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Towards the end of the episode I make note that the show is a “solid B+” to me. On one hand, I can’t help but wonder if that truly is an accomplishment given the legacy of Star Wars. Is it really enough to be good and not great?

This, however, represents the problem of not only having a legacy, but being a major inspiration and the diminishing returns of developing technology. The original Star Wars was both a technical marvel and unlike anything else on the market at the time. The 70’s were a darker period of cinema, where the new wave of young directors were breaking free of the studio’s template and generally creating deeper, meaningful films that nonetheless struggled to inspire optimism. We look back at films like Jaws, Taxi Driver, or The Godfather as classics, but none of these films are “feel good” movies. They are captivating and engaging, but if there was nothing more than such films in the cinema to see, you’d eventually become exhausted by the sheer quantity of cynicism.

Star Wars was nostalgic to an older audience familiar with Lucas’ pulp serial and comic inspirations while an optimistic and stylistic fairy tale for a younger generation to latch onto. The grit of its setting gave it a reality that most other science-fiction lacked. Where the original Star Trek or Lost in Space television series were clearly artificial, the scrap heap collectibles broken down, rebuilt, and painted over in Star Wars gave it a sense of realism. It delivered a tangible illusion that led to a new special effects renaissance that Lucas and Spielberg would continue to pioneer for decades. However, if that same story were told as a novel, would it really have stood out as much?

I think it’s asking too much for every Star Wars property to be great. However, I think The Mandalorian is the first piece of Star Wars media since Disney purchased the rights to achieve what ought to be the bare minimum of expectations in quality. While I enjoyed Rogue One, even I have to admit it was a bit of a messy film with a series of problems. The Mandalorian is the first creation whose flaws are certainly present, but are easily cast aside due to how expertly executed its remaining components are.

Have thoughts on The Mandalorian yourself? Or would you like to discuss some of your favorite gaming memories of 2019? Leave a comment below or send us an e-mail with your thoughts.

Opening theme music by my buddy Brandon, a.k.a. Fallen Prophecy.