Sure there are less episodes here than on USA (typically 14-16) or network (usually 22), but to say that it is okay here because there are only 8 episodes feels like a cop out. You adjust your season story to your episode order. That is how the hundreds of other 8 or 10 episode TV series out there tell satisfying season-long stories. Right now it is clear they just don't have much story to tell per season, or an interest in telling much story per season. And the production budget has nothing to do with the quality of the story you're telling. Good writing does not cost extra (well, beyond hiring good writers).
Oh, I absolutely agree. Those are all problems. The truth is the show has many issues. Like I said, it is very much enjoyable -- but entirely on the very shallow ground of high production values and the Star Wars brand. There's virtually nothing strong beyond that and the music.
There is a difference between what is happening, and how and why it's happening. Depending on who you are talking to, these can be seen as plot versus story.
You can jam a lot of plot into a film or TV show, and still end up with no story being told. So I think trying to quantify the amount creates a standard that is not worth following. Storytelling isn't a numbers game.
In regards to The Mandalorian, I don't think anyone told Favreau and Filoni they had to make 8 episodes. That is a choice they made, or really Favreau as he originated the project. Favreau said he wrote 4 scripts before even being hired. So he probably knew how far long his story was and how many more episodes he figured would be in season 1. He likely had an idea of where the series as a whole would go. He was writing Season 2 before Season 1 premiered, and was writing Season 3 before 2 premiered. My point is, the story he is telling takes into account the episode order because that was designed by him.
I don't know if Favreau and crew have "an interest in telling much story per season" and I don't care. I'm going to judge this based on what is presented to me. And what I see is a lot of how and why in each of the 13 episodes. In every episode we are shown why this era of Star Wars is the way it is and how it is leading to what we see in TFA (And beyond). Since the end of the 1st episode, and every episode since, we have seen Din and The Child's relationship evolve in some way. We have seen why Din acts the way he does and how he interacts with the world around him. The world is changing around him and sometimes he is the cause of it, and sometimes it changes him right back. This has not been a straightforward journey, but no good journey every is. Din is a bounty hunter, so much of his life has been literally episodic. It's how he makes a living. For a show about a bounty hunter this makes a lot of sense, even when he isn't hunting bounties. He lives his life by having short term goals. So it makes sense why the audience is seeing short adventures every week.
The show is a bonafide cultural phenomenon. And it's not because of the high production values and Star Wars brand. People like these characters. Yes The Child is a beautiful piece of technology, but that would only go so far if people didn't genuinely connect with him and Din and their relationship. Paring up this ruthless bounty hunter that is living day to day with little attachment to anything else, to a precious little baby that he now has to care for is a fascinating dynamic. It's not groundbreaking, but it's managed to rise to level where a lot of people that don't typically like Star Wars are watching this and Star Wars fans that have specific pieces they like about the franchise are seemingly coming together and enjoying this show.
We can talk about the issues and shallow ground, it's good to be critical, but as always with art it's going to come down to how the audience feels about it. If you make the connection then the faults don't matter so much. Or the faults just melt in to the identity of the show and become inseparable from the essence. So this "lack of story" simply isn't a negative to a lot of people. The identity of this show is built around Mando going on adventures with The Child and the audience anticipate seeing each step of that journey, the route and destination are just that little carrot pulling it along.