Andor season 2’s three-episode finale has officially topped the streaming rankings, a major (and rare) win for Disney+. Though Tony Gilroy’s Andor had difficulty finding its audience with season 1, word of the show’s impeccable storytelling soon spread, and Andor season 2 became a roaring success. The show is unlike any other Star Wars production to have come before. While it is the most expensive Star Wars show by a wide margin, the cost has arguably been worth it, as Andor single-handedly changed how audiences view Star Wars as a brand and opened up a wealth of narrative opportunities.

Andor’s sophomore success is officially confirmed, as Nielsen’s streaming charts show that in the week of May 12 – May 18, Andor clinched the top spot. The series’ final three episodes premiered on May 13, completing the show’s 24-episode cycle. Andor accumulated 931 million minutes watched that week, roughly 10 million more than the number 2 “Overall Top 10” тιтle, the children’s program Bluey (also housed on Disney+). In the “Original Top 10” list, Andor beat out Netflix’s You; the fifth and final season premiered on April 24 (You consists of 50 episodes in total).

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The Hollywood Reporter also reported that Andor’s viewership had grown by 101 million minutes viewed per week during the four weeks it was released. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which is set directly after the Andor season 2 finale, enjoyed a significant bump in viewership as well in the week of Andor’s conclusion, reaching the ninth spot on the streaming movie charts with 179 million minutes viewed.

Andor’s Unusual Release Schedule Was Worth It

Andor season 2 was built around an unusual release schedule. For four weeks, three new episodes dropped on Disney+, with each three-episode block exploring one year and one specific moment of Cᴀssian Andor’s (Diego Luna) work and the growth of the Rebel Alliance. This allowed the show to focus on the major milestones that would eventually become the building blocks of Mon Mothma and Bail Organa’s Rebellion, including pivotal events like the Ghorman Mᴀssacre, Mon’s public exit from the Senate, and Luthen Rael’s death.

Recently, more streamers have readopted network TV’s weekly release schedule. This change isn’t all that surprising, as weekly releases allow shows to stay in the cultural zeitgeist for longer, rather than being forgotten about after a weekend spent bingeing. Andor’s three-episode drops were even more daring, however. These narrative blocks provided room for a deeper exploration of the horrors of the Empire and the sacrifices of the Rebellion, pulling viewers in for an emotionally charged, three-hour weekly ride. Andor season 2 has proven that experimental storytelling structures can and do work.

Our Take On Andor Season 2’s Success

Andor season 2’s success and critical acclaim are wholly deserved. It’s that rare show that gets nearly everything right: intriguing, complex characters, relevant social commentary, emotional resonance, all while respecting and honoring the story and themes that inspired it. Andor proves that Star Wars’ storytelling can move beyond the Jedi, the Sith, and the Skywalker saga, and it can be mature and gritty without losing sight of where it came from. Hopefully, Lucasfilm and Disney take note of Andor’s success and realize there is no better franchise with which to experiment with theme and genre than Star Wars.

Andor’s success is a major moment for Disney+ as well. Since its launch in 2019, Disney+ has enjoyed several successes – most notably, of course, The Mandalorian, or the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s WandaVision, Loki, and Daredevil: Born Again – but it has largely remained behind in the streaming ratings, thanks in part to a few notable original misses within its flagship franchises. Shows like The Book of Boba Fett and the MCU’s Secret Invasion haven’t helped sell Disney+ as a must-see streaming platform, but perhaps Andor’s undeniable streaming success can turn things around.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter | Matthew Belloni