The Star Wars Holiday Special

Star Wars Holiday Special


Yes. Star Wars did air a sort of Christmas special in 1978. It was only broadcast on television once. And there is good reason for that.

The Star Wars Holiday Special is SPECTACULARLY bad.

For serious. I first heard about this special back in 1999 when I really started my stint as an obsessed Star Wars fan. All of the older fans in the chat rooms and forums and top ten lists complained extensively about how terrible this special was. Unfortunately, because it was so incredibly bad, it was nearly impossible to find a copy of it.

Just a few days ago, a friend of mine managed to find a download of it. Naturally, he IMed me and told me that he was coming over to watch it with me.

So. Incredibly. Bad.

I’m not even joking. It starts out on Kashyyyk with Chewbacca’s family and once they are named, you know that this special is going to be awful. His wife’s name is Mala. His dad’s name is Idgey. His son’s name?

Lumpy.

So, Chewbacca’s on his way home to celebrate Life Day with his family of freaks and he is delayed by the Imperial Empire’s forces being everywhere. His family is worried. They try to get in touch with Chewie’s friends and find out what’s going on, but oh noes! Stormtroopers! Luckily, Chewie and Han fly in just in time to save the day and everyone has a wonderful Life Day.

That’s all fine and dandy. Nothing wrong there. Except that that is about 20 minutes of this two hour special. The rest of it is Lumpy trying to distract himself with various hidden televisions in their house and nonsensical musical guest stars.

Two words: Jefferson Starship.

Also, there were parts in this special that had nothing to do with the story at all, including a Mos Eisley cantina scene featuring Bea Arthur as a singing barmaid and an animation featuring Boba Fett riding around on a Loch Ness monster looking type thing.

I know. It confused me, too.

But I did have fun watching it. It helped that Justin was there to flail helplessly with me and that we have known for many years that this is a terrible holiday special. We laughed, we recoiled in horror, and we stared blankly when our brains were no longer capable of understanding what we were being shown.

If you’re a Star Wars fan, and I mean a really hardcore Star Wars fan, try and find this. It’s hilarious.