Every Star Wars movie is a snapshot of a critical point in the struggle for the galaxy. From the plot to destroy the Death Star to taking on the back-from-the-dead Emperor Palpatine, every movie is a day-in-the-life portrayal of the ongoing battle. As great as they are (yes, the sequel trilogy included), the films aren’t able to dive as deep as we’d like into the Lucas lore. Every movie goes big, but they don’t quite reach every corner of the galaxy. That’s where the Disney+ Star Wars series come in.

The streaming Star Wars era started off at light speed with The Mandalorian in 2019, followed by The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and now Andor. The latest series follows the multiple channels of the dark, clandestine world of the Rebellion. We get looks at the high society financing, secret meetings, and the down-and-dirty street fight against the Empire — kind of. Andor has been well-received by critics and fans and has even been called the best Star Wars series so far. Here’s how Andor measures up against the rest of the ever-expanding live-action Star Wars streaming universe.

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The Mandalorian Is a Memorable Western Series

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We got a brief but very cool look into the underworld of bounty hunting in The Empire Strikes Back as Boba Fett tracks and ultimately delivers Han Solo to Darth Vader and the Empire. The character of Fett and the concept of his profession became a Star Wars fandom subculture unto itself in the following years. Not a bad legacy for a few minutes of screen time.

The world of the bounty hunter carried such intrigue that it inspired the flagship Disney+ series, The Mandalorian. The series introduces us to Din Djarin, a warrior bounty hunter of the Mandalore lineage from which Boba Fett comes. Scooped up into the clan as an orphan, Djarin became an elite and feared bounty hunter operating in the post-Empire galaxy. The series boasts a gutsy mix of Western and film noir themes from creator Jon Favreau and is truly unique while still retaining the Star Wars spirit. The Mandalorian is an excellent series, delivering high-octane action, fleshed-out characters, and of course, Baby Yoda and Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.

On balance, Andor has been stingy with the action with which The Mandalorian is teeming. Where The Mandalorian gets high marks for bounty hunter world-building, Andor struggles to deliver a developed look at the Rebellion it centers around. We get a robbery, a few shady meetings, and talk of sacrifice. We get that Andor is supposed to be the grit to The Mandalorian’s grandiose, but it spends too much time waxing poetic about rebelling instead of getting on with the fight.

The Book of Boba Fett Delivers the Entertaining Action

The Book of Boba Fett is mostly empty-calorie action, though it builds upon the character of Boba Fett beyond the stone-cold man of few words he is in Empire and Return of the Jedi. The series establishes Fett as a man of principle and fairness once removed from the bounty-hunting rat race. Its objectives are expanding the titular character and blowing stuff up. The Book of Boba Fett is essentially a slightly pixilated photocopy of The Mandalorian. It’s formulaic and predictable but makes for some great action sequences along the way.

The Book of Boba Fett is pure entertainment. While Andor has a few impressive battles, it’s mostly talk. Andor aims to be the cerebral Star Wars series but doesn’t think as deeply as billed. The Book of Boba Fett is the polar opposite by design. It’s the chess club kid vs. the rowdy bro.

Obi-Wan Kenobi May Be the Best Disney/Star Wars Series

Obi-Wan Kenobi is the best Star Wars product put out by Disney in its 10-year ownership of the universe. The series starts off slow, following the boring and unfulfilled new life of Obi-Wan. He butchers meat for his credits, plods back into town, plods back into the desert, eats, and sleeps. The only break in his dull routine is checking up from afar on the welfare of a young Luke Skywalker. Then a friend needs a big favor, and we inch closer to adventure and the signature blue glow of Kenobi’s lightsaber. Oh, and we get its complementary red glow as well.

Obi-Wan Kenobi has a simple rescue story, clever plot twists, great characters, and an epic lightsaber battle ending. It hits on tones of hope while drowning in hopelessness and finding solace where you can. Most importantly, it has Ewan McGregor and Darth Vader. Lots of Darth Vader. We thought the Lord of the Sith would have a few scenes worth of a cameo à la Rogue One. The series gave us the pleasant surprise of Vader as a main character, complete with James Earl Jones’s booming voice and Hayden Christensen filling the iconic black suit. Obi-Wan Kenobi plays off of its built-in sentiment for Kenobi and Vader flawlessly. And that’s really all it needs to top the yawn of a rebellion in Andor.

Andor Is Well Worth the Watch, but Short on Rebellion

Andor is a quality series; at the very least, it is highly watchable. Diego Luna’s engine performance as Cassian makes you want to invest in the mission. Denise Gough is excellent as ambitious Imperial officer Dedra Meero. It has some solid action and CGI. But “best Star Wars series”? Even if you don’t want to rely on spectacle, Andor has fallen short of its rebellious promise right up to its penultimate episode.