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The Retrospectors What happened on this day in history? Curious moments curated each weekday (and Sundays)

20/11/2025

Microsoft OS is 40 today

17/11/2025

47 years ago today saw the bizarre, incoherent ‘Star Wars Holiday Special’. Despite CBS signing up the stars of the original movie - Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill - the plot swapped epic battles for a bizarre variety show filled with cameos from Harvey Korman, Bea Arthur, and Jefferson Starship.

The story revolves around Chewbacca’s family as celebrate “Life Day” on their home planet, Kashyyyk. George Lucas' initial vision was for a sombre, character-driven tale. But instead, it evolved into a chaotic blend of guest star sketches, dodgy green screens, and musical numbers. Lucas reportedly hated it so much he wished to destroy every copy with a sledgehammer.

Today, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why Fisher ended up singing a new song to the tune of John Williams’s Star Wars theme; consider how Disney attempted to scrub the memory of the Special from the Star Wars canon after acquiring Lucasfilm; and contemplate the wisdom of making Wookies - who speak an unintelligible language, with no subtitles - the stars of the show…

Arion is back from Oz for a Summer holiday - so this week we took the opportunity to leave our microphones at home, and ...
18/07/2025

Arion is back from Oz for a Summer holiday - so this week we took the opportunity to leave our microphones at home, and meet up in actual REAL LIFE.

(This photoset was taken at the beginning of the day; suffice to say we were worse-for-wear by sundown and had a DELIGHTFUL time thanks to you lovely listeners effectively paying for our lunch and drinks.)

Fun history fact of the day: we had fish and chips in a coaching inn which has existed on the present site since 1688 and was mentioned in The Spectator in August 1712.

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