It's been some time since we've been able to sink our pointy teeth into a meaty Star Wars animated project. Since the finale of 'The Bad Batch' all the way back in May of 2024, all we've had to tie us over were anthology installments of varying quality. Praise the Force, that wait is finally over with the release of 'Maul: Shadow Lord', the latest full length series from Lucasfilm Animation. The series marks another technical leap forward for the animation studio, taking their patented visual style and adding another layer of detail and artistry that jumps off the screen. The story follows the titular, Maul shortly after the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire, he's looking for revenge and the series wastes no time dropping us right into the thick of things (3 car/speeder chases in 40 mins is impressive). And while we know much of Maul's criminal dealings (and most of the rest of his life actually), the introduction of a new Padawan into the mix, another apprentice-to-be for Maul, adds a layer of intrigue to an otherwise underworld focused story. Join Julian and Rachel as they unpack Chapter 1: "The Dark Revenge" and Chapter 2: "Sinister Schemes", in intricate detail.
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Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Slap Shot (1977) - Review + Commentary Track
In honour of Matt strapping on the goalie pads again for the first time in many years (and not completely pulling his groin), it only made sense to revisit the classic hockey comedy, 'Slap Shot' from 1977. This isn't the first time seeing the movie for either Julian or Matt but it's been a long time so there are plenty of questions still to answer. Here's a few examples: How well shot are the hockey scenes? Does the movie feature more or less actual hockey than 'Heated Revelry'? Does the plot and/or humour hold up all these years later? All these questions are answered in time, but we're also trying something new this month. Instead of a traditional movie review, Julian and Matt decided to go a layer deeper and add a full commentary track for the movie as well. So enjoy the full review, which takes place, before, during, and after the movie itself, and sync up your own copy of the movie (there's a countdown before we start) to get the full experience!
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Bonus Episode - 2026 Oscars Recap
Matt and Julian are back to unpack the results from last Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony. While the show itself had few surprises (there was a tie though so that's something!), between Conan's bits, the winners, and the losers, there is plenty to discuss. Congrats to 'One Battle After Another', PTA and all the winners ('Sinners' probably deserved a better fate, but respect to MBJ for his ascension)! Plus, I still can't believe the bit about making Leo into a meme actually made another meme. Join us for the full deep dive!
Read MoreBonus Episode - 2026 Oscars Preview Show
Julian is back from vacation just in time or the 98th Academy Awards! Airing tomorrow (Match 15th), hosted once again by Conan O’Brien, it’s the most prestigious night in Hollywood (after the Tobies of course). This is Matt’s first time on the preview show, so the format is tweaked a bit from our traditional reviews of Oscar noms, though there is still some of that. A broader approach is taken, with a larger focus on the ceremony itself, a peak at the front runners in each category, as well as the betting odds. It’s not all new-school though, find Julian’s traditional “will win”/’want to win” ballots below (Matt will put his together privately) for those curious. Lastly, look for a follow-up show discussing the ceremonies, unpacking the winners, and scoring the ballots next week. Until then, grab your tux, hit the red carpet, rub elbows with the celebs, and enjoy the 2026 Oscars!
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SSSW - Kathleen Kennedy Steps Down
There have been rumours circulating for years about the eventual retirement of Kathleen Kennedy from her role as President of Lucasfilm. Never mind the seemingly constant swirling demands for her head from segments of the fan base. And while those rumours and demands may have felt at times unwarranted, they were nevertheless always going to be right... eventually. Kathleen Kennedy, after 14 years as head of the studio announced that she would be stepping down and returning to a more traditional producer role, and her successors would be Dave Filoni on the creative side, and Lynwen Brennan on the business side. Julian and Rachel unpack the announcement, the press coverage, and even Kennedy's exit interview with Deadline, reading between the lines and trying to get a read on her legacy. As well as examining what life might be like under Filoni as Star Wars enters a new era under his watch. Plus, a check-in on 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' following the underwhelming Super Bowl spot.
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Episode 204 - Oscar Noms + 2026 Predictions
As noted by the recent Tobies, awards season continues in full flight, so it's no surprise to have The Oscars drop their nominations just in time for Matt and Julian to break them down. 'Sinners' taking home 16 noms sets an Oscars record and (more importantly) validates Julian's recent Tobie pick. Plus, the guys return to a more traditional news format with headlines about James Bond, Game of Thrones, He-Man and more! Finally, the guys look into their crystal balls, gazing into the future, to make entertainment-based predictions for the year 2026. How will the WB/Netflix deal play out? Will Star Wars have a hit with 'The Mandalorian and Grogu'? Will Nolan's 'The Odyssey' be as big as 'Oppenheimer'? Only the ToB hosts can tell you! (No future lotto tickets or sports almanacs unfortunately)
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Episode 203 - The 2025 Tobie Awards (9th Annual)
With the Golden Globes holding their annual ceremony last week, it signals only one thing - it’s AWARD SEASON BABY! And of course, when one thinks of the most prestigious awards in entertainment, of course names like Oscar, Tony, and Emmy might come to mind. But held on equal footing with those self-congratulatory titans is of course the name Tobie. That’s right y’all THE TOBIES ARE BACK for another go around at the top three best movies and shows of year. And while there may be a new host in the rotation, the format and the prestige remain unchanged. Join Julian and now Matt to explore what, upon reflection, was a pretty damn good year for visual storytelling on both the big and small screens.
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SSSW - Year in Review 2025 + Visions Vol 3
With the back half of 2025 being relatively quiet from a Star Wars perspective, it's hard to remember that 'Andor' wrapped up it's two season run and blew us all away THIS year. Never mind that 'Skeleton Crew' also wrapped up in 2025! Julian and Rachel, using the help of this handy Starwars.com article as reference, look back at the year that was in Star Wars. Overall, despite things slowing down content-wise, 'Andor' alone makes it a stellar year, and with new movies on the horizon and a new animated series set to drop in 2026, there's still plenty to be excited about going forward. If that wasn't enough, join us as we explore 'Star Wars: Visions - Volume III', posing the question: has the Star Wars anime concept run it's course?
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Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Surviving Christmas (2004)
Happy holidays ToB Fans! Completing a string of 3 straight publicly available Film Club episodes, commemorating the show's relaunch, we finish with our annual tradition of doing a Christmas movie for December. This year, with Matt joining the show it was his choice. He went with a movie from the mid-2000s that he's revisited time and again - 'Surviving Christmas'. A Ben Affleck vehicle that comes from a rocky era of his, just one year removed from 'Gili'. Fortunately, it features a strong supporting cast, with both Catherine O'Hara and the late James Gandolfini stealing the show and preventing this from being a complete disaster. Devoid of any type of strong holiday message, we spend much of the movie indulging Affleck's character's obnoxious desires, and despite some funny moments peppered throughout and a relatively strong third act, the tonal inconsistency and unlikability of the main character leave this movie mired in mediocrity. See you all again in 2026!
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Episode 202 - Could Things Be Worse?
It is often said we're living through "unprecedented times", and I must admit that it rings true when reading the news. Normally, we're fortunate enough to be discussing the frivolous world of entertainment - shielding us from much of the dower nature of the the modern world. Unfortunately, that does not mean we are immune - this week proves there's still plenty of bad news in the entertainment world to go around. And while we try to focus on the fun stuff, sometimes the bad stuff threatens things we love, like creators, and movie theatres, and therefor must be called out. As such, Matt and Julian spend the front half of the show talking about the Netflix/WB deal, and the Disney's investment in AI. Pick your poison on that one. However, stick around, as things take a turn back to the fun as the latest in film and tv news is covered, including discussions about a new '28 Years Later' movie, a new 'Men in Black', 'Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair', and 'Stranger Things',. All this and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
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