The Upstairs Lounge

Why does Bix come to Timm’s apartment that night, and why does he seem so uncomfortable once she’s there? In this episode of The Upstairs Lounge, I continue my scene-by-scene analysis of Andor Episode 2, That Would Be Me, with one of the quieter scenes on Ferrix: Bix Caleen arriving unexpectedly at Timm Karlo’s home after he has secretly reported Cassian to Pre-Mor security. There isn’t much dialo...

What happens when Syril Karn finally gets a face to attach to the man he has been hunting? In this episode, I take a deep dive into the late-night Pre-Mor security office scene from Andor , where an anonymous tip leads Syril and his colleagues towards Cassian Andor and turns an increasingly questionable investigation into something much more personal. I look closely at the atmosphere of the scene:...

What do the names in Andor actually mean? In this episode, I analyse the name of every named character introduced across Andor Episodes 1–6, looking at possible meanings, linguistic roots, etymology, sound associations, cultural echoes and the way a name can subtly shape how we read the character carrying it. From Cassian Andor, Luthen Rael, Mon Mothma, Syril Karn and Dedra Meero to Maarva, Bix Ca...

What does the hammer man of Ferrix tell us about this town? Why is Timm Karlo so dangerous? Why would Bix even be with such a loser in the first place? What Happens when Cassian Andor tries to lie to Maarva? This and more discussed in the latest step of my five year mission to analyse every scene of Andor. Feedback: theupstairslounge@proton.me

In Andor Episode 2, “That Would Be Me,” young Kassa stops at the edge of Kenari’s vast abandoned quarry. It is a brief, nearly wordless moment, but one that may explain something fundamental about the man he becomes. This episode of The Upstairs Lounge examines the visual storytelling, environmental destruction and political subtext of the Kenari flashbacks. What happened to the planet’s people? W...

Was the infamous Jack Black and Lizzo subplot really one of the worst parts of The Mandalorian , or was it hiding some of the best writing on the show and one of the darkest political ideas in modern Star Wars? In this special edition of The Upstairs Lounge, I take a deep dive into The Mandalorian Season 3 Episode 6, "Guns for Hire", and the strange, colourful world of Plazir-15. Beneath...

Andor begins without Jedi, destiny or heroic spectacle. In Season 1, Episode 1, “Kassa”, the audience is dropped into a galaxy of rain, debt, surveillance and institutional decay, then quietly taught how to survive there. This episode examines how Tony Gilroy turns Andor’s pilot into an onboarding ritual for the entire series. Morlana One, Ferrix and Kenari each reveal a different survival system,...

Andor makes it pretty clear that his sister doesn't get off Kenari, though we are not quite there yet. However, this is the last time he'll ever see her...and since he doesn't know that, he barely notices she's there as he heads off into the trees... Join me as I break down every scene of Andor. Even the really, really short ones. I don't do the ones where nothing happens thoug...

Pegla finds Cassian up to no good in Zorby's shipyard and it's pretty obvious it's not the first time in my analysis of scene 10 from S01E01 - Kassa.

I'm back, sorry for the delay, but let's get on with the show shall we? We return to Pre-Mor as Syril Karn attempts to take control in Hyne's absence. He soon discovers leadership is a little more nuanced than shouting and flinging his arms around... I'd love to hear from you and read out some emails on the show, get in touch at theupstairslounge@proton.me

Verifiably human-created. Analysis of the 8th scene of Andor Episode 1: Kassa, in which Bix Caleen sets off a series of events which changes the galaxy, while jealous Timm Karlo stumbles around trying to trail her with a subtlety that appears beyond. I'm analysing every scene of this superb Star Wars show and you're welcome to join me on Youtube where I'm up to Episode 5: The Axe Forge...

Verifiably human-created. Analysis of the 7th scene of Andor Episode 1: Kassa, in which Cassian effortlessly disrupts a potentially dangerous situation with social sabotage. I'm analysing every scene of this superb Star Wars show and you're welcome to join me on Youtube where I'm up to Episode 5: The Axe Forgets. Thoughts, feedback and questions please to theupstairslounge@proton.me

Analysis of the 6th scene of Andor Episode 1: Kassa, in which Syril Karn takes matters into his own hands. I'm analysing every scene of this superb Star Wars show and you're welcome to join me on Youtube where I'm finishing up on Episode 4: Aldhani. Thoughts, feedback and questions please to theupstairslounge@proton.me

Cassian's training to become a rebel begins right here, among the ruin and mystery of Kenari. Smoke rises on the horizon and he wants to be there, even if he's not quite big enough yet. The first step on Cassian's journey begins with joining his first cell. Find me on YouTube where I'm up to Episode 4 - Aldhani. Feedback please to theupstairslounge@proton.me

This podcast episode examines the Ferrix repair shop scene in Andor as a study in personal tension, operational secrecy and quiet emotional risk. I focus on the interaction between Cassian Andor, Bix Caleen and Timm Karlo and how the series uses a small, grounded encounter to establish smuggling networks, trust dynamics and the dangers of partial knowledge. Set away from Imperial offices and corpo...

The scene that shows me the true face of the Empire: not moustache-twirling villains, but petty middle managers obsessed with a clean report. I unpack the bizarre, hilarious, and ultimately horrifying exchange between Karn (the rule-obsessed hall monitor) and Hyne, and how their clash over a 'suitable accident' reveals that in this world, the truth is a liability. I also dive into why Karn...

In this episode of The Upstairs Lounge, we head to Ferrix for the first time and look at how Andor builds an entire community through tiny gestures, background details, and the kind of emotional shorthand most viewers miss on a first watch. I talk about how B2EMO’s introduction quietly predicts the entire Ferrix arc, what Brasso reveals about himself without ever explaining a thing, and why this w...

This podcast is a scene-by-scene excavation of Andor. Breaking down the imagery, the writing, the political machinery, and the quiet choices Tony Gilroy built into every frame. If you’ve heard an Andor analysis before, so have I. That’s why I made this. Nobody is doing a deeper reading of this series than what you’ll hear here. If you’ve seen Rogue One , you know where Cassian ends up. But Andor i...