Home/Episodes/Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ (Part Two) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan
May 6, 2025 · Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) · Action · Adventure · Fantasy · 1:55:04 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsChewbacca is the most overrated sidekick ever - he's useless, can't shoot guns, speaks unintelligible language, stands out everywhere, and never uses his size or strength effectively▶ 22:20
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsThe greatest secret probably ever kept in a movie (Vader being Luke's father), Obi-Wan as the ultimate mentor, every Darth Vader entrance, lightsabers▶ 36:18
Van LathanDarth Vader - evolved from cool mysterious villain to cultural icon that the entire franchise is oriented around▶ 32:34
Great Shot Gordo Award
Sean FennesseyMultiple shots including Obi-Wan at the Death Star control panel and R2/3PO's escape pod with stardust effect▶ 43:11
Best Quote
Chris RyanKid I've flown from one side of this galaxy to the other. I've seen a lot of strange stuff. But I've never seen anything to make me believe that there's one all powerful force controlling everything. There's no mystical energy field that controls my destiny.▶ 48:05
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Van LathanClaims to have one but doesn't state it clearly before discussion shifts to Mark Hamill▶ 48:57
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsKurt Russell — Kurt Russell tested for Luke Skywalker's role but would have been too much testosterone/too cool. Suggests Matthew Broderick in War Games type would be better fit.▶ 52:03
Chris RyanKurt Russell — Agrees Kurt Russell would be too cool for Luke. Defends Hamill's arc across the trilogy, noting Luke becomes scarred and grizzled by Return of the Jedi.▶ 52:17
Van LathanMark Hamill — Defends Mark Hamill's casting, arguing his uncertain, questioning performance works well against the confident characters of Solo and Leia, and that he develops perfectly across the three films.▶ 51:02
Overacting Award
Bill SimmonsMark Hamill — Chewbacca, Mark Hamill getting whiny and loud, and Alec Guinness looking regretful about taking the role▶ 1:04:35
Van LathanMark Hamill — Mark Hamill's line 'I'm not such a bad pilot myself' when he's mad at Han▶ 1:04:58
Dion Waiters Award
Sean FennesseyRichard LeParmentier — Admiral Motti (the officer who gets Force-choked by Vader)▶ 1:12:41
Van LathanDarth Vader — Initially suggested CGI Jabba, but agrees Vader should win if eligible▶ 1:12:13
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsGeorge Lucas — George Lucas around 1981 after Empire and Raiders; Mark Hamill definitely; Carrie Fisher (this or Blues Brothers/Empire); Field of Dreams for James Earl Jones; 20th Century Fox; nerds starting their renaissance▶ 1:17:16
Chris RyanGeorge Lucas — George Lucas as director peaked here; John Williams nearly impossible to choose but agreed it's his apex; outer space sagas/lore starters▶ 1:19:01
Sean FennesseyGeorge Lucas — George Lucas around 1981 when he built his empire (ILM, Skywalker Ranch); movie sound effects with Ben Burtt's work; nerds who got obsessed went on to take over▶ 1:17:18
Van LathanGeorge Lucas — George Lucas as director peaked here before the poorly directed prequels; fictional mythologies - this spawned the biggest world; absentee fathers - greatest absentee dad story ever▶ 1:17:54
Hanks or Cruise
Chris RyanTom Cruise — Cruise for Luke around Taps era, but thinks Hanks could have been good as Han Solo during his Volunteers period▶ 1:23:27
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsR2D2 and C-3PO randomly ejecting and landing on Luke's planet right near his house▶ 1:29:03
Chris RyanThe Empire only sent four TIE fighters at the Millennium Falcon when they could have sent more and ended everything▶ 1:29:28
Sean FennesseyThe Empire should have shot down the escape pod even though there's no life force on it▶ 1:29:14
Van LathanThe stormtroopers are legendarily incompetent - the whole thing doesn't work if they're better at their job or can aim▶ 1:30:42
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsDid they intentionally make C-3PO look like an Oscar? Why didn't Chewbacca have genitalia? Halloween 1978 probably had the most people dressed in the same costume▶ 1:42:58
Chris RyanNoted they were discussing a lot of Star Wars character genitalia and questioned whether there should be more bathroom references in Star Wars▶ 1:43:24
Sean FennesseyC-3PO wasn't intentionally made to look like Oscar - he's modeled after the robot from Metropolis, though the gold color might remind people of Oscar▶ 1:43:05
Van LathanChewbacca might be a 'hider' - he's a Wookiee and there are many Wookiees, so he likely has genitalia and goes to the bathroom like other creatures▶ 1:43:20
Best Double Feature
Bill SimmonsRogue One: A Star Wars Story — Initially suggests Rogue One, then mentions Raiders as interesting options▶ 1:49:13
Van LathanDune — Suggests Denis Villeneuve's Dune (the first one) and American Graffiti as options▶ 1:49:15
Who Won the Movie
Chris RyanHarrison Ford — Harrison Ford - argues he keeps the movie attached to humanity and is one of the coolest movie characters ever▶ 1:49:42
Sean FennesseyGeorge Lucas — George Lucas - created the most indelible franchise in Hollywood history and made billions▶ 1:50:20
Van LathanGeorge Lucas — George Lucas - no one in the industry has won any single movie as much as Lucas won this one▶ 1:50:28
Movies Referenced (51)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrie (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 39:11 |
| American Graffiti (1973) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 30:07 |
| The Matrix (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | ▶ 1:19:25 |
| Blade Runner (1982) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:45:37 |
| Jaws (1975) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck | ▶ 34:20 |
| Sinners (2025) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Craig Horlbeck, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:52:42 |
| Top Gun (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 25:33 |
| Chasing Amy (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:00:51 |
| Field of Dreams (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:20:42 |
| Halloween (1978) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:44:13 |
| He Got Game (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan | ▶ 1:22:37 |
| John Wick (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Craig Horlbeck | ▶ 1:52:29 |
Directors Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian De Palma | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Body Double, Dressed to Kill, The Bonfire of the Vanities | ▶ 38:53 |
| Denis Villeneuve | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | Blade Runner 2049 | ▶ 1:49:15 |
| Harrison Ellenshaw | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 43:31 | |
| Kevin Smith | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Clerks, Chasing Amy | ▶ 1:01:02 |
Actors Referenced (57)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Han Solo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 37 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 7:53 | |
| Sean Young | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | Blade Runner 2049, Dune, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective | ▶ 7:08 |
| Harrison Ford | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 15 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive | ▶ 22:18 |
| Mark Hamill | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 14 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope | ▶ 28:03 |
| John Williams | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Craig Horlbeck | Jurassic Park, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope | ▶ 55:26 |
| Empire of the Sun | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Sex Tape, Hall Pass | ▶ 1:17:11 |
| Carrie Fisher | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi | ▶ 39:11 |
| James Earl Jones | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Field of Dreams | ▶ 33:32 |
| Kurt Russell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | Escape from New York, The Hateful Eight | ▶ 52:03 |
| The Game | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Street Kings, The A-Team, Coach Carter | ▶ 37:32 |
| Alec Guinness | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Kind Hearts and Coronets | ▶ 13:18 |
| Black Grape | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Virtuosity | ▶ 9:55 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Lucas | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 34 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, American Graffiti | ▶ 3:11 |
| Andy Greenwald | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 28:08 | |
| Carl Sagan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 58:55 | |
| Damon Lindelof | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:34:58 | |
| Mike Flanagan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 49:30 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilbert Taylor | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Omen | ▶ 42:15 |