This is the Way Podcast

This is the Way Podcast

Host Steve Loscalzo discusses movies, TV, theme parks and more, beginning with the first live action Star Wars television series released on the Disney+ streaming service. Episodes of The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett, The Bad Batch and more are analyzed and sometimes you can even watch along with the hosts. Well, at least you could way back when past co-hosts Tim Harris and Andy Schelb joined in. This is the way some friends gather and discuss Star Wars. Listen, enjoy, and take part in the podcast by e-mailing to thisisthewaypodcast@gmail.com. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/support read less
TV & FilmTV & Film

Episodes

151. This is the Way Podcast Star Wars News Update - March 2024
Mar 30 2024
151. This is the Way Podcast Star Wars News Update - March 2024
March 2024's news update episode is available just before the end of the month, but it's Easter weekend, so it might be a slight gamble that something big doesn't come from Lucasfilm or Disney this weekend, but not as big a risk as The Acolyte action figures getting announced before anyone knows what kind of show it will be. Even the "Holocomm" collectibles seem a safer bet, but then again, it doesn't get much better than Darth Vader. Wait a second...are we LEADING the notes with collectibles? Yes. Oh, we are well aware The Acolyte released a trailer, but anything by Leslye Headland is "wait and see" because of her unproven track record and factual statements voluntarily given about her past and Star Wars in general. We don't have high hopes for the next live action Star Wars show, but we reserve judgment until actually seeing it. A reminder for Disney Parks news, a tidbit about a game company that kept plugging along after firings more than decimated a co-developer, the death of a casting agent, and a chance to see Star Wars in the theater, once again. Yeah, this definitely qualifies as a news update podcast. Disagree? Have comments or questions (on this episode or the podcast in general)? Email us or contact the show through one of our links that you can find by visiting our Linktree page (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/ThisistheWayPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). If it helps you decide how to contact HQ, email is the best way to get through so add ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thisisthewaypodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to your address or contact list. It might only be March, but "May" the Force be with you...always! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/support
150. This is the Way We Observe Star Wars Podcast Day 2024
Feb 7 2024
150. This is the Way We Observe Star Wars Podcast Day 2024
It's that time once again! #StarWarsPodcastDay2024 and This is the Way Podcast is observing it with a background episode on the host. This episode was commissioned for Star Wars Podcast Day 2024 which this year is being observed by a record number of podcasts (more than 100 for the second year in a row). It happens yearly on February 7th, which commemorates the first Star Wars centered podcast debut in 1999. That means this is the 25th year of podcasting about Star Wars even if it's only the fourth #SWPD. This is the Way Podcast has celebrated with an episode airing on the seventh of February every year, even if they haven't always been "special" episodes. This episode is a long rambling sort, but only because the host decided to talk honestly and openly. You'll hear a little about how the host grew up with Star Wars and why he loves it, how it formed his love of sci-fi and fantasy and what prompted the podcasting to begin. Not everyone will agree on the opinions contained within, so keep in mind that these are opinions and not a call to judge someone's level of Star Wars fandom. We love that you're joining us and if it's your first time here, we hope you'll check out all our episodes. Send feedback to us by email at ⁠thisisthewaypodcast@gmail.com⁠ or via X and ⁠Instagram⁠ @ThisistheWayPod. There are many podcasts out there releasing special episodes today and you can find them by visiting the celebration Instagram page ⁠@starwarspodday⁠ or on ⁠X⁠ or the ⁠Facebook⁠ page for the event. May the Force be with you...always! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/support
146. This is the Way: Ahsoka, The Jedi, The Witch, and The Warlord S1E8 Discussion
Nov 12 2023
146. This is the Way: Ahsoka, The Jedi, The Witch, and The Warlord S1E8 Discussion
If you're looking for a host that will put a positive spin on any criticism of Ahsoka and overlook the awful plotting, bad writing, and focus on only the highlights, then you may want to skip this episode of This is the Way Podcast. Disney's purchase of LucasFilm has finally "broken" the host and as a day one Disney Plus subscriber, cancelling the service felt like defeat. Hey! Something in common with Sabine and Ahsoka in the show! Thrawn is no military genius. That's not what we saw. Sabine shouldn't have finally accessed the part of her that can sense the Force because that's not what we've been shown. Ahsoka didn't suddenly figure out what being a master is all about because you cannot somehow believe that it's okay to support someone in everything they do. That's insane. Well, maybe the World Between Worlds broke her. I'm not even sure that's where she was when she saw Anakin anymore, although, hey, he's not concerned with Luke and his grandson because he's hanging out in another galaxy. I swear, if Disney tries to tell us she starts a new faction of the Jedi and that's her "purpose" in this other galaxy...yikes. I better not hand them any ideas. Ahsoka's finale is filled with moves that don't make sense and majick that does make sense, but doesn't get used enough. Thrawn fails upward and Ezra gets a Force push from Mary Subine. It's best to stop now before getting upset. Holding out hope until the last minute turned out to disappoint. It's still not Obi-Wan Kenobi series bad, but it's not The Mandalorian or Andor, either. We skipped the feedback sent in for this episode, but there are plans for a feedback only episode. You still have time to contribute, by email at ⁠thisisthewaypodcast@gmail.com⁠ but if you just want to interact with This is the Way Podcast, you can do so via ⁠Twitter⁠ ('X') and ⁠Instagram⁠ @ThisistheWayPod and also on ⁠YouTube⁠! May the Force be with us! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/support
144. This is the Way: Ahsoka, Dreams and Madness S1E7 Discussion
Oct 1 2023
144. This is the Way: Ahsoka, Dreams and Madness S1E7 Discussion
Ahsoka has just one episode left after Dreams and Madness, Part VII. Remember the days when seasons were something like 20-25 episodes long? Back then, there were cliffhangers and you might have had to wait six months to see a thrilling conclusion. Six months? Now we wait years and get half finished plotlines instead of cliffhangers because the story teams haven't figured out how many years they can squeeze out of an idea. I sound a little bitter, right? It's hard not to be when you keep telling yourself that it will get better because it has to get better. Half the season is gone. There are still three episodes left. The penultimate episode is going to set up a great finale. The finale...stinks? Is Ahsoka heading for that valley of despair? The only answer figures to be a decisive victory for Thrawn, but what does that mean in a world we know Rey and Finn and Poe inherit? Are we supposed to keep asking for what's next when what they deliver is always a set up for the next thing and never commits to giving answers because there's something else they might want to mine commercially? Increasingly, it seems people who feared Disney would do what they're doing to Star Wars were right. Ahsoka isn't all bad and neither is episode seven. Hera stood trial, but she got bailed out of trouble by a gold protocol droid with a note. Ahsoka and Huyang continued on and were in danger! And then they weren't. Baylan sent Shin off to kill the heroes! But she failed. Thrawn set up a master plan! It was to stall. Oh, and Sabine STILL HASN'T TOLD EZRA THEY MIGHT NOT GET HOME. This is the Way Podcast is not going to stop covering Ahsoka an episode from the finish line, but potential can only carry you so far before you have to produce something special. This series has just one episode to pull out all the stops, but common sense says this is just set up for the next set up. Send feedback to us, if you want, by email at thisisthewaypodcast@gmail.com or via Twitter ('X') and Instagram @ThisistheWayPod and also on YouTube! May the Force be with us! We need it! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/support
140. This is the Way: Ahsoka, Fallen Jedi S1E4 Discussion
Sep 11 2023
140. This is the Way: Ahsoka, Fallen Jedi S1E4 Discussion
Ahsoka reaches the halfway point of the season by visiting the "World Between Worlds" introduced in the animated series, Rebels. If you had that on your bingo card, congratulations. It's not that odds weren't great that Dave Filoni would take his creation to another time and space...err, place, but animation doesn't always translate well to live action. I suppose we've already crossed that stream, haven't we? Ahsoka wins one fight and loses another because she burns her hand with a power-filled map. Sabine fights to a stalemate then gives up because she's too attached to Ezra. Shin Hati gets petty. Morgan Elsbeth succeeds in her quest. Hera and Carson Teva survive an "eye of Sion" maneuver in an episode that cribs a big line (used in trailers) from The Lord of the Rings. It turns out Hera didn't need a pirate. She does bring Jacen along for a dangerous journey and Chopper, well, he was made for that. Did Anakin "pull" an Ezra and pull Ahsoka to safety? Is he going to finish what he started on Malachor or does this manifestation even know about that yet. This is the Way Podcast's coverage continues today with a discussion about "Fallen Jedi" and whether that title references singular or plural somewhat dimmed luminous beings. As always, send feedback to us by email at thisisthewaypodcast@gmail.com or via Twitter ('X') and Instagram @ThisistheWayPod and also on YouTube! May the Force be with us! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/support
137. This is the Way: Ahsoka, Toil and Trouble S1E2 Discussion
Aug 28 2023
137. This is the Way: Ahsoka, Toil and Trouble S1E2 Discussion
Ahsoka's first episode set a tone and the second continued the theme. She's looking for Thrawn...oh, and Ezra, too. Hera and Sabine couldn't care less about the bad guys. They just want their friend back. Huyang is trying to preserve his circuitry while Chopper cares very little for collateral damage on Corellia. Baylan seems like the most interesting man in the galaxy and that's based on more than looks. Elsbeth dips her finger into witchcraft in the episode and Marrok shows off HIS lightsaber training. It certainly doesn't look anything like what he might have learned from Kanan. Maybe Thrawn? Then again, how would HE be able to get back, but Thrawn be in "exile" as Elsbeth puts it? The real problem (so far) continues to be Filoni's decision to make Sabine force sensitive at all. There is a way to do it and the way he chose to do it makes no sense based on every single character development she went through in Rebels. He has six more episodes to make it make sense. This is the Way Podcast's coverage continues with Part III, releasing Tuesday night, but a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico might make the podcast discussion a bit later than usual. We ask for your prayers for HQ's safety and for the This is the Way Podcast host's family. As always, send feedback to us by email at thisisthewaypodcast@gmail.com or via Twitter ('X') and Instagram @ThisistheWayPod and also on YouTube! May the Force be with us! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/support
136. This is the Way: Ahsoka, Master and Apprentice S1E1 Discussion
Aug 24 2023
136. This is the Way: Ahsoka, Master and Apprentice S1E1 Discussion
Ahsoka feels like she's been around since the beginning even though her first appearance in Star Wars came this century and not a long time ago in a galaxy...oh you know. Since she became Anakin's padawan, she's been reviled and revisited as a Rebel and now, revered with a live action series of her own. It might be the most successful introduction to Star Wars canon since the prequels to the hearts of fans, at least of any character not named Grogu. The series premiere certainly isn't fan service, but neither does it leave long time Star Wars content watchers without nostalgic moments. If you know where to look, you'll find something from The Clone Wars or Rebels past. That's what this podcast aims to help uncover. This is the Way Podcast's coverage of the show won't be as wide reaching as it was for The Mandalorian, but the plan is to tackle each episode individually. That means Part II will be its own episode, even though it's already available to stream. If it's your first time here, please check out all our podcast episodes and like and subscribe to all available podcast outlets. It helps inspire the host to keep producing this content! Episodes of Ahsoka will air Tuesday nights. Hopefully, This is the Way Podcast's second podcast episode (on episode two) will come before episode three is available to stream, but no promises, okay? Send feedback to us by email at thisisthewaypodcast@gmail.com or via Twitter ('X') and Instagram @ThisistheWayPod and also on YouTube! May the Force be with you...always! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/support
135. This is the Way: Ahsoka Series Preview
Aug 21 2023
135. This is the Way: Ahsoka Series Preview
This is the Way Podcast was developed specifically for the very first Disney Plus Star Wars show, but my, how it has grown. Three seasons of The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, animated series, and monthly Star Wars news. Now, in August of 2023, we're getting another live action entry: Ahsoka. The character has grown on the fandom from a canon breaking annoyance to a well developed and well loved icon that fleshes out Anakin in a way we might not even have realized was needed. She's no Jedi, but she's also the best kind of mentor Luke could have after losing Obi-Wan and Yoda...and his father, to the Force. We only saw a snippet in The Book of Boba Fett, but it was the last time we saw Ahsoka in action, until her own show debuts on August 22nd.This is the Way Podcast's coverage of the show won't be as wide reaching as The Mandalorian, but the plan is to tackle each episode individually, even though the first two episodes stream together on premiere day. If it's your first time here, please check out all our podcast episodes and like and subscribe to all available podcast outlets. It helps!Episodes will air Tuesday nights instead of early Wednesday morning (or late or maybe super early if you're on the West coast). There will be one recap and discussion available by the weekend, and hopefully the second podcast episode (on episode two) will come before episode three is available to stream. Hey, the host is just getting over a birthday bout of the virus-that-shall-remain-nameless!Send feedback to us by email at thisisthewaypodcast@gmail.com or via Twitter (well, I guess it's called 'X' now?) and Instagram @ThisistheWayPod and also on YouTube! May the Force be with you...always! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/support
134. This is the Way on The Bad Batch Season Two Second Half
Aug 15 2023
134. This is the Way on The Bad Batch Season Two Second Half
Steve finished watching the second half of season two of The Bad Batch a long time ago, but in a galaxy not so far away. As an animated show, it has to stand up to Rebels and even The Clone Wars and sometimes, well, it doesn't match the quality. Whether it's the story or the writing is up for debate, but it must be a challenge to tie together different shows in a meaningful way and please most of your fans. Season two's second half isn't all bad, but it's not mostly good, either. If a podcaster who loves Star Wars can't admit that, or can't hold and share that opinion without derision, well, then it's obvious which set of "fans" are the real problems. Star Wars fandom is divided, but there's still hope and The Bad Batch is coming back for a third and final season in the future to tie up loose ends, hopefully without stepping on hallowed ground that has already been tread (and if it was done in live action, it's even more difficult to live up to the expectations of some fans). This is the Way Podcast did things differently during the first season two years back with regards to recaps and discussions of The Bad Batch and that's how it is going continue. Episode 9 of season 2 (25 overall?) begins this episode of This is the Way Podcast and we wrap it up with the season finale, Plan 99. This is the Way we'd like to handle shows like The Bad Batch and we think it works. Send feedback to us by e-mail to the address thisisthewaypodcast@gmail.com  or visit us on Facebook or via Twitter (or X) and Instagram @ThisistheWayPod and please use the hashtag #ThisistheWayPodcast to help us reach more Star Wars fans! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisistheway/support