#it just feels focus-grouped or simply rote in a way that most of the rest of the show does not | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

chamerionwrites · 1 year

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I enjoyed the hell out of Andor, but my chiefest complaint has always been that in a show that is otherwise pretty thoughtful the characterization of the title character at times feels both kinda formulaic, and kinda baffling when held up against the character in Rogue One. Diego Luna does a lot with it because he's a fabulous actor who has always been fabulous in this role. And I do see the shape of the character arc they're writing, I even think there are plenty of interesting things there, but...idk I have very particular feelings about adaptations/prequels/sequels, I think they often play too slavish or too fast-and-loose with the source material, I'm especially picky about characterization and in certain respects this one doesn't quite hit the sweet spot for me. At some point I'm going to try to write a more comprehensive post that outlines those critiques while still conveying how much I liked and admired the show overall.

Anyway this is not that post, and this is not by any means my main critique, but I do think it's kind of emblematic that imo film!Cassian would be almost EXACTLY the same character if he were genderswapped and show!Cassian is extremely Hollywood Male Protagonist.

#it just feels focus-grouped or simply rote in a way that most of the rest of the show does not #someone is going to tell me this is bc r1's characterization is thin bc there's always been people saying that #but personally i've always found the characters lightly sketched but clearly sketched (again the acting is doing a lot of the work)#i'm not saying it's a bad show. it's objectively good (and subjectively delightful to me personally in many respects)#but i do think a good adaptation is a conversation with rather than an overwriting of the original (even if it's a subversive conversation!#and there are a few points where it does not feel very closely in conversation to me #andor #gender stuff #star wars #my posts #was i always going to be picky about this show bc cassian is my fave? yes and I acknowledge this #however i know my own writing strengths characterization is that strength and imo my quibbles are fair ones #i just gotta find time to lay em all out while still conveying how much i do like the show

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