The Mandalorian begins an important journey.

After the disappointment of The Book of Boba Fett, helped by the appearance of Mando and Grogu, expectations were high for the return of the bounty hunters’s own series – and it just about gets away with it.

As openings go, the forging of some new armour and the initiation of a child into the Mandalore way feels low-key, and then a giant crocodile appears and we’re treated to an accomplished action sequence. There’s a lot of familiarity and comfort in this Jon Favreau-penned season opener, from the return of favourite characters to a typical Star Wars aerial battle. It’s all fun and looks great, but there’s nothing new here.

By the end of the half hour (there’s lengthy end credits and a ‘previously on’ prologue that boost the running time to a paltry 37 minutes) Mando and Grogu have a new mission, have made a new enemy and are on their way in their starfighter. It lacks the depth of storytelling of Andor, but then we need to remember that this is a very different show that revels in side missions, quests and shootouts. Let’s see what the next seven weeks offer us.

Verdict: A solid if unremarkable return that hopefully lays the foundation for stronger instalments. 6/10 

Nick Joy