‘Mando number five’, features a little bit of everything… except a compelling Boba Fett.
Set in the wake of The Mandalorian, we pick up the back story for Boba Fett… digging his way out of trouble after a run in with the Sarlacc pit (which most will remember from Return of the Jedi). The early episodes also use flashback to bring you up to speed, with Fett reliving moments of his life as he heals each day in a ‘Bacta tank’. The exploration of Fett’s time with the Tusken raiders is certainly one of my favourite story arcs, it grounds the character and offers a new and granular insight into the texture of the Star Wars universe. Why it couldn’t be the natural start and a continued linear progression I do not know. The ‘and then he woke up in the Bacta tank’ really does start to get old, thankfully this ends quickly and the show goes on.
Without spoilers it is hard to say too much, but I can say this show has almost nothing to do with Boba Fett. The conveyer belt of heavy hitting characters that appear for the betterment of the show is impressive. Personally, I think the fan service on display here isn’t quite as appealing as creating compelling character development around Boba himself. The in-universe cameos ensure the show finishes on a high point and there’s no shortage of action to back that up.
Episode two is one of the early high points that also includes an excellent chase and fight scene, a testament that the artistic direction and choreography is certainly not at fault. There are perhaps less memorable locations and cinematography for this series than in The Mandalorian. There is however a very cool space ship that makes an appearance as unexpected eye candy, I am sure there will be quite the demand for its merchandise!
Another big part of the series is its music, after the outstanding score from The Mandalorian, the bar has been set high. I did enjoy the use of choir and it does have a distinct signature; it is not the flowing symphony other Star Wars outings have offered, but good nevertheless.
While not the runaway success of The Mandalorian, there is enough in the show to give most viewers a good time. The writing and reason for its existence is a little tenuous, but luckily Disney pour enough budget into their productions to ensure it’s still entertaining. If you want to see a surprise outing for some of your favourite characters from the Star Wars universe this is the series for you.
Author: Joe, Bath Store
