Why the Star Wars Holiday Special is the perfect cure to lockdown blues

The infamous Star Wars Holiday Special with all its songs, absurd aliens, and completely incoherent plot, is the perfect way to have a laugh with a friend.

It took me many, many years but recently I finally sat down to watch the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, in which we watch as Chewbacca’s family prepares for their Life Day celebrations, and I was shocked. Yes, it really is an incoherent mess like everyone says, but it’s also got some truly absurd highlights that bring a laugh and make it worth a watch… here’s why.

Note: Watch it with a friend  

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I do not recommend watching The Holiday Special alone! Watch it with a friend over video call for a fantastic evening treat.

Watching it with someone else allows you to laugh at the ridiculousness of the Special, whilst also indulging in the references to the original movie, and, of course, commits you to watching the whole thing without switching off 10 minutes in.

It has some fan-favorite moments  

We all know that The Holiday Special has the first look at Kashyyyk and Boba Fett, but one can never truly appreciate these until one has watched it.

Despite George Lucas’s assertion that had he enough time and a sledgehammer, he would destroy every copy of The Holiday Special, it has still managed to cement itself as a big part of the Expanded Universe material due to these fan favorites.

And, dare I say it, the Boba Fett animated short is actually quite good. It’s an interesting new look at the pre-Empire Strikes Back Boba, has a beautiful, abstract animation style, and his weapon is the inspiration behind Din Djarin’s pulse rifle.

So, watch it for its cultural significance, if nothing else.

It has some of Star Wars’s most absurd aliens  

Star Wars is known for its unique alien characters, but my goodness does The Holiday Special take this to the next level, and, for this alone, it is worth a watch.

From the man with a volcano head, to the four-armed cook, to the utterly confusing android who repeats every word he says about ten times, the show boasts the most laughable characters you will find anywhere in Star Wars (I have always thought many of these characters would make for great cosplays).

Who knows what the creative minds behind this special were thinking, but the aliens they created are so whacky that you have to see them to believe them.

The songs 

The Holiday Special is probably most infamous for its musical breaks, but some of the songs are quite good.

Granted, the strange, psychedelic techno pieces are difficult to watch, but ‘Goodnight, but not Goodbye’, sung by a bartender on Tatooine, is quaintly heartwarming in its absurdity, and the final composition, sung by Princess Leia as the Life Day celebrations begin, is a must-watch for any Star Wars fan.

That’s the thing about The Holiday Special. It’s ridiculous beyond belief, but this very ridiculousness makes it so appealing to watch, especially with a friend. Star Wars has always had strange bits that fans cannot help but love (the Ewoks, for instance), and The Holiday Special takes only the strange bits and makes the most unique variety show you’ll ever see.

You really do have to see it to believe it and whilst we’ve got all this time on our hands, what better time to give it a shot?

Where to watch? You might be able to find it on YouTube.

Have you seen The Holiday Special? What did you think? Let us know below!