A daring theft of imperial property. A lavish wedding cut through with intrigue. Imperial domestic life and all its trials and tribulations. The first three episodes of Andor Season 2 are dark, oddly hilarious at times, and a bit all over the place. Spoilers ahead.

I knew going in that the first three-episode arc of Andor’s second season would be somewhat divisive, for a number of reasons. The season starts with a bang, but then takes its time, moving between a handful of largely disconnected stories as the season’s over-arching plot begins to materialize. It’s a bit slow, and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) is shoved aside for much of it, but it’s still gripping, intelligent television with so much to unpack I won’t possibly have room in just one post. There’s also a scene of attempted sexual assault that was bound to be controversial, so be aware of that if you haven’t seen the episodes yet.

My biggest problem with this chapter, however, is something I haven’t really seen discussed much in the fandom or amongst critics: The use of video footage, and not merely for coms. This is something I don’t recall seeing in Star Wars, and it felt a bit off. When Director Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) is hosting his top secret meeting in a Bond villain-esque retreat at the Maltheen Divide, he shows the Imperial attendees a promotional video for the planet Ghorman, in which we learn that the planet is known for its alien spider-silk, which is woven into some of the galaxy’s most prized and pricey apparel. It’s weird because typically in Star Wars, these sorts of things are done with holograms. A later talk show of some sort plays in Coruscant. This may be a weird quibble, but it irked me a little (but only a little).