So far I've been really enjoying
The Mandalorian but the latest S3E5 episode was a bit of a letdown. Overall the episode helped to advance the story with Bo-Katan and it actually resolved an issue that fans may have been debating [
Namely about the Dark Saber and whether Bo-Katan rightfully earned it back when she saved Din on Mandalore] but the 'guest stars' was a bit off.
First off you have Doc Brown himself, Christopher Lloyd, who at first seems to be just making a cameo but turns out to be integral to the episode. Being in his 80's, you don't see Lloyd in too many projects these days so it was nice to see him again on the screen. His character ultimately ties the series back to the prequel movies and
The Clone Wars. It helps to remind viewers that
Mandalorian is part of the bigger SW verse that has an existing timeline but it seemed a waste of putting Lloyd in that role.
The real problem I had with the episode was Jack Black and Lizzo as the rulers of the planet that this week's sidequest was based around. Every scene with them felt so out of place that it was jarring when the scenes shifted between the two of them and Din & Bo-Katan running around the city. It some ways it felt like an SNL skit. "
This week's guest host is Jack Black! {applause} And our special music guest is Lizzo! {applause} Now in a galaxy far, far, away... {scene fades to overly bright & shiny 'sci-fi' set with Jack Black & Lizzo overacting} ...". If you watched
The Book of Boba Fett, do you recall the episode with the 'modders' speed bikes and how silly they seemed? Yeah, same feeling. There is a difference between "guest stars" and "stunt casting" and this weeks episode definitely seemed like the latter.
The real action of this episode cumulatively is only a few minutes of air time if you skip the Jack Black & Lizzo scenes but in those minutes you get an earlier issue resolved, a throwback to the prequels & clone wars, Ugnaughts, and a setup for the show's direction. [
With the Dark Saber changing hands, Din makes it clear that he has no ambitions of leading the Mandalorians, Bo-Katan is poised to unite the Mandalorians under her banner, Grogu is maturing a bit.]