PODCAST:The Big Flop
TITLE:The Star Wars Holiday Special that Luke Skywalker Hates ft. Adam Pally and Betsy Sodaro | 15
DATE:2023-12-25 00:00:00
URL:
MODEL:gpt-4-gizmo
In this episode of "The Big Flop" titled "The Star Wars Holiday Special that Luke Skywalker Hates ft. Adam Pally and Betsy Sodaro," the hosts and guests delve into the story of the infamous 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. This television special, produced by CBS, was intended to maintain interest in the Star Wars franchise between the original 1977 movie and its sequel. However, it became a monumental flop, both critically and commercially.
The show begins by setting the scene in 1978, where actors in cumbersome and hot alien costumes are struggling to film the special. The narrative then shifts to a discussion about the backdrop of Star Wars' initial success and how the Holiday Special was conceptualized. The special focused on Chewbacca's family celebrating a made-up holiday called Life Day, but the plot was thin and heavily padded with incongruous variety show acts.
Various factors contributed to the special's failure. George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, was not directly involved in its production, leading to creative decisions that diverged significantly from the original movie's ethos. Key actors from the Star Wars films, such as Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher, had limited roles, and the show was plagued by production issues, including a change in directors and a budget overrun.
The episode humorously recounts bizarre segments from the special, including a cooking show segment with Harvey Korman playing an alien chef, and a virtual reality sequence featuring Diane Carroll that had unintentionally sexual overtones. Carrie Fisher performed a musical number about Life Day, further adding to the special's strange mix of content.
Despite the involvement of notable talent like Bob Mackie in costume design, the special was widely panned. It was criticized for its nonsensical plot, poor execution, and lack of understanding of what made Star Wars appealing. The special aired only once and was never officially released again, though it has since gained cult status and is available unofficially.
Guests Adam Pally and Betsy Sodaro share their experiences and thoughts about the special, with Pally recounting watching it under the influence of mushrooms. The hosts and guests speculate on the motivations behind the special and the reasons for its failure, providing comedic insights into this peculiar moment in television history.
The episode concludes with a discussion on whether the special was a 'baby flop,' 'big flop,' or 'mega flop,' with consensus leaning towards it being a 'mega flop' due to its impact on the Star Wars franchise and its enduring infamy. The Star Wars Holiday Special remains a notable example of how a wildly successful franchise can stumble when a project strays too far from its roots and falls into the hands of those who don't fully grasp its essence.
