Disney+’s Andor is getting rave reviews from critics ahead of its release on the streaming platform. Ahead of the show’s premiere, some critics were granted the opportunity to participate in early screenings of the first four episodes and they all had good things to say about it.

According to Maggie Lovitt, Collider’s News Lead Editor, the series is "gritty, mature, and the most intelligent and well-informed (Star Wars) story we've had to date.” She even went as far as calling Cassian Andor her favorite character in all of Star Wars.

#Andor is unlike any @starwars story that we've ever seen before. @diegoluna_ is at the center of a stunning & dangerous world in turmoil. It's gritty, mature, and the most intelligent and well-informed story we've had to date. Tony Gilroy is a genius. pic.twitter.com/pfZwlmZ0HD

— Maggie Lovitt (@maggieofthetown) September 16, 2022

Sam Hargrave of TheDirect.com thinks Andor "is the biggest departure from the #StarWars formula yet and it thrives for it!” He also praised its scope and visuals, a sentiment that many critics seemed to agree with.

#Andor is the biggest departure from the #StarWars formula yet and it thrives for it! It's a dark and mature story of the start of the Rebellion - one that may not appeal to all fans. The scope and practical visuals are immense, perhaps the best-looking Disney+ original yet!

— Sam Hargrave - TheDirect.com (@ScorpioloYT) September 16, 2022

You can view other critics’ views on the series below:

I’ve seen the first 3 eps of #Andor and I say this with the utmost conviction: this is going to be the show that gets me back into Star Wars. ANDOR introduces new, memorable characters, plus an intriguing arc for Andor. And it actually has something to say!

Ep 3 is spectacular. pic.twitter.com/6iV23ot6Na

— David Chen (@davechensky) September 16, 2022

#Andor feels like #StarWars in the best ways, and like something completely different in the best ways, too. It's rare for such a well-known franchise to manage something that feels brand new, but I think this show pulls it off.

— Lissete Lanuza Sáenz ✨ (@lizziethat) September 16, 2022

The series is set before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and follows the titular character, Cassian Andor, and his rebellion against the Galactic Empire. The show will span five years of Andor’s life before the events of Rogue One, with the first season chronicling one year of his life.

Diego Luna, who played Andor in Rogue One, will reprise his role in the series. Alongside Luna, Genevieve O’Reilly will also reprise her role as Mon Mothma, a Senator in the Galactic Empire who worked in secret to found the Rebel Alliance. Forest Whitaker will take up his character of Saw Gerrera, the leader of a rebel extremist group. Finally, Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote the screenplay for Rogue One, created and wrote Andor’s screenplay.

Other notable cast members are Denise Gough, Fiona Shaw, Anton Valensi, Alex Ferms, Adria Arjona, and Stellan Skarsgård.

Even though Andor just premiered, it has already been renewed for a second season. The show’s creator, Tony Gilroy, stated earlier in the year that production will start on the second season starting from November 2022.

Disney+ originally announced an August 31 release date for the series. However, they pushed it back to September 21 and promised to premiere the series with three episodes upon its release.

True to their word, Andor premiered on Disney+ on September 21 with three episodes. The rest of the series’s twelve episodes will be released every Wednesday through November 23 when Andor’s final episode will air.