Four years after the launch of Disney+, the streamer’s first mega-hit, Star Wars: The Mandalorian, gets a home video release. The first two seasons, each sold separately, are now available on Blu-Ray and 4K Ultra-HD, with packaging and on-disc contents nearly identical between the two releases, the difference being changes in resolution. This release covers the 4K Ultra-HD release of both seasons, although the contents also apply to fans interested in the Blu-Ray release.
(Lucasfilm)
Season 1 introduces Din Jarin (Pedro Pascal), a lone Mandalorian bounty hunter who earns his credits from job to job. His newest assignment – an asset known as the Child, a 50-year-old baby of unknown origin who shows signs of being force-sensitive. With paternal instincts kicking in, the Mandalorian finds himself unable to hand over the youngling, becoming the target of a bounty hunt himself.
The adventures continue in Season 2, with Din Jarin in hot pursuit by Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), who possesses the Dark Saber and will stop at nothing to get his hands on The Child. As the Mandalorian searches for a way to reunite the baby with his own kind, he unintentionally ends up joining another group of Mandalorians, led by Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff), which brings the Child face-to-face with rogue Jedi, who can offer the baby a better life than the one of constant pursuit with Din Jarin.
Both seasons come to home video in 2-disc sets that split the eight episodes evenly between them. Each release comes with a small assortment of exclusive bonus features, although it excludes the excellent Disney+ series about the making of the series, Disney Gallery: Star Wars: The Mandalorian. Its inclusion may have necessitated a bonus disc for each set, although its absence gives Star Wars bonus feature junkies a reason to keep their Disney+ subscription active.
Bonus Features
Season 1 – Disc 2
- Remnants of the Empire (5:46) – Uncover the Imperial designs adapted for the series, and meet new villains as the Empire’s threat persists.
- Forging the Covert: Part One (10:35) – Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and crew highlight the craftmanship behind Grogu, the Mandalorian’s arsenal, and the show’s practical effects and digital wizardry.
Season 2 – Disc 2
- Designing the New Republic (4:46) – Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and crew talk about the New Republic’s evolution and aesthetic in this story-rich period of the Star Wars timelines.
- Forging the Covert: Part Two (6:02) – Talented artists reveal their inspiration and the designs of the warriors and their weaponry as the legend of Mandalore expands.
(Lucasfilm)
Video
The video transfer for both seasons looks glorious in 4K. Like most Star Wars projects, dark scenes with a bright source of light, such as a lightsaber, are handled magnificently. The series retains its 2.39:1 widescreen ratio, although one episode (Season 2, Episode 9) expands to full screen for its climax, similar to movies with scenes filmed for IMAX.
Unlike the Marvel Studios Disney+ releases, Lucasfilm has chapter-selected the episodes. However, they have failed to offer the most user-friendly selection – the ability to skip the previous episode’s recap, which lasts about a minute at the top of each episode past the series premiere.
Audio
With a Dolby Atmos mix, The Mandalorian offers a fully immersive auditory experience on 4K Ultra-HD that takes full advantage of your home entertainment setup. As you would expect from any Star Wars property, sound effects travel through the room, with ships flying from behind your head toward the screen when they make an appearance. Additional audio options include a 2.0 Descriptive Audio, plus French and Spanish 5.1.
Packaging & Design
(Lucasfilm)
Both seasons come in SteelBook packaging with artwork by Attila Szarka. Layered disc holders on one side of the interior house the discs, which assign a solid color to each season, with missing ink that creates an image of character silhouettes. The menus feature a cycle of concept art set to score from the series, one per season that’s repeated across both discs. The only insert is a sealed trio of concept art cards exclusive to these sets. The spine of each season contains the season’s number, offering fans hope that these releases will continue.
Final Thoughts
With excellent picture and sound, plus higher bitrates unmatched by streaming, The Mandalorian has never looked better than it does on 4K Ultra-HD. For anyone who isn’t as picky about video quality, these on-disc releases guarantee access to the series forever, regardless of its future availability on a streaming service or your households that may be looking to trim down their streaming expenses. While the bonus features offered on these sets feel lighter than they ought to be, at the end of the day, the ability to own both seasons is a nice option for consumers and one I hope to see Disney continue to provide.
Purchase Options
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