Disney+ has a top-rated science fiction show on Rotten Tomatoes, which is impressive considering how many established franchises it competes with. Though Apple TV+ often leads in sci-fi content among streaming platforms, Disney+ is a strong contender. With popular series from Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as shows based on franchises like Alien and Predator, Disney+ offers some of the best science fiction available.
Despite all the options on Disney+, the best science fiction show they offer is undoubtedly Andor, a Star Wars series. The show has received widespread critical acclaim – boasting a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and numerous Emmy nominations – and is often hailed as the greatest Star Wars story ever created. Focusing on the origins of Cassian Andor and the early days of the Rebel Alliance, Andor delivers a powerfully moving depiction of the Empire’s oppressive rule.
As a huge fan, I always felt like Andor had a really tough hill to climb. Honestly, the biggest hurdle – redefining Star Wars without relying on Jedi or the Force – seemed impossible! But somehow, the show pulled it off, and that’s what made it so amazing and unexpected. It really surprised me how well it managed to be a Star Wars show while being so different from everything else we’ve seen.
Andor Successfully Moved Live-Action Star Wars Beyond The Jedi & The Force
Before the series Andor, Star Wars was largely seen as a family-friendly blend of science fiction and fantasy. Most people associated it with elements like lightsabers, Jedi, the Force, and the Sith – the more magical and fantastical parts of the story. While Star Wars always had realistic sci-fi aspects, such as large space battles and gritty ships, and featured characters outside the Force like the Rebel Alliance, its fantastical side was what truly defined the franchise.
As a huge Star Wars fan, I really appreciated how Andor shifted things. It felt like it pulled away from the mystical elements – the Jedi, the Force – that had become so central. Honestly, across both seasons, you barely even get a hint of the Force being real, just a single mention of a healer using it on Yavin. Instead, Andor really leaned into the sci-fi side of things, delivering this incredibly realistic story about how the Empire crushes regular people and what they do to resist. It felt so much more grounded and impactful because of that.
One of the biggest hurdles for the show Andor was moving beyond the fantastical aspects that Star Wars is famous for. However, it succeeded brilliantly. Despite focusing on a smaller story than the classic battle between good and evil, Andor feels more gripping, meaningful, and significant than anything else in the Star Wars universe. It masterfully demonstrated that the ordinary citizens of the galaxy could be just as compelling and important as Jedi like Luke Skywalker, and often far more nuanced.
Andor essentially reinvented Star Wars, a franchise known worldwide and hugely influential. It was an incredibly difficult challenge, but the show succeeded brilliantly, which is why it’s so captivating. It consistently surprises viewers by breaking away from typical Star Wars tropes, and it’s this contrast between expectations and reality that makes it so compelling.
Andor Wouldn’t Have Been Possible Without Rogue One
The success of Andor in moving away from typical Star Wars fantasy wasn’t a surprise. It built on what Rogue One: A Star Wars Story started – a focus on the everyday people fighting for the Rebellion, rather than Jedi and Sith. Rogue One demonstrated that Star Wars could be a realistic war film, and Andor expanded on that by proving it could also deliver a dark and complex political thriller.
Without the success of Rogue One, the show Andor likely wouldn’t have been made. Rogue One showed fans that Star Wars could explore darker, more complex stories, and that even a single character could have a huge impact. It paved the way for Andor to take those ideas even further.
The success of Andor relies heavily on the fact that we already knew how Cassian’s story ends, thanks to Rogue One. If Andor had been a completely separate story without that knowledge, it wouldn’t have carried the same weight of sadness and foreboding that makes it so compelling. While still a strong science fiction thriller on its own, knowing Andor was building towards the events of Rogue One gave the show an extra layer of emotional depth.
2026-07-26 14:08