Ever since Disney assumed control of the Star Wars universe, the critical and fan reaction on the films have been something of a mixed bag. Episodes VII-IX have their fair share of admirers and detractors.
There’s one property Disney released that everyone’s been united on, however: The Disney+ series The Mandalorian. The show was a big hit for Disney’s streaming service. It’s left fans clamoring for more. So when is the season two release date?
‘The Mandalorian’ recap (so far)
According to the Disney+ website, the first season of The Mandalorian follows the exploits of a lone Mandalorian warrior. It is set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi.
Much like Boba Fett before him, our hero wears the distinctive Mandalorian armor with all the associated weapons and gadgets. We follow him as he comes across and then protects a mysterious creature known as The Child (though the internet quickly dubbed it “Baby Yoda”).
The series differed significantly from other Star Wars franchises. For one, it was the first live-action Star Wars TV show. Only the animated shows The Clone Wars and Rebels preceded it.
It also tapped into a new aesthetic for the universe — whereas the films capture a sense of fantastical wonder and whimsy, this felt more like a hard-boiled Western. It was less Lucas and more Leone.
While the internet buzzed with speculation and fan theories about potential tie-ins to the main series of films, the show was also unique in that it was fairly simple. Each episode told a straight-forward, easy to follow story. In an era where plots revolve around “mystery boxes,” The Mandalorian’s commitment to simplicity was refreshing.
The critical reaction to ‘The Mandalorian’
Upon the release of the entire first season, the praise for the show was nearly unanimous. It was nominated for 15 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series. Critics adored it. What made the show stand out is how united critics and Star Wars fans were in their love for the show.
There can often be a split between what fans think and what critics think about a particular TV show or movie in this universe. Look at the reviews for The Last Jedi for a good example — critics adored it while audiences were less enthusiastic. The Rise of Skywalker was also divisive.
The Mandalorian was unique in that everyone liked it. The show’s Rotten Tomatoes “Tomatometer” (representing the critics) score and its audience score were identically high: 93%.
That kind of across-the-board love can only mean one thing: everyone’s looking toward another great season of The Mandalorian. But when will the new season come out?
When will Disney+ release the new season of ‘The Mandalorian’?
While the show’s plot told a simple, straight-forward story, that’s not to say there aren’t mysteries to uncover. Fans are looking forward to finding out the real story behind The Child as well as seeing more of Giancarlo Esposito’s menacing villain, Moff Gideon.
The show’s considerable fan base is in luck: according to Tech Radar, Disney confirmed on their August earnings call that they will release season two of the series in October 2020. If the rumored guest stars are any indication, the show will have some interesting tricks up its sleeve.
Timothy Olyphant, Temuera Morrison, and Rosario Dawson will all make guest appearances. Olyphant is rumored to be playing a character from the Star Wars: Aftermath book series. Morrison may show up as the bounty hunter, Boba Fett. Disney announced that Dawson will play an older, wiser version of Anakin Skywalker’s former padawan, Ahsoka Tano.
With news like that, October may be too far away for some Star Wars fans. If season one’s quality and crowd reaction were any indication, season two is likely to be just as big a hit.