Small Screen Star Wars

The final installment of the Skywalker saga is here, and it marks the end of not only the sequel trilogy, but Star Wars as we know it. Hot off the heels of a first viewing, the full ToB crew sat down to decompress and analyze in a spoiler-free initial reaction episode.

Endings are tough, and this is no exception; while the performances are consistently fantastic, with so many characters and plot lines left unresolved the film was faced with a Herculean task in wrapping up one of the most beloved series of all time. Moving at a break-neck speed the film seems to jump from concept to concept with reckless abandon and, while always visually stunning, this tempo tends to prevent any impactful emotional resonance (again, having only seen it once). In this conversation, we try to avoid specifics and speak to the movie as a self-contained story, while also commenting on the saga at large. With the various rumours, press-releases, leaks, etc. coming from the set, the conversation naturally veers towards the Director’s seat and the impact of what feels like diametrically opposed visions for the project leading to a sort of dissonance between episodes IIX and IX specifically.

That being said its always fun to talk Star Wars and this episode is no different. The series is something we’re all passionate about and although the Skywalker saga has reached it’s conclusion, the door is wide open for new and innovative exploration within the galaxy far, far away.

The Mandalorian took a turn after episode 3 (err… chapter 3?), it went from the serialized storytelling that we’ve become accustomed to in modern television, and became much more “monster of the week” for lack of a better term. This is a change that some fans have appreciated, enjoying the shows willingness to subvert the expectations that it had setup at the beginning and take us on fun new adventures every week. Others, who hoped for a tight, concise, 8 episode story feel that the show has lost it's through-line and therefore feels directionless. All opinions are valid, however, I think most fans of this show will agree that Chapter 6 “The Prisoner”, regardless of it’s lack of connective tissue to the larger narrative, is nothing less than absolutely entertaining. This week’s installment is a mashup of part heist film, horror film and adventure film, and filled with great performances and juicy character moments. This week, The Mandalorian shows us that it’s capable of make exciting choices that go well beyond fan-service (but still willing of giving us some).

After suffering damage during a dogfight with a rival bounty hunter, The Mandalorian is forced to dock at the notorious backwater planet of Tatooine. While grounded, Mando heads to the Mos Eisley Cantina expecting to find a nefarious den of scum and villainy, only to find a post-Empire, less-villainous, droid-operated dive bar. Luckily, Toro Calican; a prospective bounty hunter is onsite and recruits The Mandalorian for a high-risk, high-reward mission to capture a rival mercenary. Under The Mandalorian’s guidance, the rookie bounty hunter come close to success, but the avaricious nature of the profession wins out and Toro seizes an opportunity to make a name for himself.

Also, more baby Yoda memes are generated. Cool.

When Mando and Baby Yoda flew off into space at the end of Chapter 3, many people expected the show to take a turn and start driving toward a logical goal or destination. Unfortunately for those people, that wasn’t the in Chapter 4 “Sanctuary”. In many ways a filler episode, Mando makes a stop in a backwater world only to meet a former Rebel Shock Trooper, and a wholesome village before all havoc breaks loose. Filled with some cliched story beats and questionable direction and performances, it’s easily the worst installment of The Mandalorian so far. That doesn’t mean it didn’t still have it’s redeeming elements however, with Baby Yoda steeling the spotlight once again, as well as an exciting set-piece finale, it’s clear the show hasn’t completely lost it’s touch, and there’s still plenty to look forward to. Join Julian, Daniel, and Jeremy as they unpack the full episode and dive into the details.

With Chapter 3 of The Mandalorian we get the culmination of the beginning of what we expect to be an epic journey. Even if what journey will entail is still left unknown. As we watch the Razor Crest fly off into the depths of space at the end of this episode, we are left wondering where this adventure will go next. It can only be described as exciting as The Mandalorian leaves off the first, approximate, third of this season on such a mysterious note. Julian and Daniel, are joined by Jeremy Kozier to try to decipher that mystery as well as acknowledge and appreciate the amazing set pieces, and unbearable cuteness of Baby Yoda on this week’s episode of Small Screen Star Wars.

The Mandalorian Chapter 2 picked up right after the events of Chapter 1, and even though it’s another relatively short episode, the show is really starting to round into form. Choosing to forgo dialogue for long stretches in favour of scintillating visuals and a score that brings a distinct feel to the Star Wars universe, The Mandalorian shows that it’s not interested in being a traditional television series. This episode provides less to unpack in terms of small details and Star Wars lore, but that doesn’t mean Julian and Dan can’t fill your ears with more in depth discussion about a show that still neck deep in mystery.

It's been a long time in the making! Years of planning, blood, sweat, and tears, but it's finally here! I'm talking of course about Small Screen Star Wars - Tower of Babbles latest spin-off show. On this first official episode Julian and Daniel discuss their impressions on the Disney+ streaming service (including the surprise 4k remasters of the all of the Star Wars movies!) as well as look forward to the future of Star Wars, which is looking much more TV heavy than it ever has in the past. Then they review Chapter 1 of The Mandalorian, the ACTUAL long awaited show that finally brings live-action Star Wars to... the small screen!

With the launch of Disney+, so too comes the launch of another Tower of Babble recap podcast. This one however, much like the source materiel, is bigger than just one show - It’s an entire galaxy! Julian Meush, Daniel D’Souza, and Jeremy Kozier, bring their podcasting talents to the world of Star Wars. Listen as they discuss some of their favourite Star Wars films in anticipation of the launch of The Mandalorian. The flagship series for Disney+ and the show that will kick off a new chapter in Star Wars history. As a bonus, enjoy an interview with Lucasfilm Executive, Pablo Hidalgo, that Julian and Dan were lucky enough to conduct at FanQuest 2018.

Look for recaps of the first episodes of The Mandalorian soon!