Star Wars Podcasts

This will be a general thread to discuss Star Wars podcasts.

To kick things off, lately I've started listening to Star Wars podcasts on my drive to work. After a couple weeks of listening to various podcasts, I've found a few I'm definitely going to listen to on a steady basis. I also found a few I couldn't make it through the whole program without skipping it. Sometimes it's a matter of the host's voice (which I would say is very important), and sometimes it's just a matter of the subject matter.

Overall though, there are three things I came away with that make a podcast enjoyable to me.

1.) Positive discussion: there was one podcast that went into a discussion of The Clone Wars, they had about four or five hosts, and only one of them liked the episode. Now I have no problem with people discussing some criticism of an episode of the TCW, but I also have no interest in listening to about an hour of three or four people bashing an episode while one person defends it. It just wasn't entertaining or even bearable. In fact it affected me so negatively, I'm not even sure I want to give that podcast another chance.

Another thing I ran into was a podcast that ended their episode with a depressing rant. It was an awful way to end the show. On the other hand, I've heard other podcasts do rants that were done very well. They didn't sound like they were ticked off or overly invested in the issue they were ranting about. They kept the tone light enough that it was the sort of rant you could enjoy.

When I listen to Star Wars podcasts, I find that positive discussions are much more enjoyable. Perhaps the old adage "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" should be kept in mind.

2.) Host Chemistry: most podcasts have several hosts, and I've found that hosts that have a really good chemistry together, who seem to get along really well and communicate between each other a lot just makes for a better experience. Some podcasts will heavily delegate certain sections to different hosts to where it's like they are taking turns rather than both of them staying involved in the discussion. Some hosts also don't seem very interested in the discussion. Overall, this is probably the hardest factor to define and more or less is something each listener will find on their own. You'll either like who your listening to or you won't. Some people click, others don't.

3.) Sound: obviously a podcast is pure audio, so if it doesn't sound good it's going to suck. However, the sound of a host's voice is also important. I found a couple podcasts that I didn't like the sound of the host's voice. One had a very heavy accent that I just couldn't take. Another had a very soft voice that was hard to hear. I found that a bad voice could definitely turn me off of a podcast very quickly.

All that aside, I did find a few new podcasts to listen to: Star Wars Book Report, Dark Empire Radio, Star Wars Action News, and for the interviews, The Force Cast and The Force Cast: Jedi Journals.

I liked the chemistry, the discussion, and the interviews on Star Wars Book Report. I think the two hosts are entertaining and work well together. Plus the episode I listened to had some fun interviews.

Dark Empire Radio is a little odd because the host does the podcast semi in-character. It has a Palpatine theme and is the official podcast for The Dark Empire, the official Dark Side costuming group. While the in-character aspect can be kind of corny, it's also entertaining for the same reason, so I'm going to listen to it some more.

Star Wars Action News caught my interest because the hosts are a husband and wife duo with a really great chemistry. They're fun to listen to and they work really well together. It makes for a good setup for Star Wars discussion. I'll definitely be listening to more of this podcast.

The Force Cast and Jedi Journals, however, don't have very good hosts. Plus their discussion can get boring or even irritating. The problem is they have some really good interviews, so I want to listen in for those.

Alright, enough of me. Feel free to add your own observations about Star Wars podcasts, your recommendations, or discuss something else about them

Edit: added "Book" to Star Wars Report. Oversight on my part. (2/19/12)
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Padawan Joined: 24 Apr 2011 Posts: 15

I was just perusing the forum and saw this post. Just thought I'd stop by and thank you for your kind words! I love listening to SW podcasts! The great thing is that just like SW media, there are plenty of them to choose from. There's something out there for everyone. Thanks for tuning into Star Wars Report!

Riley

I'd like to recommend one, but it's been a while since I've listened (their site doesn't allow for subscriptions on iGoogle on Chrome, so I keep on forgetting) so I'm not sure if their show has changed or not, for better or worse. The show is Sarlacc Pit Podcast, found at galacticbinder.com. Another - which has fallen by the way side, simply because I rarely have two hours to just sit and listen. Terrible, I know - is The Wampas Lair. It takes aspects of the films - I don't think they delve too much into the EU - and discuss them at length. I like their dynamic, and they have Star Wars music playing in the background throughout the show, which I think is a nice touch.

On a more negative note, I have to agree with you on the Force Cast. I'm really not a fan of their show. I stopped listening when they said one young reader series was better than FOTJ. Confused

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I am a Star Wars fan. That doesn't mean that I hate or love Jar Jar. That doesn't mean I hate or love Lucas, or agree or disagree 100% with him. That doesn't mean I prefer the PT over the OT, or vice versa. That doesn't mean I hate the EU, or even love all of it. These are not prerequisites. Being a man is not a prerequisite. Being a geek is not a prerequisite. The only prerequisite is that I love something about Star Wars. I am a Star Wars fan.

Whoops

I actually meant the Star Wars Book Report.

That said, I do listen to the Star Wars Report as well. The chemistry between Riley, Mark, and Bethany works really well and definitely falls into the category of good podcasts. I also like the way they keep a positive tone even when doing rants.

And how could I forget you, IR2? You're one of the best podcast hosts out here. Seriously. You guys have a great team on the Star Wars Report. I especially love the extra touch of whislter Cool

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I subscribe to (in alphabetical order):

- Clone Wars Roundtable (Forcecast) - I generally like their analysis but sometimes I don't like their guests. Other times the guests are great.
- ForceCast - I really like Jimmy. They have good interviews, but sometimes they interview people I really don't care about. And they go off on weird tangents, not to mention act like it's a crazy thing when girls like Star Wars (I'm thinking of the Miss USA thing here). Not to mention, Jason harping on the EU every chance he gets. I tend to skip around a lot when listening to this podcast.
- Jedi Journals - I like the hosts and they have good interviews (the one with Luceno was great). But I tend to skip the rehash of news and new releases.
- Star Wars Book Report - The hosts have great chemistry and this is one case when I like hearing them talk about things that aren't Star Wars because they make it funny. It's interesting because many times I find myself disagreeing with their opinions on the EU, but I enjoy listening to them nonetheless. It reminds me that disagreement can be fun.
- Star Wars Report - I like all three hosts and they usually talk about subjects I'm interested in. I wish they'd talk more about the EU, but I know not everyone is into it as I am.
- We Talk Clones - I like all three of the hosts and they usually bring up things about the episodes I hadn't talked about. And I always anticipate hearing what they're gonna do to the poor womprats.

Oh yeah, and Tosche Station. Wink

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“You are greater than the Jedi of the former days. Because unlike the Knights of old, Jedi Luke Skywalker…you are not afraid of the dark.”

EUC Staff Joined: 09 Nov 2011 Posts: 1204 Location: Nirn

I've listened to a few of EUCasts (and want more please Wink

) the first episode of Tosche Station (really enjoyed it, shall be listening to the rest this week) and an episode of the Forcecast.
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There's always a bigger fish - Qui Gon Jinn.

You shall learn that history is an intricate weaving of many events. No one thing can be understood without the proper context.

The best techniques are passed on by the survivors.

I have to be careful when listening to Tosche Station because they got me started on the Hunger Games. I need hurry up and read those so I don't have to worry about spoilers.
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Sadly I don't have as much time to listen to as many podcasts as I used to. I'll catch a few on spurts when I have a free weekend, but the one show I listen to regularly is The Star Wars Report. I dig the host dynamics and they cover topics I really like. Though I really do need to send Bethany and Riley some EU novels so they'll venture into that side of the fandom. Wink

If I'm not out of time, I gladly sit down and listen to their Thursday livecasts.

Used to listen to the Forcecast. Stopped when it became clear one of the hosts liked to throw elitist superfan crap at listeners. Won't go back unless he leaves.
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Founder and writer at Tosche Station.

"You know, on some worlds, it's a felony to wear an ewok as a swimsuit."

Master Joined: 21 Mar 2010 Posts: 813 Location: Maryland

I listen to lots of the SW podcasts, and have plenty of opinions (good, bad, indifferent) about probably every single one - including the one I'm on! But since I'm pretty blunt with my opinions, I'll just not bother going into any more detail than that haha. Those looking to improve and who are always striving for perfection will seek out opinions and critique wherever they can.

EUC Staff Joined: 09 Nov 2011 Posts: 1204 Location: Nirn

The podcasts I tend to gravitate towards are just the general discussion ones, not reviewing. And you guys just reminded me why I didn't listen to more Forcecasts. If you're going to have a SW podcast nowadays, with no more movies coming out, you can't just shove the EU aside to say "ESB ROCKS YEAHHH" for an hour. Not fun. Just people talking about random EU things and a bit of news about new releases and stuff are what I like.
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There's always a bigger fish - Qui Gon Jinn.

You shall learn that history is an intricate weaving of many events. No one thing can be understood without the proper context.

The best techniques are passed on by the survivors.

Right now, the Star Wars podcasts I listen to are:
-The Star Wars Report
-Star Wars: Beyond The Films
-We Talk Clones.

I also have a subscription on iTunes to EUCast, but it has been curiously inactive Sad

I've listened to the first two episodes of Tosche Station, but I don't have it on iTunes yet. The hosts are good, but it may not be for me. I'll be listening to episode 3 today.

My problem is that I have a lot of other non-Star Wars podcasts in my iTunes feed that I love too, so I can't listen to all of them. I have 5 CBC shows, three more science podcasts, a relationship advice podcast (which is also political punditry) and IGN's comic book podcast. I can listen to two podcasts a day during my daily commute, and often one more during work. That's still more than I record. I cut the number down recently.
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It was the year of rebirth… the year of great sadness… the year of pain… and the year of joy.
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