Disney+'s 24-Episode Sci-Fi Series Deserves Kudos For Breaking The Rules

Published Oct 2, 2026, 11:30 PM EDT

Lewis is a Lead Writer for Screen Rant and has written for the site since 2022. This has allowed Lewis to explore a vast array of films, TV shows, books, comic books, and games from across the mainstream world of pop culture, reflecting his lifelong love of all media and typifying his experience in the world of fiction storytelling. To top this off, Lewis graduated from Northumbria University with First Class Honours in Film & TV Studies, truly exemplifying his experience in the medium.

A sci-fi show on Disney+ is rightly hailed as a masterpiece, but it deserves even more credit for breaking all the rules it should have conformed to. Disney+'s best sci-fi shows are often linked to some of the biggest franchises under the House of Mouse's large umbrella. From Marvel TV shows like Loki to original family-friendly viewing like Gravity Falls, Disney+ is doing an admirable job of keeping up with other streaming services by putting out some of the best sci-fi shows in recent times.

Admittedly, though, most of Disney+'s best sci-fi shows are regarded as such because of how they fit within their genre trappings. For instance, the aforementioned Loki deals with intriguing time loops and their consequences, with time travel often being a core component of the genre. However, perhaps the best sci-fi show on Disney+ that is unanimously hailed as a true masterpiece ran for only 24 episodes and changed the game by breaking every single rule imposed upon it. These rules were involuntarily placed on the project for one reason: the masterpiece in question is a Star Wars TV show.

That show is Andor, which is widely considered the best Lucasfilm has produced. Andor is a 10/10 masterpiece, primarily because of how it breaks free of the Star Wars formula, thus breaking some long-standing rules of the franchise. Typically, Star Wars projects are thought of in the same vein; they should be fun, easygoing, exciting, family-friendly experiences filled with quips, giant space battles, lightsabers, and all the exhilarating tropes made popular by George Lucas in 1977. Immediately, Andor made it clear that it was going to be a different kind of Star Wars show.

Within the opening minutes, the titular Cassian Andor spends his time in a brothel looking for his lost sister, before mercilessly killing two police officers who exhibit the casual abuse of power that a fascist regime allows. This is followed by 23 episodes of the most mature, unconventional Star Wars storytelling ever put on screen. From explorations of sexual assault and racial profiling to genocide and the gritty sacrifices necessary to overcome authoritarian rule, Andor breaks every Star Wars rule one could think of, right down to the lack of laser swords and mystical wizards. For this, Andor deserves all the kudos.

Andor Will Never Happen Again & That Makes It More Perfect

Image via MovieStillsDB

Yes, the way Andor breaks all of Star Wars' typical storytelling rules makes it a masterpiece, but it also deserves kudos for breaking real-world production rules that likely mean it will never happen again. Of course, its maturity and exploration of hard-hitting sociopolitical issues are a testament to its writing team, which ties into its production. Beyond the storytelling, though, Andor is one of the most expensive Star Wars projects ever produced. Its two seasons cost Lucasfilm north of $700 million; for a show as risky as Andor was in terms of transcending the Star Wars trappings, the fact that this budget was ever approved is a marvel.

This, reinforced by comments from Lucasfilm's production team, confirms that we will never see anything like Andor from Star Wars ever again. Showrunner Tony Gilroy has gone on record to state that former Lucasfilm president, Kathleen Kennedy, went above and beyond to fight for Andor to be made. Gilroy insisted that without Kennedy, Andor wouldn't have existed. Kennedy herself supported that by telling THR that the show is one of her three proudest accomplishments as thehead of Star Wars. Evidently, Andor's rule-breaking meant it should never have come to fruition. Thankfully, it did, as an unequivocal masterpiece of its genre.