A big reveal accompanied by a nice surprise are the highlights of this week's episode of 'The Mandalorian', that otherwise felt mostly inconsequential. Not quite a bottle episode (but close), we spend much of the relatively short runtime with the Mandalorian covert as they attempt to rescue a child from what is essentially a dragon. Meanwhile, over on 'The Bad Batch' we are treated to one of the best episodes of the entire series. Table setting for a finale has never been this exciting or engaging. Between prison breaks, escape attempts, and political intrigue, there isn't much more you can ask for from this show. Superb!

Note: The audio in the first 10 minutes of the podcast is less than optimal after having to do some recovery to get it back. The remainder of the episode is back to the usual high audio standard we strive for.

Note 2: The review/recap of this week's episode of 'The Bad Batch' had to be cut short. The plan is to pick up where we left off next week as a lead into the coverage of the season finale. The logistics of next week's podcasts are still up in the air but rest assured both shows will be covered in one way or another.

If you enjoy the show please subscribe and leave a kind review on Apple Podcasts, and check out Patreon.com/TowerBabbleCast to become one of our latest patrons.

Jan 19, 2026

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.

Jan 5, 2026

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?

Dec 24, 2025

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!

Dec 17, 2025

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!

The Mandalorian S3E4 "The Foundling" + The Bad Batch S2E14 "Tipping Point"

Support the Show

REcent Episodes