Ah, so much hilarity in the comments here, great stuff.
Okay some thoughts:
Yes this episode was MUCH better than the last. Not a high bar but it succeeded.
Obviously for me to enjoy this show and its title character I have to accept that this is no longer Fett as I interpreted him from the OT nor the early 90's lore about him post-Sarlacc. Massive news flash I know, lol.
And to summarize/recap my biggest beefs (in addition to the above) is TM's physique, constant helmet removing, the whole "theme park" aesthetic to the city environment, and the seemingly endless regurgitation of iconic scenes from other movies (Dances w/Wolves, T2 biker bar, countless train heists, etc.) as well as copying scenes from other SW movies/shows. As far as the softening of his character I'm even bummed to see my son (who isn't nearly as obsessive as I am, lol) noticing. When he and the Tuskens crafted his gaffi stick my son said "oh on Mando I just assumed that he killed Tuskens for his gear, not that they gave it to him." Even though he wasn't saying that as a criticism it bummed me out that up until that moment even TM Fett was a murderous badass to him.
But I think from his point of view he's accepting Fett's "reprogramming" the way we all accepted Uncle Bob in T2. So the question becomes does the reprogramming fit from a narrative sense (obviously yes in T2) and is the new version cool in it's own right (definitely yes for T2, less so for this new Fett, lol.)
But having said all that it looks like I'll be breaking ranks with some of you to state that I *loved* the Mos Espa scenes this time around. I did think that Fett looked cool walking around (and it looked like they either used a double for the helmet scenes or TM's belt was cinching his waste in tighter than last episode) and I loved his whole demeanor in the mayor's office. He was taking charge, he was speaking for himself, and when the mayor's stupid aid said "my apologies, I didn't see your litter" I *loved* that helmeted Fett just stood there totally silent refusing to even acknowledge such a stupid comment. YES!
And then he just marched past him, ignored the aid's pleas, activated the door himself and told the mayor "you know damn well who I am." The mayor was super cool to me. Awesome look, awesome puppetry, and I really liked how he played his political cards in a way that allowed him to not fess up to the hit job while also appeasing Fett in a way that didn't get him shot dead on the spot. A very cool character IMO.
Then back to the Waikiki Hilton or whatever that cantina is called. I did realize this episode that I do like Jennifer Beals' character as well. She too has a great look and seems very comfortable in her role. It was very easy for me to buy that she runs that place. As far as Fett not knowing that the Hutts had arrived I'm totally fine with that. I mean from what has been established how would he know? So far all of his political connections are humoring him at best, seemingly kissing up to him when he's standing face to face with them with a gun but apparently scheming behind his back knowing that beyond himself and three helpers he has no means of enforcing his wishes on a grander scale (more on that later.)
Which brings me to one of my absolute favorite moments of SW in recent memory. The Hutts! And that Wookiee! Holy crap they just gave us Darth Maul level badasses for the first time in decades! Bam! All three, all at once. I want those suckers on my shelf, NOW.
The Hutts were great, better than Jabba himself since 1983. And that freaking Wookiee! As of right now (obviously this could easily change next week or later this season with a stupid death or something) the OT gave us the original Fett, PT gave us Darth Maul, and now Disney gives us the Wookiee. BLOWS AWAY any villain from Mando Season 1 and 2. Blows away the bad guys from Solo. Blows away pretty much any bad guy from ST save maybe TROS Kylo Ren (Palps doesn't count because he's a Legacy villain.) That guy was awesome! Anyone get major "Lurtz" vibes from the way he carried himself, his silent growls, and utterly hate-filled stare? Damn....so freaking cool.
And I *loved* that Fett himself was fully prepared to go toe to toe with both Hutts and the Wookiee right then and there. So as cool as the three baddies were they very appropriately were forced to back down. That's how you make a badass Disney! Awesome villains make for awesome "heroes" (or let's just say protagonist in Fett's case.) I mean the Hutts had to know that one rocket (or two blaster shots) was all it'd take to end them both and that even if their Wookiee took out Fett or Fennec that their best hope was mutually assured destruction. Not a good outcome either way. But I loved their little threat and departure and holy crap that suuuuuper long stare from the Wookiee as he reluctantly turned that Fett himself held until the Wookiee was forced to turn just like with Lando during Han's torture scene on Cloud City. Yes a moment in those show actually gave me OT vibes.
The sequence as a whole was basically a cooler version of the ANH:SE Docking Bay 94 scene with Fett in Han's role and the Wookiee in Fett's role and the twin Hutts taking a lot less crap than Jabba did. Even if the rest of the series is Episode 1 levels of bad I'm thrilled that I get to bask in the fact that that scene even exists and will be a fun new moment to revisit forevermore. I wish that he waited a little longer to take his helmet off after they left (sigh) but what can you do. Also it was Fennec who said "we'll need permission to kill them" which Fett did not actually acquiesce to. He just kind of stood there (much like the Wookiee) seemingly contemplating ("do I though? I could just off them and be done with it.") At least TM's performance gave me the luxury of interpreting it that way.
I've got other thoughts/criticisms for other sections of the episode but I see that I may have already passed "TLDR" territory so I'll cut this short and post those a little later, lol.
. Before The Mandalorian.
But yes, very benevolent mood that could all come crashing down as early as next Wednesday, lol.
