quite the same as in Andor, the Republic are bad and the Rebels are good - but just as ruthless for their own ends. Cassian is like George Orwell - in the middle of all this. Watching through a peephole as all the sides gather in the main square.
As to why is no-one watching it? It's not advertised! I vaguely heard of it, as a Star Wars fan and happen to have the Disney channel and nothing good on TV. If it's only on the Disney Channel, it's not reaching people. It needs advertising and also to be on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
I have not read Homage to Catalonia, but, based on your comments, I love it as a point of comparison!
As for exposure to the show, I know that as (what I'm assuming is) a part of a campaign for the Emmys, Disney put the first two episodes of Andor on other streaming services and networks, but only ones owned by Disney: Hulu, ABC, FX, and Freeform. But I'm not sure if they put the rest of the episodes as well. I feel like it really would have done well on HBOMax. If The Last of Us has taught us anything so far it's that the prestige TV crowd can get pulled into a genre series if it's got enough prestige and buzz.
Love the breakdown of Foucault and his theories -- there are clear overlaps between his theories and the story here.
I know you didn't have space for it, but I think a telling moment from the Mothma scenes is when some of the other senators (or whatever dignitary position they may hold) at the party are saying that more laws are needed to maintain order, talking about how scary everything is now. That feels like another prominent way that The System perpetuates itself, keeping everyone afraid of each other instead of the mechanisms of society. Plus, of course, the people at the fancy Coruscant party are nowhere near as in danger as the people of Ferrix and the prisoners of Narkina 5.
Yes! What a great catch. I knew there was something super sinister about that conversation but I couldn't put my finger on it.
Epic review!
Thanks! There was SO much to dig into.