Andor Season 2 premieres this month, and creator Tony Gilroy believes a show like it "will never happen again." Gilroy spoke to Empire about the series' success and how it was made possible by the protection he received from multiple people.
Gilroy says another Andor won't happen again "because no-one’s ever gonna start a show on this scale again, and shoot it practically, and have the resources and the protection to do something like this."
For Gilroy, it's not about how great the show is, it's about the protection and creative freedom he was given. He says, “We were protected all the way down the line," and “Kathy Kennedy protected us. Lucasfilm protected us. Bob Iger protected us. The audience protected us. The Mandalorian protected us. We had all these people out there backing our play.”
The mention of The Mandalorian instantly stands out, but Gilroy has a logical reason for including Mando on the list of Andor protectors. He understands the show's success and says, “Their success is what would fuel the whole thing. I mean, no Baby Yoda, no Andor.”
Without Din Djarin and Grogu's success, Andor wouldn't have been possible and wouldn't have been given the creative license and insurance from all parties involved to proceed as Gilroy wanted. But Gilroy touched on an uncomfortable aspect of the Andor and Mandalorian discussion: He said he hates that Andor and Mando are compared, with fans discrediting Favreau and Filoni's creative contributions.
He says, “Online, people try to drive a wedge all the time between us, and Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni." As for his thoughts on online discussions that aim at putting one show and its creator down in favor of another, he calls it "horrible" and "terrible." For Gilroy, comparisons with a show that paved the way for him and Diego Luna to do their thing is unthinkable because "We don’t have a show without them. They gave us the muscle to go."
It's unlikely this will stop the back-and-forth between Mando and Andor fans, but I find it interesting that Gilroy is so fully aware of online chatter comparing the two shows. In the past year or so, Mando fans have complained that the Star Wars official account on Twitter has given them the cold shoulder, including on the show's 5th Anniversary, which was a big deal for Din and Grogu lovers. I wonder if the online chatter has influenced how Lucasfilm treats the show.
While The Mandalorian Season 3 was a mixed bag, with flaws even the most ardent Mando lovers wouldn't deny, the first two seasons bagged rave reviews from fans and critics alike. It took home multiple awards, including over a dozen Emmy Awards. Gilroy is completely right in crediting the job done by The Mandalorian in establishing Star Wars television and cementing Disney+'s place among streaming giants.
Hopefully, fans can find a way to make peace and appreciate both shows for what they've done for Star Wars. At the end of the day these are two different shows, with one being a space western, and the other being a gritty political drama. They're also set in two very different Star Wars eras which influences their tone.
What are your thoughts on Tony Gilroy's feelings on the comparisons between The Mandalorian and Andor?
The Mandalorian is streaming on Disney+, and Andor Season 2 streams April 22.