With the premiere of The Mandalorian season 3 close on the horizon, fans are hitting the point of rabid excitement. To the chagrin of some Mando fanatics, the episode is distinctly shorter than previous installments in the series. With a brisk 35-minute run time, the episode is nearly 10 minutes shorter than last season’s premiere.
Fans shouldn’t despair, however. The show has never been one to stretch out moments unnecessarily. The Mandalorian is one of Disney’s most popular Star Wars releases of the last decade and appeals to fans outside of the usual demographic for the series. With a tight script, excellent special effects and the precious bond between a surrogate father and his son, the show has plenty to distinguish it from other sci-fi fare. The Mandalorian understands important story beats and at this point, show creators Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau combined have more than 30 years of experience with the Star Wars universe.
Beyond writing and directing, The Mandalorian typically has shorter episodes. The series premiere only clocks in at 37 minutes. Even the longest entry in the series — the premiere of season 2 — is just under 60 minutes. The first episode of season 3 won’t be the shortest entry in the series either. Season 1, episode 2, — a pivotal episode that introduces the adorable Grogu — is only 34 minutes long. We know we’re nitpicking now, but the whole point is there is good reason for the episode to be shorter than its predecessors. Filloni and Favreau have struck gold throughout the first 2 seasons of the series and fans just need to trust that the duo still have the chops to deliver.