"No Baby Yoda, No Andor:" Star Wars' Best TV Show Owes Its Existence To The Mandalorian, Says Showrunner

Tony Gilroy, the showrunner for Andor- which is widely considered to be Star 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, Andor and The Mandalorian couldn'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 to Empire Magazine, Gilroy shares his full appreciation for The Mandalorian, insisting that it was Din Djarin's story that made Andor possible in the first place. "The Mandalorian protected us," Gilroy explains, as "the success of The Mandalorian gave us the platform to jump off" for Andor. 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 comments Star Wars audiences have often made online that compare these two very different TV shows and their creators. "It’s horrible what people say," Gilroy laments. "And the truth is, we don’t have a show without [Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni]. They gave us the muscle to go."

Online, [people] try 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 about The Mandalorian are very important for Star Wars, as public opinion on the TV show turned quickly after the release of The Mandalorian season 3 in 2023. Although seasons 1 and 2 remain some of Star Wars' most revered works to date, both critically and among audiences, season 3 led many fans to begin perceiving The Mandalorian in a more negative light. The comparison game with Andor began from there, with fans pitting the two TV shows against one another for the title of "the best."

disney-star-wars-acolyte-sith-villain-trend-human

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!

Posts

What Gilroy says here, however, is vitally important: there is no comparison, because Andor wouldn't even exist were it not for The Mandalorian. It doesn't mean that Andor cannot be crowned as Star Wars' best TV show, because even I, as someone who calls The Mandalorian my favorite Star Wars project to date, acknowledge that Andor is indeed in its own league, but it does mean that The Mandalorian deserves much more appreciation from fans than it's currently receiving, especially where Andor is 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 of Andor is that his words carry weight, and he isn't afraid to speak the truth at all times. Gilroy standing up for The Mandalorian is thus not only huge, but it's also immensely true. The Mandalorian is to Star Wars TV as A New Hope is to Star Wars movies; without its massive success, we wouldn't have gotten any of what we have right now - Andor included. The Mandalorian, despite what people think of its later seasons, deserves to be treated as the trailblazer it truly is.

This is why The Mandalorian is now being rewarded with its own movie, the first Star Wars movie to hit theaters since 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The franchise has seen how impactful The Mandalorian has been, and Gilroy is highlighting those achievements, too. Andor is undoubtedly the best thing to come out of Disney's Star Wars thus far in terms of quality, but it wouldn't have even been given a chance had The Mandalorian not changed Star Wars forever in 2019.

Andor season 2 premieres April 22 at 9 PM ET on Disney+.

Source: Empire Magazine