Yesterworld Entertainment recounts 'The Troubled History of the Star Wars Holiday Special - Why & How It Failed'

I telegraphed this post in last year's Yesterworld Entertainment recounts 'The Troubled History of The Nightmare Before Christmas'.

Speaking of bad Star Wars ideas, Yesterworld Mark has a video about the Star Wars Holiday Special. I'm saving that for a snowy day. After all, I'm an environmentalist. I don't just recycle, I conserve my resources.

Today is that snowy day. Watch Yesterworld: The Troubled History of the Star Wars Holiday Special - Why & How It Failed.

Exploring the little known History behind the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, how it came to be and why it's one of the Star Wars Franchises most infamous blunders. The idea by George Lucas began with promise, but ultimately became "so bad it's good" of the Star Wars universe.

I begin my reaction by recycling what I wrote eight years ago.

While the "Star Wars Holiday Special" has been consigned to the equivalent of unperson status for a work of art within the Star Wars universe, it has had three lasting effects. First, it introduced Life Day as the Star Wars version of Christmas -- BTW, a happy early Life Day to my readers! While Wookieepedia does not list it reappearing in any of the movies or TV shows, it was celebrated in the MMOs based on the franchise, Star Wars Galaxies and Star Wars: The Old Republic...

Second, it also introduced the Wookiee homeworld Kashyyyk, which has had a much more durable legacy than Life Day. Its Wookieepedia entry lists 44 appearances and mentions under Canon, including its first portrayal in the movies as a setting of "Revenge of the Sith," and many more under Legends. Even that is not complete, as it was mentioned in an episode of "Once Upon A Time" ...

Finally, as the Vox video points out, it serves as a good example of what not to do in Star Wars, making the rest of both Canon and especially Legends that much better. Think of it as Early Installment Weirdness within what is now Star Wars Legends. In fact, since I've already linked to TV Tropes, its entry for "The Star Wars Holiday Special" mentions it as exactly that and lists this example of Early Installment Weirdness.

Due to being made early in the franchise's history before many ideas and characterizations were set in stone, there's quite a bit. The most striking is Boba Fett acting like a cackling Dastardly Whiplash rather than the stoic Noble Demon he's famous as.

Yes, I've linked to TV Tropes. Enjoy...clicking on links!

I posted a correction of sorts about the original timing of Life Day in Happy First Contact Day, a Star Trek holiday: "Technically, it falls on November 17th and was originally a stand-in for Thanksgiving, but over the years, it has turned into Star Wars Christmas, so many fans celebrate it then." November 17th is also my wife's birthday, which she shares with RuPaul. I have better events to celebrate then than the original date of Life Day!

One of the commenters on Yesterworld Mark's video noted that "Carrie Fisher apparently used to play this at her house every Christmas to make people leave," which IMDB also lists under trivia. After watching the summary of the special, I can see why. It's painful. The writers knew how to write for The Carol Burnett Show, but not for Star Wars, and should have had more respect for George Lucas's original treatment.

That's a wrap for an early Sunday entertainment feature. Stay tuned for Yule/Winter Solstice, when I blog about Christmas Monsters.