There's an old cliche that television is just "radio with faces." That's ever less apt in this new age of television, but perhaps farther off the mark than its ever been when it comes to The Mandalorian. This show might have less dialogue on average than any other show being made. From its taciturn protagonist to its emphasis on action, there are episodes of this show where so little is said, I wonder if the script even tops 10 pages. You have to watch The Mandalorian; it's not a show for people who like to put something on in the background while they do something else.
In many ways, the show reminded me of another series that started around the same time: The Witcher. That show is literally based on a video game (and book series), but The Mandalorian ticks many of the same video game-like boxes. It has an action-oriented protagonist of few words. He bounces from side quest to side quest, getting into fights. He gets paid for these adventurers, then goes back somewhere to level up his armor for the next fight. He meets "NPCs" that eventually come back around into his story, which is ultimately building toward a reckoning with a "big boss." Fortunately, The Mandalorian is a good deal more fun than watching someone else play a video game. (I can't say the same for The Witcher, which I gave up after one episode that left me thoroughly bored.)
If the video game analogy doesn't do it for you, here's another comparison: The Mandalorian is definitely using The X-Files formula. It has "mythology" episodes that further the ongoing story, and other "monster of the week" style episodes that don't obviously play into a larger narrative. For me, at least, the formula is reversed: I generally found the plot arc episodes of The Mandalorian to be more engaging than the stand-alone tales.
The series absolutely nails the feeling of the Star Wars universe. Some of this is in the creators making the obvious smart choices from the very beginning. It's presented in the same aspect ratio as the Star Wars movies. The camera moves with smooth steadiness. It's unafraid to use pre-existing designs for droids, aliens, and gadgets that were established in the film franchise. It heavily draws on the films' vast sound library. But new material the series invents is created with care for consistency. Things have that beat-up, garage sale feel of Star Wars
It's so Star Wars, in fact, that it took me a while to get on board with the one element that is conspicuously different: the score. This is not the first time someone other that John Williams has written Star Wars music; we have two films and multiple animated series before this. But this does seem to me like the first time a composer has made the choice not to mimic John Williams' style. Ludwig Göransson has cobbled together a sound that feels like a Spaghetti Western with dashes of "Skyrim soundtrack" sprinkled in. I loved the music itself right away, its main anthem instantly sticking in my head. It took me more than half the season to accept that music being paired with Star Wars visuals. I just didn't think it fit at first... until finally I appreciated that Göransson had probably done more than anyone else working on this show to expand the notion of what Star Wars can be.
The Mandalorian isn't the best "live action Star Wars" we've gotten since The Force Awakens arrived and jump-started the franchise. But neither is it the worst. (Your mileage may vary, but for me, the best and worst would be Rogue One and Solo, respectively.) I'm not exactly riveted or eager for season two to arrive later this year... but I expect to make the time for it when it does arrive. Despite a weaker episode or two, I'd say season one overall comes out about a B.
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