A few weeks ago, when doing my fake timeline for May the Fourth (what did you actually think I watched 10 movies in one day? How?), I noted my prior opinion that Star Trek is better than Star Wars, mostly because it is more consistent than Star Wars in providing solid, non-cringe inducing entertainment, but also because it actually deals in themes that are more relevant to modern life. Star Wars is a romantic fairy tale whereas Star Trek deals with more practical questions like curing some mysterious illness or solving a violent conflict between two warring groups. This isn’t to say Star Wars is bad. The Original Trilogy is the greatest movie series of all time, but after that the quality drops off dramatically. Indeed, since Disney took over, the product has been infamously hit and miss.

However, when Disney does something right with Star Wars, we should acknowledge that, and they’ve done something right with Andor. I just finished the show. What can you say: it’s fun show with realistic characters that keeps your attention throughout. It shows both a side of the rebellion and a side of the Empire we’ve never seen before. For the rebellion, the show reveals the underhanded, kind of shady part of creating, funding, and recruiting for an underground insurgency. For the Empire, it shows the machinery of the Empire guided not by Sith malice but by petty bureaucratic politics conducted by emotionally damaged people. And it does action scenes so well, I feel like I should have been taking notes.

I also recently finished watching Star Trek Discovery. It’s okay. That’s what I’ve got to say about it. Nothing Star Trek should be ashamed of, but not at the same level as Deep Space Nine or The Next Generation. Picard was good too, but it could have some cringeworthy moments such as when the Borg ask to join the Federation or the end where only old people can save us. Most episodes of Discovery are worth watching, but it’s weird at times because of the lengths they go to make the crew explicitly “found family.” The crew of the Enterprise in the prior series were like that, but they never had to say it out loud. Also, there are really awkward moments were everyone just kind of smiles at each other. I think they were trying to model a better kind of workplace, which I appreciate but this just comes across as weird. It’s like a lot of the show is about workplace drama, but it engages in a flaw that is admittedly one of Star Trek’s weaker points: imagining humanity as if it were perfect. Other people have pointed out that in Andor, characters act out of envy and greed like normal people, whereas in Star Trek, Starfleet officers are forced to take vacations. Not how public servants typically act.

Does this mean Star Wars has overtaken Star Trek in my estimation? No. It just means that one part of Star Wars, a massive franchise dating back to 1977, is more enjoyable than Star Trek, another massive franchise going back to the 1960s. Disney’s done well with the Mandalorian, Skeleton Crew, and Andor, but keep in mind this is the same studio that brought you the Acolyte and the Book of Boba Fett. I do think they’ve been more consistent making shows than movies, but that isn’t saying much after the last three movies they’ve produced. Star Trek continues to be consistent, producing quality television and more often than not, decent movies. I’m really looking forward to Season 3 of Strange New Worlds.

Nope, Star Wars is still that couple that had a whirlwind romance in the Riveria and thirty years later still has to go to marriage counseling. They haven’t given up, but they still can’t reignite the initial spark that brought them together. Star Trek is still that cute couple that met at the Comic Book store and thirty years later is making plans to take their grandkids around the country in an RV. We all have our ups and downs, but it’s better to have stability in life than high peaks followed by dramatic falls into the depth. I hope Disney keeps guiding Star Wars on a more consistent path, and maybe that means they should dump making more movies, at least until they can prove some level of competence at it.