Comedy, television and podcast veterans Lauren Lapkus and Nicole Byers have never seen a single Star Wars film. They know nothing about Star Wars except some random names, phrases, and a couple of iconic moments they’ve heard over the years. In fact, they’ve kind of avoided all things Star Wars for their entire lives. Now, these two brilliantly funny women are joining forces (see what did there?) for Newcomers, a podcast that has them watching one Star Wars film per week, in theatrical release order.
The whole premise of this podcast really speaks to me as someone who didn’t sit down and watch all of these until I was in my late twenties. I saw Episode I: The Phantom Menace as a kid in the theater, and I was beyond confused, and therefore, bored as hell. But before The Force Awakens came out, I wanted to know what I’d been missing. So I watched all six films – also in theatrical release order – so I could be prepared for Episode VII. There were highs (Empire Strikes Back) and lows (Hayden Christensen, Jar Jar Binks), but after six movies, I was excited for the seventh.
Pictured: Top – Co-host Lauren Lapkus (Photo by Robyn Von Swank); Bottom – Co-host Nicole Byer (Photo courtesy of Netflix)
Lauren and Nicole are approaching Star Wars similarly. They’re ready to know what it’s all about and why so many people love it. (Listen to the trailer to get their perspective.) So far, they have released three episodes on the original three Star Wars films, and they have been surprised by how little they really knew about the characters and their world. One really smart thing they do is have a guest who does know Star Wars join them for each episode, so listeners aren’t just hearing two people be very confused in the beginning. The guests (so far: John Gemberling, Jon Gabrus, and Emily Yoshida) are great foils for Nicole and Lauren and are able to not only answer the hosts’ Star Wars questions, but also share their personal experience with the franchise and why they love it.
The first episode, wherein they discuss Episode IV: A New Hope, made me laugh out loud multiple times. To give you a taste of what Lauren and Nicole experience without spoiling anything major, I’ll just say that even with a chart of characters in front of them, Nicole still called C-3PO “People-CPO” and “CP-3P,” which sounded like “seepy threepy” and made me snort. They ask the important questions like, “Where was Yoda in this movie?” and “Why is C-3PO so mean to R2-D2?” and “What is a droid?” Their first-timer reactions to big moments – like the reveal of Darth’s Vader’s face – are so fun to hear.
When a new character pops up
In the first three episodes, they already go on a journey from finding the story boring and confusing to caring about the characters and being excited for the next film. If you’re already a die-hard Star Wars fan, I think you’ll find their wide-eyed approach refreshing to listen to, even if they’re bored by your favorite movies at first. If you’re new to Star Wars, what a great opportunity to watch along and listen. (And you can literally watch along with them on their bonus episode: an audio track of Lauren and Nicole watching A New Hope.) I think Star Wars fans will feel nostalgic hearing the guests talk about how they came to love the movies, and no matter how many times you’ve seen the films, it’s a joy to hear something you’ll never get to experience for yourself again – seeing the movies for the first time.
If you have seen Lauren and Nicole on television or listened to their other podcasts, you know that on their own, they are each hilarious. Together, they’re even better. Their dynamic is like two friends at a sleepover – watching a really confusing movie and commenting on it. They have great energy as co-hosts, and I love hearing them understand something about Star Wars for the first time together.
Whether you’re a huge fan of Star Wars, a dabbler, or even if you haven’t seen these films at all, I think this podcast has something for everyone. I’ve been checking my podcast app every day for the next episode (The Phantom Menace) because I think their commentary on it is going to be absolute gold. Check out Newcomers on the Headgum podcast network, or anywhere you listen to podcasts!
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