The Mandalorian Is Still In "A New Hope" Mode

Here at the start of December of 2019, we've seen 4 full episodes of the Star Wars streaming live action show The Mandalorian. It started out slow, then it kept on going slow, and it's remained relatively slow through the last couple episodes. This show isn't the bombastic spectacle to which we've grown accustomed with Star Wars movies and cartoons – this is something different entirely.

In the very first episode, we saw one major reorganization of terms after another. Episode 2 showed us we weren't about to get rushed into anything major – one episode, a few new mysteries. This series was clearly about playing witness to a collection of delights, short jump by jump.

By episode 3 we were wondering if we'd ever see that AT-ST, or Cara Dune. Dune, played by Gina Carano, would be one of the main characters in the series, if we were to believe the launch posters. It felt, in these first few weeks, like everything was moving in slow motion.

We get new episodes every Friday at 2AM here in the Central Time Zone in the USA. So why does it still feel like new episodes of The Mandalorian can't come fast enough?

If you go back and watch Star Wars: A New Hope, having only seen the film once when you were a kid, you might find the content sort of tame. The very first Star Wars film to hit theaters was explosive for its time and place, but it was always a first page in a three-part story. A New Hope is a collection of setup situations, introducing all the characters and situations that'll affect the rest of the Star Wars story.

The Mandalorian's first several episodes have some battle action, and a little bit of character development – but they're certainly not meant to be watched in a vacuum. The people producing The Mandalorian know good and well that they're in a position to keep fans hooked not only for a single episode, or even a single season, but for the long haul.

Now that we've gotten into the series just a BIT, just far enough to see most of the main launch characters, the time for major moves is at hand. We've got Chapter One (no title), Chapter 2: The Child, Chapter 3: The Sin, and Chapter 4: Sanctuary. The final four episodes of Season 1 will debut on December 6, 13, 18, and 27 – what do you think the creators of this show will do to make certain their Season 2 is not only desired, but assured?