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PODCAST

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast

Journalists Eric Geller, Grace Segers, and Haley Byrd Wilt combine their love of debating Star Wars with their professional curiosity, irreverence, and knack for asking hard questions in this freewheeling discussion show about the galaxy far, far away.

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All Episodes

57:16

65: Hoth Takes #65: Show Me the First Padawan Braid

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2025/11/24

Between Andor and the upcoming Mandalorian and Grogu movie, Star Wars is currently leaning into stories about the “regular” people of the galaxy. But what about the Jedi and the Sith, the people at the core of the Skywalker saga that started it all? In this episode, Wired’s Lily Hay Newman joins Eric and Haley to discuss the Jedi and the Sith stories we want to see, the challenges of superhero protagonists, and the value of the Force as a storytelling concept in an increasingly rational world. We

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42:49

64: Hoth Takes #64: Do I Not Like Star Wars Anymore?

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2025/10/20

The teaser trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu makes it pretty clear that the first Star Wars movie in seven years will be a popcorn flick for Baby Yoda fans of all ages. But how much will hardcore fans get out of the film? Will it meaningfully expand the universe or shed light on the state of the galaxy? And if not, is that even a bad thing? Politico’s Bill Kuchman joins Eric and Haley to analyze the teaser trailer and discuss what we want and expect from the movie. We talk about the challenges

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44:11

63: Hoth Takes #63: Please Don’t Sue Us, Guy Fieri

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2025/09/26

With few Star Wars film or television projects on the horizon, it’s time to think about how we would fill the void if we were in charge. In this episode: three pitches for revitalizing the Star Wars franchise on the big and small screens. Eric offers a redemption story for an Andor villain, Haley proposes a subversive culinary journey, and Grace imagines a better sequel trilogy. Our ideas lead to conversations both silly and profound, with a lore connection that no one could have seen coming.

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58:45

62: Hoth Takes #62: The Double-Edged Sword of Relevance

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2025/08/08

Star Wars is in a strange place right now. Many movies have been abandoned, several TV shows have ended or been canceled, and it’s unclear how the projects on the horizon will mesh together. By all accounts, Lucasfilm doesn’t have an overarching vision for the franchise. But does it need one? In this episode, Eric’s old friend Justin Bolger joins him and Grace to discuss the direction of the Star Wars franchise and whether it needs a storytelling czar. We also discuss the way the franchise feels now

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43:48

61: Hoth Takes #61: No Bras In Space

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2025/06/30

Strong women have been part of the Star Wars saga from the very beginning, but the franchise has often struggled with how it portrays them. In this episode, we compare and critique how storytellers have written Leia Organa, Padme Amidala, Ahsoka Tano, Rey No Surname, and other female characters; share our disappointments about these and other women’s narrative arcs; and explore how the franchise has become so inhospitable to female creators and actors. Plus, we find reasons for optimism in a few

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75:54

60: Hoth Takes #60: Girlbossing Too Close to the Sun

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2025/05/23

Andor season 2 is over, and we have strong feelings about it! Join us as we debate and disagree about Cassian’s destiny, Bix’s trauma, Luthen’s amorality, and Mon’s eye-opening escape, plus two other, very different relationships. Andor raised important questions about the balance between idealism and pragmatism in a rebellion, but how well did it address this tension? Did the second season get too dark, or did it effectively follow up on themes from the first season? And what do Cassian and

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49:04

59: Hoth Takes #59: OnlyHoths

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2025/04/18

With the premiere of Andor season 2 just a few days away, we’re sharing our hopes and predictions for the long-awaited return of Cassian Andor and company. We discuss the show’s increasing political relevance, its unconventional release schedule, and our excitement about everything from Rebellion tensions to weird aliens and cool food. We also talk about whether Andor should stay away from the Force, which characters might make cameo appearances, and how we hope to see Cassian evolve in the lead-up

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55:52

58: Hoth Takes #58: What If…?

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2025/03/06

Inspired by one of our favorite TV shows, we’re diving into the world of alternate universes and unexplored possibilities. Eric and Grace each pitch several ideas for “what if?” storylines that explore Star Wars’s most tantalizing roads not taken. From the end of the Clone Wars to the Sequel Trilogy, these alternate storylines have our imaginations running wild. Plus, with the Andor season 2 teaser trailer fresh on everyone’s minds, we take a few minutes to voice our concerns about Andor’s marketing

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52:25

57: Hoth Takes #57: Zest for Pirating

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2025/02/10

With Skeleton Crew, Disney told a Star Wars story unlike any other, but still rooted in the themes that make the franchise so successful and endearing. In this episode, we discuss our favorite storylines, analyze the characters at the heart of the series, and consider its depiction of morality, obedience, and bravery. We also share our favorite jokes, speculate about the show’s future, and debate the concept of “unclaimsies.”

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58:22

56: Hoth Takes #56: Somehow, Leia Respawned Earlier

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2024/11/27

We’re less than five months away from the premiere of Andor season 2, so what’s in store for us when the best live-action Star Wars TV show returns? In this episode, Eric, Grace, and Haley try to predict the twists and turns that lie ahead for Cassian Andor, Mon Mothma, Luthen Rael, and the other characters we’ve come to know and love (or love to hate). We consider how far Mon will go, how Luthen will exit the picture (and what we’ll learn about his past), and whether Syril Karn and Dedra Meero are

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57:14

55: Hoth Takes #55: You Can’t Both-Sides the Empire

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2024/10/17

Would independent journalists have prevented the events of Star Wars from happening? In this episode, we unpack a topic at the precise intersection of our fandom and our professional lives: the role of journalism and media in Star Wars. How do people in the Star Wars galaxy get their news, and how does news consumption affect their lives? How do three successive galactic governments use HoloNet broadcasts to their advantage? And what does the lack of local news mean for people suffering from apathy

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51:30

54: Hoth Takes #54: Some of Grace’s Best Friends Are...

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2024/09/19

It’s a bleak time in Star Wars fandom, as the community processes the news that Disney has canceled The Acolyte following lackluster viewership and relentless online hate from bigoted trolls. What does the cancelation mean for the future of Star Wars storytelling, and what does it say about Disney’s corporate philosophy and the larger issues with streaming television today? Politico’s Bill Kuchman joins Eric and Grace to discuss the demoralizing cancelation and its broader implications, including

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49:23

53: Hoth Takes #53: Mae Didn’t Start The Fire (Except...

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2024/08/13

It’s rare that we at Hoth Takes are so overwhelmingly critical of a piece of Star Wars media, but The Acolyte’s final two episodes definitely earned that treatment. Listen in as we critique Osha’s fall to the dark side, the show’s moral message, and Vernestra’s coverup. We also discuss the Jedi’s culpability for the events on Brendok and the Republic’s interest in overseeing Jedi business. Plus, we speculate about what Darth Plagueis is up to and how much Vernestra will confess to Yoda. And you’ll

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64:32

52: Hoth Takes #52: The Jar Jar You Were With Was...

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2024/07/09

Things have taken a turn on The Acolyte, as a ruthless villain reveals himself — in more ways than one. In this episode, we discuss the middle act of The Acolyte, including a stunning fight on a forest planet and a fascinating dark-side seduction on a hidden world. We delve into Qimir’s insidious ideology, Mae’s messy behavior, and what, exactly, Osha could possibly be thinking. Plus, we’re nervous about Sol, and Haley has a food question.

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60:01

51: Hoth Takes #51: Put Your Noodles Down And Fight Me

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2024/06/17

Three episodes in, The Acolyte is taking Star Wars in a bold new direction with fresh characters and a disturbing but thought-provoking premise. Join Eric, Grace, and Haley as we break down the complicated relationships between the main characters, debate the portrayal of an exiled witch coven, and try to predict where the show is heading. Grace is on a social media break, so it’s up to Eric and Haley to fill her in on the awful online discourse. And you won’t believe how long it takes Haley to

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62:40

50: Hoth Takes #50: I Can See His Face

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2024/05/28

What’s it like being in love with a huge Star Wars nerd? To celebrate our fiftieth episode, we’re talking about the role that Star Wars plays in our personal lives, and we’re joined by three special guests: our partners. From first dates and pandemic TV marathons to naming cars and doing bad impressions, our significant others pull back the curtain on how our love of Star Wars manifests beyond the microphones of Hoth Takes. Plus, we ask our partners about galactic conspiracy theories and their best

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47:37

49: Hoth Takes #49: Thrawn In Sixty Seconds

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2024/04/22

Disney is following Tales of the Jedi with Tales of the Empire, opening up new opportunities for Tales anthologies focused on other corners of the galaxy. Given the recent focus on the dark side, we decided to pitch our best ideas for anthologies about our favorite overlooked villains. But what starts as an episode about a future Tales anthology quickly snowballs into a brainstorming session about much wackier concepts — and eventually, we come up with a Star Wars TV show so perfect that it

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44:10

48: Hoth Takes #48: Somehow, Palpatine Was Born

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2024/03/12

With the upcoming Star Wars TV show The Acolyte in the news recently, Eric and Grace sit down to discuss their hopes and expectations for the franchise’s first mystery thriller. We talk about the storytelling potential of a wide-open time period, the challenges of humanizing villains without glorifying them, and whether and how Disney will use the show to plant the seeds of the prequels. Plus, inspired by The Acolyte’s mature tone, we have a mini-debate about whether there’s room in Star Wars for

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57:16

47: Hoth Takes #47: Gothic, Melodramatic, And Bad For...

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2024/02/14

For as long as the stars have been warring, they’ve also been loving. So why has the Disney era of Star Wars had noticeably fewer romances, including multiple frustrating missed opportunities in the sequel trilogy? To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we’re diving into the topic of romance in Star Wars. We explore the challenges of writing romantic relationships, the factors that might be discouraging Disney from emphasizing love stories, and how Star Wars has succeeded and failed at romance, from Hera and

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48:36

46: Hoth Takes #46: Romancing the Hutt

Hoth Takes: A Star Wars Podcast ·

2024/01/25

You can tell a lot about a person’s Star Wars fandom by what they put on a top-five list. In this episode, Eric, Grace, and Haley share, explain, and defend their five favorite examples of various Star Wars themes, debating the best criteria to use and the most controversial omissions from each other’s lists. As we discuss the reasons for certain inclusions and exclusions, we revisit memories from our own journeys with Star Wars, from childhood wonder at a senatorial outfit to adult awe at a special

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