Sep 28, 2026 · 1h 15m
Star Wars faces its familiar future
‘Star Wars’ Announces Another Chapter of the Skywalker Saga. Plus, ‘Lioness’ Season 3 Finale With Van Lathan.
The episode tests whether major franchises can escape inherited formulas while examining how political storytelling shapes Lioness and its characters.
- 1A new Skywalker-linked trilogy raises doubts about whether Star Wars can evolve beyond chosen ones and rebellion-versus-empire formulas.
- 2Lanterns builds a grounded cosmic mystery around Jon Stewart, Hal Jordan, Sinestro, and unresolved questions before its finale.
- 3Lioness delivers a strong season whose underwhelming finale exposes its political worldview and the consequences of Joe’s past operations.
Don't miss
Van Lathan explains how he can enjoy Lioness while disagreeing with its candid presentation of American power and national mission.
The brief
Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald examine a reported new Star Wars trilogy from Simon Kinberg and John Watts, asking whether the Skywalker saga can move beyond its familiar formulas.
The hosts connect the franchise’s creative problem to fandom and online reaction, questioning whether social-media enthusiasm and outrage always reflect real viewers.
Their Lanterns discussion finds strength in the show’s blend of procedural storytelling and cosmic comic-book ideas, while leaving Hal Jordan, Sinestro, and the Manhunters unresolved.
Chris Ryan and Van Lathan call Lioness’s finale the season’s major miss, then examine Joe’s consequences, the show’s American exceptionalism, and its possible future.
The episode’s central tension is whether ambitious genre worlds can expand without abandoning the formulas, political assumptions, and audience relationships that sustain them.
Books & mentions
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