Starting from the top:
The opening cantina scene. Looks like it has a vague resemblance to the star wars aesthetic. That is immediately better than TFA. The writing was functional, if heavy handed. The choreography was alright, but the camera work did it no favors. The alien being the bounty target was a pleasant surprise. However, if they were trying to make a joke out of the character, all it succeeded in doing was being grating. Anyway, the alien tries, and fails to buy off the bounty hunter.
The ship scene. Nostalgia bait for those of us who recognize the ship class. The animal attacking the ship was... convenient and doesn't make much sense (at least to me on first viewing) After all why have a ship landing site there if there is a risk of aggressive mutant walruses attacking and sinking your ship into the icy sea? The titular Mandalorian has to get a funky looking shock-stick to dislodge said mutant walrus upon takeoff, after it chased the Mando and blue alien man to the ship, CGI of aforementioned walruses was not amazing.
Now inside the ship, we spend more time with vaguely annoying blue alien man and the wordless Mando man. Eventually, the blue alien man tries to rummage around the lower cargo hold on the excuse that he needs to use the restroom. After fiddling with a gun cabinet with overly flappy rubber prosthetics, the blue alien man discovers several other prisoners who have been frozen in (particularly fake looking) carbonite. Alien is then shoved into a carbonite freezer by the Mandalorian, and is promptly frozen.
Now at some bounty hunter guild HQ, Mando talks to Black Man In-Charge. It is established that the empire is already dead, and its money is no longer useful (replaced by Mon Calamari currency). Mando complains about the lack of paying work, and is offered a private commission job which demands a face to face meeting with said commissioner. Mando accepts, and goes out to go to the meeting.
At the meeting location we get a lot more nostalgia bait. However, this particular scene happens to work the best in my opinion. Upon entering the building, we see several (Four I think) extremely roughed up old style Stormtroopers (really this is how the ST should have looked), and Wealthy Imperial Man. A clumsy imperial scientist blunders in, and causes all the troopers and Mando to pull guns. Imperial man talks them down after light banter is traded. The Mando if offered a block of Beskar bullion. This interests the Mando.
Now, I have been avoiding this topic, but I have no other choice but to mention this now. The voice of the Mandalorian is way too smooth, far too young, and generally lacking any gravitas whatsoever. It is clear why he says very little, because very time he speaks, he stops being intimidating or impressive. I am not saying he needed to sound like he is gargling gravel, but he should (at the very least) have an uncommonly strong presence in the vocal department as that is the only thing the audience has to latch onto. I digress.
The Mando takes the job offer and is given scant information about the Asset other than the age (50 years), A last spotted location, and a tacking device (that we have seen several times and has not been explained in the least). No description whatsoever. Mando is promised a cache of Beskar in return for the asset if returned alive, and half if returned dead (scientist man balks at this). Mando leaves with the down payment Beskar.
The bounty hunter mandalorian goes to a Mandalorian Den. The bounty hunter meets up with the lady forge-master (who seems to be part spiritual and part community leader). Part of the Beskar is forged into a new shoulder pauldron, the rest going to "sponsoring" Foundlings (orphans?). We learn that the bounty hunter is a foundling. Forge-master calls this group the Tribe (not a Clan like in all previous media).
The newly paldroned Mandalorian then goes to planet bounty target. My summary past this point will get lazy and sloppy, just like the episode. Upon landing and stepping out to scout, the Mandalorian is immediately bodied by Blurgs (which have decent to poor CGI). These get KO shots from Farmer Alien. Farmer Alien says wise shit. Mando follows Farmer Alien home on the promise of the farmer alien guiding him to the bounty location.
But uh, oh, The Mando will have to learn to ride the Blargs in order to get where they are going... for some reason, and NOT fly hist ship there. So the Mando tries to ride the Bluargs twice, and gets bucked off. Alien farmer says some profound wise shit about how the Mandos used to ride Mythosaurs (you know instead of hunting them to extinction). Suddenly the Mando is able to ride the Blauags after doing a nice doggie bit. What does this actually do for us? Fuck all really. Farmer Alien takes Mando to the bounty compound location because he wants the planet to be left in peace or some shit.
Here we see out first glimpse of the IG droid. Waltzing its way into and through a gunfight. The Mandalorian joins the IG droid and shenanigans ensue. I can't really adequately describe the gunfight. Is there a term for when something has a really high production value but still looks really amateurish? Because that is sure what it felt like. A children's idea of a gunfight, combined with a bad tonal clash of suicidal droid comedy and nigh invulnerable action heros on the other. Bottom line, it wasn't good.
The episode ends with the Droid and the Mando finding the baby yoda creature and the droid having explicit orders to perform an extreme late term abortion. Mando kills droid. End. You all have already discussed how mind numbingly stupid bringing yoda's species was.
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