the most beautiful space opera episode: The Empire Strikes Back

[selinker]

What: Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the 1980 sequel to George Lucas's epic. The continuing story of our band of heroes tempted fans with this trailer:

Click to view

Why: Showing a humility and foresight few would have imagined, George Lucas sought out his old USC film school professor, Irvin Kershner, to direct Empire. Kershner had previously

Comments

[thedan]

I know it's not really an "episode" of anything, but I can't look at any best-of list of space operas without thinking of Galaxy Quest. So I'll nominate it as the best episode of Galaxy Quest.

Good choice on the Firefly ep, not that there are a ton to choose from.

[selinker]

Love me some Galaxy Quest. That movie is all about Missi Pyle.

I waffled between "Our Mrs. Reynolds" and "Out of Gas," and broke the tie in favor of the one which had Christina Hendricks. Which is how I would break all ties, if that option's available.

[thedan]

I think it's even more about Enrico Colantoni. Basically, it's just good to be a Thermian.

[wordwill]

Another great one! (Your Hanukkah Special link doesn't work right as of this writing, though.)

[selinker]

Patched. Thanks for the heads-up, Will.

[bourbon_cowboy]

I know I'm in the minority here, but I always, always, ALWAYS preferred the first Star Wars, precisely because

[selinker]

I don't think you're in the minority, Dave. My guess is most viewers prefer the original over the sequel. SW fanpeople seem to prefer Empire, in no small part because it doesn't have to introduce everyone over and over--you get tired of that when you're watching it for the 35th time. (See also: Spider-Man v. Spider-Man 2, which has the same dynamic.)

[bourbon_cowboy]

I disagree with your disagreement. :) In my life's experience, I have always been the lone voice defending the first movie against the second. The second gets higher ratings in every movie review book I've ever owned, too.

Oh, that reminds me of another thing: Alec Guinness was the only actor who ever figured out how to be a Jedi and be funny at the same time--wry, detached, above it all and a little weary of dealing with idiots. In the second film, he simply intoned Great Lessons, and by the third film, when Luke was himself a Jedi--self-serious, focused, in command of every situation--they lost that spark entirely. Sigh. Another loss. (Yoda was funny, too, but he was funny like an Ewok is funny: a cartoon character with powers. Obi-Wan Kenobi had a history, a full emotional life, and he never got upstaged by his own special effects, and that's why he's still the greatest of them all.)

[rubrick]

My biggest contribution to Lucas's empire has nothing to do with Star Wars, though. More on that in another entry.

You were stormtrooper #38, weren't you! I knew it!

[selinker]

501st Forever!

(Um, no.)