So you’ve seen “The Mandalorian and Grogu” in theaters and are craving more while you wait to ratchet up the rewatches when it lands on Disney+.
You’re in luck, especially if you didn’t binge through “The Mandalorian” in preparation for the movie. Across the three seasons of the show (though really just the first two if we’re being honest), the series has a handful of episodes that stand out above the rest as great hours of sci-fi TV.
These are the best episodes of “The Mandalorian” to watch while you wait for the movie to land on Disney+.
Chapter 1: The Mandalorian (Season 1, Episode 1)
The series premiere made sure fans knew exactly what to expect within the first five minutes. This was going to be a gritty western set in the “Star Wars” world. From the opening moments, it was clear the Mandalorian was meant to exude a lethal coolness as he tracked one bounty after another. It was something unfamiliar for fans of the franchise.
And then the energy flipped again at the episode’s close. A young 50-year-old baby the same race as one of the franchise’s most iconic characters was discovered. The marriage of those two distinct vibes sent a surge through pop culture and suddenly longtime “Star Wars” fans and new adopters alike were clamoring for more of “The Mandalorian” and its “Baby Yoda.” — Jacob Bryant
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Chapter 3: The Sin (Season 1, Episode 3)
It’s hard to remember a time when audiences didn’t know this sci-fi western hero would become intrinsically linked to a little green sidekick. Grogu stayed out of marketing for the first season of “The Mandalorian” and didn’t even have a name until Season 2 (more on that later).
But the arc of what “The Mandalorian” would become comes further into view in the show’s third episode, “The Sin,” where the show’s central character goes back for The Child, choosing his life over a bounty. An epic action sequence soon follows, concluding with Din’s Mandalorian allies coming to the rescue.
Beyond solidifying the relationship between the Mandalorian and Grogu, “The Sin” (directed by Deborah Chow and written by Favreau) introduces several iconic elements of the series, such as Din’s Beskar armor and the phrase “This is the way.” It’s a turning point for the series, one that clarified to audiences what this corner of the “Star Wars” universe would be. — Casey Loving
Chapter 8: Redemption (Season 1, Episode 8)
The Season 1 finale of “The Mandalorian,” directed by Taika Waititi and written by Favreau, provides a thrilling conclusion to the various threads established throughout the show’s first batch of episodes. Waititi gets to shine in a big way as bounty hunter droid IG-11, while Pedro Pascal gets to show his face for the first time in an emotional turning point for The Mandalorian — now revealed to be named Din Djarin.
“Redemption” released on Dec. 27, 2019, just one week after “The Rise of Skywalker” opened in theaters to a lackluster reception. At the time, with “The Mandalorian” as the only Disney+ show yet released (and the epic final stretch of “The Clone Wars” soon to come), it felt like the “Star Wars” franchise truly could have a new life on streaming. If all of “Star Wars” TV maintained the quality of “Redemption” in the seven years since it released, the need for a strong theatrical relaunch may have been less profoundly felt. — CL
Chapter 9: The Marshal (Season 2, Episode 1)
The Season 2 premiere of “The Mandalorian” looked to continue on the foundation it set with its Freshman outing. The show was leaning into the true visual inspiration for the series – the long “dead” Boba Fett. Someone was walking around with his armor, and that someone happened to be Timothy Olyphant’s Cobb Vanth.
Olyphant brought his “Deadwood” and “Justified” experience to a galaxy far, far away, and this opening about the two working with Tusken Raiders to take down a Krayt Dragon was as fun as any set piece in a major blockbuster film released that year. Cobb Vanth has only appeared in a handful of episodes of “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett” and the world is eagerly awaiting his return. — JB
Chapter 13: The Jedi (Season 2, Episode 5)
It’s no secret George Lucas was largely inspired by the samurai films of Akira Kurosawa, and Dave Filoni leaned into that originating energy when he tackled one of the biggest episodes of the series – “The Jedi.” Years earlier, Filoni created a character that would be his baby for the remainder of his career. Now, Anakin Skywalker’s padawan Ahsoka Tano was getting the live-action treatment in “The Mandalorian” Season 2.
Played by Rosario Dawson, Ahsoka brought a return to some of the core tenets of the franchise to “The Mandalorian.” The show hadn’t bothered itself with Jedi and The Force largely up to that point — aside from clues Grogu was Force-Sensitive. Ahsoka’s arrival in “The Jedi” marks a high point for the series as she squares off with The Magistrate in a duel ripped straight from Kurosawa. — JB
Chapter 15: The Believer (Season 2, Episode 7)
In “The Believer,” written and directed by Rick Famuyiwa, The Mandalorian needs to recruit Migs Mayfeld (a returning character portrayed by Bill Burr in the first season) to help him track down Moff Gideon, who has captured Grogu. Their adventure brings them to an Imperial refinery, where Din must remove his helmet and Migs must face his past.
The scene where Migs sits across from an Imperial officer (played by Richard Brake), discussing Operation Cinder (originated in Marvel Comics and featured in 2017’s “Battlefront 2”), is perhaps the show’s finest moment to date. “The Believer” stands out as an example of everything an episode of “The Mandalorian” can be, aided by an exceptional performance from Burr at the center. — CL
Chapter 16: The Rescue (Season 2, Episode 8)
The Season 2 finale represented a high point for the series — but it’s also when things began to shift. Grogu had been taken by Moff Gideon and Mando rallied a number of allies from across the two seasons. It was a real Mando-Verse team-up against Gideon, his darksaber and a squadron of Dark Troopers. That alone would have earned it a spot on most lists of best episodes.
And then Luke Skywalker showed up. The “Star Wars” icon rolled into Gideon’s ship in his classic X-Wing, got his own hallway battle a lá Vader in “Rogue One,” and then took Grogu off to be trained to be a Jedi. Yes it was badass, yes it was awesome to hear Mark Hamill perform again as Luke, but it was Mando and Grogu’s goodbye that solidified the show’s success at building their father-son dynamic.
From this point on, did the show start leaning too hard into complex lore from the past, established in books, comics and animated series? Yes 100%. But for this one moment, everything was divine and “Star Wars” was definitely back. — JB
