Great Show, Bad Owners

The Mandalorian succeeds where the Disney Trilogy fails in telling good stories set in the Star Wars universe. Unlike the Disney trilogy on the big screen, The Mandalorian utilizes good writing, well fleshed out and sympathetic characters, and high stakes to pull in and keep its audience. Gripes over the Baby Yoda aside, I found the show quite enjoyable, and Gina Carano's ass-kicking history as a MMA fighter gives real credibility to her character of former Rebel Shock Trooper Cara Dune.

I am looking forward to Season/Series 2 of this show.

I wish, however, that it wasn't produced by the same company that completely destroyed Star Wars for its original fans in its efforts to milk every last cent out of the very franchise it killed. Disney has proven surprisingly inept at translating George Lucas' vision into a coherent narrative in which the elder generation of Rebel Scum and Jedi Knights passes the proverbial torch to a new one.

I understand wanting to start anew with a new threat laying waste to all the rebuilding work that undoubtedly took place between the end of 1983's 'Return of the Jedi' and 2015's 'The Force Awakens'. But completely undoing the end of Lucas' original cinematic trilogy, demeaning the characters of Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa; treating Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 as disposable props; shamelessly rehashing and ripping off the original trilogy while simultaneously trying to destroy everything accomplished therein; and quite literally turning that once-golden franchise into box office poison—is simply unforgivable.

With any luck, bringing Lucas back to assist Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni in relegating Kathleen Kennedy to window sitter will improve things at Lucasfilm, but given Disney's handling of the property, I think it safer to say that Favreau and Filoni have their work cut out for them trying to salvage the franchise. One good television show alone does not make up for the cinematic crimes of the past five years.