This is the Way Podcast

If you had to pick a project to retire after, it's hard for me to think of a better send-off than Star Wars. Me? No, I'm speaking about Masahiko Ôtsuka, going out with a strong message for the young after many years as a creator of anime. The episode wasn't a long one, just 15 minutes from first shot to the start of credits (the Filmmaker's Focus episode that goes with it lasts less than 7 minutes...

There are special episodes and then there are episodes that are special. This is both! For "May the Fourth" in 2022, Steve interviews...his father. Impossible you say, Luke? Nonsense. Yes, we are well aware that Mother's Day is right around the corner. Steve's mom will have her own time to shine here on This is the Way Podcast. Today was a short interview about remembering Star Wars for the boys....

Star Wars: Visions? Visions. Now that's a show I've not podcasted about in a long time. A long time. More than four months and 17 episodes since our discussion of episode 5 in season one, and rumors have discussed the release of season two. Originally, Steve thought he might wrap all the episodes into one podcast and gloss over the anime, because it's not his favorite medium for storytelling. Afte...

Sometimes content creators have reasons to try and get ahead. With the week of April's news update release coming with a holiday and work on a second podcast as well, Steve thought he'd clear up family time with a Tuesday recording session for a Friday release. What could possibly be so big that couldn't (or shouldn't) wait until May if it wasn't in the April update? Well, a few things, actually....

Marching onward in 2022, we've got the Obi-wan Kenobi series teaser trailer to mention, a rumor we're kind of hoping isn't true about Grogu (but we don't spoil anything, just in case), and have some videos to recommend if you're thinking of spending a small fortune on a trip to the "stars" near Hollywood Studios in Orlando. The Bad Batch will return a little older here in 2022 according to the com...

The 2022 Annual Disney Shareholders Webcast didn't hold much information for us about Obi-wan Kenobi, but the Entertainment Weekly article and teaser trailer appearing that same Wednesday, March 9th sure did! I'd like to mention that just for the sake of partiality, I do not own stock, even partial stocks, in Disney...though it probably is a silly restriction to put on myself since it stands to be...

Short month, short news podcast coming your way! Steve experimented heavily with ambient sound under this one, so it might not be your cup of tea, but with so few news items of note, it seemed like a good time to test out a few tricks. There is that ONE news story, of course, but we've already discussed Obi-wan Kenobi's debut date for Disney Plus. It's May 25th. Yeah, we've mentioned that a few ti...

Filoni giveth Cad Bane and he taketh away. Robert Rodriguez wrapped up the first (and only?) season of The Book of Boba Fett with some great action and some head scratching moments. Even casual fans of Star Wars continue to puzzle over the "mods" and their place in the show. The rancor should have been a show stopper, but Grogu is the money maker, let's not pretend we don't know it.\ Chain mail (o...

It's a strange thing to decide you want to do a podcast to talk about your love for Star Wars and then feel like you have to apologize for your opinions just because some people can't handle opinions other than their own. It certainly feels limiting, but then you realize that those people aren't the ones you want to talk to in your everyday life anyway. It doesn't make great business sense, but ca...

Last week, The Mandalorian makes an appearance. This week, the prospect of revisiting Grogu was on the table. Well, we didn't just get "baby Yoda" in Chapter Six. We got Master Luke, Ahsoka Tano, R2-D2, the debut of ant droids, Cobb Vanth...and we even got Cad Bane. Watching so much Star Wars certainly pays off when you get episodes like this because you're not as lost and don't have to say, "wait...

Joy is a very strange emotion when you think about it. Can you predict when you'll be joyful? If you could, would you be able to attain that joy? This is the Way Podcast was filled with joy watching Chapter 6 of The Book of Boba Fett. To talk about it would really spoil it. Oh, if you listen to this podcast before watching the show, you will have the episode spoiled. This is a REACTION to what was...

You can count This is the Way Podcast among the many that would gladly sing the praises of Bryce Dallas Howard this week after a fantastic installment of The Mandalorian, season 2.5 (though it masqueraded as The Book of Boba Fett season 1, episode 5). It's Mando heavy, like a lightsaber in the hands of a novice. There's callbacks to themes galore, even literally (like when Grogu's theme is heard o...

This is the Way Podcast doesn't release reaction podcasts that much anymore. This one felt like it needed it. There are huge spoilers in this reaction podcast. We talk in general about the big events and some of the small things mentioned, too. Do not listen to this reaction podcast without having watched the episode. This is intended to be a podcast for people hoping to hear someone talk about th...

This is the Way Podcast is pleased to tell you that the salty brine of disillusionment has been cleansed by the bacta of fewer anachronisms this week. Chapter 4 was an improvement in our book (of Boba Fett), but according to Steve, that wasn't a tall order. How many bacta sessions are left? None if you take the dressing droid at its word. The emotional scarring may never heal, but the way Boba fre...

We started off the year with The Book of Boba Fett coverage, but we're sticking with the news updates once a month to make sure we stay in the know for ourselves and for you, our listeners. There isn't much news that doesn't have to do with The Book of Boba Fett, but we may soon get some dates for things like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor. Marvel just put out a trailer for their Moon Knight show coming...

This is the Way! Now with extra salt! Steve didn't care for this episode, not for one or two cosmetic issues, but for some real problems that even if fixed might only stick out more. The easter egg colored bikes might fit in the world George Lucas built, but they don't fit in on Tatooine. Neither does the poor fighting of a fearsome wookiee said to be a prized fighter. Nor do Hutts make sense slit...

The Book of Boba Fett is two chapters in and some people say it's slow. It may end up being so, but maybe it's too early to expect all action. Favreau and Rodriguez clearly have an idea of where this show needs to go, but will we all be on board for Boba Fett's brand of rule or is the Tusken flashback stuff bogging down the real story? Time will tell, but maybe it's all parallel. We answer some li...

We dedicated ourselves to putting out a podcast as soon as possible and it turns out it took a new year to get it done. The Book of Boba Fett debuted on December 29th, 2021 and Steve was right there at 3 AM refreshing Disney Plus until the episode was available. The note taking began immediately and as usual, it's finding quiet time to record that holds up the process. All our observations are ori...

It would seem that Steve's co-hosts are lost in the Great Pit of Carkoon and he'll have to take over Jabba's Palace on his own. December 29th, 2021 sees the addition of The Book of Boba Fett to Disney Plus and Star Wars lore and and there is nothing to concern us since Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau have things under control. (What? Robert Rodriguez? That's fine, but...oh, blue motorcycle riding girl...

The year 2021 is coming to a close. The Book of Boba Fett is less than two weeks away from beginning. Christmas Day comes even sooner. Here's our last news update podcast of the year and it seems like forever ago we were wrapping up coverage on season two of The Mandalorian. It's not just news inside this podcast stocking. Down near the toes we've got a giveaway announcement and a coupon code exte...

It has been a few weeks since we've been able to get you a podcast about Star Wars, but we've been busy with superhero stuff on the sister podcast, This is the Way Phase Four. There was a disturbance in the Force, however, and Steve wanted to get back to basics before The Book of Boba Fett became an all-consuming presence. Steve has been taking his time watching one episode of Visions at a time an...

One more episode to a half-hundred! The October giveaway is given away in this episode and it would not be possible without Cufflinks.com. All those who entered correctly will automatically be entered into the November giveaway. Anyone who forgot a step can resubmit and have a chance at this months prize when we announce the recipient in mid-December. THEWAY15 still gets you 15% off sitewide at Cu...

When Disney Plus Day was announced, I got the impression that the special look at Star Wars footage about Boba Fett was going to be all about the new series. Instead, we were treated to a documentary of sorts. A roughly 20 minute 21 second look back from Boba Fett's design stages to where he is now where he's so popular that his demise in a Sarlaac pit has been retconned and he now has his own sho...

Star Wars: Visions released all nine episodes on the same September day and Steve has been taking his time watching one at a time. Episode Four is, in his opinion, a return to efficiency and efficacy in storytelling, much like his feelings on "The Duel." Once again, the soundtrack is as much a star of the show as the characters, and is available to consider on Spotify for Kevin Penkin's 10 tracks....

The new month brought a new trailer with it. Our first look at The Book of Boba Fett came across social media on Monday morning, November 1st, 2021. Steve doesn't have perfect recall on everything he sees and saw the trailer for the first time on his phone. So he missed a few things that he had to catch at the computer. That meant deep dives through Star Wars canon past, Expanded Universe articles...