‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3 TV Review
This season felt like they were experimenting with different styles. There’s still hope for the space bounty hunter to have new adventures with his tiny sidekick.
The Mandalorian is one of the most popular Disney+ shows. Seasons 1 and 2 focused on Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his ward-cum-protege, Grogu. Season 2 ended with one of the most exciting reveals ever, ushering in the ultimate Jedi, Luke Skywalker, to save the day. What these two seasons had that Season 3 is lacking is consistency and clarity.
The Mandalorian is a bounty hunter who, once he got Grogu, had a singular mission - get Grogu back to where he belongs. The serious error that the series made was resolving one of the biggest TV cliffhangers in another show besides The Mandalorian. Grogu and Din Djarin reunite in The Book of Boba Fett. If you haven’t watched that series, the beginning of Season 3 of The Mandalorian is confusing and anticlimactic.
Season 3 of The Mandalorian is like confetti - fun but all over the place. Episodes 1-8 center on Bo-Katon Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) reclaiming her Mandalorian roots and the creed of the rubric-following group and exploring the possibility that Moff Gideon is still alive. While these are adequate storylines that are world-building, the way the stories are woven is like patchwork.
Chapter 17 (Episode 1) is "The Apostate." Din decides he must take the creed of the Mandalorian to be forgiven for removing his helmet, which eventually leads him to Mandalore. This episode feels like filler because if you haven't watched The Book of Boba Fett, you'll be wondering how Din and Grogu are back together. There's plenty of action involving interacting with other Mandalorians but not a lot of story.
Chapter 18 (Episode 2) "The Mines of Mandalore" is a little beefier. We get to see Mandalore and get a glimpse of the elusive Mythosaur. There are some genuinely suspenseful moments in this episode, and it ties into the ending of the season nicely.
Chapter 19 (Episode 3) "The Convert" was one that had the fanbase divided. It spent a lot of time on Coruscant with Dr. Pershing adjusting to the New Republic. Many have said it has the style of Andor, another Star Wars spin-off. This episode was different and was a building block to suggesting the New Republic is just a new version of the Empire. There was very little Din Djarin and Grogu in this episode, but the look was very cinematic, and it was nice to see the series stretch outside its normal story boundaries.
Chapter 20 (Episode 4) "The Foundling" had Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best as a Jedi hero, which felt just. Chapters 21 through 23 meander, particularly Chapter 22, "Guns for Hire," which has Lizzo and Jack Black as guest stars. This seemed very campy and was distracting. Din and Bo-Katan have to act as detectives, but it’s a standalone story. It slows down the already sluggish momentum of the end of the season.
The finale, Chapter 24 (Episode 8) "The Return" has a showdown between Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), Bo-Katan, and Din Djarin. Even Grogu gets to flex his powers. The special effects are spectacular, but the face-off feels anticlimactic because Moff is destroyed too easily. We don’t see proof that he’s died. Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) gives Din a home on Navarro, where he kicks up his feet at the end. Grogu isn’t even eating frogs anymore, he’s using the force to elevate them! This shows growth in his character. He’s going from childlike to maturing Mandalorian apprentice and Jedi warrior.
While expanding the universe of The Mandalorian could work, it’s important to remember what the heart of the show is in order for the series to remain quality. Din Djarin is a gunslinger in space and Grogu is a student with untapped powers. The Mandalorian can still expand its universe while maintaining the compact, detailed storytelling style of the first two seasons. The Mandalorian mythos and the Star Wars universe can still be excavated while staying true to the core story.
This season felt like they were experimenting with different styles as well as possibly shooting around Pedro Pascal’s busy schedule. There’s still hope for the space bounty hunter to have new adventures with his tiny sidekick. Writers Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau literally have a tableau of universes to explore. The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch are other Star Wars offshoots that tie in to The Mandalorian. Having occasional easter eggs from other shows in the series is a nod to hardcore fans, but The Mandalorian should still be able to be enjoyed and understood as a standalone series.
The finale answers questions about the New Republic and Moff Gideon and solidifies Din Djarin’s role as Grogu’s papa. It tied up the storylines nicely. Now Season 4 can explore fresh territory, with Din and Grogu surer of their individual roles and their relationship with each other.
The Mandalorian Seasons 1-3 are available on Disney+.
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Sonya Alexander started off her career training to be a talent agent. She eventually realized she was meant to be on the creative end and has been writing ever since. As a freelance writer she’s written screenplays, covered film, television, music and video games and done academic writing. She’s also been a script reader for over twenty years. She's a member of the African American Film Critics Association and currently resides in Los Angeles.
