Andor and it’s not even close. Andor is just a straight up fantastic sci-fi drama. It’s definitely helpful to know something about Star Wars lore (I’d say Rogue One and Episode IV would really help), but not necessary with Andor

Andor easily. It really only connects directly to one movie.

Andor. I personally like The Mandalorian better but as a non Star Wars fan, Andor probably is easier to understand without as much background information.

It depends on what kind of TV they like.

Do they like political/crime drama? Then I recommend them Andor

Do they like episodic western/adventure? Then I recommend them Mandalorian.

This hypothetical is sort of silly though because it's not like watching Star Wars is a hard thing to do, and anyone actually interested in checking the shit out will do it on their own since Star Wars is basically everywhere. Nobody really ever needs to recommend Star Wars to another person.

Also not into Star wars but i watched Andor and i loved it

Most likely Andor, which I think is definitely a better show, but it kind of depends on what you're looking for. If you want fun, straightforward action/adventure, you might prefer The Mandalorian. If you was a slower-paced but ultimately more complex and rewarding show, go with Andor.

However I would say that while Season 1 of The Mandalorian wouldn't really be hurt by not being a Star Wars fan, Season 2 (and presumably the forthcoming Season 3), are much more tied into pre-existing Star Wars characters and lore. I still wouldn't say you have to be a super familiar with Star Wars to enjoy the show, but it definitely caters to fans in a way that Andor has almost zero interest in doing.

Tough call but id go Andor

In my opinion , you should go with The Mandalorian. I found Andor boring and didn't care about any of the characters.

Andor. I don’t get why everyone goes so crazy over the mandelorian.

Andor isnt very star wars. Its more like WWII style resistance and very slow burn, set in the star wars universe. Its good but it could drag fairly hard if you aren't that invested.

Mandalorian really relies on you being a star wars fan or at least someone who cares as a lot of it is callbacks, but otherwise is a episodic western

Why watch either? Its more Star Wars. If you don’t care about Star Wars you will also not care about these shows because they're also Star Wars.

Andor can be watched alone. In fact, I'd almost say it should be watched before anything else as it describes the universe and sets up the conflicts in the first released film.

The Mandalorian is action/adventure but takes place after Return of the Jedi and assumes you know the world. There are tons of Easter eggs for fans, and even famous characters.

Andor is much more of a spy thriller and I can see people liking it just for what it is as it is different from most other SW stuff.

But The Mandalorian is more Star Wars. If you don't like Star Wars you probably won't like it.