ANDOR Isn't Remarkable Because It's Based on Donald Trump. It's Remarkable Because It's Not.

Fascism repeats. But so does Rebellion.

Andor is amongst the greatest shows ever made, and that’s not just the impression of this Star Wars nerd. It’s the only show to have five consecutive episodes ranked 9.5 or higher on IMDb.¹ The only contemporaries that come close to this record are Breaking Bad, with four +9.5 episodes, and Chernobyl, with two.²

Undoubtedly, part of this success comes from the globally recognized Star Wars brand, Andor’s extensive budget, top-tier actors, and, thankfully, Diego Luna’s refusal to do more than two seasons, which kept the storyline well-paced and focused on leading into Rogue One. However, I don’t think this alone explains Andor’s unprecedented acclaim. After all, many Star Wars and Marvel projects have had big budgets, celebrity names, and pre-determined plot points, but none have had this degree of cultural impact. What has driven the Andor past expectations is that it doesn’t just resonate with the audience — it resonates with history by detailing the perennial struggle against fascism.

Any viewer will notice the parallels between the Disney+ show and modern America. The season starts with an all-too-familiar portrayal of immigrant labor relations. The Empire arrives on a remote farm planet to check for ‘illegal’ workers. Admitting the Empire needs undocumented labor to feed its citizens (something xenophobic American politicians also admit)³, an Imperial Officer pledges to overlook one woman’s undocumented status if she submits to sexual assault. Sexual predation on vulnerable women is shockingly common in America’s ICE facilities,⁴ so I imagine it’s standard practice in most authoritarian prison systems, past and present.