It seems that Andor failed to capture a viewer base. This was a massive shock to Disney, but to the general public, it was just another show.
Despite the show getting great reviews, a rarity for Star Wars nowadays, it didn’t get the views Disney was hoping for. The show had a similar budget to their other Star Wars shows but failed to get their numbers. Why is that, however?
What Even is Andor About?
The show follows the titular character, Cassian Andor, as he finds himself caught in a conflict between the Rebellion and the Empire. The show gives a much-needed backstory to the main lead and features a large cast with all of them having different goals and agendas to accomplish. The series feels very different from an average Star Wars affair. The show isn’t a large bombastic action series, it’s more of a slow burn. It takes time to slowly develop its characters and ideas, and even though the show does that very well, the audience has a different response.
Why Didn’t Anyone Watch Andor?
The show didn’t get an audience for reasons mostly outside of its control. To start, Andor isn’t a terribly popular character. While shows and movies established in pre-existing franchises don’t need a popular lead to carry the show, projects such as The Mandalorian and Guardians of the Galaxy are a testament to this, but Andor doesn’t stand out as much as one would hope. The show is different from all the other Star Wars shows, It’s slow, thought-provoking, and filled with interesting character drama. That isn’t a bad thing, but its not what people want right now.
Was This the Show’s Fault?
Star Wars as a franchise, is characterized by waiting. Ever since the original trilogy was released in the 70s and 80s, the series has had the caveat of waiting a long time for the next installment. The franchise now has a constant roulette wheel of content released to keep people watching, and this has negatively affected the franchise. Shows and movies are now coming out with mixed reception because merchandise and quotas need to be filled. Andor didn’t get viewers because the show was bad, it didn’t get viewers because people want a break.
To see why the show works, check out this article!
