Raise your hand if you were one of the millions that signed up early for Disney+ and then immediately caused the site to crash on launch day! *Slowly raises hand with sheepish expression* Yes, I was one of those people on Day 1 feverishly refreshing and checking Twitter for updates. I was initially frustrated when it wouldn’t load, later annoyed when I learned I couldn’t “cast” to my TV without a special device, and overall gobsmacked that Disney didn’t see that coming. I mean, come on! Pretty much everyone from the 1950s until now has been spoon fed and raised on Disney. How could they think nearly the entire populace of the planet wouldn’t be clamoring to get onto their streaming site?! Didn’t see it coming, my eye!

But this post isn’t about me griping. They have since fixed their server issues and I have purchased said device to stream properly. So I’m content on that front. This post is about The Mandalorian. Before I step on any toes and upend the general order of the galaxy though, let me start by saying that I am not a Star Wars fan. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the films. I do. They’re entertaining and I’ll watch them if everyone else is watching them. But they’re not something I would put on if I had a choice. I am and have always been firmly in Star Wars’ biggest rival camp – the Trekkies. Yes, I said it. I am a member of Star Fleet, boldly going to contradict all the Jedi and Sith out there. My husband, however, loves the sagas and the little extra movies they’ve been adding to the Star Wars canon over the past few years.

Also, I can only hope that it was because of this love, that he chose to Disney+ cheat on me. I was under the impression that we were going to watch ‘The Mandalorian’ together. Imagine my surprise when I come home from work one day and he’s already on Episode 3! So after a minor verbal skirmish and threat to cheat back by watching one of our other shows without him, we agreed that he would start at the beginning with me (sans spoilers). Now I’m sure you’re wondering what a non-fan and untrained movie/show reviewer thought! Haha! Let me tell you…

I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it! At first I was a little confused as to where it fit in the Star Wars timeline (my husband helped set me straight) and then I was head-over-heels in love with Baby Yoda like everyone else. I daresay he/she knocked the little teddybears (Ewoks?) off the #1 spot of favorite Star Wars characters for me. But I still came away with more questions than answers. With only 8 episodes in the first installment, I can only assume that was Disney’s plan all along. Maybe there will be a Season 2?

For those like me, here’s a slimmed down description (without spoilers!). Apparently, Mandalorians are not a race of beings but a religion that numerous beings follow. At some point prior to the show, they were hunted almost to extinction and forced to go underground (literally) and earn money by taking bounties. There was a brief moment where they explained why they were nearly eradicated so be sure to pay attention. Our Mando, as he’s called by others, takes a bounty to hunt down and bring back what turns out to be Baby Yoda. Due to his troubled past, Mando has a compassionate streak for little ones. They’re kind of a “no deal” for him. So he ends up defying his Order and the rules of the Guild (bounty hunter network) and goes on the run with Baby Yoda. As a now Outsider, he gets to experience what it’s like to be the Hunted over the Hunter. His trek takes him from planet to planet where he meets others with bounties on their head and forms loose friendships with them.

The biggest thread that runs throughout the show is the mystery surrounding Baby Yoda. Where did he/she come from? What is the full extent of his/her power? Why was there a bounty on Baby Yoda’s head to begin with? Who really wants Baby Yoda? None of this is really answered.

As a standalone, it was a pretty good show. None of the characters we generally know from the films are in it, nor are they mentioned. I think that’s why I had issues knowing where it fit in the Star Wars universe. (PS: It comes between Episode 6 [Return of the Jedi] and Episode 7 [The Force Awakens]) Also, my husband and I had this massive conversation about whether or not Boba Fett was a Mandalorian. He sure dressed like one! Anyway, it’s divergent enough from the movies that someone who has never seen them can still enjoy ‘The Mandalorian’. Plus the battle scenes are pretty cool and HELLO! Baby Yoda!! ❤

So if you have Disney+ and haven’t already, give it a watch. If you’ve seen it, share your thoughts. If there’s some knowledge that you feel needs to be dropped on this Trekkie, feel free to share that too. Haha!

Have a Happy Wednesday!

What I'm Watching Disney Star Wars Streaming The Mandalorian