We're back with a big announcement about winding the show down. 

In regular programming, we discuss the following news:

• The first trailer for The Acolyte is released.

• Star Wars Celebration 2025 ticket release is announced. 

• Star Wars: The Phantom Menace back in theatres and full Skywalker Saga marathon for Star Wars Day

We also discuss our thoughts on Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, with spoilers throughout, towards the end of the show. 

If you want to contact us to share any messages before the show ends, please message us on Twitter or send us an email at [email protected] 

Many thanks to Christy Carew for the Scavenger's Hoard theme, and Nemling for our artwork.

We’re back! In this news-packed episode, Rachael and Kirsty run through the latest Star Wars news:

• The Mandalorian and Grogu movie announcement 
• Recent comments from New Jedi Order director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
• Adam Driver comments on Star Wars experience on Ferrari press circuit
• Dave Filoni’s promotion within Lucasfilm

We also share our thoughts on what we’ve been watching lately, including Apple TV show Foundation, Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, Michael Mann’s Ferrari and Todd Haynes’ May December.

Many thanks to Christy Carew for the Scavenger's Hoard theme, and Nemling for our artwork.

This episode is all about the recent Star Wars movie announcements. Specifically, we read out and discuss our listeners’ thoughts on the following projects:

• Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey/New Jedi Order film

• James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi film

• Dave Filono’s Mandoverse movie

This will be our last episode for a while due to us being busy with other commitments - we hope to be back with a new episode later in the summer!

Many thanks to Christy Carew for the Scavenger's Hoard theme, and Nemling for our artwork.

In this news-packed episode, Rachael and Kirsty run through the following bits of news from Star Wars Celebration Europe:

• The Andor season 2 presentation/teaser

• The Acolyte presentation/teaser

• The Skeleton Crew presentation/teaser

• Star Wars Visions Volume 2 presentation/trailer

We also run through our thoughts on the newly announced movie projects:

• A film on the dawn of the Jedi, from James Mangold

• A Dave Filoni movie that will serve as a climax to the Mando-verse shows

• A new Rey movie from Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, focused on Rey’s attempts to build a new Jedi order (we have a LOT of feelings rn)

We close the episode with a discussion of the latest two episodes of The Mandalorian - Chapter 22: Guns for Hire and Chapter 23: The Spies. Join us for a discussion of the fun cameos, a shocking appearance from the Shadow Council, and some very quick speculation on who the titular spies may be…

Many thanks to Christy Carew for the Scavenger's Hoard theme, and Nemling for our artwork.

*This is a recording of the live panel Rachael recorded with Marie-Claire of What the Force and Laurie, an emerging screenwriter and director - on the Fan Stage at Star Wars Celebration Europe. Rachael has recorded a special intro and outro for the recording.*

The Force Awakens begins with a single line: “This will begin to make things right.” As we approach ten years since the sequel trilogy began, this panel looks at how the sequels expand upon and intersect with the mythological underpinnings of the first two trilogies. In particular, we will focus on how the story of Rey and Kylo Ren tests the boundaries between right and wrong, bringing fresh perspectives to a saga known for its binary morality. This panel will be hosted by Rachael of the Scavenger’s Hoard podcast. She will be joined by Marie-Claire of What the Force?, and Laurie Kirwan-Ashman, an emerging screenwriter and director.

*If you’re at Star Wars Celebration Europe, look out for Rachael’s panel - Powerful Light, Powerful Darkness - on the Fan Stage on Saturday!*

In this episode, Rachael recommends the following:

• Dersu Uzala, dir. Akira Kurosawa

• Rififi, dir. Jules Dassin

Kirsty recommends the following:

• Sabotage, dir. Alfred Hitchcock

• John Wick, dir. Chad Stahelski

• Shanghai Express, dir. Josef von Sternberg

At around 25 minutes in, we quickly discuss our thoughts on some of the directors revealed to be working on Skeleton Crew. We then go on to discuss our mixed feelings on the latest two episodes of The Mandalorian: Chapter 20 - The Foundling and Chapter 21 - The Pirate.   

Many thanks to Christy Carew for the Scavenger's Hoard theme, and Nemling for our artwork.

We begin this episode by confirming the date and time of Rachael’s panel at Star Wars Celebration Europe! Rachael will be co-hosting a panel on the mythology of the sequel trilogy ('Powerful Light, Powerful Darkness: How the Sequels Expand the Mythology of Star Wars'), and the panel will be taking place on the Saturday of the convention from 1.30-2.30pm. We hope Rachael sees some listeners there.

Next, we share our recommendations. Rachael recommends the following:

• Joyland

• Pearl

• Sharper

• Rye Lane

• 65 

Kirsty recommends the following:

• Witness for the Prosecution

• The Aviator’s Wife

• The Memory Police 

At around 32 minutes in, we discuss our thoughts on various pieces of Star Wars news, including:

• The big panels at Star Wars Celebration Europe are revealed!

• Reylo legends included in the Return of the Jedi: From a Certain POV anthology

At around 57 minutes in, we share our thoughts on Chapters 18 and 19 of The Mandalorian: The Mines of Mandalore and The Convert. Join us for a discussion of Bo Katan’s religious awakening, the possibility of Mandalorian catfights and the queasy ethics of the New Republic’s rehabilitation programme. 

Many thanks to Christy Carew for the Scavenger's Hoard theme, and Nemling for our artwork.

We begin this episode by announcing Rachael’s panel at Star Wars Celebration Europe! Rachael will be co-hosting a panel on the mythology of the sequel trilogy ('Powerful Light, Powerful Darkness: How the Sequels Expand the Mythology of Star Wars'), and the panel will be taking place on the Saturday of the convention. We hope Rachael sees some listeners there.

Next, we share our recommendations. Rachael recommends the following:

• The Quiet Girl
• Funny Woman (TV show)
• Alien, dir. Ridley Scott
• Extraordinary (TV show, Disney Plus/Hulu)

Kirsty recommends the following:

• Poker Face
• If Beale Street Could Talk
• There’s Always Tomorrow (1956)
• The Big Clock (1948)
• Decision to Leave
• Pillow Talk

At around 35 minutes in, we discuss our thoughts on various pieces of Star Wars news, including:

• Set photos of Andor being filmed at the Barbican in London
• Disney expected to reveal new Star Wars film at Star Wars Celebration London
• Favreau speaks out on the decision to undo the ending of The Mandalorian season 2 (Empire magazine interview)

At around 50 minutes in, we share our thoughts on the season premiere of The Mandalorian: Chapter 17, The Apostate. Join us for a chat about adorable Grogu moments, the return of Babu Frik’s species, and our continued reservations over the show’s depiction of Mandalorian customs.

We then end the episode with a brief discussion of Matthew Stover’s Mace Windu-centric novel Shatterpoint, which we had our reservations about.

Many thanks to Christy Carew for the Scavenger's Hoard theme, and Nemling for our artwork.

(Apologies for the echo in parts of this recording - I've done my best to reduce this in the edit, but parts were too difficult to remove! I will address the echo during the recording process next time.)

We begin this episode by sharing our recommendations. Rachael recommends the following:

• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
• Tar
• The U.S. and the Holocaust

Kirsty recommends the following:

• Italianamerican, Martin Scorsese 1974
• Anna Karenina, 1948 and 2012
• The Menu
• The Mysterious Affair at Styles and Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie

At 26 minutes in, we discuss our thoughts on the trailer for season three of The Mandalorian. 

At 39 minutes in, we share our current feelings about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. We discuss the film in relation to Andor, and reflect on how our feelings on it have evolved since it was first released.

Many thanks to Christy Carew for the Scavenger's Hoard theme, and Nemling for our artwork.

We're back with our first episode of 2023! We begin by catching up on some recent Star Wars news, including:

• The Mandalorian season 3 begins on 1 March/writers revealed
• Daisy Ridley lunches at Lucasfilm
• Damon Lindelof produced Star Wars film rumoured to begin filming in spring 2023
• The Acolyte cast member Dafne Keen teases the crux of the plot

At around the half hour mark, we move on to discuss our media highlights of 2022, broken down by category:

Rachael's favourite films:

• The Godfather Part II, dir. Francis Ford Coppola
• Inferno, dir. Dario Argento
• Decision to Leave, dir. Park Chan-wook
• The Banshees of Inishiren, dir. Martin McDonagh

Kirsty's favourite films:

• The Night of the Hunter (1955)
• Bound (1996)
• Nope (2022)
• To Be or Not To Be (1942)

Rachael and Kirsty's favourite TV:

• Andor
• Severance

Rachael's favourite books:

• The Post Office Girl by Stefan Zweig
• My Year of Rest and Relaxation & Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
• The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage

Kirsty's favourite books:

• Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
• Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
• Jawbone by Monica Ojeda
• Flowers of Mold by Ha Seong-nan
• Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty
• In Sensorium: Notes for My People by Tanais

Many thanks to Christy Carew for the Scavenger's Hoard theme, and Nemling for our artwork.

We conclude our spoiler-filled coverage of the Disney Plus series with our in-depth discussion of episodes 11-12 of Andor. We discuss the following plot threads:

• Mon Mothma wrestles with her daughter's faith in Chandrilan traditions, and using her family to further the Rebellion. 
• Luthen Rael finds hope again after witnessing the uprising on Ferrix. 
• Maarva Andor's farewell messages, to her son and to her community. 
• Dedra and Syril's toxic bond.
• Cassian Andor finds his path, and finishes up his incredible arc. 

Many thanks to Christy Carew for the Scavenger's Hoard theme, and Nemling for our artwork.