'The Mandalorian' Episode 6 Review: 'The Prisoner' ticks off another item on the genre list with a heist episode
Spoiler alert for Episode 6 of 'The Mandalorian'
'The Mandalorian' has settled into a predictable structure, and while it has been fun, it's starting to wear thin.
Cycling through different genres to put a 'Star Wars' spin on it, this week sees the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) join a star-studded cast of disreputable archetypes to break out a high-value target from an equally high-security prison. That's right — it's a heist episode, although to be fair to the show, that's not all that it is.
The show wastes no time in making this clear, as Mando docks into a port of disrepute where he meets an old friend who needs a crew and a ship to get a job done. You've got everything a crew needs — the Muscle, the Tech Guy, the token Sexy Badass, and of course, the Mouth.
All the team is missing is The Protagonist Badass, which is where the Mandalorian comes in — all wrapped in both Plot and Beskar Armour.
Fans frustrated with 'The Mandalorian's lack of plot advancement should prepare themselves for more of the same. A few minor glimpses into the Mandalorian's past are given — one being that the Mandalorian may be a lot older than he seems.
He's also, unsurprisingly, had dealings with criminal elements from his early days as a bounty hunter — neither Mandalorian nor bounty hunter codes seem to prohibit working alongside those who have neither.
The series could not have chosen a more perfect character to play the Mouth — a man named Mayfield — than comedian Bill Burr. He plays the role of charming, untrustworthy mercenary perfectly.
There's no faulting his performance, but it feels out of place on a show that has done so much more with silence. In the face of all the conversation between the crew, the Mandalorian's stoic silence comes off a little awkwardly, especially when he ignores questions and statements directed right at him.
Halfway through the show, however, the inevitable betrayal happens, and the show switches from heist movie to action suspense thriller as the Mandalorian takes the crew out, one by one.
This episode has some of the best action scenes in the series, once again showcasing his martial prowess and resourcefulness (for a man who hates droids, he has an impressive knowledge of how they work).
The droid Zero (Richard Ayoade) is led on a merry chase by Baby Yoda until the Mandalorian steps in to rescue him, giving the internet enough meme-able moments to last well into the next episode.
Baby Yoda is given a little more agency this episode as he leads Zero through the ship, and extended scenes with the little womprat only heightens the show's adorability factor.
It's another entertaining episode, but it's a departure from the "less-is-more" principles that have worked so well for 'The Mandalorian' so far. The series is starting to feel like it's lost its way, but with two episodes remaining, fans don't have much longer to wait to find out if the show is actually going anywhere.
The next episode of 'The Mandalorian' releases on December 18 on Disney+.
