The 406 Podcast

The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy begins.

In Episode 69 of The 406 Podcast, Chewie and Pip revisit Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the highly anticipated 1999 film that brought Star Wars back to theaters after a 16-year absence.

The conversation explores the enormous hype surrounding the movie's release, George Lucas's creative decisions, the introduction of young Anakin Skywalker, the controversial addition of midichlorians, Jar Jar Binks, the political themes of the story, and the unforgettable arrival of Darth Maul.

The guys also discuss the podrace, Duel of the Fates, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi Council, and whether The Phantom Menace deserves a second look more than twenty years after its release.

Before the deep dive begins, they also recap WrestleMania 38, including Stone Cold Steve Austin's return, Pat McAfee's performance, and the annual John Cena Trophy competition.

Whether you loved Episode I from day one or you're revisiting it with fresh eyes, this is a conversation every Star Wars fan can enjoy.

Originally recorded Thursday April 21st, 2022

Timestamps: 

00:00 Intro & Welcome

Just more than a week away from the 'Granddaddy of em All'... Pip and Chewie review their all time favorite WrestleMania matches! 

Originally recorded on Thursday, March 24th, 2022.

In this episode on the eve of the opening of DC's newest film The Batman, Pip and Chewie discuss their favorite DC Universe films NOT including The Dark Knight.

Originally recorded on Thursday, March 3rd, 2022.

For the first time ever, Chewie and Pip record the 411 From 406 in person.

They preview the Royal Rumble 2022, debate Lesnar vs Lashley, Roman’s WrestleMania future, WWE’s babyface problem, and deliver a spoiler-heavy review of Scream (2022).

Timestamps:

00:00 Recording Live in Indianapolis

Recorded Friday, January 28th, 2022

In this solo episode, the first recorded in 2022, Chewie rambles on for a few minutes about life and an upcoming road trip to see Pip.

Originally recorded on Friday, January 21st, 2022.

In this last episode of 2021, Pip and Chewie discuss their Top 5 Favorite things of 2021. Let’s clarify, best “nerd moments” of 2021. None of that “got to spend time with my kids” shit.

Originally recorded on Thursday, December 30th, 2021.

In this episode Pip and Chewie get together prior to the holidays to discuss their holiday plans as well as what they're excited to see in coming weeks and month including Spider-Man, Cobra Kai, The Matrix and more!

Originally recorded on Thursday, December 16th, 2021.

⚠️ FULL SPOILERS AHEAD

Recorded opening weekend (December 17, 2021), Chewie shares an immediate first-view reaction to Spider-Man: No Way Home after seeing it in theaters with his son.

This is a raw fan reaction — not a spoiler-free review — covering the multiverse setup, Doctor Strange’s role, returning villains from previous Spider-Man eras, legacy Spider-Men, major character deaths, and what the post-credit scenes could mean for the MCU going forward.

If you haven’t seen the movie and want to stay spoiler-free, save this episode for later.

Recorded December 17, 2021

Recorded in December 2021 during the Omicron surge, this solo episode finds Chewie checking in during the holiday season to share a candid, first-person account of his decision to get a COVID booster.

While picking up his son from basketball practice, Chewie talks about illness scares during flu season, parenting through finals week, and weighing risk, immunity, and personal health during a time of uncertainty.

This episode is presented as an archived time-capsule from the pandemic era. It is not medical advice or a debate—just an honest snapshot of how decisions were made with the information available at the time.

Recorded December 2021

In this episode, discovered within the depths of Chewie's hard drive, he rambles about the Facebook whistleblower, COVID, vaccine mandates and more. 

Originally recorded on Tuesday, October 5th, 2021.