Despite still being a week out, the runtime for Episode 2 of The Mandalorian Season 3 has been revealed.
The third season of the flagship Star Wars Disney+ series is here, and fans are getting their first taste of Grogu and Din Djarin in quite some time.
Early reactions to the new season's first two episodes are in, and critics are ravenously eating up this latest adventure in the galaxy far, far away.
Despite the premiere's lean runtime, the series supposedly "kicks off with a bang" and then does not let up from there.
How Long Is Episode 2 of Mandalorian Season 3?
@Cryptic4KQual, who has shared numerous accurate runtimes in the past, reported that Episode 2 will clock in at 42 minutes and 24 seconds. This length - which is notably 7 minutes longer than this season's premiere - does not include the subtitle or dubbing credits featured after the initial production credits, so U.S. viewers can expect Episode 2 to be listed at 45 minutes on their Disney+ app.
Episode 2 is getting substantial praise, being described as a "delight" and "incredible in every sense of the word" by Comicbook.com's Adam Barnhardt:
"'The Mandalorian' S3 has a pretty sluggish start with Episode 1...
...Episode 2 though is incredible in every sense of the word. The Mandalorian lore is some of the most interesting storytelling in all of Star Wars and boy howdy, 3x2 is such a delight."
Alex Zelben from Decider shared a similarly positive reaction to the second episode, remarking that after some "table-setting" in Episode 1, Episode 2 is "where it kicks into classic Mando:"
"'The Mandalorian' starts slowly in the S3 premiere (despite a big action scene) with some table-setting and reintroductions. Episode 2 is where it kicks into classic Mando, and finds its groove. Regardless, GIFable Grogu stuff in both episodes, and that's all that REALLY matters."
What to Expect in Episode 2 of The Mandalorian
Much has been made about the record-breaking Mandalorian Season 3 premiere and its lower-than-expected run time, but it seems like that was only a minor bump in the road if that is what one wants to call it.
After the narrative "table-setting" of Episode 1, the second entry into Season 3 will seemingly kick things into full gear with an action-packed 40-plus-minute runtime.
While nothing has been confirmed, Episode 2 feels like when Mando and Grogu will get their journey on the planet Manadlore started in earnest, setting up what is to come in the rest of the season (which runs all the way through April 19).
Their travels to the Mandalorian homeworld have been one of the main focuses in the lead-up to the third season, and Episode 2 feels like the perfect place for the fireworks to begin.
As for where Episode 2's length will sit when compared to the rest of Season 3, this runtime is likely around where fans can expect much of the season to fall into. Most episodes of the series fall around that 40-minute window, with only a select few breaching the 50-minute ceiling (the Season 2 premiere being the last one to do so)
Episodes of The Mandalorian Season 3 will begin airing every Wednesday on Disney+ starting at 12 a.m. PST on Wednesday, March 1.
