--- title: "Andor: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/andor/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/andor" critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 9 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Andor (2022): what the critics said Critics' score 81 from 9 reviews: 8 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like it, and they like it for the same reason: it treats the Star Wars galaxy as a place where ordinary people work, owe money and get pushed around, rather than as a store of lore. The praise clusters on the world-building and the production design, on Nicholas Britell’s score, and on a slower, grittier spy-thriller tone that several reviews call grown-up. Cassian himself, and the decision to build the show around non-heroes, comes up repeatedly. The spread is narrow, with nearly everyone positive and a handful of top marks. The reservations are about pace. Radio Times is the lone mixed voice, finding the early episodes plodding and the story constrained by what the prequel already tells us; The Hollywood Reporter is warmer but also finds the opening formless before it settles. The consensus, then, is admiration for the seriousness, with some patience required for the first three episodes. ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 23 November 2022. The critic lauds the series for seriously treating the Star Wars world as a tangible place with material consequences and for radicalizing the hero's journey into a story of political awakening. They single out its rich political ideas, production design, score, and dialogue as standout elements that make it a breath of fresh air. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/andor-finale-season-one-review-analysis-star-wars.html) ## Empire — John Nugent Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 20 September 2022. The critic praises the gritty, different tone and expansive world-building in this prequel to Rogue One, highlighting its ambitious exploration of rebellion and grey areas in the Star Wars universe. They single out the production values and score for making it feel markedly distinct. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/andor/) ## Variety — Caroline Framke Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 20 September 2022. The critic highlights the series as a welcome departure from typical Star Wars TV, praising its rich, patient storytelling focused on ordinary people sparking rebellion rather than lore or fan service. They single out the tangible worlds and character focus for praise. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/andor-review-star-wars-rogue-one-disney-plus-1235376955/) ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Rating B. 20 September 2022. The critic praises the series for its grounded, working-class vision of the Star Wars universe and its pointed real-world parallels in depicting underdogs and uprisings. They note structural issues and prequel knowledge as minor drawbacks but highlight it as the most deeply felt Star Wars series yet. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/2022/09/andor-review-star-wars-series-disney-plus-1234764146/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 September 2022. The critic describes the series as a slower, grounded origin story emphasizing economic desperation and ordinary lives under the Empire, appreciating its distinct approach but noting the initial episodes feel formless. They single out the focus on non-heroic characters and new corners of the galaxy. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/andor-diego-luna-rogue-one-origin-story-disney-plus-1235223748/) ## Radio Times — David Craig Rating 3/5. 20 September 2022. The critic finds the series ambitious and visually stunning with strong performances but criticizes its plodding pace and lack of interesting story due to canon constraints. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/andor-review-disney-plus/) ## The Guardian 21 September 2022. The series is shaping up to be the best Star Wars show since The Mandalorian. It offers a gritty, kinetic spy thriller with strong world-building and action sequences after an initial focus on thoughtful setup. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/sep/21/rogue-one-andor-review-the-best-star-wars-show-since-the-mandalorian) ## The Telegraph 20 September 2022. The review calls Andor a refreshingly grown-up and taut prequel to Rogue One with intelligence and passion. It singles out the gritty noir thriller tone and Tony Gilroy's oversight for praise while noting some plodding moments. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/andor-review-star-wars-turns-dark-side-gritty-noir-thriller/) ## The Times — Carol Midgley 21 September 2022. The prequel to Rogue One is a pleasantly surprising gritty human drama that feels relatable and un-sci-fi. It works on its own terms without relying on Star Wars lore or in-jokes. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/andor-review-new-star-wars-spinoff-disney-jjbfnl5t9) ## Collider — Maggie Lovitt Rating A+. 20 September 2022. The critic praises the series as a mature, slow-burn Star Wars entry that excels in character origins, world-building, and thematic depth around rebellion. [Read the review](https://collider.com/andor-review-diego-luna-star-wars-disney-plus/) ## NME — Paul Bradshaw Rating 5/5. 20 September 2022. The critic calls it the best Star Wars show yet, a grown-up noir thriller that pushes the franchise into new, mature territory with realistic characters and themes. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/tv-reviews/andor-review-star-wars-disney-3313239) ## Den of Geek — Ryan Britt Rating 4/5. 21 September 2022. The critic calls the premiere episodes a refreshing, anti-nostalgia Star Wars story that feels like a great novel, with strong world-building and multifaceted characters like Cassian. They highlight the grounded realism and efficient storytelling in the first three episodes as a major strength. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/star-wars-andor-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/andor.md