Slate culture editor Jenny G. Zhang returns to the pod for our initial foray into the first block of Andor Season 2.
Van and Jenny discuss the all-too-familiar labor exploitation on the agricultural planet Mina Rau, and how it relies on illegal immigration to remain profitable; the way that the Galactic Empire offers license to the patriarchal impulse of some to dominate others; and the secretive, elitist logic that leads agents of empire into committing genocide in order to secure critical minerals…and we are of course referring to Ghorman and the Empire’s need to extract it for the Death Star.
Plus: Senator Mon Mothma’s performance of desperation at her daughter’s wedding—dancing like no one’s watching with a face that can’t hide agony…totally the vibe of 2025.
Catch Up on Our Season 1 Coverage
Andor (2022), Episodes 1–3 w/ Jenny G. Zhang | Ep. 20
Van and Lyle kick off their Andor series with Slate culture editor Jenny G. Zhang, diving into the show’s slow-burn opening arc where imperial bootlickers, jealous love interests, and rebels in the making collide on the Outer Rim. They discuss what makes
Andor (2022), Episodes 4–6 w/ Jenny G. Zhang and Paul Adlerstein | Ep. 22
The pod returns to Andor with Slate culture editor Jenny G. Zhang and, for the first time, the historian Paul Adlerstein. This second installment covers the Aldhani arc, Coruscant as pristine imperial metropole, and metropolitan contempt for the indigenous periphery—writ large in their treatment of the Aldhani tribes.
Andor (2022), Episodes 8–10 w/ Paul Adlerstein | Ep. 23
Van and Lyle are joined once again by historian Paul Adlerstein to delve into episodes 8 through 10 of Andor. The conversation traces the jarring split between the dystopian labor camps of Narkina 5 and the sterile dinner parties of Coruscant’s elite, two poles of the same imperial order. They examine the moral complexities faced by characters like Mon Mothma, who grapples with the potential betrothal of her daughter to secure rebel funding, and how sectarianism and hard strategy collide in the rebel underground.
Andor (2022), Episodes 10–12 w/ David Austin Walsh | Ep. 25
Van (minus Lyle) is joined by historian David Austin Walsh to explore episodes 10-12 of Andor’s first-season finale. Their conversation focuses on Andor’s embrace of revolution and the surprising political realism of the show’s portrayal of labor exploitation and social uprisings. Van and David also discuss liberalism’s failure to inspire meaningful cha…
Andor Season 2 Trailer
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