The Importance of the Star Wars Radio Dramas

This week on Skytalkers, we’re talking about the immensely fascinating and media-changing Star Wars radio dramas. What to expect:

  • We define the what makes a good radio drama, a brief history, and how the Star Wars radio dramas came to be (George Lucas, USC, and more).
  • Brian Daley’s contribution to the Star Wars lexicon and his unmatched impact. 
  • What sets the Star Wars radio dramas apart from the films. 
  • Fun facts and impacts of this “creative scandal”! 
  • … and so much more! 

References:

The Star Wars Radio Dramas: Brian Daley and the Serialization That Saved NPR by Maria Jose Tenuto and John Tenuto 

Blast Points’ interview with Maria Jose and John 

Archive dot org — Star Wars Radio Drama

Archive dot org — Empire Strikes Back Radio Drama

Archive dot org — Return of the Jedi Radio Drama

The Acolyte Renewal Fan Petition https://www.change.org/p/renew-the-acolyte 

The Clone Wars Rewatch: “Supply Lines” & “Ambush” 

We’re back with our rewatch of The Clone Wars in chronological order! We’re talking about the “Toydaria arc”: Supply Lines (303) and Ambush (101). In this episode we discuss:

  • The role of Jar Jar Binks as diplomat and distraction as well as Bail Organa and his tactics of negotiation with Toydarians. 
  • The actual first episode of the Clone Wars with Yoda and the clones and how this episode stands the test of time as the premiere episode of TCW.
  • The immediate fan reaction to these episodes on fan forums.
  • … and so much more!

The Clone Wars Rewatch – Chronological Order

If you haven’t heard, we’re begun a project of rewatching The Clone Wars in chronological order and discussing them by arc. Here’s how we have divided it, in case you want to join in the rewatch too!

Christophsis ArcCat and Mouse (216), The Hidden Enemy (116), (Movie)
Toydaria ArcSupply Lines (303), Ambush (101)
Domino Squad ArcClone Cadets (301), Rookies (105), ARC Troopers (302)
Malevolence ArcRising Malevolence (102), Shadow of Malevolence (103), Destroy Malevolence (104)
R2 Lost ArcDownfall of a Droid (106), Duel of the Droids (107)
Nute Gunray ArcBombad Jedi (108), Cloak of Darkness (109), Lair of Grievous (110)
Pirate ArcDooku Captured (111), The Gungan General (112)
Lurmen ArcJedi Crash (113), Defenders of Peace (114)
Orto Plutonia ArcTrespass (115), Sphere of Influence (304)
Virus ArcBlue Shadow Virus (117), Mystery of a Thousand Moons (118)
Ryloth ArcStorm over Ryloth (119), Innocents of Ryloth (120), Liberty on Ryloth (121)
Holocron ArcHolocron Heist (201), Cargo of Doom (202), Children of the Force (203)
The Zillo Beast ArcBounty Hunters (217), The Zillo Beast (218), The Zillo Beast Strikes Back (219)
Geonosis ArcSenate Spy (204), Landing at Point Rain (205), Weapons Factory (206), Legacy of Terror (207), Brain Invaders (208)
Deserter ArcGrievous Intrigue (209), The Deserter (210), Lightsaber Lost (211)
Death Watch ArcThe Mandalore Plot (212), Voyage of Temptation (213), Duchess of Mandalore (214)
Boba Fett ArcDeath Trap (220), R2 Come Home (221), Lethal Trackdown (222)
Corruption ArcCorruption (305), The Academy (306), Assassin (307)
Ziro the Hutt ArcEvil Plans (308), Hostage Crisis (122), Hunt for Ziro (309)
Heroes on Both Sides ArcHeroes on Both Sides (310), Pursuit of Peace (311), Senate Murders (215)
Nightsisters ArcNightsisters (312), Monster (313), Witches of the Mist (314)
Mortis Gods ArcOverlords (315), Altar of Mortis (316), Ghosts of Mortis (317)
The Citadel ArcThe Citadel (318), Counter Attack (319), Citadel Rescue (320)
Trandoshan ArcPadawan Lost (321), Wookie Hunt (322)
Water ArcWater War (401), Gungan Attack (402), Prisoner(403), Shadow Warrior (404)
Droids ArcMercy Mission (405), Nomad Droids (406)
Umbara ArcDarkness on Umbara (407), The General (408), Plan of Dissent (409), Carnage of Krell (410)
Zygerria ArcKidnapped (411), Slaves of the Republic (412), Escape from Kadavo (413), A Friend in Need (414)
Obi-Wan Undercover ArcDeception (415), Friends and Enemies (416), The Box (417), Crisis on Naboo (418)
Ventress ArcMassacre (419), Bounty (420)
Maul Return ArcBrothers (421), Revenge (422)
Onderon ArcA War on Two Fronts (502), Front Runners (503), The Soft War (504), Tipping Points (505)
Youngling ArcThe Gathering (506), A Test of Strength (507), Bound for Rescue (508), A Necessary Bond (509)
D-Squad ArcSecret Weapons (510), A Sunny Day in the Void (511), Missing in Action (512), Point of No Return (513)
Maul Rules Mandalore ArcRevival (501), Eminence (514), Shades of Reason (515), The Lawless (516)
Ahsoka on the Run ArcSabotage (517), The Jedi Who Knew Too Much (518), To Catch a Jedi (519), The Wrong Jedi (520)
Order 66 ArcThe Unknown (601), Conspiracy (602), Fugitive (603), Orders (604)
Clovis ArcAn Old Friend (605), The Rise of Clovis (606), Crisis at the Heart (607)
Disappeared ArcThe Disappeared Part 1 (608), The Disappeared Part 2 (609)
Force Ghost ArcThe Lost One (610), Voices (611), Destiny (612), Sacrifice (613)
The Bad Batch ArcThe Bad Batch (701), A Distant Echo (702), On the Wings of Keerdaks (703), Unfinished Business (704)
Martez Sisters ArcGone with a Trace (705), Deal No Deal (706), Dangerous Debt (707), Together Again (708)
Siege of Mandalore ArcOld Friends Not Forgotten (709), The Phantom Apprentice (710), Shattered (711), Victory and Death (712)

The Clone Wars Rewatch: “Cat and Mouse”, “The Hidden Enemy”, & Film 

We’ve begun our official rewatch of The Clone Wars! We’re beginning with: Cat and Mouse (216), The Hidden Enemy (116), TCW Film — the Christophsis Arc. In this episode, we talk about: 

  • Why The Clone Wars wasn’t released chronologically. 
  • Early reviews and sentiments about the show. 
  • Our first impressions and new feelings we have about the clones in The Clone Wars! 
  • Our favorite Anakin and Ahsoka moments from the movie.
  • … and so much more.

George Lucas & Modesto, California

On May 4, 2024, Charlotte and I got to check off a big bucket list item and take the drive out from San Francisco to Modesto, California, George Lucas’s hometown. Getting to do this on Star Wars Day no less was the happiest of coincidences. A few years ago we did an episode all about George Lucas’s life in the town he lives now: San Anselmo, California. As an architectural historian in my 9-5 job, I thought it would be fun to dive into some of the buildings and places associated with him there and we had this episode and post all about what we learned. Since then, I’ve been thinking about doing similar episodes for other places in California associated with George Lucas and Star Wars. And thus, now we have this episode all about some of the buildings and places associated with George Lucas in his hometown of Modesto! You can listen to us talk about our trip, the places and buildings, and the overall vibe of Modesto here. See below for all the pictures and references we talk about on the podcast!

This post will be organized in the same three parts as the podcast episode:

Part 1: Modesto’s Historical Context
Part 2: “Local Lucas”: George’s Spots
Part 3: Modesto Today

Continue reading for all the photos and details!

Continue reading “George Lucas & Modesto, California”