Although we have endeavoured to keep these spoiler-clear, certain elements are confirmed from the trailer

The Empire has fallen, but a bounty hunter still has to earn a living. Our eponymous hero takes a mysterious job from a well-paying client which turns out to have more than a few surprises in store.

There’s a feeling to The Mandalorian that takes a while to pin down. Like Rogue One, it feels littered with references and visual cues to delight the dedicated fan, from Gonk Droids to Kowakian Monkey Lizards and even a whole cantina packed with some familiar races. But unlike Rogue One, The Mandalorian doesn’t feel as if it’s relying on these things to sell itself to the audience. This is a show that’s respectful of the mythos from which it was born, but which feels accessible to those with only a passing interest in its universe too.

It helps that it’s obviously had a lot of money spent on it, with a combination of some very well-realised CGI and a good helping of practical FX and makeup combining to make it feel just as lived-in and believable as a setting as the better entries in the movie franchise. It’s also not short on action.

Indeed, we are introduced to our central protagonist in a fairly direct fashion, by way of a cantina brawl that doesn’t go the way of the people up against him and ends even more disappointingly for one person in particular. From there, it’s a short stop off with Carl Weathers’ Guild contractor before heading out on a new, mysterious and extremely dangerous mission. That mission will bring more action, more adventure and even a few laughs too. It’ll also make you a firm believer in the myths of a certain assassin droid as we get to see one of his fellow make and model in action.

It’s not lacking in humour, though it tends to prefer the subtler, blacker kind rather than the more obvious, slapstick elements of previous films (and no, that wasn’t specific to The Last Jedi, no matter what some fans insist), and that helps given the rather taciturn nature of our central character and his reticence to remove his helmet. It also has a few surprises up its sleeve, and a final reveal that promises much intrigue for the series to come.

It feels, if anything, like an entry in the Star Wars canon. If that sounds odd, then consider that this is a show written by the guy who used to be in Friends and directed Iron Man and The Jungle Book live action remake, and counts Taika Waititi, Carl Weathers and Werner Herzog among its cast. This isn’t a show that’s trying to reinvent the wheel, nor one which clings too tightly to the apron strings of its parent franchise. It’s bold, well-constructed and entertaining. A promising start indeed.

Verdict: Solidly made, beautifully filmed and well-acted. I have a good feeling about this. 9/10

Greg D. Smith

A bounty hunter on the edge of the galaxy is given a job to track down a high profile subject, guarded by an arsenal on a remote planet.

The first ever live-action Star Wars series. Just let that settle for a moment. Sure, we’ve had animated shows, but a live-action show is a big deal, and no wonder new streaming service Disney+ chose it as the highlight of their opening day. And the good news is that it feels very familiar to fans of the franchise, while introducing a new set of characters.

Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones) is the eponymous anti-hero, The Mandalorian, wearing his helmet the entire time (Stallone couldn’t manage this for Judge Dredd). Without a complete head helmet there’s nothing to emote, though Pascal still brings a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western drawl in his sparse dialogue. And indeed this is a western in space, from the opening scene where the drifter walks into the bar to be tormented by the locals while the bar jeep tries to keep the peace, to the inevitable shootout.

The Mandalorian stores his prey on his ship before taking on a new job from an unnamed villain (he’s protected by Stormtroopers) played by director Werner Herzog, who now exists at a level of self-satire. In exchange, he’s given a slab of Beskar, a material used to forge armour, once stolen from the tribe of Mandalorian.

I’m tempted to say little more about the plot, beyond saying that Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) is great at voicing nimble assassin droid IG-11. He’s featured in the promotional material, so that’s giving nothing away. For the Star Wars fan there’s also the joy of spotting multiple familiar creatures in the background (or on a spit) as well as well-established vehicles and tech. The score by Ludwig Goransson (Black Panther) is also of note, merging Morricone western with Poledouris’ Conan. Sadly, though predictably, there’s no John Williams themes, for now at least.

Verdict: The Mandalorian With No Name; we may not have got a Boba Fett movie, but we do get a new western hero from a long time ago in a galaxy far far away. At a slim 38 minutes, and with an intriguing ending, you’ll be dying to find out what happens next. 8/10

Nick Joy