Episodes

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

    60: Hoth Takes #60: Girlbossing Too Close to the Sun
    May 23 2025
    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 Dedra’s storylines reveal about the core differences between democracy and fascism? We’ll tackle these and other big issues as we bid farewell to the most revolutionary project in Star Wars history.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 16 mins
  • 59: Hoth Takes #59: OnlyHoths

    59: Hoth Takes #59: OnlyHoths
    Apr 18 2025
    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 to Rogue One. Plus: Eric has a theory he hopes is wrong, and Haley sets herself up for wedding disappointment.
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • 58: Hoth Takes #58: What If…?

    58: Hoth Takes #58: What If…?
    Mar 6 2025
    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 strategy.
    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
  • 57: Hoth Takes #57: Zest for Pirating

    57: Hoth Takes #57: Zest for Pirating
    Feb 10 2025
    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.”
    Show More Show Less
    52 mins
  • 56: Hoth Takes #56: Somehow, Leia Respawned Earlier

    56: Hoth Takes #56: Somehow, Leia Respawned Earlier
    Nov 27 2024
    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 destined to gross us all out. Plus, some theories about Uncle Harlo that you probably aren’t expecting.
    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • 55: Hoth Takes #55: You Can’t Both-Sides the Empire

    55: Hoth Takes #55: You Can’t Both-Sides the Empire
    Oct 17 2024
    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 or mistreatment on far-flung planets? We also discuss how Star Wars journalists balance morality and objectivity, including the ethical challenges of reporting the news from inside the Empire.
    Show More Show Less
    57 mins
  • 54: Hoth Takes #54: Some of Grace’s Best Friends Are White Guys

    54: Hoth Takes #54: Some of Grace’s Best Friends Are White Guys
    Sep 19 2024
    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 what we think of a franchise dominated by The Mandalorian and its spinoffs, how it feels to see an ambitious project get scrapped without a peep from Disney, and how The Acolyte’s demise could hurt Disney in the long run.

    Show notes:
    • Follow Bill Kuchman and read Popculturology
    Show More Show Less
    52 mins
  • 53: Hoth Takes #53: Mae Didn’t Start The Fire (Except She Did)

    53: Hoth Takes #53: Mae Didn’t Start The Fire (Except She Did)
    Aug 13 2024
    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 never guess what big unresolved question Haley wants answered.
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins