"Every Star Wars TV show and movie ranked" Topic

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I have to agree with the ranking of the original Star Wars as the best. First and most importantly, it invented the whole mess. It came before the Roman Numerals, for crying out loud!
Empire was "merely" a very well done second in a "trilogy".

And for those who have pined to see the rumored awfulness, the Holiday Special is included.

Enjoy! Or, not.

Even the horrible Episode 1 gad the awesome pod races.

The prequels should all be at the bottom. Sure the Holiday Special was bad, but that was just a stupid quasi-variety TV show. Did Lucas ruminate over THS for twenty years?

A 'meh' meal at a five-star restaraunt is always worse than a hastily-prepared grilled cheese sandwich.

I have never seen the Holiday Special – tomorrow is a Bank Holiday, so I'll get in the popcorn and enjoy. Han goes to Wookie World, huh ? Sounds Awesome !

Star Wars (no numerals, no guarantee of a sequel) was and is the best – without the anniversary added in CGI rubbish.

Han shot first !

I think you really had to be around to see The original Star Wars in its first run to realize how revolutionary and exciting it was. None of the rest had the same impact and while I only saw the first prequel boy it sucked.

The original was by far the best. After seeing that movie it was like give me a light saber and an X-wing star fighter and let's go kick some Imperial butt.

What?? Robot Chicken and Family Guy episodes don't even rate? Far better than some of those listed. Even an old timer like me has seen all of them! And no, I'm not a huge SW fan. We were all too "cool"(20 something) for Star Wars when it first came out! I do love a good parody though.

Empire is better than the original Star Wars. Better story. Better dialog. Better direction.

As a "film", yes. But it could not exist without the original.

The first film was the best. Period. A good old fashion space opera writ large. Everything else went downhill from there (and especially any and all that had Ewoks in it. God! I hate those oversized muskrats…). As for continuing the franchise (and that's what it is, what with figures, games, toys, etc), do us all a favor and STOP. NOW.

There must be some compulsory disorder invented for this very thing…

Empire Strikes Back is better!

Wow it listed the Samurai Jack Clone Wars series… that was good stuff. It made the disappointment of the cgi series much worse.

Empire Strikes Back is better!

What the OFM said. As an adult, I appreciate the quality of ESB in its dialogue, themes, twists and moods. It's the best written and best directed of all the Star Wars films… BUT it doesn't hold up on its own. It can't. None of what is happening between Han and Leia makes any sense or carries any dramatic tension for the viewer without the first film. Luke and Vader's connection makes no sense without the previous film. Even why anybody would put up with that whiny gold robot makes no sense without the first film. It's not just in media res, it's in media res with no exposition occurring at all. Who is Luke? What's this light saber thing? Who the heck is that ghost? Who's "Ben?" Who's "Obi Wan Kenobi"? What the heck is a Jedi? What the heck is "The Force?" How did he make that flashlight thing move to his hand? Why does everybody seem to abandon all sense of military chain of command and rules for this low-level pilot? Why does that little robot talk in beeps? Why is the big bad guy in the black outfit after this Skywalker kid?
Without the first film, it would be a mostly indecipherable mess. Oh, you can follow the plot; you'll just have no idea what is going on or why any of it is important.

But even if you have seen the first film, ESB still doesn't stand above it, because ESB is incomplete— not only does it begin so far into in media res as to be one big question mark, it ends still in media res. The story isn't finished, and it's a long way from being finished. Let's face it, when you were a kid, how did you react to your first viewing of ESB? I remember mine. I thought it was cool, I thought the big surprise was an absolute shock, I was stunned that the girl picked the other guy… and then I was left with Han captured, Luke in a hospital, and Chewie flying off with the new guy… and I was completely disappointed! I wanted a story, not a filler arc. I wanted the whole Good Triumphs Over Evil experience of the first film. I wanted to dance out of the theater, waving my imaginary light saber, flying my imaginary X-wing, defeating the evil Stormtroopers and Darth Vader just like the heroes in the movie… and that didn't happen.

So, yes, technically ESB is the "better" film. But the original is the better movie, and the better story.

Let's put it this way— if you could only watch one out of all the Star Wars saga and assorted elements, which one would it be? And there's the answer to which one is best.