Summary
George R.R. Martin has been in the spotlight several times recently regarding his endeavor to finish the latestGame of Thronesentry, but the writer has been busy soaking up what he thinks is the bestStar Warsspinoff:Andor. After 2024’s underperformingThe AcolyteandSkeleton Crewshows on Disney +,Andor’s second and final season became a groundbreaking bit of television through its high-octane stakes, political lens, and unforgettable characters.
Serving as a prequel to 2016’sRogue One,Andoris framed as a political spy thriller set in the galaxy far, far away, following thief-turned-rebel, Cassian Andor, who plays a major role in the Rebel Alliance’s uprising and brave stand against the Galactic Empire. The Disney+ series offered several memorable moments, from the great Aldhani heist to Mon Mothma’s stunning Senate speech, which were paced to perfection, adding a cacophony of emotions toAndor’s best episodes.
George R.R. Martin Calls Andor the Best Star Wars Spinoff
Posting on hisNot A Blog website, Martin sangAndor’s praises, naming the project “this year’s highlight.” The writer also considered the series to be “far and away the best of the Star Wars spinoffs,” and noted it was “nice to see someone doing science fiction right.” Martin added some additional highlights, saying, “Looked gorgeous, Diego Luna was first rate, and there was a realism and tension to the story that was sadly lacking in most of the other spinoffs.” Within the same post, a compliment was given to James Gunn’s recentSupermanmovie, calling it one of the best Supes features to exist and drawing attention to Nicholas Hoult’s chilling performance as the “Best Luthor of All Time.” In addition to hisAndorandSupermancomments,Martin revealed his pick for the best episode in television history, highlighting the writer’s interest in mixed genres outside his own fantasy-based works.
“Looked gorgeous, Diego Luna was first rate, and there was a realism and tension to the story that was sadly lacking in most of the other spinoffs.”
SomeGame of Thronesfans on social media, however, remained salty towards Martin because the latestA Song of Ice and Firebook hasn’t been finished, and certain individuals within his fanbase would much rather hear he has pen to paper instead of bingeing TV or sharing his thoughts on the latestSupermanmovie.The Witcherwriter even threw shade at Martin’s ongoingTheWinds of Winterdelay. More fans joined Martin’s praise ofAndorand actor Diego Luna on Twitter, echoing the series as a “masterpiece” and noting the project’s top-tier casting, cinematography, and costumes. After a successful two seasons,Star Wars fans were outraged to hearAndoractors Luna, Genevieve O’Reilly, Denise Gough, and Kyle Soller, in particular, weren’t given an Emmy nomination at this year’s event, directly contradicting the show’s unanimous, critical praise.
Andorcreator Tony Gilroy created a masterclass in writing for the small screen in the eyes ofStar Warsfans and critics alike, which warrantedGilroy’s insight into why the Marvel Cinematic Universe has sufferedlately. Marvel’s live-action spread has been accused of being overstaurated more than once, triggering several bouts of superhero fatigue, even among loyalists. Still, Gilroy managed to inject a breath of fresh air into a similarly dense franchise by focusing on character arcs instead of MacGuffins, and reaped the rewards for his ingenuity.
