by Tanner Kocher
Chapter 2: The Child
“A show is only as good as its filler episodes.”
That quote has shaped how I’ve watched TV over the last five or so years. After the explosive first episode of the Mandalorian, the new Star Wars shoe from Disney+, episode two falls prey to a common problem with the serial format: having to tell a story, without moving too quickly.
[Spoiler warning ahead]
This episode exudes filler. It’s paced well; it continues the bounty hunter aesthetic with long slow shots filled with the rough-and-tumble life the Mandalorian has been all but forced into. The action sequences show us a hero stumbling through his arsenal, while still being strong enough to win any fight. It’s a nice balance. This episode spends time endearing the Mandalorian to his new miniature friends. Going along with the humanization of the Mandalorian, we see him learning to care, in his own way. I am curious to see how Kuiil, the short moisture farmer, will be characterized now that our protagonist has left the planet. Just like our blue friend from the first episode, I doubt we’ve seen the last of him.
Hands down, my favorite scene in this episode was when the Child reveals his true Force abilities. This creature is the main thing keeping me interested in the show throughout the episode. Again, full spoiler warning; with ease, the Child taps into the Force in order to lift a mudhorn, saving the collapsed Mando, moments from death.
Overall, I enjoyed the episode. I think it deserves a 6.5 out of 10, or maybe a 7. At the end of the day, it’s just kind of forgettable. The episode reminds us that other bounty hunters exist and that baby Yoda has a connection to the Force. Beyond that, the episode feels like a side quest no one wanted to go on, introduced by shotty dialogue and a few minor gripes about exact continuity from the first episode. I truly believe the show can come back from this, but it is entirely possible that this was the show they were trying to make; shorter (the episode is only 31 minutes) self-contained stories, used to expand the world. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I’m afraid that it is a continuation of the problems we’ve been seeing with the recent Star Wars sequel trilogy. With so much talent behind the show, I would be surprised if the rest of the show was anything less than okay.