Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast

There are hot takes, and then there are truly hoth takes. In this episode, Wired security reporter Lily Hay Newman returns to Hoth Takes to defend one of the most controversial Star Wars claims we’ve ever heard: that The Book of Boba Fett was a good TV show. Lily loved how the show played with different forms of storytelling, and she came away from it with a newfound interest in Boba Fett. But here on Hoth Takes, she has some explaining to do. How does she respond to Eric and Grace’s complaints about the Din Djarin and Grogu interludes and the unceremonious slaughter of the Tusken Raiders? What does she have to say about the mod parlor’s cheap resurrection trick? And what can she possibly mean by comparing The Book of Boba Fett to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine?

How do you tell a story of change without alienating fans who like things the way they are? Disney has faced this dilemma multiple times since buying Star Wars, and the results haven’t always been impressive. From Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi to Ahsoka Tano in her new Disney+ series, storytellers have struggled to depict characters growing and changing while maintaining the core traits that made those characters so popular. In this episode, New Republic staff writer Matt Ford joins Eric and Grace to talk about how Disney should tell bold new stories without trampling on fan expectations. We compare Luke and Yoda’s journeys into exile, contrast Andor with The Book of Boba Fett, and debate the necessity of the big canon reboot. Plus, Matt explains why J.J. Abrams seemed like a natural choice to thread the needle of evolving beloved characters in the sequel trilogy — until it all went wrong.

We’re just about a month away from the premiere of Ahsoka, the live-action series that will continue the story of Star Wars Rebels, give Grand Admiral Thrawn his long-awaited live-action debut, and set up a cinematic Mando-Verse crossover in a battle for the fate of the New Republic. But here at Hoth Takes, we might be more nervous than excited about Ahsoka. In this episode, Eric, Grace, and Haley discuss their hopes, fears, and expectations for the series, from how characters will be portrayed to how the story will unfold. Grace is worried about montrals and lekku, Haley wants to return to a mystical realm, and Eric is eager to see Thrawn and Ezra Bridger spend some quality time together. We also discuss what Sabine Wren and Hera Syndulla are up to, how important Ahsoka Tano will be in her own show, and the unavoidable pitfalls of live-action adaptations of animated series.

Disney is closing the Galactic Starcruiser, its immersive Star Wars hotel in Orlando, Florida, and here at the Hoth Takes podcast, we have some great ideas for what should replace it. But as you’ll hear, only one of us focused on practical suggestions. The others…well, their ideas have to be heard to be believed. In this episode, we’re talking Resistance missions in kitchens, hotels based on the galaxy’s most dangerous planets, time-traveling political hitjobs, and a Star Wars twist on an iconic culinary adventure. We get equal parts wacky and depraved as we pitch Disney’s Imagineers on the most ambitious, legally irresponsible Star Wars theme-park attractions you’ll ever encounter.

Now that The Mandalorian season 3 is over, let’s look back at its story arcs, character choices, and major themes and consider how successful it was. For Eric and Grace, the short answer is: not very successful. In this episode, they discuss Din and Grogu’s bond, Bo-Katan’s path to victory, New Republic and Imperial Remnant world-building, Moff Gideon’s return, and some of the season’s lighter moments. Eric comes up with an ingenious use for an AI image-generation tool, Grace defends a light-hearted detour from the main story, and the two of them disagree about a politics-heavy episode.

Disney made some big announcements about the future of Star Wars at the recent Celebration convention in London. This time on Hoth Takes, we share our hopes, fears, predictions, and questions about each of the upcoming projects. How will fans react to Rey rebuilding the Jedi Order? Can Dave Filoni save his Mando-Verse crossover movie from Marvel-like synergy fatigue? How weird and mystical will the “dawn of the Jedi” movie get? Plus, we’re fascinated by the reported vibe of The Acolyte, Haley is already scared for the children of Skeleton Crew, and Grace is worried about some not-so-subtle hints in the Ahsoka trailer.

How should the New Republic rebuild after the events of the sequel trilogy? In this episode, we debate issues like galactic representation, collective security, and planetary rights as we try to design the ideal structure for the new government. Does the New Republic need a big military? Should it go back to rotating its capital planet? How should it interface with the new Jedi Order? There are disagreements aplenty in this episode of Hoth Takes. Plus, Grace questions the very need for a galactic government, and Haley asks a provocative question about Force knowledge.

The success of Andor has created a new benchmark for quality Star Wars storytelling. But what lessons can Disney actually learn from Andor? What does its popularity tell us about the kinds of Star Wars stories that can succeed? And what does its success imply about the strengths and weaknesses of Disney’s existing Star Wars strategy? In this episode, we explore the perils of open-ended television series, the pitfalls of Disney’s risk aversion, and the challenges posed by cameos and synergy. Plus, we discuss how dark Star Wars can get, how to balance iconic Star Wars trappings with new settings and points of view, and how Disney can branch out into new genres and formats.

Recent Star Wars projects like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor have shown us the strengths and weaknesses of the Imperial surveillance state. But how effective are the Empire’s cameras, databases, and scanners, and how well do storytellers justify the failure of this technology to snare our heroes and stamp out the Rebellion? In this episode, Wired security reporter Lily Hay Newman joins Eric and Grace to discuss the depiction of surveillance in Star Wars. We discuss how the franchise has to adhere to its roots in the technological imagination of the 1970s, how the scale of the galaxy and the complexity of the Imperial bureaucracy might undermine an effective panopticon, and how mod parlors and other tricks can defeat surveillance. Plus, Grace and Eric offer some creative explanations for why Imperial security cameras aren’t constantly alerting Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker’s location.

Andor won critical acclaim for its gritty and nuanced portrayal of rebellion in Star Wars, but what makes its depiction of insurgency so special? In this episode, The Atlantic’s Adam Serwer joins Eric, Grace, and Haley to discuss how faith and revenge motivate rebellion throughout Star Wars, how Luthen’s approach to insurrection sets him apart, how class shapes the goals and decisions of Andor’s rebel and Imperial characters, and what the show says about the role of radical revolutionary violence. Plus, we compare Andor to Star Wars Rebels, Adam makes the case that Andor wants us to think Luthen is a fugitive Jedi, and we discuss a curious theory about two droids being one.