Chapter Five of The Mandalorian felt like something of a filler episode – but it certainly succeeded in bringing Star Wars nostalgia to the table.
Following last week’s character-building offering, The Gunslinger didn’t really feel like it had advanced the story all that much, but the final scene suggested that this Friday’s chapter will.
With that in mind, you can forgive the slow pace here and instead bask in a return to Tatooine (Luke Skywalker’s home planet) and the much-changed Mos Eisley setting.
We find Pedro Pascal’s Mandalorian involved in a space shoot-out at the beginning of the episode, which forces he and Baby Yoda to touch down in a place known for its scum and villainy.
‘Mando’ needs credits to ensure Amy Sedaris’ Peli Motto will fix his ship.
That leads him to wannabe bounty hunter Toro Calican (Jake Cannavale), who needs to complete a job to guarantee his place in the guild our hero is on the run from. The Mandalorian soon realises that the rookie is in way over his head and agrees to help hunt down Ming-Na Wen’s Fennec Shand with him, providing he takes all of the bounty.
There’s not much more to what is a relatively short episode than that – and proceedings do play out largely as you’d expect.
As a big fan of Episode IV, I enjoyed seeing the sand people again – while the post-Empire state of Mos Eisley (complete with Storm Trooper heads on spikes) was a nice touch.
But I now need the show to show its hand and offer some progression in Chapter Six.
Voice verdict – 7/10.
Reviewed on Disney+
