The critically-acclaimed, fan-favorite Star Wars saga Andor is back for its second season, dropping new installments each Tuesday on Disney+. The latest installment explores the complicated dynamics between characters Syril Karn and Dedra Meero, portrayed by Kyle Soller and Denise Gough, respectively. Gough refers to one scene especially vividly as a “Thanksgiving dinner from hell.” This is an incredible portrayal of the tensions and awkwardness that accompanies almost every family gathering.
Denise Gough as Carrie Anne in the first season “I can really recall my first day on that first season. It included a nail-biting scene at a checkpoint with her character, Dedra. This beautiful moment prepares us for the major conflicts in season two to come. The plot thickens when Eedy Karn, played by Kathryn Hunter, is invited over for dinner, an event that Gough likens to “opening your home to a human Death Star.” Yet the stakes could not be higher as this dinner scene plays out—arguably the most awkward and terrifying family reunion ever portrayed on film.
This cringe-tacular meet the parents dinner, while dramatic and over-the-top, goes perfectly with the creative theme of color palettes at play on the show. Gough mentioned, “I thought it was so cleverly constructed. On one level, it’s like a Pinter play, and on another level, it’s an absurd Thanksgiving comedy.” The scene’s complexity resonates with most Americans right now. Men and, especially, women understand the nervousness that can accompany an introduction to a partner’s family.
During season two’s story arc, Syril and Dedra will investigate their developing romance. This is a nice thematic continuation of Syril’s heroic rescue of Dedra from a mob in Ferrix during last season’s finale. Gough was at first opposed to the two eventually becoming an official romantic couple. She reiterated her concerns about their love story but then fully accepted the narrative arc.
We see that dinner scene go from awful to unbearable when Eedy Karn violates the sacred space of Syril and Dedra’s shining metropolis, factory apartment. However, Gough added, while Eedy might seem like a scary character on the page, she gets more complex in how she plays off of Dedra. “The thing about working with someone like Kathryn is that actors like her don’t make the obvious choice when they’re hitting the ball back,” Gough stated, highlighting Hunter’s theatrical prowess.
The tension between Syril and Dedra reaches a climax at this dinner. The tension culminates in a powerful exchange where Dedra lays down the law: “This game ends now. You want Syril in your life, you will think before you speak. I’ll make sure he visits twice a month. I will guarantee a level of engagement, but it will be inversely proportional to the volume of anxiety you generate in our lives.”
Kyle Soller offered his two cents as well on the significance of the dinner scene. He noted that Syril is depicted as a man-child who might regress under pressure, collapsing onto the bed in despair: “Syril is such a man child, and I thought, ‘Well, he’s going to regress to a teenage boy. What do they do? They collapse onto the bed and go into despair for a little bit and listen to emo music or something.’ It made sense to me.”
Rivalling this story as it develops is the presence of Syril, who overhears a heated negotiation. He overhears Eedy and Dedra going over their plans for administering the territory. Soller commented on this aspect: “He’s overhearing Eedy and Dedra negotiate plans for how they’re going to divide up the territory of Syril.”
The intricacies of these character dynamics play out like a chess match where tactical goals are blurred by emotional investment. Gough expressed her enthusiasm about acting opposite Kathryn Hunter as Eedy, emphasizing Hunter’s status as a theatrical legend in her eyes: “I was so excited for Denise to experience Kathryn as Eedy.”
