The Mandalorian Seasons One and Two 4K UHD Review
"The Mandalorian" in 4K UHD will make a fine addition to your collection."
I have an obscene amount of physical media for Star Wars, and I won't apologize for it. I have (I believe) every release of the movies in every form available, except for Betamax and the original Video Rental Library release of "A New Hope." So, when it was announced that original Star Wars content streaming on Disney+ wouldn't have a physical media release, I wasn't happy. I felt like Kylo Ren screaming to his AT-M6 gunner, "More…MORE!!!" All I could think was how could I have a collection with a gaping hole in it? How could you do this to me, Disney!
Disney has taken the first steps in filling that abyss by releasing steelbook versions of the first two seasons of "The Mandalorian" in 4K UHD. I know what you're thinking: "I can stream these on the service, so WHY would I toss down my hard-earned credits for these?" I knew I was going to purchase them regardless, but what I didn't expect was such a disparity in the viewing experience. When I say it's almost like night and day - I mean it's night and day.
"Mando" on the Disney+ platform looks great, but this 4K UHD version of the series looks and sounds absolutely amazing. The detail in costuming and the surroundings is unreal. It also gave me more appreciation of "The Volume," the virtual environment the filmmaker used to create Din Djarin's universe. The StageCraft technology still leaves me in wonder and even more after this 4K release.
While I'll praise the release for those elements, I have to take Disney to task for a glaring and inexcusable omission. Where are my extra features!?! I can't be the only nerd who would rush out to get a Star Wars home video release at midnight, only to speed back home, toss in the second disc, and watch all the bonus content first. If you love doing that as much as I do, prepare to be massively disappointed. Both disc sets boast two bonus features - four total for those counting at home. And they aren't long-form releases, either. In total, less than 30 minutes are devoted to the bonus features, and that's disappointing.
Both disc sets boast two bonus features- four total for those counting at home. And they aren't long-form releases, either. In total, less than 30 minutes are devoted to the bonus features, and that's disappointing. I was hoping we'd get something mind-boggling like "The Beginning" documentary on "The Phantom Menace" home release, but we did not. We don't even get the "Disney Gallery" content they have on Disney+, which is a bummer.
For Season One, we get "Remnants of the Empire (5:46)" and "Forging the Covert: Part One (10:35). Both are very nice little bonus features and it's great to see how many practical effects went into creating the series and see how they balanced that with the state of the art work environments in which they helped bring the universe to life.
Season Two is "Designing the New Republic (4:46)" and "Forging the Covert: Part 2 (6:02)," which are again nice features, but just not long enough. At this stage, I don't see Disney going back and adding bonus content for the first two seasons, so why not toss it on these releases and let fans have a blast? It doesn't make much sense to me.
For me, the best part of the bonus content is seeing series creator Jon Favreau and Lucasfilm legend Dave Filoni speak about creating the Mandalorian's universe and how much love and care went into making sure they got it right. They are filmmakers and fans who know what makes Star Wars tick. And for the record, I could sit and watch Filoni sketch anything from the Star Wars universe for hours.
If you're a fan of “The Mandalorian,” owning Seasons One and Two on 4K UHD is a definite must. Experiencing the episodes in this high-quality format feels like watching them for the first time and is not to be missed. May the Force be with you on your viewing journey!
The Mandalorian: Season One
Disc One (Episodes 1-4)
Chapter 1: The Mandalorian
Chapter 2: The Child
Chapter 3: The Sin
Chapter 4: Sanctuary
Disc Two (Episodes 5-8)
Chapter 5: The Gunslinger
Chapter 6: The Prisoner
Chapter 7: The Reckoning
Chapter 8: Redemption
- Remnants of the Empire (Bonus Content)
- Forging the Covert: Part One (Bonus Content)
The Mandalorian: Season Two
Disc One (Episodes 1-4)
Chapter 9: The Marshal
Chapter 10: The Passenger
Chapter 11: The Heiress
Chapter 12: The Siege
Disc Two
Chapter 13: The Jedi
Chapter 14: The Tragedy
Chapter 15: The Beliver
Chapter 16: The Rescue
- Designing the New Republic (Bonus Content)
- Forging the Covert: Part Two(Bonus Content)