Star Wars turns 45 today.

And in today's podcast, Rob and I both road trip down "Memory Lane" as we relate our experiences watching the film when it premiered in theaters - Rob in Seattle and me in the little, midwestern town of Milan, Illinois. Rob and I both stumbled across Star Wars in advance of its release and wanted to see it first-hand. Rob had seen television commercials (thanks to living in a major media market), but I had only read about it in a dog-eared copy of TIME Magazine in my school's library.

Little did we know how much that movie would change our lives.

We've got some idea now, and that's what we spend a good deal of the hour discussing. My interest, like usual, is in the commercial aspects of the production and the franchise. How did Star Wars change the industry's attitude about sci-fi and its mindset about creating summertime blockbusters (for good or bad, I suppose, is still somewhat debatable)?

But Rob was romanced by what he saw on the screen.

It was a new way to show sci-fi. And as an Imagination Connoisseur - even at the age of ten - Rob was hooked and wanted to see more. He was not disappointed.

Like all good things, there are some days that are better than others. The original movie and its first sequel, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK were great, glorious days for Star Wars. The Holiday Special, the prequel trilogy and, for me, RETURN OF THE JEDI, represented a kind of corporate sell-out that sacrificed story and characters for action figures and merchandising.

And then came Disney.

Rob and I talk a bit about that as well. And we dive into the most pressing question now facing the Star Wars franchise and its fandom: Will Ewan McGregor and the upcoming 'Obi-Wan' series (which premiers on Friday) succeed and save Star Wars - proving 'The Mandalorian' was not a fluke? Or will it land with a thud much like 'The Book of Boba Fett" did?

Sure, there are more Star Wars shows in production - both movies and series for Disney+. But it's quite possible this next show (Obi-Wan) will tell us whether Star Wars has reached middle age and needs a rest and some time in the whirlpool before it goes out and plays again, or it's just getting re-started. Again.

C'mon Obi-Wan. You're our only hope.

I'll be writing more about all this on the ROADTRIPPIN' blog later today (and will probably post it this evening). You can check it out on our website: https://postgeeksingularity.com/roadtrippin-with-rmb/

And remember, you can always send us a letter. Just click on the "Contact Us" button in the main navigation of our website at postgeeksingularity.com and you'll be able to send us a message to let us know how we're doing and what's on your mind.

We look forward to hearing from you.

I invite you to listen in on my weekday conversations with my friend and business partner, Robert Meyer Burnett, as we talk about the things we love: great movies, inspiring television programming, nostalgic genre entertainment, and pop culture.

This episode recorded on May 25, 2022.