After it was released Nov. 12, the first episode of “The Mandalorian” immediately caused a stir online. The coveted character “Baby Yoda” incited most of the attention. However, the rest of the show is as worthy of recognition—even more so than the most recent “Star Wars” movies.

The fate of the universe is always at stake within the “Star Wars” cinema-verse. In every film, all of time and space is hanging in the balance. Honestly, it becomes tired and unrealistic. I can suspend my disbelief for strange aliens races and crazy technology, but the universe devolving into chaos every week is not something I can accept.

“The Mandalorian” narrows the scope of the conflict from the all-encompassing problems of the films to something more manageable without reducing the feeling of suspense and the severity of what is at stake. The story creates the right amount of tension to get the audience invested in the show.

By focusing the story on a few characters, “The Mandalorian” is able to dive deeper into each of them. When we first meet the Mandalorian, he is a stoic and dangerous bounty hunter. However, each new episode reveals more of his humanity. “Baby Yoda” falls into the Mandalorian’s care and forces him to adapt to this new child in his life. 

While each installment explores the characters and their development, they also have their own unique plot. Every episode has a complete story arc—they could stand on their own. “Star Wars” is at its best when it’s episodic, and “The Mandalorian’s” execution is excellent.

There is not much extra time left when a short 29 to 38 minute episode includes all of these elements. The show adds no unneeded filler scenes. It gets straight to the plot or slows things down, capturing successful character development. 

The visuals of the “Star Wars” franchise is iconic. It portrays the atmosphere and culture of each new planet with the sets and special effects. That is not left out of “The Mandalorian.” It paints a clear image of the change in culture and government from the movies to the show with the background visuals without extra exposition. 

Disney banked on the show doing well with a budget of approximately $100 million. They skipped no expense and it shows. 

“The Mandalorian” rivals the blockbuster movies in the “Star Wars” franchise in every aspect; the storytelling and character exploration leaves the newest film trilogy in the dust.