I’d like to apologize for ever doubting Tony Gilroy. Despite Season 2 containing many of the issues from Season 1, including scenes that drag, he’s embraced the criticism he received and fixed what didn’t work. This is no more apparent than in the opening arc, which starts with an action scene less than 5 minutes into the first episode. Seeing Andor blow up an Imperial Hangar while inside a TIE Fighter informed me this’d be a snappier season. It was awesome.

And it didn’t disappoint. It’d be easy to have the best moment upfront, but Gilroy’s smart enough to save his biggest surprises for later. If the first three episodes were the hook, the next three episodes were when Season 2 showed it was the superior season. Episodes 4-6 were standard affair for Andor, reverting to status quo, but they were also much more interesting. We got more development regarding Imperial deception and how it impacted the world of Star Wars, and it was done in such a way that I was never bored. Considering Season 1’s prison arc wasn’t that interesting, despite having plenty of meaty subtext, that I got more out of an exposition scene in Episode 4 than I did in than the entirety of that arc is astounding on many levels.

Season 2’s biggest strength was getting me to care about its characters. Specifically, its characters’ names. It’s a bad sign when I sit through an entire season of a show not giving a damn about anyone other than its namesake, but that was my experience with Season 1. Season 2, however, was the opposite. Suddenly, that scummy Imperial officer was Dedra. Cassian’s love-interest was Bix. That office worker with an overbearing mother was Syril. And Cassian’s boss was Luthen.

It sounds like I’m selling everyone short, as they weren’t badly-written, but that was how little an impact they’d made on me. Yet that wasn’t the case here. Much more investment was present here, such that it felt like playing catch-up with the cast. It didn’t work 100%, I can’t tell you Syril’s mom’s name, but it worked enough. Another point in Season 2’s favour.

Outside of that, there was more suspense and drama this time. Whether it was action scenes like those on Ghorman, or something as simple as debugging an artifact, Andor Season 2 never stopped keeping me on the edge of my seat. Nowhere was this more-apparent than the two big heists in the second half, neither of which I’ll spoil. They felt more like Star Wars than anything in the first season, and that had a major heist too. It’s both impressive and sad.

All of this is tied together with the snappier arcs, made more intense with the ticking clock in each three-episode arc. Season 1 didn’t have that sense of urgency, so constantly being reminded that BBY was this franchise’s D-Day was enough to keep me alert. Even in the boring parts, like the wedding, the countdown made it worth it. It also made the emotional moments more impactful, such that I actually shed a tear in Episode 10’s finale. That’s a good sign.

Season 2 redeemed Andor for me, re-contextualizing what’d happened prior. It doesn’t change my mind about Season 1, and I still think “prestige drama” isn’t the best fit for a series about space wizards and Nazis, but I commend Gilroy for sticking the landing. He may not be a big Star Wars fan, even openly admitting that, but Season 2 shows that he gets the material and can deliver if given a chance. If you’d have told me that when the trailer for Season 2 debuted, I’d have laughed. But I guess it’s true.

I know I’m coming off as unduly-harsh, to which I apologize. Still, many people love this show, and it’d feel wrong to not be honest. I love Star Wars! And it want it to take risks like this! But I also don’t want my time wasted, something Andor didn’t always understand. Season 2 isn’t even perfect, containing some of the same flaws that bothered me with Season 1! However, it manages to work around them, to the point where it almost didn’t bother me. Almost.

Anyway, consider this my formal apology to Mr. Gilroy. He may frustrate me as a creative, enough to criticize his work on a Star Wars show, but I might’ve been too hard on him initially in 2022. He definitely fixed the biggest problem I had with the show for Season 2, and for that I’m grateful. Though please, never make Star Wars into a prestige drama again. Once was enough, thank you!