Is the fact that Andor is a Star Wars show a bad thing? Think about it. If Andor was set on Earth, a show about a young man rising up in a rebellion to take down a tyrannical government, it would be widely celebrated. Horns would sound. Awards would rain down. But Andor isn’t set on Earth. It’s set in a galaxy far, far away, so you have to view its lack of awards recognition as general dismissal. It’s Star Wars. How could it be award-worthy?
Well, easily. I watch a lot of TV—basically every single show that gets these nominations—and while they are almost always worthy, Andor is right up there. Yes, it’s both exciting and beautiful, which you’d expect from Star Wars, but also so dense, thought-provoking, and relevant. So much, in fact, that for an award show to announce nominees for the year and for Andor not to be near the top of the list feels criminal.
Plus, there isn’t just one or two fantastic performances to choose from. There are probably a dozen award-worthy actors on the show. Which is why, on Sunday during the Golden Globes, when actor Stellan Skarsgård was given the awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, I cheered loudly. Both because he and the film he was awarded for, Sentimental Value, are excellent, but also because Skarsgård played Luthen Rael on Andor. And it was just nice to see one of that bunch on stage.
Now, Skarsgård wasn’t the only Andor cast member up for a Golden Globe on Sunday. Cassian Andor himself, Diego Luna, was also up for an award, and it was actually for Andor. But, of course, not only did he not win, no one gave him a chance. Luna was there, smiling, happy, and worthy of being in the same category as Gary Oldman, Mark Ruffalo, and Adam Scott. But he, and everyone else, knew he wasn’t winning. That award was always going to Noah Wyle for The Pitt.
But Stellan Skarsgård won. And no, it was not for Andor or even a TV show. But to see the iconic legend who plays one of the most exciting, crucial, and wonderful characters Star Wars has introduced in decades on stage, celebrating his art, was a win for Andor. At least in my eyes.
Also, it’s very much worth noting that while Andor’s cast has been largely shut out and ignored this awards season, its behind-the-scenes team has done okay. Not as well as it deserves to, but okay. The biggest victory was Dan Gilroy winning a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing on the series. Beyond that, though, the show also won Emmys for Best Costumes, Production Design, Editing, and Visual Effects. Not just nominations. They won. So the show did get some love from major awards bodies. You’d just hope, for a show as fantastic as Andor, that would’ve just been the beginning.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
English (US) ·