Tony Gilroy is coming off a brilliant run on Andor, the Star Wars series, which concluded after season 2. The series established itself as one of the best entries in the epic space opera franchise and delivered arguably some of the greatest recent television episodes in its final stretch.

During an interview following the show’s conclusion, Gilroy discussed ending the series after two seasons despite initially having a five-season plan. Gilroy had a rather simple explanation for why he abandoned the original plan and why it did not dilute the story. Here is what Gilroy said and why Star Wars needs to learn from his approach.

Andor emerged as one of the greatest hits in the Star Wars franchise, receiving critical acclaim for its story, characters, performances, and writing. Created by Tony Gilroy, the series was praised for its more mature tone compared to previous media in the epic space opera franchise.

The series was initially devised with a five-season plan, but Gilroy decided to conclude the story with its second installment. Following the show’s resounding success, Gilroy sat down for a conversation with Backstory Magazine.

Gilroy was asked why he chose to abandon the original plan and whether the change diluted the overall story. In response, the showrunner stated:

Maybe it would’ve been a lot of jazz hands and a lot of drinking coffee. I don’t know what the hell it would’ve been.

The writer-director made the above comment, expressing that he was unsure how the story would’ve unfolded over three more seasons. Gilroy suggested that a potential third season would’ve had a lot of filler content and defocused the overall narrative.

Given Gilroy’s comments, it is safe to assume that the showrunner feared overdiluting the story with the original five-season plan. As a result, Gilroy made the right call by choosing to conclude the series with its sophomore outing, which delivered a record-setting final run of five episodes.

Gilroy did not want the show to overstay its welcome and delivered the conclusion without stretching the story too far. Seeing how Andor season 2 covered four years in the titular character’s life, it is safe to say that Gilroy delivered the broader story he had originally planned.

However, taking five seasons to deliver the same story would’ve certainly led to some filler episodes. As a result, Gilroy brought a rather focused approach to storytelling, something the wider Star Wars franchise can certainly learn going forward.

The Skywalker saga undoubtedly overstayed its welcome with lackluster sequels and unnecessary spin-offs focusing on legacy characters. Shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Book of Boba Fett also felt like standalone movies that were unnecessarily stretched into miniseries. Hence, if the franchise wants to recapture its former glory, it needs to follow Gilroy’s approach.